Southwest Louisiana beneficial wasps are shown with an emphasis on pest insect control.

1. Beneficials in the Garden
SOLITARY WASPS
By George Giltner, Adv. MG

2. Paper Wasps are social wasps that defend the nest against
vertebrates.

3. Swarming/SGnging Chemicals are released to defend the Nest

4. Solitary Wasps
Mason Wasp on Plumrosa Characteris4cs
• Normally - do not sGng
• Do not live in social
aggregaGons - solitary
• Beneficial by being
pollinators
• Beneficial by consuming
pest insects
• Key to ecological balance in
predator/prey relaGon

5. 4-toothed Mason Wasp or Carpenter Wasp or PoOer
Wasp or Monobia quadridens
Prey – small caterpillars like leaf
rollers, web worms, etc. from at least
6 families of Lepidoptera
Pollen feeder for adults while larvae
feed on paralyzed caterpillars
Adult female is capable of a bald
hornet-like sGng, but not aggressive
Males have white dot on face, but
females have a solid black face

6. Mason Wasp nest in unoccupied mud dauber nests, Carpenter
bee hole nests, vegetaGon holes, and wood drillings
• Work bench hole used for
nesGng, then paralyzed
caterpillars are inserted along
with an egg
• A month later the Wasp emerges
from the sealed nest
• No nurse-feeding required

7. PoOer Wasps, Eumenes fraternus
Eileen Linton, MG-Galveston County (aggie-horGculture.tamu.edu)

8. Numerous caterpillars are used as a
larvae food source. Adults feed on
flower nectar
Caterpillars (1-12) inside pot Females use same mud source

9. Red and Black Mason Wasp
Pachodynerus erynnis
Eileen Linton, Galveston MG
Red or Yellow pentagon spot on
head

10. Typical prey include cutworms, cabbage loopers,
army worms, and corn earworms
Refurbish old mud dauber nests
Paralyzed beetle or caterpillar
larvae

11. Braconid Wasps
• Cabbage Aphid, Brevicoryne
brassicae, aOacked by a
parasitoid wasp, Aphidius spp. by
buglogical control
• 1700+ species in N. America
• Size less that ½ inch
• This family of wasp parasiGzes
cabbage worms, cutworms, corn
earworms, gypsy moths and
many other caterpillars
David Cappaert (www.forestryimages.org)

12. Chalcid Wasps
• Trichogramma species of wasps
are specialist parasites that target
insect eggs
• Size range (0.02 – 0.31 inch)
• ParasiGze – wide range of insects
and insect eggs (200)
• Other Members of Chalcidoidea
parasiGze caterpillars to flies to
true bugs to web worms
• Amazon sells this most popular
beneficial – 12,000 for $7

13. Ichneumon Wasps
• Hosts are caterpillars, wood-
boring grubs of beetles, and other
insects.
• Many females have long
noGceable ovipositors
• Size – very small to 1.5 inches
• Megarhyssa macrurus is ~2
inches long but ovipositor is 4
inches long. Found on dead oak
trees infected with the siricid
wood wasp larvae

14. Sphecid Wasps
• Astata occidentalis with
captured prey sGnk bug
• Genus preys on sGnk
bugs and leaffooted
bugs, adults and
nymphs
• Ground nesters in sandy
and hard packed soils
• Also known as digger
wasps
Howard Evans (www.insecGmages.org)

15. Cerceris Wasps
• NaGve wasp that is used
to monitor presence of
metallic beetles in
Louisiana (Emerald Ash
Borer)
• Capture beetles from
wasps around open
fields, ball parks, etc. to
monitor EAB.
• Cerceris fumipennis
Tom Murray (bugguide.net)

16. Thread-Waisted Wasp
• Prey on a variety of
beetles that destroy
trees and flowers
• They are parasiGzed by
velvet ants which eat
thread-waisted larvae
• www.toledo-bend.us
• Sand Wasps or Thread-
waisted Wasps
Whitney Cranshaw Ammophilia spp.

17. How to AOrack and Keep Solitary
Wasps in Gardens and Farms

18. Design for Solitary Wasps
• Plant nectary and pollen
sources – Flowers Power!
• Tolerate a low level of
pests
• Have full season blooms
from spring to fall
• IdenGfy favorite flowers
for solitary wasps
• “Farming with NaGve
Beneficial Insects” by
Xerces Society

19. “Farmscaping will not eliminate pests
from the farm, nor should it. It keeps
pest numbers at a tolerable level and
prevents outbreaks.”
Jessica Walliser, “AOracGng Beneficial Bugs to your Garden”, p.174

20. “The closer insectary
plants are to the crop
they are intended to
protect, the beOer.”
Rex Dufour, NaGonal Sustainable Agriculture InformaGon Service.

21. Farms – Beetle Banks
DAVID REDHAGE, Program Manager for the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture
Research and EducaGon Program, Southern Region at the Kerr Center, Poteau, Ok.

22. Farms – Borders and Riparian Zones
• NaGve Perennials
provide less labor
• A wide variety of
flowers provide diverse
beneficial insects
• Undisturbed riparian
zones provide habitat
and overwintering areas
for beneficials
Xerces Society, “Farming with NaGve Beneficial Insects”

23. Gardens
• Design to target specific
pests
• Alyssum brings in hover
flies and parasiGc wasps
• Therefore plant
Alyssum next to leOuce
that is suscepGble to
aphids

24. Design an Insectary Bed for Beneficial
Insects
ParasiGc wasps
Pirate bugs
Trichogramma wasps
Paper wasps
Braconid wasps
Hoverflies, Lacewings
Lady bugs,Big-
eyed bugs
ParasiGc wasps,
Syrphid flies
Parasoid
wasps
ParasiGc wasps
Lady bugs
Tachinid Flies,
Trichogramma W.
Soldier beetles, parasiGc wasps
Hover flies

25. Design a Vegetable Insectary Garden

26. Use NaGve Weeds for Pollinators and
Beneficials when Possible
Partridge Pea – Extra Floral
Nectaries on the peGoles
Sunflowers – EFN on the edges of
bracts beneath the flower heads

27. Wide Range InsecGcides can Destroy a
Balanced Ecosystem

28. Solitary Wasps and Other Beneficials may
reduce or eliminate the need for InsecGcides

29. Wildflower Ecology – Beneficial Insects on Tickseed
Sunflowers
Insect
eggs
mites
aphids
thrips
borers
caterpillars leaqoppers
Minute Pirate Bug

30. Green Lynx Spider awaits opportunity to capture web worms
SGck removal of the web and Bt bacteria are beOer than broad range insecGcides

31. We are done!
“Natural Enemies Handbook, the Illustrated Guide to
Biological Pest Control” 1998. Mary Louise Flint and Steve H.
Dreistadt
“AOracGng Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, a natural
approach to pest control” 2014. Jessica Walliser
“Farming with NaGve Beneficial Insects, Ecological
Pest Control SoluGons” 2014. Xerces Society Guide
“Solitary Wasps, Behavior and Natural History”
2001. Kevin M. O’Neill