COMMON NAME

Aphidius wasp

Order

Suborder

Family

Genus

Species

Alias

Hymenoptera

Apocrita

Braconidae

Aphidius

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Description

These tiny, black-brown wasps have the typical long pointed body with a black head and thorax. Their legs and abdomen are a yellowish brown colour. Adults feed on the aphid honeydew and also on nectar.

Adult size: 1.5-3mm

Out and about

They will be about when their hosts,ie aphids, are around. Aphids are most prevalent during the warmer months These wasps are found throughout the world.

Reproduction and Life cycle

The female wasp lays a single egg in each aphid. The larva will hatch inside the aphid and feed on it. The larva pupates with the aphid body, spinning a cacoon which causes the body to bloat and it becomes a golden-brown colour. At this stage the aphids are referred to as “mummies”. A single female can lay around 300 eggs in her lifetime. It takes about 14 days from egg to adult in ideal temperatures.

To deter

To control

Plants to repel

Plants to attract

Artemisia / Artichoke / Aster / Calendula / Chickory / Chrysanthemum / Dandelion / Endive / Feverfew / Lettuce / Tansy / Marigolds / Salsify / Sunflowers / Yarrow / Lupin

Predators

Why they are Beneficial

This wasp parasitizes aphids. The female is attracted to aphids by the smell of the honeydew they secrete and she can also detect plants that are under attack. She will lay a single egg in an adult aphid which will later hatch and eat the aphid from the inside, growing and pupating to emerge as an adult wasp. The wasp cuts a neat hole in the “mummy” when it emerges. Hosts include: Green peach aphid / Melon aphid / Pea aphid.

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