W127 Common Beneficial Arthropods Found in Field Crops

There are hundreds of species of insects and spiders that attack arthropod pests found in cotton, corn, soybean and other field crops. A few common and representative examples are presented herein. With few exceptions, these beneficial arthropods are native and common in the southern United States. The cumulative value of insect predators and parasitoids should not be underestimated, and this publication does not address important diseases that also attack insect and mite pests. Without biological control, many pest populations would routinely reach epidemic levels in field crops. Insecticide applications typically reduce populations of beneficial insects, often resulting in secondary pest outbreaks. Therefore, insecticides should be used only when pest populations are no longer under the adequate control of natural and biological control agents.