The current cotton industry IPM guidelines promote the use of predator/prey ratios when making pest management decisions. This involves assessing the numbers of key predators within the cotton crop. Many species of insects and spiders are known to feed on heliothis eggs and larvae, but few studies have quantified the contribution that each species makes in controlling heliothis in the field. Such studies are understandably difficult to undertake. It may, however, be worthwhile to give each potential species of predator a rating so that crop consultants and farmers do not waste time counting species of minor importance, and can focus on sampling those species that are most likely to feed on heliothis. The aim of this study was to evaluate predation of heliothis eggs in INGARD cotton planted adjacent to lablab, and to identify the key predatory species.