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Parasitic wasp as a natural enemy

The feminine parasitic wasp is an insect that is known for its ability to lay eggs in or on other insects. She does this by penetrating the insect using her ovipositor. Some parasitic wasps at the same time spray a paralyzing or deadly toxin into the insect. The parasitic wasp or aphidius wasp comes in a number of species, each of which has a different natural enemy, including aphid, leaf miner, white fly and caterpillars, butterflies and moths.

Kevin van Kester
Specialist Quality Controller | December 9, 2022 | 4 min. reading time

Physical characteristics

Depending on the species, a female aphidius wasp is 0.5 to 30 millimetres in size and has a (conspicuous) ovipositor with which she lays eggs in the prey. In addition, the wasps can be recognised by their slender waist and two pairs of bright wings.

Parasitic wasp against leaf miner

Dacnusa sibirica: is used to control the leaf miner. The parasitic wasp lays her egg in the larvae of the leaf miner, after which a new parasitic wasp develops inside the leaf miner larvae. This parasitizing becomes visible as the larvae hatches.
Diglyphus isaea: is used to control the leaf miner. This parasitic wasp feeds by sucking out the leaf miner larvae of the first and second stage. Also, the Diglyphus isaea pricks larvae of the late second and third stage to numb them, after which she lays her eggs next to the larvae.

Parasitic wasp against white fly

Eretmocerus eremicus: is used to control white fly (tobacco white fly, greenhouse white fly and cabbage white fly). This parasitic wasp parasitizes the larvae of the white fly by laying an egg underneath. As soon as the eggs comes out, the parasitic wasp larvae will crawl into the host. The white fly larvae then die after about two weeks.
Encarsia formosa: is used to control white fly. This parasitic wasp parasitizes on the larvae of the white fly, due to which the white fly dies. After a few weeks a new parasitic wasp hatches from the meanwhile blackened pupa.

Parasitic wasp against caterpillars, butterflies and moths

Trichogramma achaeae: is used to control caterpillars. This parasitic wasp parasitizes eggs of different butterflies and moths – including the eggs of Turkey moth, duponchelia and Tuta absoluta – and can be used in ornamental and vegetable cultivation. Ask our specialist about the experiences of clients using Trichogramma achaeae.

Videos

The four videos below show microscope images of parasitic wasps against whitefly, aphids and leafminer.

Aphidius wasp against aphid

Aphidius colemani: is used to control aphid. The adult parasitic wasps come out and parasitize aphids by laying an egg inside them. The parasitic wasps find aphid in the crop even before the lice can be identified, that makes these parasitic wasps very suitable to be used preventively. A remark should be added for these parasitic wasps: Empty mummies will remain on the crop. For some crops this may be detriment to the ornamental value. In vegetable crops this does not apply.
Aphidius ervi: is used to control aphid. The parasitic wasp parasitizes on the aphid by drilling a hole into the aphid and then lay an egg inside the aphid. The laid egg will grow inside the aphid as a result of which it mummifies and eventually produces a new parasitic wasp.
Aphelinus abdominalis: is used to control potato aphids (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) and the glasshouse potato aphid (Aulacorthum solani). The female injects the egg into the lice using her ovipositor.
Aphidius matricariae: is used to control peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae), tobacco peach aphid (Myzus persicae var. Nicotianae) and peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae var. Persicae). This parasitic wasp also contributes to the disruption of aphid populations like glasshouse potato aphids (Aulacorthum solani). The female injects the egg into the lice using her ovipositor.

Aphidius wasp against scale insect

Encarsia citrina: this parasitic wasp parasitizes different kinds of scale insect, like Abgralaspis cyanophylli, Pinnaspis aspidistrae, Pseudalacaspis cockerelli, and Aspidiotus-, Chrysomphalus-, Disapis-, and Hemiberlesia-species.

Aphidius wasp against mealybug

Leptomastix dactylopii: is used against - mainly the somewhat older stages (3e larval stage and young adults) of - the mealybug and the citrus mealybug especially.
Leptomastidae abnormis: this parasitic wasp has a preference for mealybug - especially citrus mealybug - of the second larvae stage.
Allotropa musae: parasitizes the 1st and 2nd stage of different kinds of mealybug, like Dysmicoccus, Phenacoccus, Planacoccus and Pseudococcus. Due to the small size of the adult parasitic wasp and their cocoons (parasitized mealybug), they are hard to find.

Aphidius wasp against soft scale

Coccophagus rusti: can be used against soft scale.
Microterys flavus: is mainly active against the brown soft scale (Coccus hesperidum). Other species of soft scale are parasitized to a lesser extent. They parasitize soft scale in stages.