Sphaerophoria rueppellii: hoverfly larvae against aphids

What is Sphaerophoria rueppellii?

• Endemic hoverfly
• Indigenous to Europe
• Biological control agent against aphids
• Sphaerophoria larvae also eat whitefly, thrips and spider mite
• Adult hoverflies are harmless. They feed on pollen and nectar
• The larvae are essential for effective control
• Sufficient daylight is important for good activity. The hoverflies are not as active in autumn

What are the benefits of Sphaerophoria rueppellii?

• The hoverflies are active in a wide range of temperatures (12°C – 40°C); but achieve the best results between 25°C and 35°C
• You can combine Sphaerophoria rueppellii with aphid parasitoids. Hoverfly larvae only eat the non-parasitized aphids. By using both, you reduce the number of aphids in your crops even more drastically
• Sphaerophoria-System can be introduced easily and does not need additional flowering plants

How does it control pests?

• Females can lay up to 400 eggs (15-20 eggs a day)
• Adult females search for aphid infestations to lay their whitish grey oval-shaped eggs
• They prefer to lay their eggs in large colonies to avoid a lack of prey
• In 9 days and at 25°C, the green larvae that hatch from the eggs can devour up to 200 aphids before pupating

Want to know more? Please contact your Biobest advisor for tailored advice.

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