In this week’s podcast, we feature Dr. George Heimpel, University of Minnesota Professor of Entomology, and members from his lab, Dr. Carl Stenoien and Jonathan Dregni.
A parasitoid wasp (Aphelinus glycinis) laying an egg in a soybean aphid.
Heimpel discussed how biological control, or beneficial species suppressing other pests, fits within IPM through reducing the likelihood of pest populations reaching damaging levels. In cases of invasive species, insects that feed on the invasive pest in their native range may be imported in after heavy regulatory scrutiny and can turn a common invasive pest into only a sporadic pest.
Aphid “mummies” are the husk leftover as an aphid has been consumed by a parasitoid larva. Different parasitoid species can leave behind different colored mummies (e.g., left brown mummy: Lysiphlebus testaceipes, right black mummy: Aphelinus certus)
Multiple species of parasitic wasps that have been considered for import against soybean aphid were discussed. These are small wasps that cannot sting people, but instead lay eggs inside the host insect. When the eggs hatch, the larvae consume the aphids. One species, Aphelinus certus, has been found parasitizing soybean aphid across the state in recent years, and may be significantly suppressing soybean aphid populations in some areas.
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