Aphid Triple Mix — Aphelinus abdominalis + Aphidius colemani + Aphidius ervi for Broad Aphid Control

Aphid Triple Mix — Aphelinus abdominalis + Aphidius colemani + Aphidius ervi for Broad Aphid Control

How to Say It: 
af-eh-LY-nus ab-dom-in-AL-is
uh-FID-ee-us KOHL-muh-nye, and
uh-FID-ee-us ER-vye

Three aphid parasites working together, covering every aphid size and killing aphids two ways.

An aphid problem is rarely just one kind of aphid. Small green peach aphids crowd the new growth, big potato or foxglove aphids settle in lower down, and each needs a different parasite to keep it in check. The Aphid Triple Mix sends in three: Aphidius colemani for small aphids, Aphidius ervi for large ones, and Aphelinus abdominalis, which parasitizes aphids and also kills many outright by feeding on them. Each order arrives as parasitized aphid mummies, with adult wasps ready to emerge and start working on your plants.

What’s in the Mix

All three are parasitoid wasps, only a few millimeters long and harmless to people. Each one handles a different part of the job:

• A. colemani is a small, fast-flying searcher, so it finds new colonies while numbers are still low.
• A. ervi is larger and strong enough to take on heavy-bodied aphids that A. colemani can’t handle well. It keeps working in cool spring and fall weather.
• A. abdominalis is long-lived and especially strong on foxglove and potato aphids. It kills aphids by parasitism and by feeding on them, handles heat better than either Aphidius species, and tends to walk rather than fly, so it stays close to where you put it.

Aphid Targets

Small-bodied aphids (A. colemani and A. abdominalis):

• Green peach aphid
• Melon aphid (also called cotton aphid)
• Black bean aphid

Large-bodied aphids (A. ervi and A. abdominalis):

• Potato aphid
• Foxglove aphid (also called glasshouse potato aphid)
• Pea aphid
• Rose aphid

Also controls (A. abdominalis):

• Brown citrus aphid
• Green apple aphid 

All three species also cover other aphids in their size range.

How It Works

Parasitism (all three species): A female wasp lays a single egg inside an aphid. The larva feeds on the aphid from within until its body hardens into a mummy, and the young wasp pupates inside. The new adult cuts a round hole in the back of the mummy and goes looking for more aphids, so each generation adds to the wasps already working your plants.

Host feeding (A. abdominalis only): A. abdominalis females also pierce young aphids and feed on them directly for protein, killing them without laying an egg. That second kill method is what sets the Aphid Triple Mix apart from the Aphid Double Mix.

When to Use

Choose the Aphid Triple Mix for heavier or mixed aphid pressure, when you don’t know which aphids you have, or as a standing preventive in crops that draw several kinds, such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and roses. Start at the first sign of aphids, while colonies are still small, so each generation of wasps has time to build.

Because the three species respond differently to weather and day length, the mix keeps working through more of the year than any one of them alone:

• Cool spring and fall weather: A. ervi stays active at temperatures that slow A. colemani down.
• Hot spells: A. abdominalis handles heat better than either Aphidius species.
• Short winter days: A. ervi can go dormant, but A. colemani and A. abdominalis don’t respond to day length, so small and large aphids both stay covered in heated greenhouses and indoor gardens.

For an aphid population that’s already heavy, pair the mix with a fast-acting predator.

Application Rates

These are general starting points — actual application should be adjusted based on pest pressure/species, plant type, and infestation severity.

Temperature & Humidity Range

Temperature: 50–86°F, the range where all three species are active. A. abdominalis keeps working up to 95°F, so it carries more of the load during hot spells.

Humidity: 60–80% relative humidity

How to Apply

1. Open the container among the plants with aphids so any wasps already out can head straight to them.
2. Sprinkle the mummies onto leaves right next to the aphid colonies, or place them in a hanging release box.
3. Keep them off the soil. Placing them close matters most for A. abdominalis, which walks more than it flies.
4. Lay the open container on its side among the plants for 24 hours so the last wasps can find their way out.
5. Keep the mummies dry and undisturbed for a few days.
6. Take yellow sticky traps down for the first few days after each release. Blue traps can stay up.

Signs It’s Working

About 10–14 days after your first release, check the leaves for mummies. With the Aphid Triple Mix you’ll likely see two colors: golden-brown mummies from A. colemani and A. ervi, and slimmer black mummies from A. abdominalis. A clean, round hole in the back of a mummy means a new adult has emerged.

Don’t judge progress by mummy count alone. A. abdominalis kills many aphids by feeding on them, and those aphids simply disappear instead of turning into mummies, so a falling aphid count is the clearest sign the mix is working.

Pairing for Heavy Outbreaks

The Aphid Triple Mix gives the widest parasite coverage in our aphid lineup. For a dense outbreak, add a predator that eats aphids directly:

• Aphidoletes aphidimyza, a predatory gall midge. Release it on the most crowded colonies and let the wasps work through the rest of your plants.
• Green lacewings, to knock aphid numbers down quickly while the wasps settle in.

Already know exactly which aphids you have? A. colemani, A. ervi and Aphelinus abdominalis are each sold individually, and the Aphid Double Mix pairs the two Aphidius species.

Safe, Sustainable Pest Management

• 100% natural biological control agent
• Safe to use around people and pets
• Safe for vegetables, fruit, and other edible crops
• Fits into any integrated pest management (IPM) program
• No protective gear needed

Storage & Handling

Release the mix as soon as it arrives. If you have to wait, keep it out of the refrigerator and out of direct sunlight, and release as soon as the wasps begin to emerge.

FAQs

How much Aphid Triple Mix do I need?
For prevention or light aphid pressure, release 1 wasp per 10 sq. ft. each week. For established colonies, go up to 5 per 10 sq. ft. Most growers release weekly for 2–3 weeks.

Should I get the Aphid Triple Mix or the Aphid Double Mix?
Both cover small and large aphids. The Aphid Triple Mix adds A. abdominalis, which is especially strong on potato and foxglove aphids, kills aphids by feeding as well as parasitism, and keeps working in heat and under short winter days. Choose the Aphid Triple Mix for heavier or mixed pressure, or for year-round coverage.

Why am I seeing two colors of mummies?
That’s the mix doing its job. Golden-brown mummies come from A. colemani and A. ervi, and black mummies come from A. abdominalis. You can’t tell the two Aphidius species apart by looking, but black versus golden tells you A. abdominalis is active.

Does the Triple Mix work in winter?
Yes, in heated greenhouses and indoor gardens. A. ervi can go dormant under short days, but A. colemani and A. abdominalis keep working, so both small and large aphids stay covered.

Will these wasps sting people or pets?
No. They’re only a few millimeters long and only interested in aphids.

Can I spray neem oil or insecticidal soap while using the mix?
Not on the plants where the wasps are working. Sprays can kill adult wasps and the young developing inside the mummies. After a long-lasting broad-spectrum insecticide, wait at least four weeks before releasing.

What do jagged holes in mummies mean?
A hyperparasitoid, a tiny wasp that attacks Aphidius inside the aphid, has come out of that mummy. A few are normal, especially in late summer. If you see many, add Aphidoletes aphidimyza, which hyperparasitoids don’t affect.