Some predators are specialised feeders attacking only one pest or a small group of pests and can respond quickly to increasing pest populations, effectively regulating them. The best example of this is the use of the orchard predatory mite Typhlodromus pyriagainst fruit tree red spider mite and apple rust mite.
Predatory flower bugs or anthocorids are generalist predators and will feed on aphids, suckers, spider mites and the eggs and young caterpillars of codling and tortrix moth.
Several other groups of naturally occurring polyphagous predators, such as lacewing larvae, ladybirds, hoverfly larvae, spiders, predatory midges and ground beetles prey on a range of pest species contributing generally to the reduction in pest populations. However, they are unlikely alone to prevent pest damage fully and reliably. An exception due to its abundance in orchards is the common earwig.