• Pepper weevil

  creating a type of cell, to be used later when it begins its metamorphosis. It develops a shiny white colour and eyes which are yellow at first, and become darker [...] cases, they begin to feed one to four hours after hatching. In total, the larva passes through three larval stages during which its only activity is feeding; [...] lasts around seven to eight days, depending on the temperature. When pupation begins, the larva forms a cavity and covers it with its excrement, creating

• Soybean

  or soya bean is a so-called legume and indigenous to East Asia. It is extensively cultivated for its edible beans. The fruit of the plant is a hairy pod [...] pod, that grows clustered in small bunches of three to five pods. Each pod measures between 3-8 centimetres long (1-3 inch) and contains two or four seeds [...] measure 5-11 mm in diameter. Soybean seeds vary greatly in size and the hull can be black or brown, but also blue, yellow or green. When planting soybean plants

• Dibox

  When to use Dibox Use a Dibox for the application of biological products when it is necessary to apply close to a hotspot. This mainly counts for parasitic [...] available in sachets. How to use Dibox Application Fold out the Diboxes Pour the material into the Diboxes Hang the Diboxes close to or at a hotspot Best working [...] working conditions for Dibox Depending on humidity the Diboxes can be used for multiple introductions of the natural enemies.

• Maximize pollination in tomato

  two days. When the number of bite marks diminishes to only one or two per flower, it is advisable to introduce a new bumblebee hive. Temperature and humidity [...] can impede fruit setting. Maintaining plant health To maximize pollination success, it is essential to prioritize the health of your tomato plants. Various [...] bumblebees and humans, it is crucial to position the hive in a visible location. This allows both the bumblebees and people to easily identify and access

• Eretmocerus eremicus

  should be repeated at least 3 times at weekly intervals or until control is achieved. Depending on the specific situation, it may be better to switch to [...] after two to three days, and hatches when the whitefly reaches its fourth instar. The larva then penetrates the host, moulting to the second instar to feed [...] their specialized mouthparts to feed on the internal tissues of the whitefly, leading to the host’s death and contributing to a decline in whitefly populations

• Towards a chemical-free future in agriculture: The vision of grower Koen

  the opportunity to continue the business. While the trend towards organic farming was growing, Koen felt that it would be too quick to completely abandon [...] is prepared to fully transition to biological crop protection when the government decides that certain traditional methods can no longer be applied. "10 [...] abandon traditional methods. He decided to find a balance between both approaches. This way of working allows him to gain experience in using biological crop

• Beet armyworm

  horticulturalists due to its resistance to nearly all insecticides, and its ability to develop on wild vegetation during the summer. It is highly polyphagous [...] caterpillars, the damage can spread to the stems, and in the worst cases to the fruit. This often leads to the entire contents being consumed. In ornamental crops [...] polyphagous, feeding on plants of more than 20 families. It is a serious pest in greenhouses, where it feeds on ornamental plants such as chrysanthemum, gerbera

• Aphelinus abdominalis

  dry and at its introduction site for a few days The dosage of Aphilin depends on climate, crop and aphid density and should always be adjusted to the particular [...] aphid, she will examine it briefly with the tips of the antennae. She turns herself around, curls up the wing tips, and will try to pierce the aphid in the [...] on which the aphid’s antennae and cornicles can still be recognized. The Aphelinus mummy may be distinguished from the mummies of Aphidius species by their

• Spotted Wing Drosophila

  exposes fruits to secondary pathogens (e.g. bacteria, fungi and yeasts). Finally, deterioration of fruit can increase its susceptibility to attack by other [...] respiration tubes extend from the fruit but are difficult to see. Larval feeding in the fruit leads to fruit tissue collapse. Even if the fruits have not collapsed [...] blueberries, strawberries) and stone fruits (e.g. cherries, plums) being particularly susceptible to infestation. Life cycle and appearance of Spotted wing drosophila

• Stable fly

  animal blood, and females must be engorged with blood to lay eggs. They are highly mobile insects and can travel up to 20 km in search of new hosts. Damage [...] the house fly, females tend to be larger and have more widely spaced eyes than males. Females require a blood meal just prior to egg laying and never lay [...] cattle and horses, humans, and pigs to a lesser extent). Although they are extremely common and exist worldwide, it is believed they first originated somewhere