Biological Solutions

The aphid midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza, is a cecidomyiid fly whose larvae are effective predators of aphids. The predacious larvae of these delicate, 3 mm. mosquito-like midges are best used for controlling substantial populations of more than 60 species of aphids. They feed by biting aphids and paralyzing them with a toxin before sucking out the aphid body fluids. They kill 3-50 aphids per day. Aphidoletes aphidimyza are used to control aphids indoors in commercial greenhouses and interior plantscapes as well as outdoors in orchards, shade trees, roses and home gardens.

Aphidius ervi attack many species of larger aphids such as the green peach aphid and brassica aphids.

A relatively large wasp (twice the size of Aphidius colemani) with a black, slender body with brown legs and long antennae. The female wasp injects an egg in the aphid with her ovipositor. Hatched larvae eat the aphid from the inside leading to the formation of a a golden-yellowish-brown mummy. Finally, a new adult parasitic wasp leaves the mummy through a round hole.

Red Scale Parasite (Aphytis melinus) California red scale is the favorite prey of these parasitic wasps, although citrus red scale, oleander scale, San Jose scale, ivy scale, and citrus yellow scale are other prey. Aphytis are shipped as adults, and the adult females lay their eggs in red scale. The larvae consume their host, and each A. melinus kills more than 30 scale insects.

Bumblebees used for pollination of various crops. Greenhouse tomato plants (as just one example), as do their outdoor brethren, require pollination to fruit. Outdoors this is done by bees, wasps, wind and other natural sources. In the greenhouse, however, people and sometimes their people-made devices must be the bees and the wind. On tomato plants, growers manually, or with a small “buzz” device, shake or vibrate the flower laden trusses.
The problem is the amount of focused manpower needed to properly carry out the pollination process. That’s where commercially produced bees come in: commercial bumblebee hives, for example, are designed exclusively for crop pollination. Not just for tomatoes, but other crops as well: peppers; cukes; squash; cane-, straw-, blue- and cranberries; and many other crops in need of primary or supplemental pollinators.

There are 3 species of mixed predatory fly parasites in your order: Spalangia cameroni, Muscidifurax zaraptor and Muscidifurax raptorellus. Fly parasites search fly-breeding areas for fly pupae containing developing flies. Once inside, the eggs hatch inside the fly pupa and feed on the developing fly and after two to three weeks of feeding, an adult fly parasite emerges to repeat the cycle. Each female fly parasite can kill approximately 100 immature flies in her lifetime.