Has anybody tried parasitic (spelling?) wasps for fly control? Someone mentioned them to me here on the forum and I've seen ads in my rabbit magazines. Do they really work? Do they look like little wasps? Do they harm people or other animals?

I need ANY info on them! thanks!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001

Answers

I don't know much more than you but since you asked for "any" information, my "garden formulas" book says that a tomato-leaf tea will attract the kind that eat aphids. Just soak torn leaves overnight and spray on plants. Maybe it will work for flies? I have fewer aphids now, by the way...

-- Margaret (tmbroberg@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.

I know quite a few folks who use beneficial insects and they're happy! The folks I know are horse people, so they like cutting down the fly population. The nematodes are non-stinging and safe around humans and critters. There's quite a few businesses out there, here's one of them:

http://www.buglogical.com/

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001.

Yes i use them, use the nemitodes in spring on ground then use wasps a couple times in summer. Wasps look like ants with wings and dont sting.Works ok, still have flys but not near as many as with out.aribco is having a special on wasps, www.aribco.com.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), June 01, 2001.