Kritters, Kantinka, Hurtin1, everyone thanks for the warm welcome and the chance to let my head stop spinning since coming on board. Sheesh, you guys are logging some serious research time here!
Sorry for the lag in response time but TBH, Me + here = Over*effing*whelmed. I am flattered that you guys think I have any answers for you (lets cross our fingers) and wanted to get up to speed with all the work you guys have been doing. I fear I am still woefully behind, but I am too excited to discuss it to wait any more!
*deep breath* .....Here we go....
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Originally Posted by Katinka  You stated, that you've been working with parasitic wasps and I would like to know which pesticides/herbicides were otherwise used and/or in which form the parasitic wasps were/are released on the crops? |
Specifically for my projects, absolutely zero pesticides were agreed upon between us and the farmers who let us release in their fields. We also tried to make sure that there would be little to no "drift" or runoff from neighboring plots. We felt you really couldn't get a good representation of how well the parasitic wasps were doing their job on the Agricultural pests if they had chemical help, but besides that, any pesticide use runs the risk of killing off our released parasite. Herbicides were not on our radar and so I'm not sure about those.
Without giving away too much personal info ( all my research is still available online) I worked with a few wasps that were of interest in controlling very common, very pervasive pests of a number of California crops. I mean - these guys (the target pests we are trying to bring down in numbers) would literally interfere with basic photosynthesis of the crops because they would blanket in such high numbers - for acres and acres. Not to mention suck the plants dry of any cellular fluid. These are massively destructive imported pests. Even with a successful parasite abatement program, these jerks are only taking a small hit in the numbers book - but hey, its California and we care about lowering pesticide use by 5%!!!
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Originally Posted by Katinka Are the parasitic wasps in their natural, pure form or are they modified respectively gene manipulated? Do you know? |
My little guys were au natural, imports from overseas (exotic pests call for exotic Predators) that we then reared at our facility here in CA. They were fed their Prey (organically raised prey I might add) and an organic Fructose water (35%) that I would pick up from the local foods co-op. These were the cleanest, most spoiled parasitic wasps you might have the pleasure to meet.
Now, I can only speak for my program and my parasite - and am in no way meaning to discount or discredit any theroies put forth here - but my little wasps - the sorriest bunch of weak parasites evah! (though their cuteness factor was off the charts) (in Lab testing scenarios) They had trouble recognizing the prey, parasitizing the prey properly for offspring survival, trouble remembering to drink sugar water and die of dehydration, they attracted fungus like no tomorrow as well! They have no other prey besides the ONE species of pest we had focused on, and then couldn't even be bothered to find them in the field and parasitize them. Really, really pretty wasps - really really stupid. IMO, parasitic wasps of agricultural pests are very, very specific and do not readily jump hosts, let alone do an effective job of controlling pest numbers. But this is only my opinion of parasitic wasps of agricultural pests - not parasites of plants, not mammal's, not other inverts; and not of parasitic moths, or flies, or a myriad of other sneaky little things that we refer to as "Obligate" Parasites. Sort of the more tramp-ish side of the Parasite world. These class acts will take a warm body - any warm body. These, in my best guess are part of what the problem is for us and the M's. Flies are sort of the king of obligates in the Ento World - so that Myaisis thread looks pretty interesting right about now....
- Combat Entomologist