In the event of pest infestation of any kind, the gardener should only resort to biological, environmentally friendly control measures. Many home remedies have proven their worth at times and are therefore very well known. But is there also a home remedy for moths? When common substances such as baking soda or vinegar reach their limits, parasitic wasps provide a remedy. This guide provides everything you need to know about these useful moth enemies.
Interesting facts about the parasitic wasp
- are divided into several types
- only a few of them are used for pest control
- Above all, protect orchards and grain-growing areas from pests
- but are also used in the home garden
- can't fly
- move crawling on
- some species are only 0.2 to 0.4 mm in size
- detect moth eggs over long distances
Note: The species Trichogramma evanescens in particular has proven itself in the fight against clothing moths and food moths. For this purpose, biologists breed the genus extra.
Moth damage
Dresses-
and food moths, unlike their predators, are clearly recognizable as small gray-brown moths. Many people consider themselves to be safe as soon as they have destroyed the pests, for example with a fly swatter, and cannot initially detect any more moths in the home. A fatal mistake, because a moth infestation does not stop at a generation of moths.
The pests lay eggs in kitchen or wardrobes. The larvae in particular are particularly dangerous for food or textiles. It is hardly possible to remove the entire inventory manually. Only beneficial insects like the parasitic wasp are able to interrupt the cycle naturally.
Mode of action of the parasitic wasp
The ichneumon wasp is actually a parasite as well. The insects have a long sting on their abdomen with which they lay their own clutch in that of the moth. The eggs of the moth serve as food for the brood. For this reason, there is no subsequent generation. If the adult moths strive gradually, the moth is a plague
defeated.However, the parasitic wasp is dependent on the pests as a source of food. If the population disappears, the beneficial insect population also dies. Most of the time, the tiny creatures turn to dust. The next time the user cleans his apartment, he eliminates the wasps without even realizing it.
Info: The use of parasitic wasps in clothes moths is so effective because the beneficial insects do not destroy the adult animals, but their brood. The latter are namely the cause of minor damage to the fabric. When fully grown, clothes moths no longer eat textiles.
advantages
- are not noticeable thanks to the small body size
- no chemical agents required
- move noiselessly
- do not sting
- disappear as soon as they destroy the moth population
use
Breeders supply their customers with small cardboard cards or paper eggs in which the parasitic wasp eggs are embedded. All you have to do is place them on the windowsill or directly in the pantry or wardrobe and wait for the brood to hatch. A cardboard card usually contains around 300 eggs. However, the amount is not enough to completely eradicate the moth population. Therefore, several applications are necessary. Although the fully grown beneficial insects lay eggs from which new generations emerge, it is usually necessary to replenish the population with a new cardboard card. Around 1000 to 2000 animals are necessary for successful treatment.
Tip: Since the beneficial insects do not remain in one place, but move freely around the apartment, it is not advisable to vacuum during use. In addition, the animals are barely visible to the human eye. So it can quickly happen that the
Vacuum cleaner captured the entire inventory and the effort was in vain.Duration of application
It usually takes two weeks for the beneficial insects to hatch from their eggs and start to eat the brood of the pests. After this time, the user should provide another cardboard card. The application must be adapted to the life of the moth. Depending on the species, the duration of use is nine to twelve weeks for the food moth or 15 weeks for the clothes moth. This corresponds to about three cardboard cards for the first type and approximately five for the latter type.
Buy parasitic wasps
Ichneumonids for the fight against clothing and food moths come from special breeding. Since they do not occur in the wild, it is unfortunately not possible to attract them like other beneficial insects. However, the cardboard cards with the eggs are easily available. Most of them are available from specialist retailers. They are also less common in well-stocked drugstores. A package costs around 9 euros. The price for a complete elimination of the pests is accordingly between 70 and 100 euros.
However, the easiest way to buy ichneumon wasp eggs is online. In addition to the low effort, buying on the Internet has another advantage. Providers plan the hatching of the brood and coordinate the delivery date exactly with the time. Thus the effectiveness is guaranteed. It is also supportive that the customer is not left to his own devices in the following either. If there is a need for a new cardboard card, the seller delivers the eggs on time and without request.