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Types of Biological Control Agents

Predators

• Consume many prey during development.
• Generally larger than prey.
• All stages may be predators.
• Are often generalists rather than specialists on any one prey type and eat both adults and immatures.

Parasitoids

• Immatures feed only on a single host and almost always kill it.
• Are smaller than the host.
• Are often specialized in their choice of host species and life stages thereof.
• Only the female attacks the host and lays eggs or larvae on or in the host.
• Immatures remain on or in the host, adults are free living and mobile and may be predaceous, feed on nectar, or not feed at all.

Parasites

• Smaller than host and don't generally kill it (i.e., mites)

Pathogens

• Diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses that kill the host.
• Some are naturally occurring and some have been commercially developed.
• Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) toxins and spores--Dipel®, etc.
• Fermentation products from fungi are precursors to making abamenctin (Agri-Mek®) and spinosad (SpinTor®).
• Codling moth polyhedrosis virus available commercially for control as CydEx®.
• Naturally occurring Beauvaria and Hirsutella fungal pathogens.