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Wasp biocontrol updates

Mites have heavily infested this German wasp queen. The fungus on the wasp is from a secondary infection from after the wasp had died. Image: Bob Brown

Update 1

[Ronny Groenteman & Bob Brown, Oct 2014]
An update on the project investigating the biocontrol potential of promising-looking mites that...

Mites have heavily infested this German wasp queen. The fungus on the wasp is from a secondary infection from after the wasp had died. Image: Bob Brown

Update 2

[Ronny Groenteman & Bob Brown, January 2015]
An update on the project investigating the biocontrol potential of promising-looking mites ...

Two species of [Volucella] hoverfly larvae in a common wasp nest

Update 3

[Ronny Groenteman & Bob Brown, June 2015]
The first year of the wasp biocontrol programme is drawing to a close and it is time to reflec...

Daily mail - wasps sent to Bob by members of the public.

Update 4

[Ronny Groenteman & Bob Brown, October 2015]
Recently our project went through a Stop/Go assessment, and I am pleased to report that MPI...

Several of the newly-named mite, [Pneumolaelaps niutirani], on a wasp.

Update 5

[Ronny Groenteman, February 2016]
Wasp mite has been named – please meet [Pneumolaelaps niutirani]

Adult [Sphecophaga]. Image: Bob Brown

Update 6

[Ronny Groenteman, June 2016]
The past few weeks have brought much excitement to the project.

Adult [Sphecophaga]. Image: Bob Brown

Update 7

[Ronny Groenteman, July 2016]
In the last update we told you that the wasp biocontrol project is at a turning point. Well, we have just ...

Adult [Sphecophaga]. Image: Bob Brown

Update 8

[Ronny Groenteman, September 2016]
The current update is all about patience and waiting!

Two species of [Volucella] hoverfly larvae in a common wasp nest

Update 9

[Ronny Groenteman, November 2016]
t’s been a couple of weeks now since Bob returned from the UK with chilly bins full of wasp combs, and...

Newly emerged [Sphecophaga] male in quarantine at Lincoln

Update 10

[Ronny Groenteman, March 2017]
The first update for 2017 brings excellent news to open the year with!

Two species of [Volucella] hoverfly larvae in a common wasp nest

Update 11

[Ronny Groenteman, August 2017]
When Sphecophaga larvae pupate, they can go on to become one of three types of cocoons: i) those which w...

Two species of [Volucella] hoverfly larvae in a common wasp nest

Update 12

[Bob Brown, December 2017]

After racing badgers to wasp nests last year, and losing half the time, I decided to schedule this year’s col...

Figure 1. Male (L) and female (R) [Volucella zonaria] hoverflies feeding on a flower in Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research’s containment facility in Lincoln.

Update 13

[Bob Brown]
The wasp season is finally winding down and I am now able to start catching my breath and let you know what has been going ...

Key contact

Bob Brown

Bob Brown

Researcher
Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology
Contact

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