We are pleased to share the poster presented by our colleague James Stevens at SETAC in 2024.
Aphidius rhopalosiphi is already an established species used in risk assessment of plant protection products for non-target arthropods documents (Barrett et al., 1994; Candolfi et al., 2001). With the recent emphasis on biopesticides such as fungi and bacteria, there may be a need for an equivalent wasp species with a longer life span to assess the effects of products that may have a slower mode of action compared to conventional chemical pesticides. Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are important parasitoids and natural enemies of agricultural pests and therefore can serve as suitable organisms for determining the potential effects of pesticides on non-target species of arthropods within the agricultural ecosystem. These wasps may be a more robust species in terms of lifespan than Aphidius rhopalosiphi using the tier 1 methods described in the guideline of Mead-Briggs et al. (2000).
