Page Intro: Neoseiulus =Amblyseius fallacis, the All-Purpose predatory mite, is used for the prevention, control, and management of various spider mites. On this page you will find a description, life-cycle info, benefits, drawbacks, scouting info, advisories, usages, and other good stuff such as ordering.
Description
“Mighty mites.” That’s what I think they should be called. These mites, like tiny spiders, eight legs and all, are voracious predators of several pestiferous spider mite species. I have personally had phenomenal results with their use. So have the vast majority of my contacts who’ve tried them (and that’s a lot of people).
N. fallacis are shipped as adults and immatures in corn grit or as adults and immatures, with a bonus of some eggs, on bean leaves.
The grit product is flowable and easy to distribute. The leaves, however, are also an excellent distribution medium, and seem to go a little further for some folks. Moreover, the predatory mites are more comfy during their travels on the leaves. These are the same leaves upon which they’re reared. We feel the leaf product is slightly superior to the other for this reason.
N. fallacis can prevent and control, as said above, a number pest mites in a multitude of conditions. Some of the species they can impact include: the two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae); the carmine red mite (T. cinnabarinus); a two-spotted mite relative (T. evansi); the European red mite (Panonychus ulmi); the citrus red mite (P. citri); the southern red mite (Oligonychus ilicis); the Brevipalpus citrus mites (Brevipalpus californicus, B. phoenicis and B. obovatus); the six-spotted mite (Eotetranychus sexmaculatus); the Texas citrus mite (Eutetrannychus banksi); the tumid spider mite (T. tumidus); the Pacific mite (T. pacificus); and, perhaps, the Phalanopsis mite (Tenuipalus pacificus). Moreover, these predators may offer some control of the privet mite (B. obovatus), cyclamen mites (Phtyodromus =Steneotarsonemus pallidus), broad mites (Polyphagotarsenomus =Hemitarsonemus latus) and tomato russet mites (Aculops lycopersici), and other species. These mites also consume pollen — they can live on it (see Benefits for more information). [Intro]
Life-style
The tiny 0.5 mm. clear-white to clear-pink adult female mites lay eggs amongst spider mite concentrations and their webbing (which is produced by the two-spotted mite), if present. They can lay up to 100 of them! The eggs hatch into super small larvae which develop into nymphal forms before reaching adulthood. These, too, are fierce predators, consuming many spider mites eggs and young.
The life-span of these predators is roughly 8 days in their immature stages, then around 1 month as adults. The conditions for optimum performance will be between 50-80°F with a relative humidity of between 60-90%. But these are optimum conditions, and not necessarily a prerequisite of successful implementation. Please note, however, considerably cooler and warmer temperatures will hamper reproduction and development a certain degree (see Benefits, next). [Intro]
Benefits
These mites will feed at temperatures as low as 35°F and as high as 100°F. However, at the low-end of the scale (less than 50°F), they won’t reproduce, and at the high-end they need very humid conditions to work with any efficiency (see Advisories).
N. fallacis are very cost-effective — the most cost-effective. And at the recommended rates, they can be a very loud bang for the buck!
These predators can live off of pollen alone. (See Advisories.) This makes them an excellent preventive agent as well as a curative one. After all, the insectary where the leaf product is produced is still labeling them as a field mite preventive. This, however, is no longer really the case (see Usages).
The leaf product has also been specially adapted to tolerate pyrethrins and pyrethroids. These are the only beneficial species we discuss with this trait. Both strains, the pyrethrin resistant [PR] on leaves and the regular in vermiculite, are compatible with a very large selection of pesticides, including some very powerful miticides actually.
Ah! Pollen. N. fallacis love it. And because of this, we love them. Having the ability to live at a site, consuming pollen, happy, before a pest mite rears its ugly head, is a real advantage. Most predatory mites would have to leave the area or die without prey. These predators can clean up an infestation. But, better yet, they can prevent one from occurring. (See Advisories and Release Rates.)
Lastly, one more benefit: these mites can easily overwinter and establish themselves just about everywhere, in minor numbers that is until some pests show up. [Intro]
Drawbacks
Excessive webbing, associated with severe infestations, can interfere with the performance of these mites.
Distribution of mites within the leaf carrier may be uneven. Concentrations may be found on one leaf, while there may be none on another. Tossing the salad a bit prior to distribution comes to mind. [Intro]
Scouting
Un-infested and damage/webbing-free new growth is a good sign. So is empty webbing, in interiorscapes and some greenhouses, or missing webbing, outdoors (if it was there to begin with).
Unless your scouting is really top-notch, you’ll probably miss most of the predators present on the leaves. However, if you see some agile-looking mites running quickly across the leaf’s undersurface, they are probably predators. [Intro]
Advisories
Flowering, pollen producing plants are a big plus, since, as mentioned previously, these predators might stay on-site if there is a supplemental food source.
Preventive releases are very cost-effective and useful, especially when pollen and sheltering groundcover are present. Spring release are the obvious time that preventive releases can be made. However, under many circumstances, fall releases will also work well with this mite in the name of prevention. This is especially true on strawberries.
Low-growing crops like strawberries allow these mites to work all summer long, in the hottest of conditions. The reason, we feel, is the more humid microclimate close to the ground and under the canopy of the plants’ leaves. To artificially recreate these conditions, try a little foliar misting. Most pernicious varieties of mites prefer hot, dry conditions. Consequentially, between the coolness and humidity increase registered when misting, you will be hampering the pests as well as helping the biocontrols. [Intro]
Usages
Where can’t they be used would a more appropriate question. I’ve seen the successful implementation of these species in just about every conceivable situation. Especially in greenhouse and outdoor straw- and cane-berries, and interiorscape plantings and palms. These mites also work great on ornamentals, bedding plants, hedges, in trees, orchards, fields and more. [Intro]
Rates, Instructions, and Purchase
Need more information? Check out our release rates or our short-term storage, handling, and release instructions. You may also purchase N. fallacis (grit) or purchase N. fallacis (leaves). [Intro]
