The coccinellid predator from India, Serallgiwll pareesetoswll Sicard, was studied as a potential biological control agent of the silverleaf whitefly, Belllisia argelliifo/ii Bellows & Perring [also known as the sweetpotato whitefly, B. tahaci (Gennadius) Bio!)1,)e B]. Studies were performed on prey preference, and effects of host plant on predation, and temperature on life-histoty and predation rates. In one test, the predator was offered simultaneously 5 prey choices: corn earworm, Helieoverpa ;:;ea (Boddie) eggs; tobacco hornworm, MallC/uea sexta (L.) l'ggS; and =200 eggs and early instars of B. argelltifolii reared on poinsettias, cantaloupes, or cucumbers. S. pareesetoslIlII did not consume any lepidopteran eggs; however, they devoured nearly all whiteRy prey offered averaging =600 prey per 24-h feeding period. Mean adult longevities were 27.6 d on cantaloupe, 24.5 d on cucumber, 44.2 d on hibiscus, and 27.8 d on tomato. Each S. parcesetoslIlII adult consumed = 170-200 whitefly eggs and immatures per 12-h feeding period. The predation rate was highest on cucumbers, followed by tomato and cantaloupe, and lowest on hibiscus. Under constant temperature conditions of 20, 30, and 40°C, adults survived best at 20°C with a mean longe\~ty of =75 d. Adults lived =25 d at 30°C, whereas, 40°C resulted in death \\~thin 3 d. Predation rate was found to increase \~th temperature. The mean number of total immature B. argelltifo/ii consumed by S. pareesetoslIlIl adults was 138.9, 180.8, and 187.4 per 12-h feeding period at 20, 30, and 40°C, respectively. The maximum cumulative lifetime predation was measured at > 10,000 whiteflies consumed in the most long-lived indh~duals, despite feeding only 12 hid at ]-to 3-d intervals. Mean cumulative lifetime predation was measured at 4,909.5, 2,586.1, and 224.9 whiteflies at 20, 30, and 40°C, respectively. Because of its voracity in both immature and adult stages, and its apparent preference for whiteRies, including B. argelltifo/ii (compared \~th lepidopteran eggs),
