Tag: Aphidius

Aphidius Parasitoid Wasps

Aphidius spp. parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) are important natural enemies of aphids. Their hosts include over 40 aphid species! Female parasitoids lay individual eggs inside aphid nymphs. After hatching, the parasitoid larva consumes its host, eventually killing it. The parasitoid pupates inside the dead or mummified aphid before a new adult parasitoid emerges. New generation adult parasitoids chew a hole in the mummified aphid to exit and immediately search for new aphid hosts.

**Aphid mummies are the result of parasitism by *Aphidius* spp. parasitoids. Picture by Jennifer Otani, AAFC-Beaverlodge Research Farm.**

Aphid mummies look bloated and discoloured compared to healthy adult aphids. Parasitism rates can be estimated by counting the number of aphid mummies on five host plants at five locations within a field.

For more information about the predators and parasitoids of aphids, visit the Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and Management field guide.  (en français : Guide d’identification des ravageurs des grandes cultures et des cultures fourragères et de leurs ennemis naturels et mesures de lutte applicables à l’Ouest canadien).

To learn more about some of the natural enemies fighting insect pests in background visit www.fieldheroes.ca or follow @FieldHeroes on Twitter.

Insect of the Week – Aphidius parasitoid wasp

This week’s Insect of the Week is the Aphidius parasitoid wasp. Their hosts include over 40 species of aphids. Egg to adult development occurs inside the host. New adults chew a hole in the mummified aphid to exit and immediately search for new aphid hosts.

For more information on the Aphidius parasitoid wasp, see our Insect of the Week page.

Parasitized English grain aphid (Tyler Wist, AAFC)

Aphidiidae – adult (Aphidius avenaphis) (Tyler Wist, AAFC)

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Insect of the Week – Aphidius avenaphis

Aphidiidae

Last year, the focus of the Beneficial Insect of the Week was crop pests. This year, we’re changing things up and highlighting the many natural enemies that help you out, silently and efficiently killing off crop pests. [note: featured Insects of the Week in 2015 are available on the Insect of the Week page]

This week’s Insect of the Week are Aphidiidae wasps*. While you won’t likely see them flying about attacking aphids, this tiny wasp can parasitoidize 100-350 aphids during its relatively short lifetime. The resulting aphid ‘mummy’ ceases causing crop damage and instead becomes a living host for the developing wasp. After 2 to 4 weeks of development, a new adult Aphidiidae wasp emerges and starts hunting for aphids to continue the cycle. To see an Aphidius avenaphis wasp in action, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7PNlpEgvEM&feature=youtu.be.

For more information about this natural enemy, other pests they control and other important crop and forage insects, see the new Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada – Identification and Management Field Guide for identification, life cycle and conservation options (download links for field guide available on the Insect of the Week page).

* this wasp genus only attacks aphids, not humans.

English grain aphid mummy, cc-by-sa 2.0 Gilles San Martin

Insect of the Week – Aphidius wasp

This week’s Insect of the Week is the Aphidius wasp (Aphidius sp.), Most people’s experience with wasps is a painful encounter with a paper wasp, hornet or yellow jacket. However, there are far more beneficial wasps than hurtful. The Aphidius wasp is just one of many such, with female wasps parasitizing up to 350 aphids during their short lifespan. Small but mighty, a large enough population of Aphidius wasps (working alone or together with other cereal aphid predators/parasitoides) can bring down a cereal aphid population to the point where spraying becomes unnecessary. See more information in the new Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada – Identification and Management Field Guide for identification, life cycle and conservation options (download links for field guide available on the Insect of the Week page).