Aphidius Colemani
COLE-1
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Aphidius colemani is a small, non-stinging parasitic wasp that serves as a high-precision biological control for several common aphid species. Unlike predatory beetles that eat aphids whole, Aphidius works by "parasitizing" the aphid. The female wasp lays an egg inside the aphid; the egg hatches and consumes the pest from the within, eventually turning the aphid into a hard, tan-colored "mummy." This wasp is an incredible scout, capable of finding even a single aphid in a large canopy.
Field Notes — Aphidius colemani
| Species | Aphidius colemani |
| Common name | Aphid parasitoid |
| Type | Parasitic wasp — endoparasitoid |
| Ships as | [Mummies / adults — confirm your supplier's format] |
| Sold by | Count |
| Size | 2–3mm. Small dark wasp, narrow-waisted. Does not sting people |
| Hunts | Small-bodied aphids — green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) and cotton/melon aphid (Aphis gossypii) above all, plus other Aphis and Myzus species |
| How it works | Female lays a single egg inside a live aphid. The larva develops internally, kills the host, and the aphid hardens into a papery bronze mummy glued to the leaf. A new wasp chews out roughly a week later |
| Also kills by | Host feeding and unsuccessful stings. Aphids also drop off leaves and stop feeding while a female works the colony, cutting damage beyond the parasitism count |
| Eats opportunistically | Nothing else. No alternate host outside aphids |
| Also eats | Nectar and honeydew — adults need a sugar source. Flowering plants nearby extend adult lifespan |
| Won't touch | Thrips, whitefly, mites, mealybugs, scale, fungus gnats. Large-bodied aphids — potato and foxglove aphid are poor hosts |
| Best against | Small, scattered, early aphid colonies. Searches efficiently at low density, where sprays and predators both do worst |
| Optimal temp | 65–80°F (18–27°C) |
| Humidity | 50–80% RH. No high-humidity requirement |
| Light | Needs daylight to search and fly |
| Egg to adult | Roughly 2 weeks at 70°F; mummies appear in about a week |
| Adult lifespan | 2–3 weeks with a sugar source, considerably less without |
| Establishes | Yes, while aphids are present. Population collapses when hosts run out |
| Deploy | Immediately on arrival. Open the container in the canopy — hang mummy cards in shade if that's the format |
| Release timing | Morning, in daylight. Repeat weekly while aphids are active |
| Refrigerate | No |
| Compatible with | Predatory mites, Stratiolaelaps scimitus, beneficial nematodes, lacewings, ladybugs, Coleomegilla, springtails, Diglyphus, other Aphidius species |
| Keep separate from | Broad-spectrum and systemic insecticides — systemics move into the aphid and kill the developing wasp. Yellow sticky cards will catch adults; pull them at release |
| Chemical interval | One day after neem oil or insecticidal soap. Never with sulfur, at any dilution |
| Safe around | Pets, children, plants |
