ENCARSIA CITRINA - 25

What is ENCARSIA CITRINA?

ENCARSIA CITRINA can be used for the biological control of several armoured scale species; such as oleander scale; fern scale and many more. This parasitoid is merely 0.5 mm big and barely visible with the naked eye.

How does ENCARSIA CITRINA work?

The adult parasitoid deposits her egg under the cover; on the body of the armoured scale. It is difficult to tell parasitized armoured scales apart from non-parasitized ones. The armored scale turns slightly darker and a ring of excretion from the young parasitoid is barely visible through the cover. The armoured scale dies during the development of the young wasp. The young parasitoid emerges through a small hole in the cover and starts looking for a new host. The small; perfectly round holes are characteristic to activity by ENCARSIA CITRINA.

Especially the small stages of both male and female armoured scales are parasitized. The adult parasitoids also use the armoured scales as a source of food. This is called host feeding and it contributes to the decrease of the pest population. ENCARSIA CITRINA is especially effective during spring and autumn. During the autumn the percentage of parasitized armoured scales can reach 80% and more. ENCARSIA CITRINA suffers from a too high temperature and is therefore less effective during summer.

How to combine ENCARSIA CITRINA

ENCARSIA CITRINA is great in combination with the predatory beetles LINDIXand CHILIX. Predatory beetles are very efficient at high pest densities. An optimal biological control strategy is to combine the efficiency of the predatory beetles with the searching ability of the parasitoids.

ENCARSIA CITRINA is effective at high pest densities2-5 per m²repeat release on regular basis

• Use this product directly after receiving it.
• Handle with care and do not shake.
• Open the small jar near the pest, either under the plant or in the tree.
• The parasitoids will leave the small jar to look for the pest.