Showing posts with label Wasps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wasps. Show all posts

13 February 2007

Coccinella

The ladybirds arrived in tact. It was raining so in an effort to avoid them all dieing in the rain they were kept inside and fed on aphids overnight. Next day 10 were released, 5 on the brussel sprouts, 5 on the cauliflowers. The remainder were kept two more days until the weather cleared up a bit and released. It's now a few days later and no sign of any ladybirds anywhere!

I have noticed that the aphids are not spreading very quickly. It is as if one plant is weak and the aphids prefer that one - leaving the others relatively unaffected. Alternatively, the wasps are doing their job. Its a sunny day today and there's a few hoverflys around too. They, apparently, eat the aphids too. It's reasonable to assume the spiders in the cauliflowers are doing likewise.

22 January 2007

Wasps

There are only two suppliers of wasp in the country, BioForce and Zonda. Neither can supply Diaeretiella rapae. Zonda tell me Diaeretiella rapae is, itself, parasitized.

No commercial suppliers of the wasp leaves two possibilities, either domestic supplies or source a different preditor.


Wasp mummies in an oragami basket put out in the hope they will attack the aphids.