What to Expect after Release

After emergence from the capsules, the wasps will gradually disperse down wind from the release points over their lifetime. Make sure that the windward side of the crop is well treated by placing any extra capsules on the boundary.

The wasps will live for around two weeks in cool conditions and a week in hot conditions. The natural dispersal of the released wasps into surrounding areas may provide a buffer around the crop while good wasp activity in autumn is likely to reduce overwintering LBAM.

Unparasitised LBAM egg mass

As Trichogramma build up in a crop there are various tell-tale signs that will alert the crop scout. Firstly, the appearance of black eggs and then black eggs with escape holes. Corresponding with the increase in the black eggs will be a decline in the number of hatched viable eggs and larvae.

However, some eggs found while monitoring will have just been laid so that the wasps have not had much time to find and parasitise them. And some eggs may be parasitised but have not had time to go black which takes about 5 days.

"Not black" eggs should be collected and grown out to see if they go black (and not thrown on the ground wasting this useful information). This process will give a more accurate idea of parasitism. See "Monitoring" for details.

Parasitised LBAM egg mass

Trichogramma carverae are produced by Bugs for Bugs

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