author(s)
Jesu Rajan S, Sree Latha E, K Sneha Madhuri, Vijayaraghavendra R and CH Sreenivasa Rao

abstract
The predatory coccinellids are friends of farmers, help to manage plant-feeding insects from attaining their damaging population levels and could be effectively employed in bio intenssive pest management programmes. Farming practices that conserve biodiversity as ground fauna and pests’ natural enemies might be a practical alternative to manage pests inagricultural systems.The present study gives information on diversity and crop preference in organic vegetable farming systems at NIPHM, Rajendranagr, Hyderabad. Data on diversity of these predatory coccinellids was obtained by trapping, hand picking and netting during 2016-17. Total nine species of coccinellids were recorded in vegetable crops viz., brinjal, bhendi, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, mustard, tomato, cucumber, watermelon, peas, cowpea ridge gourd and bottle gourd. Among the crops surveyed, Coccinella transversalis (Fab.) and Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fab.) were the most dominant species, followed by Hippodamia variegata. Host preference of coccinellids indicated that bhendi harboured largest number, nine species of coccinellids (C. transversalis, Scymnus coccivora, M. sexmaculatus, Brumoides suturalis, Hippodamia variegata, Harmonia octomaculata, Stethorus sp. and Micraspis discolor) followed by cowpea, cabbage, mustard, cucurbits, tomato and brinjal.