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Steinernema carpocapsae Nematodes

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Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes use sit-and-wait strategy (ambush) to attack highly mobile insects. They are active at many temperatures but most effective against many insect pests at temperatures ranging from 22 to 28°C.

Facts (show all)

- Effective against the following pests

Annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis
Artichoke plume moth, Platyptilia carduidactyla
Banana moth Opogona sachari
Banana root borer, Cosmopolites sordidus
Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua
Billbugs (snout beetle), Sphenophorous parvulus, S. cicastriatus
Black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus
Borers, Synanthedon spp
Cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis
Cereal leaf beetles, Oulema melanopus
Codling moth, Cydia pomonella
Corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea
Corn rootworm, Diabrotica spp.
Cranberry girdler, Chrysoteuchia topiaria
Crane fly, Diptera: Tipulidae
Cutworms, Agrotis, spp. Amathes, spp. Peridroma, spp. Prodenia spp.
Fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugipeda
Filbertworm, Cydia latiferreana
Imported cabbage worms, Pieris rapae
Iris borer, Macronoctua onusta
Large pine weevil, Hylobius albietis
Leafminers, Liriomyza spp.
Lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes
Mole crickets, Scapteriscus spp.
Navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella
Oriental fruit moth, Graphiolitha molesta
Red imported fire ant queens, Solenopsis invicta
Red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Shore flies, Scatella spp.
Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida
Sod webworms, Crambus sp
Sugar beet weevil, Temnorhinus mendicus
Sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius
Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata
Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta
Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis

+ Key factors for Steinernema carpocapsae nematode effectiveness

This nematode is an "ambush forager" , which means it uses the sit-and-wait strategy by standing on its tail in an upright position to attack highly mobile insects such as billbugs, sod webworms, cutworms and armyworms.
Nematode infective juveniles always carry symbiotic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila in their gut and use as a weapon to kill their insect host.
In the body cavity, infective juveniles release symbiotic bacteria, X. nematophila from their gut in insect blood where multiplying nematode-bacterium complex causes septicemia and kill their insect host usually within 24 - 48 hours after infection.
In the insect cadaver, nematodes use the multiplying bacteria as food for their development and reproduction.
Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes are active at many temperatures but they are most effective against many insect pests at temperatures ranging from 22 to 28°C.

+ How Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes work in the field

When the infective juveniles of Steinernema carpocapsae are applied to the soil surface in the fields or thatch layer on golf courses, they start searching for their insect hosts. Generally, they use sit-and-wait strategy (ambush) by standing on its tail in an upright position to attack highly mobile insects on the soil surface but in some instances, this nematode can find and kill its host beneath soil surface.
Once insect larva has been located, the nematode infective juveniles penetrate into the larval body cavity via natural openings such as mouth, anus and spiracles and in some instances they can also enter through the host cuticle.
In the body cavity, infective juveniles release symbiotic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila from their gut in insect blood where multiplying nematode-bacterium complex causes septicemia and kill their insect host usually within 24-48 hours after infection.
Also, nematodes feed on multiplying bacteria, mature into adults, reproduce and then emerge as infective juveniles from the host cadaver to seek new larvae in the soil and life cycle continues.

See our Nematode Life Cycle Diagram

+ Why you need them

they are natural parasites of insect pests so they do not pollute or harm the environment
they can kill their hosts rapidly within 24 - 28 hours after infection
they have a broad range of insect hosts
able to search for insect hosts actively, infect and kill them
nematodes can easily reproduce inside the dead insects body and emerge as infective juvenile that start looking for new hosts to continue the life cycle in the soil after first application
they can be easily applied using traditional insecticide spraying equipment

+ Why they are safer than traditional pesticides

they do not damage plants
can be used and applied around children and pets
do not cause any harm to the personnel involved in their production and application
food products are safe to handle and eat when they are treated with nematodes
they do not harm humans, animals, beneficial insects (ie. honey bees), microbial communities and other beneficial nematodes

+ Research Papers

Agra Gothama, A.A., Lawrence, G.W. and Sikorowski, P.P. 1996. Activity and persistence of Steinernema carpocapsae and Spodoptera exigua nuclear polyhedrosis virus against S. exigua larvae on soybean. Journal of Nematology 28:68–74.
Batalla-Carrera, L., Morton, A. and Garcia-del-Pino, F. 2010. Efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes against the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta in laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Biocontrol. 55: 523-530.
Chambers, U. Bruck, D.J., Olsen, J. and Walton, V.M. 2010. Control of overwintering filbertworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) larvae with Steinernema carpocapsae. Journal of Economic Entomology. 103: 416-422.
Cuthbertson, A, G. S., Mathers, J.J., Northing, P., Prickett, A.J. and Keith F. A. Walters, K.F.A. 2008. The integrated use of chemical insecticides and the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae (Nematoda: Steinernematidae), for the control of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Insect Science 15: 447–453.
Dembilio, O., Llacer, E., de Altube, M.D.M. and Jacas, J.A. 2010. Field efficacy of imidacloprid and Steinernema carpocapsae in a chitosan formulation against the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Phoenix canariensis. Pest Management Science. 66: 365-370.
Ebssa, L., Borgemeister, C., Berndt, O. and Poehling, H.-M. 2001. Impact of entomopathogenic nematodes on different soil-dwelling stages of Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in the laboratory and under semi-field conditions. Biocontrol Science and Technology 11: 515-525.
Georgis, R., Koppenhofer, A.M., Lacey, L.A., Belair, G., Duncan, L.W., Grewal, P.S., Samish, M., Tan, L., Torr, P. and van Tol, R.W.H.M. 2006. Successes and failures in the use of parasitic nematodes for pest control. Biological Control. 38: 103-123.
Laznik, Z., Toth, I., Lakatos, T., Vidrih, M. and Trdan, S. 2010. Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) adults are susceptible to entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida) attack: results from a laboratory study. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection. 117: 30-32.
Llacer, E., de Altube, M.M.M. and Jacas, J.A. 2009. Evaluation of the efficacy of Steinernema carpocapsae in a chitosan formulation against the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, in Phoenix canariensis. Biocontrol. 54: 559-565.
McGraw, B.A., Vittumb, P.J. Cowlesc, R.S.and Koppenhoumlfera, A.M. 2010. Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in golf course turfgrass. Journal Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20: 149-163.
Negrisoli, A.S., Garcia, M.S., Negrisoli, C.R.C.B., Bernardi, D.and da Silva, A. 2010. Efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida) and insecticide mixtures to control Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn crops. Crop Protection. 29: 677-683.
Rohde, C., Moino, A., da Silva, M.A.T., Carvalho, F.D.and Ferreira, C.S. 2010. Influence of soil temperature and moisture on the infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae, Steinemematidae) against larvae of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). NeotropicaL Entomology. 39: 608-611.
Shapiro-Ilan, D.I., Morales-Ramos, J.A., Rojas, M.G. and Tedders, W.L. 2010. Effects of a novel entomopathogenic nematode-infected host formulation on cadaver integrity, nematode yield, and suppression of Diaprepes abbreviatus and Aethina tumida. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 103: 103-108.
Shapiro-Ilan, D.I., Cottrell, T.E., Mizell, R.F., Horton, D.L., Behle, R.W. and Dunlap, C.A. 2010. Efficacy of Steinernema carpocapsae for control of the lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes: Improved aboveground suppression with a novel gel application. Biological Control. 54: 23-28.
Zhang, L.K., Zhang, P.B., Cao, L. and Han, R.C. 2010. Susceptibility of red imported fire ant queens to the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae All and S. scapterisci. Sociobiology. 55: 519-526.

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