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Garden Supply | Organic Fertilizer | Composting | Indoor Gardening › Forums › Pests, Weeds & Disease › Can I keep beneficial bugs in my fridge?

  • Can I keep beneficial bugs in my fridge?

    Created by Kyndal Miller on March 12, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    Hello!

    I am very interested in getting some Trichogramma Wasps and possibly other beneficial insects. I was wondering if the insects are able to be kept in the refrigerator for any period of time, or if they need to be ordered right when they are needed. If we were to use them weekly would we need to re-order weekly?

    Thank you!
    Kyndal

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  • March 14, 2018 at 5:01 am #264065

    E. Vinje
    Keymaster

    Hi Kyndal –

    We really do recommend that you order and release beneficial insects as needed. If multiple ship dates are desired, please indicate at Checkout or give us a call at 1-888-349-0605.

    Unfortunately, beneficial insects do not store well. If an immediate release is not possible, we recommend keeping them in your refrigerator for no more than 3-5 days. Do NOT freeze. Keep in mind, that the longer they are stored the higher the mortality will be. Most refrigerators are frost free and will “dry out” the insects. To minimize loss during refrigeration you can keep them in the crisper/ humidity drawer, or place an apple wedge inside the box, with the contents, that they arrive in.

    Proper Timing
    Timing is often the trickiest part of releasing beneficials. If you’re releasing parasitic wasps, a host or hosts must be available, otherwise they will perish. When using a parasite that targets a pest’s specific life-cycle stage, you have to be sure to release the parasite when the pest is in that stage. For example, releasing trichogramma wasps after all the eggs have hatched into caterpillars will be of absolutely no help since trichogramma only parasitizes the eggs, not the caterpillars.

    Hope it helps!

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