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The larvae of this midge feed on over 60 aphid species, including the green peach aphid. They occur naturally in many crops and can be purchased for use in the greenhouse and outdoor plantings.
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The adults are small (less than 1/8 inch long), black, delicate flies (similar to a fungus gnat) that live for an average of 10 days, feeding on aphid honeydew.
- They hide beneath the leaves during the day, and are active at night.
- Females deposit 100-250 tiny (1/64 inch) shiny orange eggs singly or in small groups among aphid colonies.
- The tiny, bright orange, slug-like larvae that hatch in 2-3 days inject a toxin into aphids' leg joints to paralyze them and then suck out the aphid body contents through a hole bitten in the thorax.
- Larvae can consume aphids much larger than themselves and may kill many more aphids than they eat when aphid populations are high.
- A single larva grows up to 1/8 inch long and kills 4-65 aphids per day.
- After 3-7 days the larvae drop to the ground and burrow 3/4 to 1 and 1/2 inches into the soil to pupate.
- They are most effective at 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit and high relative humidity.
- Aphidoletes aphidimyza has been used successfully for biological control of aphids on cucumber, green pepper, tomato, chrysanthemum, rose, and many kinds of ornamentals in greenhouses.
- Aphid midges are shipped as pupae (inside their cocoons) in moist vermiculite that can be sprinkled on the soil under the plants.
- Adults will not emerge from cocoons that fall on dry areas in direct sunlight, so they need to be placed in moist, shaded areas.
- Size: approx 250 pupea in an 8oz tray
- Treats approx 350 sq. ft.
Aphioletes ship 2nd day USPS Priority Mail, an extra $12 fee will be added to your shipping total. Note: Aphioletes are only shipped on Wednesdays. We can not ship live bugs to Hawaii or Canada.
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