• Aphidoletes adults are attracted to and feed on aphid honeydew; however, only their larvae are predatory.
• Females lay eggs among aphid colonies. The eggs hatch after 2 days at 23°C / 73°F and the larvae are fully grown within 6 days. At higher temperatures, larval development is shorter (approximately 3 days) and at lower temperatures larval development can take up to 9 days.
• Larvae bite aphids’ legs, injecting a paralyzing toxin and then they feed on the host aphid.

• In dense aphid colonies, Aphidoletes larvae will kill far more aphids than they eat, with a single larva able to kill more than 35 aphids during its lifetime. This is important for control because it improves the efficiency of the Aphidoletes at high aphid densities while allowing it to survive if aphid populations are low.
• Aphidoletes will go into diapause at low light levels (mid-October to mid-March).
• Optimum temperature range for Aphidoletes is 20-27°C / 68-81°F. They can also tolerate a broad range of humidity levels (20-80%).

• Supplied in units of four blister packs with each pack containing sufficient pupae to produce 250 adults.
• Also available as 1,000 pupae in a moist vermiculite carrier in either a 125ml or 500ml bottle. The 125ml bottle is designed to give higher doses for heavier pest infestations.

Instructions for blister pack

• Keep blister packs at room temperature until the first adults are seen.
• Open the box in the greenhouse.
• Remove blister packs and separate along perforations.
• Bend the card forward slightly at the top of the blister, and pull the tab up.
• Hang opened blister onto leaf petioles within crop so it is in a shaded position.
• Hang some blister packs in or adjacent to aphid colonies, but place others in areas without obvious infestation. Emerging adults will fly into the crop and locate aphid colonies.
• Place blister packs in areas protected from direct sunlight and high heat.
• The ideal release times are at dusk or dawn when more adults will move into the crop.
• For advice on recommended release rates, consult The Bioline App.

Instructions for bottle

• Open bottle in the crop. Divide the mixture into small containers containing moist peat or vermiculite and distribute these throughout the crop OR open the bottle in the crop, and place small piles of the carrier material directly onto the growing media or moist capillary matting.
• For advice on recommended release rates, consult The Bioline App.

Storage and transport

• Keep in darkness at 6-8°C / 43-46°F until ready to use.
• Use within 18 hours of receipt.
• Do not refrigerate.