"Eupeodes corollae, is a hoverfly native to Europe," reveals Senior R&D Scientist Apostolos Pekas, Head of the Beneficial Organisms Team at Biobest in Belgium. While the larvae are voracious predators of aphids, the adults contribute to the pollination of crops. This is the first verified case of a beneficial insect that provides two ecosystem services simultaneously. This puts the Eupeodes-System in a category of its own.

"Until now, the use of hoverflies in IPM programs used to be limited due to the lack of reliable large-scale rearing systems," Apostolos explains. Biobest has developed protocols for a highly efficient and reliable mass rearing system that enables large numbers of Eupeodes predators to be produced when needed. '

“Unlike other natural enemies of aphids, such as parasitoids, which parasitize one or a limited range of aphid species, Eupeodes is a generalist predator. It feeds on the whole range of aphid species that affect crops. This, coupled with the fact that it also helps to pollinate crops, is of great interest to producers. '

“Thanks to our highly reliable and cost-effective mass rearing system, Biobest is able to provide high-quality predatory Eupeodes to farmers when needed and at a reasonable price,” says Ines de Craecker, Beneficial Organisms Product Manager at Biobest.

Awarded annually by the International Biological Control Manufacturers Association (International Association of companies dedicated to the production and marketing of products for the Biological Control of agricultural pests and diseases), the Bernard Blum Award is a recognition of products that have a great impact on the pest and disease management and, at the same time, low impact on human health and the environment.

«Eupeodes-System is perfectly compatible and complementary with existing commercial natural enemies for the control of aphids. Furthermore, with its unique dual ecosystem service feature, it is poised to become a valuable tool that provides a sustainable solution for aphid control on various crops in various countries.