Color enhanced scanning electron micrograph of parasitic wasps. This tiny South American wasp (Edovum puttleri) is an egg parasite of the colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), one of the top destroyers of potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants in the U.S. There were high hopes for the wasps to control the beetle population, but studies so far have shown that it would be prohibitively expensive to release the large amount of wasps that would be necessary.