Crops at risk from ladybird parasite
29 March 1999
Crops at risk from ladybird parasite
LADYBIRDS throughout Scotland are under greater threat from a parasitic wasp than anywhere else in Europe, according to a scientist at the Scottish Crop Research Institute.
Mrs Irene Geoghegan says infestation by the wasp, dinocampus coccinalae, could have a “massive” knock-on effect as populations of aphids – the ladybirds prey – thrive and damage crops and other plants.
She said more work was needed to establish what could be done to solve the problem, for instance, by developing an antidote.
- The Herald 29/03/99 page 2
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