I bought an assortment of beneficial mites. How can I tell if they are doing the job?

[Jim Haddar]

I got these from Amazon. This is the first time I have tried beneficials. The predators are supposed to be “A.cucumeris, N. californicus, P. persimilis. and A. swirskii.” I bought some sachets of N. californicus earlier but I didn’t see a lot of activity and was worried that the mites died in shipping. Supposedly the californicus will hang around after all the spider mites have been eaten and wait for more to show up.

I don’t know how I can tell if the predators are winning, because a lot of the leaves have been damaged already. I guess I will have to watch for those damn webs. Ugh. There are videos on YouTube that show predator mites in action. Gruesome but gratifying.

https://www.amazon.com/NaturesGoodGuys-Live-Adult-Predatory-Mite/dp/B08MHWD65T

 

[Jim Haddar]

I looked at a couple leaves with a magnifying glass. I can see three kinds of tiny critters. Some are light green or maybe translucent. Others are larger and dark green or black. A few are smallish and red-orange. So far I have not seen any obvious predation.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Any pics? Really you should have treated the majority of them with something first and then added the predators after.

 

[Greengrouch]

Any pics? Really you should have treated the majority of them with something first and then added the predators after.

Just not to soon after, wasted a pack of them the day after treating with spinosad

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Just not to soon after, wasted a pack of them the day after treating with spinosad

I'm talking about something like citric acid, ISO, or something. Not spinosad.

 

[Jim Haddar]

The plants are looking okay so far. We harvested a couple today. I have not seen any strands of silk, but some leaves have taken a beating.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Harvested? Those plants have over a month to go

 

[Jim Haddar]

No, the harvested plants are not in the photos. We expect another crop around New Year.

 

[Samwell Seed Well]

I got these from Amazon. This is the first time I have tried beneficials. The predators are supposed to be “A.cucumeris, N. californicus, P. persimilis. and A. swirskii.” I bought some sachets of N. californicus earlier but I didn’t see a lot of activity and was worried that the mites died in shipping. Supposedly the californicus will hang around after all the spider mites have been eaten and wait for more to show up.

I don’t know how I can tell if the predators are winning, because a lot of the leaves have been damaged already. I guess I will have to watch for those damn webs. Ugh. There are videos on YouTube that show predator mites in action. Gruesome but gratifying.

https://www.amazon.com/NaturesGoodGuys-Live-Adult-Predatory-Mite/dp/B08MHWD65T

First thing you do when you get a shipment of predatory mites is get them warm, a 70 degree enviroment is fine, spread or put out a 1/10 or a 1/4 of one sachet or small volume of their media and look at them under a scope.

if they are not active then shipnthem back.... have a scope/camera is best


Persimilis and callifornicus will be doing most of the mite killing but cucumeris will die faster in hotter enviroments and californicus in colder

 

[Severed Tongue]

IME with a. cucumeris and western onion thrips, takes about 3 weeks to stop seeing adult thrip / splotches on fan leaves.

I leave the sachets hanging for 6 weeks.

 

[plumsmooth]

IF you own predator Mites you need to own a USB microscope connected to your computer. Then you can examine whole leaves on Screen and maybe even get to watch a Intra-mite-battle!