Lady Bugs
Eat aphids, mealy bugs & other soft bodied insects.
Larva resemble tiny black alligators with spots.
Release about 1500/750 sq. ft at dusk and disperse with water.
If ants are also present, wrap trunk with tape to prevent ants from crawling up.
Praying Mantis
Are purchased in the form of egg case.
Allow about 2 weeks of warm temperatures to hatch.
Babies are small and carnivorous.
Control many large insects including grasshoppers and caterpillars.
One egg should be enough for 5000 sq. ft.
Green lace Wings
Control aphids, mealy bugs, mites and thrips.
Larva similar to lady bug larva only green.
Adults 3/4 of an inch with very delicate green wings.
Arrive as eggs and hatch quickly.
Use about 1000/500 sq. ft.
Encarsia Parasitic Wasp
Controsl whitefly.
Best used before whitefly population gets too big.
Within 10-20 days adults have laid their eggs in the egg of the whitefly. This kills the egg and a new wasp develops in its place -in the egg stage they are very resistant to sprays.
Use 2 / sq. ft.
Trichogramma wasp
Attack over 200 species of moths and wasp butterflies.
Eggs look like sand paper when they arrive.
Predatory Mites
Control spider mites.
Appear smaller and faster than other mites.
Can bring spider mites under control in 4 weeks.
Use 5 mites/ cu. ft. best inside in high humidity.