Aphidoline biological control agent contains the predatory midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza. This voracious midge lays its eggs in colonies of aphids, and the predatory larvae then attacks and feeds on the aphid prey. Aphidoletes aphidimyza larvae feed on more than 60 different species of aphid.
Key Features
>> Easy to use and monitor.
>> Excellent host-finding ability.
>> Applicable as curative treatment for aphid infestations.
Main uses
>> Aphids
How It Works
>> Aphidoletes adults are attracted to and feed on aphid honeydew; however, only their larvae are predatory.
>> Females lay eggs among aphid colonies. The eggs hatch after 2 days at 23°C / 73°F and the larvae are fully grown within 6 days. At higher temperatures, larval development is shorter (approximately 3 days) and at lower temperatures larval development can take up to 9 days.
>> Larvae bite aphids’ legs, injecting a paralyzing toxin and then they feed on the host aphid.
>> In dense aphid colonies, Aphidoletes larvae will kill far more aphids than they eat, with a single larva able to kill more than 35 aphids during its lifetime. This is important for control because it improves the efficiency of the Aphidoletes at high aphid densities while allowing it to survive if aphid populations are low.
>> Aphidoletes will go into diapause at low light levels (mid-October to mid-March).
>> Optimum temperature range for Aphidoletes is 20-27°C / 68-81°F. They can also tolerate a broad range of humidity levels (20-80%).
