Several predatory mite specie are useable as biologic control agents ( BCAs ) for common greenhouse pests . Some of the more coarse metal money are described below .
Neoseiulus cucumerisFormerly Amblyseius cucumeris , this Renaissance man piranha will eat thrips 1st instar nymphs , whitefly , aphids , and psyllids . They also predate upon other types of mites , but may be more good for control of eriophyid and extensive mites than spider mites . N. cucumeris will go after the most readily available prey , so if pests are abundant on plant leave they may not go into blossom to hunt for thrips . In situations such as this it is necessary to utilize a high rate of mites . Optimum conditions for N. cucumeris are 68 - 77 ° F and 65 - 70 % relative humidity ( RH ) . They do badly when the temperature exceeds > 90 ° degree Fahrenheit . N. cucumeris is susceptible to diapause ; however , non - diapausing strains have been discovered and are available from some suppliers . For whitefly and thrips direction , good results may be obtained when N. cucumeris is used in combination with Amblyseius swirskii .
Amblyseius swirskiSwirski mite choose whitefly eggs and larvae , thrips larvae , and 1st and second instar thrips nymphs . They will also raven upon other mites , but this is not their preferred diet . They may be less effective when multiple pest species are present . A. swirski will deplete nectar as well as pollen in the absence of insect target , but keep in mind that the performance of BCAs is salutary when their preferred prey is available . They thrive at higher temperature than N. cucumeris ( optimal 66 - 97 ° F ) ; many grower apply a combining of the two metal money to optimise biocontrol efficaciousness over a cooking stove of temperature . Swirski mites do not go into diapause , so they can be used most of the year if temperatures are > 72 ° degree Fahrenheit .
Neoseiulus californicus ( Formerly Amblyseius californicus)This pinch will feed upon all stages of various pest mite coinage , but appear to choose Tetranychidae , the family that include the two recognise spider mite ( TSSM ) . N. californicus is tolerant of a wide-cut compass of temperatures ( 50 - 100 ° F ) and RH in the range of a function of 40 - 80 % . They are generally less ravenous than N. cucumeris and A. swirskii , but have the potential to persist for longer periods of time in the glasshouse .
Stratiolaelaps scimitus ( formerly Hypoaspis miles)These predatory mites are unlike others used for biocontrol in that they prefer to last in the top half inch or so of soil , where they raven upon fungus gnat larvae and thrips pupae . They will also ware alga and flora dust . The principal persuasiveness of this species is fungus gnat control , for which it is often used in junction with Steinernema nematode worm . S. scimitus may also be applied along with N. cucumeris for thrips direction . Optimum weather are 60 - 74 ° F at the soil surface and high humidness . They are inactive below 57 ° degree Fahrenheit but are not dependent to diapause .
Phytoseiulus persimilisP. persimilis is especially good for wanderer mite restraint in greenhouses during the quick months , prey upon all life stages of the pest . optimal condition for this mite are 68 - 90 ° farad and 60 - 90 % RH . Although P. persimilis is edacious and sometimes recommended for inundative biocontrol , the reproductive charge per unit of the two descry spider mite will exceed that of P. persimilis at temperature above 86 ° F . This metal money is not subject to diapause . In contrast to most other vulturine pinch used for biocontrol , P. persimilis will not eat pollen or prey other than spider mites , and therefore do not persist in the greenhouse if pest populations are modest .
root : UMassAmherst ( Angela Madeiras )
