Predators
       
  What are the important species of beetles?  
  Identify and describe several important species of beetles in the rice field.  
       
Ladybird beetles
  

Both larvae and adults of ladybird beetles, family Coccinellidae, attack rice pests, including leafhoppers and planthoppers. Members of this family include:
1. Micraspis hirashimai Sasaji - the most common coccinellid in the rice field, is a good predator of hoppers.
 
 
Larva
Adult
2. Harmonia octomaculata (Fabricius) - larva hunts for nymphs of brown planthoppers.

 
Ground and Rove beetles
   In most rice fields, ground beetles Ophionea nigrofasciata (Schmidt - Goebel) and rove beetles Paederus fuscipes (Curtis) are important predators of rice pests.

O. nigrofasciata - a member of the family Carabidae is an effective predator of rice leaf folder larvae.
P. fuscipes - family Staphylinidae, is a voracious predator of the naked eggs laid on foliage by lepidopteran defoliators of rice.

 
Next lesson
   In the next lesson, we will learn about important damselflies in the rice field.