Management through Combined Use of Beneficial Insects and Thiacloprid in Pepper Seedlings.

insecticide application has posed a threat to pollinators and has also increased insecticide resistance of Sulzer. Therefore, it is urgent to develop an economical and effective strategy, especially for greenhouse vegetables. Firstly, we selected a neonicotinoid insecticide that is specifically fatal to but relatively safe to predators and bumblebees by laboratory toxicity tests and risk assessments. Then, we tested the effectiveness of the neonicotinoid insecticide under different temperature conditions. According to the LC values and the hazard quotients, thiacloprid met the requirements. Greenhouse trails indicated that thiacloprid was quite efficient, while control dropped to 80% without the application of thiacloprid. As for biological control, effectively controlled 90% of aphids with thiacloprid or not. However, performed better above 20 °C. Our results indicated that it is cost-effective to control with in suitable temperature conditions and was more effective at low temperatures. Practically, thiacloprid could be used either as an emergency option to control aphids' abundance alone or in combination with natural enemies.