The problem:
Caterpillars have a ferocious appetite and can consume large areas of leaves in a short period of time. There are a range of butterflies and moth species which choose to lay their eggs on garden plants which then hatch into caterpillars. Egg laying butterflies and moths are highly mobile and can fly great distances to locate a suitable plant to lay its eggs on and then get inside a greenhouse. Constant preventative protection against freshly laid eggs is the best way to protect against caterpillar feeding damage.
The product:
MightyBug – Trichogramma is a natural product containing beneficial parasitoid wasps for use against a wide range of butterfly and moth eggs. Easy to use by simply hanging a card from a leaf, the Trichogramma wasps will hatch from the card then hunt for Lepidoptera eggs which have been laid on the plants. Once a suitable egg is located, the beneficial wasp lays its own egg within it. As the young Trichogramma develops within the Lepidoptera egg, the egg dies.
The Trichogramma wasps are tiny, and as with all of the MightyBug range, are safe for children, pets, wildlife and the plants you are lovingly tending.
How to use:
As with all MightyBug predators, use immediately upon receipt. Fresh is best!
MightyBug – Trichogramma are flying parasites, ensure you are in greenhouse where you plan to release them before opening the pack to ensure any MightyBugs ready to go from the start are released where you intend to use them.
The Trichogramma are located within the card. Do not squash the card as this will harm the developing beneficial wasps within it. Once ready to leave the card, the wasps emerge from the small holes around the outer edge of the card. Do not open the card, this will not help or speed up the wasps.
Use the hanger on the card to hang the card from a leaf or branch in the middle of the plant. Ensure the card is not in contact with the growing media around the base of the plant. The card should be hung so that it is shaded from direct sunlight and kept dry.
Distribute the cards evenly around the area you are looking to protect. If you have too many cards for the area to be used in, using more cards than recommended will not cause a problem.
Trichogramma wasps will start to emerge within 1-3 days of being placed in the greenhouse. Some will take up to 10 days to emerge. Cards should be left in place for at least two weeks. if longer protection is required repeat applications every 14-28 days are recommended.
The parasitic wasp requires temperatures of 15°C to be active. In unheated greenhouses this would typically mean it is suitable for use April to September. In heated greenhouses or indoors it can be used year-round as long as temperatures are suitable.
After application the beneficial parasitoid wasps will disperse across the area you have released them in. They will typically move up to 7 meters from their release point.
MightyBug – Trichogramma specifically target the egg life-stage. Because there is always uncertainty about when these will be laid by female butterflies and moths pheromone traps can be used to catch some species of adult moths to identify when they are active in and around your greenhouse and when use of Trichogramma egg parasitoids would be most beneficial. Pheromone traps are species specific and will only catch the species they are targeting and cannot be used to identify all moths and butterflies which are active around your greenhouse.
Chemical compatibility. We recommend not using chemicals which are known to harm mites or small insects at the same time as MightyBugs. Chemical pesticides often are not specific in what they kill and they can harm beneficial insects at the same time as the pests they are being used against.