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Trichogramma platneri is a moth egg parasite native to the western parts of the United States. It is commonly used in orchards, in vineyards and on ornamentals for preventative control of various caterpillars and borers. When timed appropriately, Trichogramma releases can significantly reduce moth/caterpillar populations and limit pesticide use.
Biology & Life Cycle: Trichogramma wasps lay their eggs inside the pest eggs, stopping development. The larvae feed on the egg and emerge as adults. This development takes 10 days to develop within the pest moth egg, which turns brown or black as the larvae pupate. The adult wasps live anywhere from 7 to 14 days, depending on temperature and humidity. Female Trichogramma will parasitize up to 300 pest moth eggs in a lifetime. Eggs on cards usually hatch within 2-5 days.
Preferred Food: Trichogramma parasitize the eggs of more than 200 pests, including borers, webworms, loopers, leafworms, fruitworms, cutworms, bollworms, and armyworms (except beet armyworms).
Choose the correct variety for your region or crop type:
NOTE: Emergence holes are evident under significant magnification after
Trichogramma have hatched.
Timing the release is important – if you release too early there aren't enough pest eggs for the wasps to parasitize. Too late means that the pest eggs have hatched and you have a new problem - caterpillar pests. For best results, releases should be made before adult moths or caterpillars are spotted. If that is not possible, release as soon as possible once temperatures allow.
Release Rate:
Tabs/Cards
- 1 tab for 3000 sq. ft. or 1 tab per tree in an orchard.
- ½ to 2 cards weekly per acre for 2 – 6 weeks.
Bulk Eggs
- Bulk eggs are shipped without a medium.
- 1-2 per sq. ft.
- 50,000 - 100,000 per acre.
- Use Hanging Release boxes to distribute.
Release immediately upon receipt. Release Trichogramma at first flight of moths and every 7-10 days thereafter until infestation subsides. It is best to release in the early morning or evening by hanging the cards out of direct sunlight, below plant tops or in trees where moths have been seen. Cards or tabs can be put on stakes or hung from the edge of a pot. Do not touch the eggs.
Using traps to monitor for adults and visual inspection of foliage to monitor for moth eggs will help determine the best time to release Trichogramma.
Storage: Release adult wasps immediately after emergence.
Conditions: Place in a warm location (80-90°F), out of direct sunlight. Hang individual cards where moths are seen.
Environments: Outdoors, Crops, Orchards & Vineyards, Nursery, Greenhouse, Grow Room, Hydroponics, Aquaponics, Pond & Environment, Container Plants
Pests & IPM:
Armyworm (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Black Cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel)), Bollworm (Helicoverpa zea), Broccoli Worms; Imported Cabbage Worm (Pieris rapae), Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapae), Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni), Cabbage Moth, Cabbage Army Moth (Mamestra brassicae), Cabbage Worm (Pieris rapae), Caterpillar Eggs (Mult), Celery Worm (aka Parsley Worm, Parsnip Butterfly, Eastern Black Swallowtail, American Swallowtail) (Papilio polyxenes), Cherry Fruit Worm (Grapholita pacakardi), Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella), Corn Borer (aka European Corn Borer) (Ostrinia nubilalis), Corn Borer (aka Southwestern Corn Borer) (Diatraea grandiosella), Corn Earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Cutworm (Agrotis, Amathes, Peridroma, Prodenia spp), Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella), European Corn Borer (aka Corn Borer) (Ostrinia nubilalis), Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Fall Canker Worms, Inchworms (Alsophila pometaria), Fall Webworm (hyphantria cunea), Grape Leaf Folder (Desmia funeralis), Grape Leafroller (Erythroneura variabilis), Greater Peach Tree Borer (Synanthedon exitiosa), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Hickory Shuckworm (Cydia caryana), Hornworm (Manduca sp), Inch worm (Mult), Iris Borer (Macronoctua onusta), Leafminer (Phyllocnistis sp), Leafroller (Archips argyrospila), Leafroller (Platynota stultana), Leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana), Leafroller (Pandemis pyrusana), Leafroller (Argyrotaenia franciscana), Leafroller (Epiphyas postvittana), Lesser Peach Tree Borer (Synanthedon pictipes), Omnivorous leafroller (Platynota stultana), Orange tortrix (Argyrotaenia (=citrana) franciscana), Orangeworm (Amyelois transitella), Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholitha molesta), Parsleyworm (Papilio polyxenes asterius), Peach Twig Borer (Anarsia lineatella Zeller), Pecan Casebearer (Acrobasis nuxvorella Neunzig), Pink Bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), Plume Moth (Platyptilia sp), Red-banded Leafroller (Argyrotaenia velutinana), Sod Webworm (Mult), Sperry's Lawn Moth (Crambus sperryellus), Spring Canker Worms, Inchworms (Paleacrita vernata), Squash Vine Borer (Melitta curcurbitae), Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), Tomato Fruitworm (Helicoverpa (Heliothis) zea), Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata), Tomato Pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicella), True Armyworm (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Walnut Caterpillar (Datana integerrima), Webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Western Lawn Moth (Tehama bonifatella)
Viability Note: If you plan to check for viability, please do so upon receipt and prior to releasing the beneficial insects. Many predators and parasites are small and can be difficult to spot once released. If you believe there are issues with viability, please contact us at 1-800-827-2847 or customercare@arbico.com.
