This IPM tactic uses natural predators, parasites or pathogens to suppress pests. Examples include some species of parasitic wasps that lay their eggs in immature stable flies. The resulting wasp offspring feed on the stable fly maggot and eventually kill it. The immature parasitic wasp then will develop into an adult, emerge from the fly pupa and repeat its cycle.
These parasitoids are available commercially and can be used to augment natural populations. However, although parasitic wasps offer some measure of control, they do not produce immediate results, and they are not 100 percent effective. Therefore, do not use biological control alone but in concert with other methods, such as sanitation.
Source: Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, The Texas A&M University System