Hello dear Pier,

This depends on pupa parasitoid wasp behavior.

Yes.

In our research on Lobesia botrana (EGVM) on Daphne gnidium, to date we have not managed to have a satisfactory picture of the pupal parasitoids. This is mainly due to the fact that mature EGVM larvae leave the plant and pupate on the ground. Only a small fraction of the larval population pupate in the leaves. Finding EGVM pupae in the soil is not easy, we have tried many times with no result.

So we thought to offer to any pupal parasitoids of EGVM, some pupae coming from our EGVM lab rearing , but we do not know how to do ...

(see see the papers on my page on researchgate)

ciao Pier

Dear Pier,

if the cocoons are just on the ground, I would suggest to set a trap on the foil. Put some leaf-litter on it together with the cocoons. The margins can be protected by double-sided tape, so the ants get stuck.

I guess, you could even set it on the table and protect the legs of it.

If the cocoons can be prayed by some bigger flying animals (birds, maybe), than just create cover from coarse mesh or netting.

But I believe you can get even much better set up ;-)

Good luck

Hi Petr,

in fact it can be a good solution. I had thought of something like that but I was curious to know if anyone had already tried and with what difficulties and results ...

Thanks again for the useful advice, for example the double sided tape I had not thought ...

Thanks, Pier

We leave the Lepidoptera pupae on plastic mesh bags hunged from a branch what reduces predation.

Dear Pier Luigi Scaramozzino

what is the duration to be exposed to the field

check the climate factors

We use netted box so that the pupae will not attacked by the small insects, ants or any other parasitoids once on releasing from the pupae the box can be opened so that the animals can be released.

Hi Pier,

I did it this way, and works.

Hi Diego,

Can you give me some more details about your method of exposure of the chrysalises in the field?

Thanks. Pier