Special issue on recent advances in zoophytophagous arthropods for agroecosystems sustainability

Zoophytophagous predators (ZP) display an omnivorous behavior and feed on both plants and arthropods (Coll and Guershon 2002). On the one hand, zoophagy allows them to efectively feed on a wide range of prey, including many agricultural pests such as whitefies, moths, aphids, thrips, or mites. On the other hand, phytophagy allows them to remain and even establish in crops during periods of prey scarcity. These positive traits have led to the inclusion of many species of ZP in sustainable pest management programs for different crops worldwide (van Lenteren et al. 2018). In recent years, the use and conservation of ZP have been extensively promoted, mainly because ZP can sustain themselves on plant-provided materials even when prey is scarce in crop fields