The DPI has been evaluating unsprayed strip crops planted beside dryland INGARD cotton as nurseries for beneficial arthropods over the past three seasons. This work has included evaluations of lablab, soybean, maize and sorghum in this role (Scholz et al 2000, Scholz et al. 2002). All of these crops harboured predatory insects and spiders at various times of the season, but not all of them readily harboured parasitoids. Trichogramma egg parasitoids are important beneficials on the Downs, and were most common in sorghum and maize, and less abundant in lablab and soybeans. Ideally an unsprayed nursery that harbours both predators and parasitoids is more desirable than one that primarily harbours predators. Unsprayed cotton offers potential to serve as a nursery for both predators and parasitoids, and was evaluated in this role during the 2001/02 season.