The army of flat-bellied wasps went out to jointly attack litchi stink bugs by land and air! Reducing pesticides is effective, and bees are safe this year.

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It is also the blooming season of litchi and longan, and the litchi stink bugs, which are nerve-wracking for farmers, are also ready to move. Instead of using pesticides to "serve" them in the past, there will be an army of flat-bellied wasps in the litchi and longan producing areas this year to fight against them.

The local agricultural bureaus of Taichung and Kaohsiung are expected to release 1 million and 400000 flat-bellied wasps respectively, while agricultural reform units actively promote no spraying during flowering, and have also introduced comprehensive control measures for litchi stink weevil. Beekeepers also feel the efforts of all parties. Pan Jianming, secretary general of the Beekeeping Association, said that when beekeepers went to Kaohsiung to collect litchi honey a month ago, "there was not much danger." The next step will be to move to the central part to collect longan honey. If all goes well, honey is expected to be harvested this year.

Flat-bellied wasps are deployed to deal with litchi stink bugs and avoid pesticides to harm bees.

Every March and April when litchi and longan blossom, the problem of litchi stink bugs flooding emerges. Litchi stink bugs are menacing, causing serious problems of falling flowers and fruits. Many farmers choose to use nicotine pesticides such as nitramine and cotinidine in order to protect the harvest, as well as insecticides such as Taosong, butyl plus propofol, and Seronine. However, last year, many beekeepers in Kaohsiung and Nantou reported the disappearance and death of bees one after another, and outsiders pointed the culprit at pesticides, especially those used to control the outbreak of litchi stink bugs.

In order to protect litchi and longan from litchi stink bugs, and at the same time to prevent bees from being affected by pesticide application at flowering stage, the agricultural improvement farm in Miaoli District published the practice of "biological control of flat-bellied wasps" last year, making use of the biological characteristics that flat-bellied wasps will parasitize eggs in litchi Toona weevil eggs to achieve the control goal of litchi stink weevil; in this year, 120000 flat-bellied wasps were provided to Kaohsiung, Taichung longan and litchi producing areas in March and April respectively.

Farmers can put mineral oil or acetic acid in plastic bags to limit the struggle of litchi stink bugs, and ingredients such as acetic acid can stun insects and slow down the possibility of predators being attacked.

Bee farmers have a feeling: OK this year, bees are not too dangerous.

In order to prevent the recurrence of killing litchi stink bugs but mistakenly killing honey-gathering bees, all parties have invested heavily in physical control and biological control of flat-bellied wasps, even bee farmers feel it. Pan Chien-Ming, secretary general of the Taiwan Beekeeping Association, said that last month, bee farmers had previously collected litchi honey in the Dashu and Yan Nest area of Kaohsiung. "at that stage, the collection of honey has been completed, there is no problem with OK, and (bees) are not too dangerous."

In the next three weeks, bee farmers are about to move to the central part to collect longan honey. Pan said that it is understood that the central part has actively advised fruit farmers to avoid spraying during the flowering period, and the subsequent situation of honey collection remains to be seen, "but for now, there is a chance for a bumper harvest."

To eliminate litchi stink bugs, I can't do without you! Acetic acid plus disinfestation net and flat-bellied wasp set out.

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