Nematoda

Identification
• Most nematodes are ¹/₈ - ¹/₄ inch long, others are 1-2 inches long. Identification to species is difficult.

Host Range
• Nematodes will attack nearly any insect living in a moist environment in or on the soil, or above ground.

Life Cycle
• Nematodes have a fascinating life cycle that makes them part predator, part parasite, part pathogen, and part scavenger.
• Juvenile nematodes swim through damp soil to find a host and enter through an opening (often the mouth or anus). Once inside, the nematode releases bacteria from its gut, which kill the host within 24-48 hours.
• The immatures then feed on the dead insect tissues, grow to adulthood, mate, and lay eggs. The new juveniles, carrying the bacteria, leave the host and go in search of another victim.

Other information
• Adequate moisture and favorable temperatures are critical for using nematodes as control agents.