Strip intercropping peanut with maize for peanut aphid biological control and yield enhancement

•Peanut/maize strip intercropping significantly increased ladybeetle density, and then significantly reduced peanut aphids.•Peanut aphid population in intercropping was effectively suppressed by increasing predator abundances in the early season.•The strip intercropping treatment showed significantly higher peanut production.•The linear regression analysis indicated that peanut/maize strip intercropping could achieve in-field pest control.