Ohio State - Athens County Extension

Our Biocontrol of the Month for May is the Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (otherwise known as Hb) nematode! Nematodes, also called roundworms, are microscopic animals that often feed on other microorganisms or insect larvae. Hb nematodes are a beneficial species that can be used to attack the grubs of harmful beetles in a gardener's soil. As with last month's biocontrol, milky spore disease, Hb nematodes are often used to manage Japanese beetle populations! Different strains are commercially available to interested gardeners who would prefer a biocontrol over a pesticide. To learn more about how Hb nematodes function, follow the link: https://cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/heterorhabditis-bacteriophora-beneficial-hb-nematode