Stop aphid infestations early with these aphid parasites! Use Aphidius colemani as a preventative or active control measure.
Aphidius colemani is a parasitic wasp native to North America useful for biological control of aphids in greenhouses and outdoor growing. These tiny (1/8" or 2-3 mm) aphid parasites seek out aphid colonies to provide food and a place to oviposit. Adult A. colemani respond to alarm signals from plants to locate the aphids where they feed on the honeydew aphids excrete. Parasitization occurs when females lay their eggs inside aphid nymphs. A. colemani eggs hatch into larvae which feed on the nymphs from the inside, the nymph swells and hardens into a leathery, grey or brown colored mummy similarly to effects of Aphelinus abdominalis. Once larvae mature, adult A. colemani wasps chew their way out of the aphid mummy and emerge to seek out aphids. These parasites are a good choice for year-round use (in greenhouses and outdoors) as the short days of winter do not affect them.
Preferred food: Honeydew, the sticky fluid produced by aphid infestations.
Optimum Conditions: 70°-77°F, 80% relative humidity
Release rates: 500-3,000 per acre, 2-3 times at one week intervals, depending on the extent of infestation.
Shipment and Biology: Aphidius colemani are shipped as parasitized aphid mummies from which adult A. colemani emerge. This parasite can be used year-round in greenhouses and outdoors as it is not affected by short-day lengths.
This Product Controls These Pests or Diseases: For use to control aphids, especially melon and cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii), but these wasps will also attack green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), tobacco aphid (Myzus nicotianae) and bird cherry-oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi).