Life history and biology
The parasitoid Anagyrus pseudococci is a solitary internal parasitoid from the family Encyrtidae. It specializes on the citrus mealybug, the grape mealybug and on the cypress mealybug. Adults show marked sexual dimorphism: the female is about 1.5-2 mm in length and brown, with distinctive black and white banded antennae. The male is smaller (0.8-0.9 mm in length), black in color bearing an arch-like pair of antennae.

A. pseudococci is arrhenotokous, i.e fertilized eggs will produce female offspring whereas non-fertilized eggs will yield males. The preferred hosts for the parasitoid are third instar mealybug nymphs, but the wasps will also readily parasitize second instars as well as young females.
  
The female parasitoid lays a single egg in each host. Eggs laid in smaller hosts usually produce males. Prior to oviposition, the female parasitoid examines the host with its antennae for several seconds, then turns its caudal end towards the mealybug and inserts its ovipositor between the wax filaments on the lateral margins of the host. Oviposition lasts about 15-40 seconds. The parasitoid's larva completely consumes the contents of the mealybug, going through 5 instars before pupating within the mummified skin of its host. The adult emerges through an irregular exit hole gnawed at the posterior end of the mummy.

The duration of development from egg to adult takes 40.5, 14 and 10.5 days at temperatures 17.5°C, 26°C and 35°C, respectively. Males develop slightly faster than females. The lower threshold for development is 13°C. The upper threshold is 38°C. A female of A. pseudococci lays about 15 eggs per day when provided excess number of hosts. It is strongly attracted to light and is rendered inactive at darkness.

APPLICATION
• BioAnagyrusTM is packaged in boxes containing 500 parasitic wasps, at least 50% of them are females.
•  Immediately upon emergence, the wasps will mate and then will begin searching for a host suitable for parasitization, ie. third instar larvae or adult mealybugs.
• To apply, remove the lid, expose the adhesive surface of the label (to protect the contents of the package from ants) and place the box in a shady place, protected from rain or dew, preferably close to a mealybug-infested spot. The wasps will fly out of the box and disperse in between the plants.
• Place the box in a way that will prevent ants from getting inside. As a rule, if ants are present at the mealybug hot spots, they must be destroyed. Ants encourage honeydew secretion by the mealybugs, transfer them from one place to another and protect them by actively interfering with the parasitoid.
• BioAnagyrusTM is shipped in insulated and chilled styrofoam boxes. This packaging must be kept intact until it reaches the end-user. When applied, the boxes should be taken from shipment package one by one and the parasitic wasps should be released immediately.
• Avoid direct exposure of the product to sunlight!!!
• About 2 to 3 weeks following the release of BioAnagyrusTM (depending upon temperature), the mummified mealybugs are clearly detected. The subsequent established generations of the parasitoid will effectively control the mealybugs in the longer run.
• The rate and frequency of BioAnagyrusTM release may differ from one host plant and/or habitat to another. Introduction rate should be determined according to the nature of the crop (open field or protected) and according to the rate of mealybug infestation.
• Anagyrus pseudococci and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, the mealybug predator (BioCryptolaemusTM), complement each other: the former is a superior searcher for mealybugs at low infestation rate. Therefore it is best used under initial/scarce infestation by mealybugs. The latter seeks dense populations of mealybug pests. Hence it is effective in mealybug hot spots. The predatory beetle does not discriminate between non-parasitized mealybugs and those inhabiting early stages of the parasitic wasp. Consequently, it may consume early-parasitized mealybugs. However, once the parasitized mealybug mummifies, the predatory beetle avoids it completely. Thus the two natural enemies may co-exist in the same habitat and establish a long-lasting control of mealybugs.
• BioAnagyrusTM is susceptible (to a certain degree) to the common pesticides that are used to fight other pests in the crop. Therefore, before applying any pesticide, the user should consult BioBee's field advisors and ask for updated information concerning side effects of pesticides on A. pseudococci.
If ants are present at the mealybug hot spots, they must be destroyed. Ants encourage honeydew secretion by the mealybugs, transfer them from one place to another whilst protecting them vigorously from the predators.

 Declaration:
Bio-Bee Sde Eliyahu Ltd. produces and markets biological products. Production is carried out using innovative techniques under controlled quality assurance standards such as ISO 9001:2000, as well as IOBC's international standards for mass-production of insects.
All products are tested to meet specification requirements before leaving the factory.
Bio-Bee is not responsible for the outcome of implementation in the field, as it has no control over the method of application, local conditions, treatment/storage of product not according to instructions, etc.