Reliable testing of the suitability of various flower species for natural enemies is an important step in
developing a conservation biological control programme. Laboratory tests showed that the suitability of
nine candidate flower species for the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervivaried tremendously. However, it did
not matter whether theflowers were presented as either excised flower shoots in wateror flowers that
remained attached to a rooted plant. Nonetheless, the effect of flower presentation method should not
be discounted in future studies involving other flower species or different insect species.