APHIS Accepts Comments on Environmental Assessment for Release of a Parasitoid Wasp to Control Russian Wheat Aphid

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has analyzed the potential environmental impacts of releasing a parasitoid wasp to biologically control the Russian wheat aphid. The Russian wheat aphid is a wingless, pale yellow-green or gray-green insect lightly dusted with white wax powder that feeds and develops on grass and cereal species.  Here in the United States it thrives best on wheat and barley. The biological control agent is a small, stingless wasp called Aphelinus hordei that can be used to reduce the severity of damage caused by Russian wheat aphids.

Based on our assessment and other relevant data, releasing this biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. APHIS invites the public to review and comment on the environmental assessment until June 4, 2020, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register on May 5,2020. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0009 to comment.