ENCAR/ERETforce™ – whitefly parasite mix 100 per card (5,000/ 10,000/ 15,000)

Product Description

ENCAR/ERETforce™ combines two parasitic wasps — Encarsia formosa and Eretmocerus eremicus — into one card-based release that covers a broader range of whitefly than either wasp alone. Encarsia is the classic greenhouse whitefly parasite, while Eretmocerus is most useful against silverleaf/tobacco whitefly, so together they handle mixed whitefly populations. Both lay their eggs inside developing whitefly nymphs and turn them into parasitized scales you can scout on the leaf. These hanger cards make it easy to distribute the parasites evenly through vegetable, soft fruit, ornamental, and hemp/cannabis crops.

What it targets

• Greenhouse Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum)
• Tobacco / Silverleaf Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
• Other whitefly species

Crops it supports

Vegetable crops, soft fruits, ornamental crops, and hemp/cannabis — in greenhouses, indoor facilities, field and row crops, interiorscapes, and gardens.

How the two wasps control whitefly

Both are specialist parasites that lay eggs inside sedentary whitefly nymphs. Encarsia formosa is most often used against greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and parasitizes 2nd to 4th instar nymphs, while Eretmocerus eremicus is most often used against silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and prefers 2nd instar nymphs — so pairing them covers each other’s host preferences. Both can also sting and host-feed on nymphs without laying an egg. They work best in a window of 68–77°F with relative humidity of 70% or less, and need whitefly nymphs present to complete their life cycle.

Release Rates

Cannabis Alert: Release rate suggestions on these pages are usually not sufficient for cannabis growers. For cannabis release rates, contact us.

Release Instructions

Release timing: Release the wasp pupae on cards in the early to late hours of the day after receipt. If that is not possible, avoid the hot, dry times of day. Until release, keep the strips of cards in a cool, dark space so the wasps can maximize their remaining development time.

Release method: Remove the strips of cards from their container and gently fold along the perforations repeatedly to separate them — tearing the cards can knock the pupae loose, and the pupae are delicate, so avoid touching them. Hang the cards within the canopy, protected from sun and water, in an even distribution throughout the crop or near the pest’s preferred hosts. Place them in shaded areas of the canopy and leave them undisturbed for about 21 days to ensure emergence. Many growers build simple release stations — a bamboo stake, a bent bread tie for a hook, and an inverted cup or pot as a sun shade — so cards can be moved to follow hot spots.

Storage: Do not cold store. It is best to apply the parasites as soon as possible upon receipt. If storage is unavoidable, keep them between 45–50°F in the dark, up to 18 hours after receipt.

Monitoring: Parasitized whitefly nymphs take 10–14 days to start appearing, and often show a wound where the wasp’s ovipositor contacted them. Nymphs parasitized by Encarsia turn a black hue; for Eretmocerus, look closely inside the nymphs for developing larvae. Parasitized nymphs are left with a round, submarine-style exit hole, whereas an emerged adult whitefly leaves a T-shaped slit.

Advisories: Yellow sticky cards will catch these adult wasps as they emerge, so removing yellow cards at the time of release is ideal.