Abstract
Predatory insects stand out among natural enemies for having bioecological characteristics that make them potentially important agents for the biological control of crop pests. Knowing these attributes is fundamental to promote and strengthen biological control since these organisms also suffer the effects of biotic and abiotic regulation factors. This chapter approaches the bioecological aspects related to the ability to seek and find prey in the habitat; the predator-prey interactions, such as dietary preferences, adequacy, and palatability of the prey; and the effects of variations in density of prey on the predatory potential. Topics on habitat management and the role of vegetation diversity in the strategies to increase ecological services provided by these natural enemies are also covered. Moreover, this chapter presents the results of research on predatory insects from the Neotropical region.
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The authors are grateful to the CNPq for granting scholarships to B. Souza and CAPES and FAPEMIG for financial support.
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Souza, B., dos Santos-Cividanes, T.M., Cividanes, F.J., de Sousa, A.L.V. (2019). Predatory Insects. In: Souza, B., Vázquez, L., Marucci, R. (eds) Natural Enemies of Insect Pests in Neotropical Agroecosystems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24733-1_7
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