The population growth of aphids can be sometimes very fast, leading to great damage in several crops. It is therefore very important to locate the aphids and take necessary measures. Biobest offers a whole series of parasitoids and predators against aphids.

• Introduce 50-100 Adalia-larvae/m² efficiently in the immediate neighbourhood of aphid hot spots, as a supplement on Aphidius and Aphidoletes.

• Introduce Aphelinus abdominalis when the potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) or the glasshouse potato aphid (Aulacorthum solani) occurs.
• Introduce 2 Aphelinus/m² in and around hot spots.

• Preventive: Introduce 0,1 Aphidius colemani/m² per week
• Curative: As soon as aphids are detected: introduce minimum 0,5 Aphidius colemani/m² per week, during 3 weeks, until there is enough parasitizing.
• Disperse Aphidius in bioboxes (± 25  boxes/ha)

• Preventive: Introduce 0,1-0,2 Aphidoletes/m²/week.
• Curative: When aphids are detected in the crop, introduce 0,5-1 Aphidoletes/m²/week
• Open the bottle and put it under the aphid hot spot, or disperse Aphidoletes, in heaps, on a moist substrate.
• Remark: The gall midges have an excellent ability to search, but they can become disorientated by frequent use of a sulphur steamer.

• Introduce Aphidius ervi when potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) or glasshouse potato aphid (Alacorthum solani) occur.
• Introduce 2 Aphidius/m² in and around the hot spots.

Voracious on several crops
Caterpillar damage usually occurs in late summer and early autumn, but recently some caterpillars have been causing problems throughout the growing season. There are several biological control methods of caterpillar control.

• Hang 2 catch lamps/ha above the crop, to catch as many Duponchelia as possible.
  • Hang minimum 2 Attract^® pheromone lures mimimum 50 m from each other to prevent a mixture of the pheromones.
  • Replace the pheromone lures in time (1 lure every 4 weeks).
• Max 7 days after catching the first moth, spray with Bacillus thuringiensis. Repeat these spraying after 7 till 10 days.

The greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) is a typical greenhouse pest that affects many crops.

• Available as sprinkling material and on cards.
• Preventive: Introduce 1,5 Encarsia/m² per week
• Curative: Introduce after the detection of whitefly in the crop, weekly min. 3 Encarsia/m² until a sufficient number if whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).
• Introduce in hot spots 5-10 Encarsia/m² per week until an equilibrium is reached.

• A mix of Eretmocerus eremicus + Encarsia formosa (50/50) for the control of the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum).
• Curative: As from February introduce during 4 weeks minimum 3-4 Eretmocerus eremicus + Encarsia formosa/m² until a sufficient number of whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).

• As from February introduce during minimum 4 weeks min. 3/m² until a sufficient number of whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).

• When Bemisia tabaci (the sweetpotato whitefly) is detected introduce immediately for 5 weeks 3 Eretmocerus mundus/m².

The application method of PreFeRal^® WG depends on the crop and the number of whiteflies present.

• Spraying
  PreFeRal^® WG should be applied with conventional spraying equipment. PreFeRal^® WG works as a contact insecticide. In order to obtain an efficient insect control, the undersides of the leaves should be properly covered. It is recommendable to use sufficient quantities of water. The volume of water needed depends on crop development. Usually, selection of high spray volume will provide the best results. It is recommended to apply 2.000 - 3.000 l/ha on full-grown and 1.000 l/ha on small or young crops.
  The optimal pH of the water should be between pH 4 and pH 7.

• Integrated Pest Management Programme
  PreFeRal^® WG can be used in combination with beneficials such as Encarsia formosa, Eretmocerus eremicus or Macrolophus caliginosus. This makes PreFeRal^® WG an outstanding correction agent when biological control needs some extra help with whitefly control. This is called "Integrated Pest Management" (IPM).

Leafminers cause a lot of visual damage in different crops because the larvae eat mines in the leaves. Especially in ornamental plant cultivation crops a little infestation can cause already a lot of damage because then the product is not saleable anymore.

• Introduce at higher infestation Diglyphus in a dose of minimum 0,1 Diglyphus/m²/week during minimum 3 weeks or until a sufficient number of leafminers are parasitized.
• Remark: Samples of the leaf should be tested regularly to determine the percentage of parasitized leafminers. To have an efficient control, the percentage must be 80-90%.

A population of spider mites can grow very rapidly, especially under dry and warm conditions. Fast action is recommended to keep the spider mite densities as low as possible.

• In combination with Phytoseiulus at spider mite hot spots.
• Introduce locally 1 pot (250 pupae) during 4-6 weeks in hot spots.
• Remark: The gall midges have an excellent ability to search, but they can become disorientated by frequent use of a sulphur steamer.

• Introduce minimum 6 Phytoseiulus/m² as soon as the first spider mites are detected. The amount to be introduced depends on the infestation level.
• In and especially around the hot spots: 20 Phytoseiulus/m²
• Spread well in the work direction.

Adult thrips are small, elongated insects with typical fringed wings. They measure about 1 mm, and have a greyish or yellow to brown colour. The two most common harmful species are the onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) and the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis).

• Introduce 2.500 sachets/ha (in total minimum 500.000 Amblyseius cucumeris/ha). Repeat this every 4 weeks depending on the infestation.
• Introduce in hot spots 1 sachet/2 m² or disperse weekly minimum 100 Amblyseius cucumeris/m².
• Warning:
  Amblyseius-Breeding-System (ABS), which contains the predatory mite Amblyseius cucumeris delivered in breeding sachets, also contains Mold mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and bran. Under certain circumstances such as a moist greenhouse climate or when using large quantities of breeding sachets, Mold mite population can increase to the point of causing damages in some crops (e.g. cucumbers). When planning to use these products in crops where they have never been used before, we recommend to first perform a small-scale trial or to discuss this with your Biobest advisor or supplier.

• Introduce preventive minimum 100 Hypoaspis/m² to control the larval and pupal stage of the thrips.