Have you read the introductory First Thing’s First?
Aphid Controls
Aphidius spp.
If you’ve received aphid “mummies” which have not yet begun to emerge, you may store the bottle at 64-80°F in a highly humid, shaded location until hatch begins (check twice daily). Allow up to 7 days for hatch. When the “mummies” begin to emerge, or if you’ve received adult parasitoids, release at sundown the same day. To release, open the container in the crop and allow the wasps to fly out on their own as you walk among the plants. You can speed up their exit by gently tapping them out. If they begin to exit too quickly or if dispersal control is not manageable (which may happen when they’re warm), re-secure the cap between release points. Concentrate the bulk of them at release points on or near the most heavily infested plants or where aphids are most likely to make an appearance. For any that will not readily come out of the bottle, or if some remain non-emerged, simply tuck the bottle into the foliage of a plant, preferably one with the heaviest pest population. The “mummies” may also be sprinkled out. I recommend the removal of most yellow sticky traps prior to release. Do not store the emerged adult wasps in the bottle for more than 18 hours. Hold at a humid 45-55°F (fridge best). Do not attempt to cold-store the wasps’ pupae for periods exceeding 72 hours.
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Aphidoletes aphidimyza
If the pupae shipped have not yet begun to emerge, you may temporarily store these predators at 75-95°F (higher is faster) in a highly humid, shaded location until emergence begins (check twice daily). Allow up to 14 days for emergence. Or you may sprinkle the contents of the emergence tub directly onto the planting medium, but only if moistness or very high humidity will be maintained. When the midges have begun to emerge, or if they arrive pre-emerged, release them at sundown the same day. To release the adult midges, open the emergence tub in or near the foliage of the infested plants or canopy of trees. After the adults have left the emergence tub, reseal it and look for a second emergence the following day (four days of emergence is not uncommon). Or, if you prefer (as I do), release the first emergence wave and sprinkle the remainder of the carrier directly onto the planting medium or soil. This predator should not be used with parasitic nematodes. Do not store the emerged adult midges in the tray for more than 4 hours. Hold at a very humid 60-65°F. Do not cold-store the midges’ pupae for more than 5 days. Hold at a moderately humid 45-50°F (fridge best).
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Chrysoperla spp.
Chrysoperla spp. come in various forms as follows:
Eggs:
If not yet hatched, hold the bag containing the lacewing eggs at 68-87°F in slightly to moderately humid, shaded location until hatch begins (check once daily). Allow up to 7 days to hatch. To determine if hatch has begun, look for first instar larvae crawling up the sides of the bag or amongst the contents (they can be difficult to locate). Do not allow the larvae to remain in the bag for extended periods, they are very cannibalistic. If you’re in doubt about whether or not they’ve hatched, release the contents right away. Release at sundown by sprinkling the contents of the bag directly onto the foliage of the infested plants. If you’ve gotten the eggs on cards, simply hang the cards in locations throughout the area needing control. Try to hang the cards in such a way that they are not too accessible to ants-say on branch tips, for example-and in areas which will not receive full sun for too long nor be trampled or doused with water. In either case, beware of ants which may eat the unhatched eggs. Please note: the hatched predators may bite but inject no toxins. Do not store the hatched larvae for more than 4 hours. Hold at a slightly to moderately humid 55-65°F. Do not cold-store the unhatched eggs for more than 4 days. If the eggs have turned from green to gray, do not cold-store. White eggs have already hatched. If cold storage is possible, hold at a slightly to moderately humid 45-50°F (fridge best).
Larvae:
Release lacewing larvae at sundown the day of receipt. Release by peeling back the fine mesh (silk-screen) on one side, covering the hexcell units’ openings. If you encounter difficulty doing this, try moistening the unit with a damp sponge first-being careful not to drown the larvae. One by one, or row by row, tap out the pre-hatched larvae onto the infested plants’ foliage, being sure to disperse them evenly among the infested crops. Or, better yet, drop directly onto the pests. Avoid placing these predators too close to one another, they are very cannibalistic. If you encounter difficulty extricating the larvae from their cells, try blowing through the units, this encourages them to move about, thus loosening their anchorage. If there are larvae you simply can not release, wedge the units in the foliage of a couple of your most heavily infested plants. If you’ve received the larvae in a bottle, simply sprinkle the contents throughout the crop area, paying particular attention to more heavily infested areas. Remember, though, do allow the larvae a wide berth from one another as they are cannibalistic. Please note: these predators may bite but inject no toxins. Do not store the larvae in the hexcell units for more than 32 hours. Hold at a slightly to moderately humid 55-65°F. Do not store the flies’ larvae in the bottle units for more than 4 hours. Hold at a slightly to moderately humid 45-50°F (fridge best).
Adults:
Release lacewing adults at sundown the day of receipt. Release nearest to the trees or crops that need treatment. To release, simply open one or both ends of the tubes and allow them to fly out on their own accord and auto-disperse. If the lacewing adults are hesitant to fly out on their own, help them by gently blowing through the tubes. Increase the egg laying activity of adult lacewings by supplying them with an artificial diet at the release site or with certain plantings (flowering, pollen producing plants). Do not store the adults in the tube for more than 4 hours. Hold at a slightly to moderately humid 55-60°F.
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Hippodamia convergens
Upon receipt of your ladybugs it is advisable to immediately put them in a refrigerator until you are ready to release them. Within an hour of release time, thoroughly water the release site, being sure to also wet the foliage of the plants. They are quite thirsty after being shipped and stored. The watering much improves the length of time they will stick around. If outdoors, a great time to release is just after or during a warm summer rain, and definitely in the evening or very early morning hours. To release these predators first extract from the bag the precise number of beetles you need to employ, based upon the area’s size and the pest density. (See Application Rates for help and note that a quarter cup represents about 1000 adults.) It is advisable to extract the beetles slated for release in a very cold area or even in the open refrigerator to prevent the beetles from “waking up” and getting everywhere, and to put them in separate sealed container. Now, simply open the container you’ve chosen at the release site and knock the beetles out evenly onto the foliage of the crop requiring treatment. It is best not to release too many beetles in one spot as they will sometimes just clump together and not do anything for several days. If this happens, recapture the beetles and redistribute them. Best results will be obtained if the beetles are released often and sparsely (not more than 14 beetles per square/cubic yard under any circumstances). Other tips to increase the number of beetles which will stay on site are as follows: Release the beetles under a row cover; if using small bags or jars of beetles which will be released in their entirety, spray the beetles, while still in the bag or jar with a 50/50 mixture of flat sugared soda and water — this will temporarily glue their first pair of wings, or wing covers (elytra) together — or certain plantings (flowering, pollen producing plants) may help. Store the adult beetles purchased before May, until May; store the beetles purchase after June for no more than 3 months for best results. High humidity will ensure a long storage life. If using a “frost-free” refrigerator for long- or max-term storage, remove the bag(s) once a month and, in a warm 65-75°F location, mist them down with cool water. Allow the bags to thoroughly dry before placing them back into storage. Hold at 40-45°F (fridge best).
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