SURVEY OF NATURAL ENEMIES OF WHITEFLIES (HEMIPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) IN EGYPT WITH NEW LOCAL AND WORLD RECORDS

Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are some of the most problematic global pests of agricultural crops. Yet, natural enemies help control whiteflies. A field survey was conducted to identify and record the natural enemies associated with whiteflies in Egypt. Fifty-two natural enemies (29 species of parasitoids, 8 species of pathogens, and 15 species of predators) were found attacking or isolated from 14 whitefly species in Egypt. New world records are reported herein for two parasitoids [Encarsia lutea Masi and Eretmocerus mundus (Mercet)] on eight species of whiteflies, and for three predators [Chilocorus bipustulatus L., Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), and Coccinella septempunctata L.] on a single whitefly species [Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday)]. In addition, new local records of natural enemies on whiteflies are reported; this is the first local report of six predators and three entomopathogenic fungi of whiteflies in Egypt. This work helps in defining the natural enemies of whiteflies in and near agricultural communities.