imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Recognizing parasitic wasps

There are multiple species of parasitic wasps that are beneficial to the garden. They are tiny and hard to see but you might have seen some of their handiwork like aphid mummies or parasitized hornworms.

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galv ... rnworm.htm
https://www.organicgardening.com/learn-a ... itic-wasps

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Great links! :D

Yep! I love seeing the mummies left by the aphid mummy makers, and most hornworms I see in my garden are already carrying those pupae. :twisted:

There's another kind that parasitizes the cabbage worm and, when they pupate, they turn the entire caterpillar into an yellowish cottony splat on the cabbage/kale/broccoli, etc. leaf. A few days later, the tiny wasps emerge. 8)

OK I was looking for a good picture and came across these websites:

https://www.drmcbug.com/parasitic.htm
https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg ... geworm.htm

...ah ha! Here are some photos I took in my own garden :mrgreen:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 345#p94345

imafan26
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Posts: 13947
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

great links apple.

pepperhead212
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Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b

Great links! I noticed a bunch of these on the flowers early in the spring on my Syrian oregano, but not on other things.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I haven't seen a hornworm in ages, but then, I usually don't get many butterflies visiting. I have been seeing more moths and butterflies lately, but I don't have many things they like to eat. I got rid of the butterfly bush.



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