Many beneficial insects have been recorded in Australian cotton (Room (1979). These

include generalist predators and specialist parasitoids which attack key pests. The

potential value of these beneficial insects have not been widely exploited in cotton

pest management due to lack of understanding of the efficacy of these beneficial

insects, and lack of techniques to maximise both their abundance and effectiveness.

Adoption of within field monocultures in the cotton production system also

discriminate against and reduce the activity of beneficial insects because they lack

ecological diversity (Hagen and Hale, 1974). Hencooerpa spp. which are the major

pests of cotton crops in Australia are highly migratory and can therefore rapidly

infest cotton crops and lay their eggs and unless the natural enemies are present and

well established in high numbers before the pests arrive, they cannot respond

rapidly enough to control them before damage is sustained (Fitt, 1989; Gregg at at. ,

1993; Mensah and Harris, 1994, 1995). These have resulted in loss of Confidence in

these insects by growers who have opted instead to adopt chemical control.

A major focus of the Australian cotton industry is to reduce their dependence on

synthetic insecticides. One way this can be achieved is through the development and

adoption of a true integrated pest management program (ERM) which conserve and

utilise beneficial insects as a base of the program.