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Aphid control with the parasitic wasp Praon volucre

Praon volucre is a parasitic wasp that belongs to the family Braconidae and to the subfamily Aphidiinae. Praon volucre is one of the most abundant parasitoids of many aphid species in Europe.

Praon volucre is used for the control of the following pests:

The parasitic wasp Praon volucre is available at Koppert in Aphiscout. Aphiscout consists of Aphidius colemani, Aphidius ervi, Aphelinus abdominalis, Praon volucre, Ephedrus cerasicola.

Best conditions for Praon volucre

Aphiscout is effective at temperatures between 16°C/61°F and 30°C/86°F.

How to use Praon volucre

The parasitic wasp Praon volucre is available in a bottle (Aphiscout)

  • Peel off the outer layer of the label starting at the upper right corner
  • Hang the cylinder horizontally from a crop wire, branch, or leaf stalk by winding the label around it and sticking the end of the label back onto the label
  • Turn the lid until the small holes align with the opening

The dosage of Aphiscout depends on climate, crop and aphid density and species, and should always be adjusted to the particular situation. Start introduction preventively soon after planting of the crop. Introduction rates typically range from 0.75-1.5 parasitic wasps per m2. This is equivalent to one unit every 250-350 m2. The parasitic wasps will emerge within 2 weeks. Releases should be repeated when aphids are still present. If the aphid species present is known it might be better to switch to an appropriate single species product (Aphilin, Aphipar, Aphipar-M or Ervipar). Consult a Koppert advisor or a recognized distributor of Koppert products for advice on the best strategy for your situation.

Behaviour of the parasitic wasp Praon volucre

At a temperature of 22°C Praon volucre females can lay 500 eggs in Macrosiphum euphorbiae over a period of 18 days. Fifty percent of the eggs are laid during the first five days.

At 23-25°C, the developmental time for Praon volucre on Macrosiphum euphorbiae from oviposition to adult emergence is 13 days. At 16°C, the developmental time slows down to 26 days.

Life cycle and appearance of Praon volucre

The parasitic wasp lays an egg inside the aphid where the larva of the parasitic wasp will develop. Larval pupation takes place under the aphid. This causes a silky, whitish, transparent pedestal to form under the empty aphid skin, which is typical for the genus Praon. The adult parasitic wasp emerges through a round hole in the mummy.