Trichogramma Wasps – Trichogrammatidae family

Trichogramma Wasp Family: Trichogrammatidae Common Name: Tricopoda fly, Digger wasp, Velvet ant, Spider wasp Appearance: Trichogramma wasp are microscopic, and they feed on eggs of other insects. The color of adults is yellow, and they have bright red colored eyes; moreover, they have small antennae, constricted abdomen, two pairs of wings, and their bodies are compact. They resemble gants, and their size is 1/100 inch long, smaller than a pinhead. Host plant or food: Trichogramma wasp primarily feeds on moth larvae, eggs, and beetles larvae. Adults feed on nectar and pollen and eggs of worms and butterflies. Territory: North America, Central America, New Zealand, and Europe. Mode of damage: Trichogramma wasp mainly feeds on eggs and larvae of beetles, worms, and insects. They don’t feed on plants, so they are considered beneficial garden plants. Habits and life history: Trichogramma wasp has an important role in pest management, so they are spread over millions of acres every year. They are found in different habitats, including aquatic habitats. Females mostly attack insects, eggs, or insects that will lay an egg. They mostly feed on insects and are harmless to humans, and adults look for eggs to feed on by the odor of eggs. Female lays eggs in host healthy eggs, larva hatches and begin to consume egg’s yolk and embryo and completes larval development. Then the pupa changes its color. Once the pupal stage is completed, the adult makes a hole in the egg and comes out, and then they start preying on other insects, and the cycle repeats.