Michigan apples advice from MSU

Parasitoids

Most parasitic wasps are minute (0.5mm) to small (5mm), and often develop inside their hosts making detection more challenging. Some recognizable signs of parasitism include: unusual host behavior, host color change, host mummification (hardened exterior), and the presence of emergence holes in the host.


Parasitized eggs are often darker in color than non-parasitized eggs, as can be seen here in a redbanded leafroller eggmass. (normal on left, parasitized on right)

Learn more about these Parasitoids

Additional information

For more monitoring information and evaluation of available pesticides:
Michigan Fruit Management Guide
A Practical Guide to Scouting Apple Orchards – a DVD showing how to scout apple orchards.
MSU Diagnostic Services for assistance in pest identification.
MSU Fruit Crop Advisory Team Alert newsletters for current pest/crop conditions.

This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Michigan Apples by David Epstein, Larry J. Gut and George W. Sundin. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2720).