Aphidius colemani and its mummies
Aphidius colemani are small braconid wasps. Females lay eggs singly in aphid nymphs. The wasp larvae consume the aphids from the inside. As the larvae mature and the aphids are killed, the aphids turn into mummies
Aphidius colemani is an amazing parasitic wasp that stings its aphid victim and lays its egg directly inside the aphid. In a couple of days, the aphid dies and begins to swell up, and as it swells, a new parasitic wasp is developed and will soon emerge.
Once the new parasitic wasp emerges and is able to fly, it will sting more aphids, lay more eggs, and continue the cycle again. Appropriate for garden and greenhouse use, aphid parasites can be used both as a preventive measure and to combat infestations.
Adult wasps live up to three weeks and will lay eggs in as many as 300 aphids over the period of their lives, increasing the number of wasps as they do. Proof they’re at work can be found by searching for the brown, mummified shells left of dead aphids seen in these images.
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