How do scientists get the nematodes into the bugs?
The nematodes take care of that part themselves by worming their way into a bug while it’s still alive. Then the nematodes multiply inside the bug (which eventually dies) and finally burst out of the bug body! The number of nematodes inside a single bugdepending on the speciesranges from 10,000 to 500,000. Although you can barely see one young nematode with your naked eye, you can’t miss large groups of these tiny wigglers pouring out of the dead insects in what Shapiro-Ilan says looks like an explosion. Then the nematodes wriggle off to find other insects to “invade,” starting the whole cycle all over again. How do nematodes help protect crops? Shapiro-Ilan is using the nematodes as a natural replacement for chemical bug sprays, or insecticides. After new nematodes hatch inside the dead bug hosts, they’re placed in orchards or greenhouse soils. The nematodes protect crops such as citrus, pecans, cranberries, and mushrooms by killing pests that live in the dirt, such as citrus root wee
