A total of 211 million parasitoid wasps will be released in order to battle the black-headed caterpillar pest that has destroyed coconut plantations across Thailand.<br />The black-headed caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker, infests coconut palm trees, causing considerable damage and reducing plant yield.<br />The caterpillars utilize the tree fronds as a source of food.<br />The Agricultural Extension Department is planning to breed and release the parasitoid wasp bracon hebetor in an effort to combat the pests.<br />They plan to release a total of 211.2 million wasps into the environment over a 24-week period.<br />Parasitoid wasps parasitize larvae, leading to the eventual shrivelling and death of the organism.<br />The government has estimated that drought and pests have caused coconut output to drop by 6% since 2011.<br /><br />FOR MORE TOMONEWS US, GO TO: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsUS <br />Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Google+ http://gplus.to/TomoNewsUS<br /><br />FOR FUNNY TAIWANESE ANIMATIONS, GO TO: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=NMAWorldEdition <br /><br />FOR FUNNY TAIWANESE ANIMATIONS IN ENGLISH, GO TO: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=NMAtv <br /><br />FOR TOMONEWS IN JAPANESE, GO TO: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsJP <br /><br />FOR APPLE DAILY ENGLISH, GO TO: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AppleDailyEnglish
