Our Top TRICHOforce™ for Moth & Caterpillar Control

TRICHOforce™ – eggs on cards (100,000)

$35.33

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TRICHOforce™ for Moth & Caterpillar Control

Tiny egg parasitoids that intercept moth and caterpillar eggs before they hatch — Trichogramma in field-ready cards.

What it targets

TRICHOforce™ is the Trichogramma egg parasitoid side of caterpillar pest control — tiny Trichogramma wasps that hunt down moth and butterfly eggs and turn them into wasp nurseries before the caterpillar larva ever hatches. A single Trichogramma species can parasitize over 150 species of moth eggs, and the Trichogramma genus collectively targets more than 30 economic Lepidopteran pests.

The product line splits by crop and pest profile: TRICHOforce™ B (Trichogramma brassicae) for European corn borer, armyworm, cabbage looper, tent caterpillars, and climbing cutworm. TRICHOforce™ M (Trichogramma minutum) and TRICHOforce™ PL (Trichogramma platneri) for codling moth, diamondback moth, western avocado leafroller, budworm, bud moth, hemlock looper, and cranberry fireworm — the orchard and forestry hits. TRICHOforce™ Mix combines all three Trichogramma species when you've got mixed caterpillar pressure or aren't sure which species is dominant. For knock-down on hatched larvae, pair the Trichogramma wasps with a labelled caterpillar Bt or with Chrysoperla rufilabris for soft-bodied early instars.

Codling moth (Cydia pomonella) adult — a major orchard target of Trichogramma platneri and minutum — Codling moth (*Cydia pomonella*) adult — the textbook orchard target. *Trichogramma* parasitizes the moth eggs before the destructive caterpillar larva ever bores into the fruit.

How it works

Trichogramma are tiny — under 1 mm long — haplo-diploid parasitic wasps in the family Trichogrammatidae. The female Trichogramma finds a freshly-laid moth or butterfly egg, drills it with her ovipositor, and deposits her own egg inside. The wasp larva develops on the contents of the host egg, turning it black or dark as it pupates. About a week later the adult Trichogramma wasp chews a clean exit hole and goes looking for the next batch of host eggs. No caterpillar ever hatches.

The immature Trichogramma life cycle takes roughly 7 days, and adults live about 10 days. With that tempo, Trichogramma wasps can run as many as 30 generations a year in temperate regions, with many of those overwintering inside parasitized eggs. The wasps come on perforated Trichogramma cards divided into 30 hanging squares — cut along the perforations to spread releases evenly across the canopy.

Trichogramma adult parasitoid wasp on a leaf — *Trichogramma* adult — under 1 mm long, the smallest commercially-produced parasitoid wasp. Females hunt by detecting freshly-laid moth eggs.

Crops, environments, and climate

Crops it supports

Orchard crops Field & row crops Cole crops Ornamental crops

Environments

Greenhouses Indoor facilities Fields Gardens

Storage

Do not store emerged adult Trichogramma wasps for more than 4 hours. The pupae inside Trichogramma cards can be cold-stored for up to three days at a slight 45–50% relative humidity if release has to be delayed. Past that window, emergence rates drop sharply — every extra day costs you parasitism in the field.

Instructions of use

Trichogramma card — 30 perforated hanging tags

Each Trichogramma card divides into 30 hanging tags along the perforation. Flip the card egg-side down and cut along the perforations with scissors — do not tear. Distribute the tags evenly across the target area, ideally in the evening or early morning hours, in spots shaded from sun and protected from rain. The host moth eggs Trichogramma parasitizes need to actually be present, so time releases against moth flight, not arbitrary calendar dates.

Pre-emergence release of the Trichogramma egg card

If emergence is already underway when the card arrives — you'll see tiny brown dots moving on the surface (a magnifying glass helps) — hang the tags immediately. For ant-heavy sites, an alternative is to keep the Trichogramma cards in their shipping bags and watch daily until the first wasps emerge, then hang the cards and shake the loose Trichogramma wasps from the bag. This shortens the window the eggs are exposed on the tag and reduces ant predation.

Distribution — spacing

Spread the 30 tags across the treatment zone so each tag covers a roughly equal share. In orchards, a Trichogramma tag every few trees works well. In row crops, distribute through the canopy and ensure shade. The cards aren't sticky — staple, tie, or hang them depending on the surface.

Monitoring & advisories

Monitor for

Darkened moth eggs — parasitized eggs turn black or dark as the Trichogramma wasp larva develops inside. That's the diagnostic field signature.
Clean round exit holes on host eggs — successful Trichogramma emergence.
Fewer caterpillar hatch and less feeding damage in the days following release — the real caterpillar control outcome metric.
Trap counts for the target moth species — time releases against pheromone-trap captures to match parasitism to the egg-laying window.
Trichogramma parasitoids themselves are too small and quick to spot directly. Look at the host eggs and the absence of caterpillars, not the wasps.

Advisories

Timing is critical. Release Trichogramma cards while moth eggs are actively being laid — too early and there's nothing for the wasps to parasitize; too late and the eggs have hatched.
Ants love Trichogramma eggs and will rob them from the cards. Staple tags to leaves, attach to tree trunks, or surround the release zone with a sticky barrier product. Pre-emerging the eggs in the bag (see Instructions) is the most reliable workaround for high ant pressure.
Keep Trichogramma cards out of direct sun and rain — both kill emergence.
Use alongside Bt, pheromone disruption, or a knock-down predator if larvae have already hatched — Trichogramma wasps only work on the egg stage.

Release rates — for conventional crops

Scale	Rate	Cadence
General (greenhouse, garden, small-acreage) routine	1–2 Trichogramma wasps per sq. ft.	Weekly during moth flight
Acre+ (field, orchard, large blocks) broadcast	50,000–100,000 per acre	Weekly during moth flight
Same release rate applies across TRICHOforce™ B, M, PL, and Mix — Trichogramma species choice is driven by pest, not by dosing. Time releases against pheromone-trap captures so the wasps emerge into a live egg-laying window.

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Cannabis Alert

Conventional release rates are usually not sufficient for cannabis growers. We recommend you double the rate or contact us for personalized help.

Life cycle

The whole Trichogramma egg-larva-pupa life cycle happens inside the host moth egg. The visible "darkened egg" is the host with a developing Trichogramma inside — you don't see the wasp until it emerges.

Egg

Laid inside the host egg

Larva & pupa

~7 days · host egg turns dark

Adult

~10 days · under 1 mm long

Generations

Up to 30 per year · many overwinter

Disclosures

Live-product policy. Beneficial Insectary works to guarantee live delivery of fresh organisms. Replacements or credits are offered for compromised shipments when issues are reported within 24 hours of receipt — and before any organisms suspected of viability issues are released. Don't discard the product; you may be asked to return the shipment for analysis.

Establishment of biocontrol agents. Many variables — pesticide applications, watering practices, storage, cultural and physical controls — affect BCA and pest populations across crops. Some agents need a steady pest food source, others need alternate food (pollen, nectar), others have specific photoperiod requirements. Because of these variables, long- or short-term establishment of BCAs cannot be guaranteed after release, and refunds, discounts, or credits are not offered on products that have already been released.