Both the adults and larvae of Encarsia formosa can kill whiteflies by causing physical injuries and feeding internally on them. Briefly, adult wasps puncture the body of whitefly nymphs or pupae with their ovipositor and feed externally on the oozing blood (hemolymph) and the body content of the nymphs or pupae. Also, females of Encarsia formosa lay eggs using their ovipositor inside the body of adults and nymphs of whiteflies. After hatching from eggs, the wasp larvae will then start feeding internally on the body content of whitefly nymphs or pupae and eventually kill them.
Read MoreHow to control dog and cat fleas with Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes? /
Currently, beneficial entomopathogenic Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes have been used as successful alternatives to chemical pesticides for controlling fleas. This is because nematodes are not harmful to dogs, cats and humans, easy to apply, and can kill both larval and pupal stages of fleas with 48 hours after their application and stop the emergence of future generation adults.
Read MoreControl whiteflies with predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii in greenhouses /
Amblyseius swirskii mites are commercially available as mixed stages of adults and larvae and are currently used as a biological control agent for controlling whiteflies, which are serious pests of greenhouse plants. Both the larvae and adults of Amblyseius swirskii are very active and therefore they can quickly disperse after their application in the greenhouses to seek their hosts including whiteflies. Amblyseius swirskii mites are known to feed voraciously on all the stages of whiteflies. As these mites can eat over 10 whiteflies or eggs or nymphs per day, they can eliminate whitefly populations quickly in the greenhouses.
Read MoreBiological Control of Spider Mites with Predatory Insects and Mites /
Biological control of spider mites can be achieved by using the predatory insects including green lacewing, ladybugs, minute pirate bugs and gall midges, and predatory mites including Amblyseius andersoni can directly feed on spider mites and reduce their population below their economic damage level. Please click on each predatory insect and mites for detailed information on their rate and timing of of application for the effective control spider mites in your greenhouse and gardens.
Read MoreWhen and how to apply Heterorhabditis indica for small hive beetle control? /
Small hive beetles, Aethina tumida are the most devastating insect pest of honey bee (Aphis mellifera) hives (Photo 1). Both adults and larvae of small hive beetle cause direct and indirect damages to honeybees. In case of direct damage, larvae of small hive beetle directly feed on the honeybee brood, honey. pollen and destroy honeycombs. In case of indirect damage, both adults and larvae of small hive beetle spread yeast, Kodamaea ohmeri into the colony and yeast that grows on the honeycombs causes fermentation of honey, which is not suitable for human consumption or as the food for honeybees.
Read MoreOrganic control of plant nematodes with entomopathogenic nematodes /
Plant nematodes are microscopic unsegmented roundworms (Photo 1) that cause severe damage to many plant species. A handful soil may contain several different species of plant nematodes including root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.), Sting (Belonolaimus spp.), lance (Hoplolaimus spp.), root- lesion (Pratylenchus spp.), ring (Mesocriconema spp.), stubby-root (Paratrichodorus spp.), spiral (Helicotylenchus spp.), dagger (Xiphinema spp.) and cyst (Heterodera spp.) nematodes (Photo 1). Of these nematode species, root- nematode is considered the most economically important pests of many plant species including field crops (cotton, peanut, soybean, corn etc) and vegetables (tomato, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants etc).
Read MoreOrganic control of fungus gnats with predatory mite, Stratiolaelaps scimitus /
Predatory mites, Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Hypoaspis miles) are currently used for the organic control of fungus gnats (Bradysia spp.).
Read MoreOrganic Control of Whiteflies with Beneficial Nematodes /
Whiteflies are one of the most damaging insect pests of many greenhouse and field vegetables. The beneficial nematodes like Steinernema feltiae can be used for the effective killing of whiteflies.
Read MoreEarly October is the best month to kill Japanese beetle grubs with beneficial nematodes /
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are one of the most damaging insect pests of many agricultural and horticultural crops, ornamental plants and turfgrasses. Larvae of Japanese beetles are also called as grubs that mainly damage plant roots whereas their adults damage only aboveground plant parts like flowers, fruits, leaves and twigs.
Read MoreNematicidal activities of plant and bacteria based volatiles /
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with nematicidal activities are naturally occurring chemicals generally found in and easily emitted as vapors and gases from many living organisms like bacteria and fungi, and plants.
Read MoreKill fall armyworms now and stop their northward migration during spring /
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is one of the most economically important pests of different plant species including corn, sorghum, forage, and turf grasses. Although fall armyworm larvae actively damage crops throughout the United States during growing season, they generally die when harsh winter begins in northern, central and eastern United States. Then question arises how they could re-infest fields and cause damage to the crops grown in these areas during spring and summer again.
Read MoreSix new beneficial entomopathogenic nematodes from South Africa /
Six newly described species including Steinernema beitlechemi, Steinernema fabii, Steinernema innovation, Steinernema jeffreyense, Steinernema sacchari and Steinernema tophus have been reported from South Africa.
Read MoreBiological control of root-knot nematodes with Trichoderma harzianum /
Plant-parasitic nematodes including root-knot nematodes are the most damaging pest of many organically grown vegetables like beans, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, melons, okra, peas, peppers, potatoes, squash and tomatoes.
Read MoreA new species of entomopathogenic bacteria /
A new species of entomopathogenic bacteria was isolated from Steinernema aciari nematode is now called as Xenorhabdus ishibashii.
Read MoreFour beneficial nematodes from Portugal /
Four beneficial nematodes including Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema intermedium and Steinernema kraussei have been reported from Portugal.
Read MoreA new beneficial nematode Steinernema sacchari from South Africa /
A new beneficial entomopathogenic nematode collected from a sugarcane field located in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa was named as Steinernema sacchari.
Read MoreA New Beneficial Nematode, Steinernema tophus from South Africa /
A new beneficial nematode identified as Steinernema tophus was collected from a vineyard located in Clanwilliam, South Africa.
Read MoreBiological control of plant parasitic nematodes /
Biological control of plant parasitic nematodes with different organisms was one of the most important topics were thoroughly discussed at the 6th International Congress of Nematology, which was recently held in Cape Town, South Africa from May 4-9, 2014.
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Prevent corn damage from western corn rootworms /
Prevent corn damage from The western corn rootworms (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) using beneficial entomopathogenic nematodes.
Read MoreA new species of entomopathogenic Steinernema nematodes /
A new species of entomopathogenic Steinernema nematode that isolated from southwest Bohemia, Czech Republic was identified and named as Steinernema poinari sp. n. (Nematoda : Steinernematidae) using both morphological and molecular techniques (Mráček et al., 2014). This new species was recovered from soil using Galleria baiting technique described by Bedding and Akhurst (1975).
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