Are there any biological control agents available to kill the glassy-winged sharpshooter?
While pesticides will continue to be the more common weapon against the glassy-winged sharpshooter in large commercial vineyards, biological control agents, like parasitic wasps, are an important tool in populated urban areas, organic vineyards and wildlands, where pesticide applications are not feasible. Within the sharpshooter’s area of origin (S.E. United States, Northern Mexico) parasitic wasps, such as, Gonatocerus triguttatus, successfully keep GWSS populations in check. The wasp parasitizes the sharpshooter by laying its eggs inside those of the sharpshooter. Once hatched, the wasps eat their way out of the sharpshooter egg and leave a circular exit hole visible on the egg mass. University and CDFA personnel are currently rearing and releasing parasitic wasps in organic citrus groves and other locations throughout the state. Hopefully, these releases will lead to permanent populations of these animals such that sharpshooter densities are maintained at low levels. Researchers wil
