braconid wasp

Redbaron · August 21, 2013

WOO HOO!

Finally after years of waiting I finally found my first braconid wasp parasitized tomato hornworm! For those who don't know about this awesome biological control look here: Tomato Hornworm Parasitized by Braconid Wasp

If you happen to see this, DON'T squish it. DON'T spray it. Just leave it alone. That caterpillar's days are numbered. Those white cocoons harbor one of the most effective biological controls for us tomato growers!

I have waited many years for these guys to finally show up here in my part of Oklahoma. Now my patience has finally paid off! Happy days!

saltmarsh · August 21, 2013

Here's a little more about their life cycle. They overwinter in the pupa of their host caterpillar, so it might be a good idea to leave the hornworms alone toward the end of the season.

http://www.beesnwasps.com/wasps/Braconids

RayR · August 21, 2013

Congrats Redbaron! Once the wasps know that your garden is a good place to find victims, they'll stick around in following years. I think the key is don't use any broad spectrum insecticides unless absolutely necessary because they kill the good bugs as well as the bad.
Haven't had any parasitized hornworms yet this year myself , but have seen parasitized aphids on tomato plants.

Last year, the wasps took care of all the aphids and hormworms for me.

COMPOSTER · August 21, 2013

Good deal for you. Great insect! Really cool to see them growing out of the hornworm. My problems with Tomato hornworms have been much reduced by these beneficials in the last few years. 2011 manually picked and exterminated about 2 dozen hornworms and only saw 1 parasitized. 2012 exterminated about a dozen and saw 4 or 5 parasitized. 2013 picked and exterminated 2 hornworms and have seen 3 parsitized. I hope they don't leave due to lack of food.

Glenn

Smithma · August 21, 2013

That is good news, I have picked about 6 hornworms this season, None with any signs of wasp cocoons, I always look for them. I am letting some of my basil and cilantro flower as I have read it will attract these wasps.
Mike

Ken4230 · August 22, 2013

They are my favorite garden guardian. I watched one attack a huge hornworm at our old garden several years ago. Looking back now, it was fascinating and something not seen by a lot of people.
No big deal at the time and not knowing any better, i cut the hornworm in two after the wasp left. Now, i know better and leave them alone.

I've had almost no hornworms (4 or less) the last two years at this new garden. One of them had about 2 dozen wasp eggs on it. I had an severe outbreak of white grubs and hornworms when we first moved here.
It was the worst garden i had grown in over 50 years. What little foliage would grow, the hornworms would devour. I had a KBX with one stem and three branches left. My garden looked like deer had been in a bean field.
I was desperate so i used a wintertime soil drench of Imidacloprid (don't fuss at me too much, Redbaron, i don't like the stuff either)

I don't think i have any grubs now, i do have dozens of bumblebees and honeybees, mostly in the cukes and squash. I see the occasional wasp out on patrol.

I have always wondered where they make their nest. The only place i have ever seen them, other than in the garden, is on or behind the bark of Shagbark hickory trees. I have no idea where they live.

Thanks for posting this, Redbaron.

COMPOSTER · August 23, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smithma

That is good news, I have picked about 6 hornworms this season, None with any signs of wasp cocoons, I always look for them. I am letting some of my basil and cilantro flower as I have read it will attract these wasps.
Mike

Grow a lot of cilantro, dill, oregano and some basil myself. Always let them flower because I'm a bit lazy on pruning the herbs. Not only are they beautiful and the dill and cilantro self seed but the flowers are always filled with numerous kinds of bees and wasps.

Glenn

Alfredo · August 23, 2013

Good to hear Redbaron...and nice linked photo. Important info to know in case any of us find a tomato hornworm like that...Thanks for posting.

themarta · August 23, 2013

Excellent!I too spotted one parasitazed this season for the very first time ever on my tomatoes. All is as it should be in nature

RootLoops · March 3, 2014

i love these things! they didn't show up til the season was almost over but once i saw the first tomato worm with eggs on it it wasn't long at all before every TW i saw was full of em. i hope they were able to survive the winter somewhere and return a little earlier this year. this was probably the coolest thing i saw last season, it's amazing what all bugs you can see when you don't just wipe them all out with pesticide

Jonnyhat · June 23, 2015

this thread inspired me, I had a cabbage worm problem breakout this week on my kale, chard, cabbage and eggplant. not the same wasps but I ordered 5000 of these mini wasps that just target caterpillar eggs/larva for my garden for $12. I cant wait to let these guys reek havoc on these eggs

saltmarsh · June 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonnyhat

this thread inspired me, I had a cabbage worm problem breakout this week on my kale, chard, cabbage and eggplant. not the same wasps but I ordered 5000 of these mini wasps that just target caterpillar eggs/larva for my garden for $12. I cant wait to let these guys reek havoc on these eggs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_rapae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_looper

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_moth

3 reasons I've been unable to grow cabbage and broccoli here. Claud

Redbaron · June 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltmarsh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_rapae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_looper

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_moth

3 reasons I've been unable to grow cabbage and broccoli here. Claud

Bt solves that easily if it gets out of hand.

Jonnyhat · June 25, 2015

I have Bt and now Trichrogramma Wasps! 1/50th of an inch so cool.

bower · June 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltmarsh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_rapae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_looper

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_moth

3 reasons I've been unable to grow cabbage and broccoli here. Claud

These moths are a major pest of brassicas here. The most beautiful organic broccoli I've ever seen was planted in rows that were garlic the previous year, under row cover. Fantastic results.

The nastiest infestation ever was kale planted in a bed that was kale the year before and allowed to hang on into fall and winter. Covered with row cover after seeding... no good!

August 21, 2013	#1
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	braconid wasp WOO HOO! Finally after years of waiting I finally found my first braconid wasp parasitized tomato hornworm! For those who don't know about this awesome biological control look here: Tomato Hornworm Parasitized by Braconid Wasp If you happen to see this, DON'T squish it. DON'T spray it. Just leave it alone. That caterpillar's days are numbered. Those white cocoons harbor one of the most effective biological controls for us tomato growers! I have waited many years for these guys to finally show up here in my part of Oklahoma. Now my patience has finally paid off! Happy days! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

August 22, 2013	#6
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	They are my favorite garden guardian. I watched one attack a huge hornworm at our old garden several years ago. Looking back now, it was fascinating and something not seen by a lot of people. No big deal at the time and not knowing any better, i cut the hornworm in two after the wasp left. Now, i know better and leave them alone. I've had almost no hornworms (4 or less) the last two years at this new garden. One of them had about 2 dozen wasp eggs on it. I had an severe outbreak of white grubs and hornworms when we first moved here. It was the worst garden i had grown in over 50 years. What little foliage would grow, the hornworms would devour. I had a KBX with one stem and three branches left. My garden looked like deer had been in a bean field. I was desperate so i used a wintertime soil drench of Imidacloprid (don't fuss at me too much, Redbaron, i don't like the stuff either) I don't think i have any grubs now, i do have dozens of bumblebees and honeybees, mostly in the cukes and squash. I see the occasional wasp out on patrol. I have always wondered where they make their nest. The only place i have ever seen them, other than in the garden, is on or behind the bark of Shagbark hickory trees. I have no idea where they live. Thanks for posting this, Redbaron. Last edited by Ken4230; August 22, 2013 at 11:33 AM. Reason: small addition

August 23, 2013	#8
Alfredo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Clifton, NJ Posts: 554	Good to hear Redbaron...and nice linked photo. Important info to know in case any of us find a tomato hornworm like that...Thanks for posting. __________________ ~Alfredo

August 21, 2013	#2
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	Here's a little more about their life cycle. They overwinter in the pupa of their host caterpillar, so it might be a good idea to leave the hornworms alone toward the end of the season. http://www.beesnwasps.com/wasps/Braconids

August 21, 2013	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Congrats Redbaron! Once the wasps know that your garden is a good place to find victims, they'll stick around in following years. I think the key is don't use any broad spectrum insecticides unless absolutely necessary because they kill the good bugs as well as the bad. Haven't had any parasitized hornworms yet this year myself , but have seen parasitized aphids on tomato plants. Last year, the wasps took care of all the aphids and hormworms for me.

August 21, 2013	#4
COMPOSTER Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Connecticut Posts: 252	Good deal for you. Great insect! Really cool to see them growing out of the hornworm. My problems with Tomato hornworms have been much reduced by these beneficials in the last few years. 2011 manually picked and exterminated about 2 dozen hornworms and only saw 1 parasitized. 2012 exterminated about a dozen and saw 4 or 5 parasitized. 2013 picked and exterminated 2 hornworms and have seen 3 parsitized. I hope they don't leave due to lack of food. Glenn

August 21, 2013	#5
Smithma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 67	That is good news, I have picked about 6 hornworms this season, None with any signs of wasp cocoons, I always look for them. I am letting some of my basil and cilantro flower as I have read it will attract these wasps. Mike

August 23, 2013	#9
themarta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario Posts: 24	Excellent!I too spotted one parasitazed this season for the very first time ever on my tomatoes. All is as it should be in nature

March 3, 2014	#10
RootLoops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: rienzi, ms Posts: 470	i love these things! they didn't show up til the season was almost over but once i saw the first tomato worm with eggs on it it wasn't long at all before every TW i saw was full of em. i hope they were able to survive the winter somewhere and return a little earlier this year. this was probably the coolest thing i saw last season, it's amazing what all bugs you can see when you don't just wipe them all out with pesticide

June 23, 2015	#11
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	this thread inspired me, I had a cabbage worm problem breakout this week on my kale, chard, cabbage and eggplant. not the same wasps but I ordered 5000 of these mini wasps that just target caterpillar eggs/larva for my garden for $12. I cant wait to let these guys reek havoc on these eggs

June 25, 2015	#14
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	I have Bt and now Trichrogramma Wasps! 1/50th of an inch so cool.