Last year we were asked why we don’t offer a mixture of our three Mite Predator Trio species. The person asking felt that because we list them on the same page, and call them a trio, that all of the species ordered come in one container. We concede to that, the potential for confusion, that is. Any misleading information, though, is quickly negated when trying to order them, as our caller learned. But, confusion aside, it seems offering a mixture of various species in one container is popular in the industry, so why we don’t do it, too, is a fair question.
For years we referred to our Mite Predator Trio as the Bizarre Mites. We named them as such because they rarely sold and were most effective in atypical or unusual spider mite situations. These traits factor in to why they don’t sell well. Moreover, we have amazing and popular spider mite biocontrols already. These range from our super aggressive Phytoseiulus persimilis, to our super adaptable Neoseiulus fallacis, to our newest and very promising predatory beetle Stethorus punctillum.
The biocontrols named in the paragraph above cover most of the ground traversed by any of our mite trio species. Not to the extreme ends of their usage, perhaps, but close. Factor in price differences — buying an in-demand mass-produced product versus ones that aren’t — and why people don’t purchase the “bizarre mites” stands to reason. Maybe the lack of sales is a result of us not offering them as a mix. A mixture of three species, after all, sounds like it might be a really great thing. One could assume that all their spider mite bases are covered if buying a diverse mix. It’s not true.
That’s why we don’t offer a species mix (and never have). Three diverse species with differing needs shouldn’t work well together. And they don’t. If one studies the outcomes of a program using these species, one will discover that two of the species didn’t do a thing while one species carried the ball to the end-zone. In other words, of three species ordered, only a third did the job. The other two-third was basically a waste of money.
To better understand the requirements for our individual Mite Predator Trio species, check out their page and learn their differences, then apply the right mite to your situation. You should find that the right one will work better than all three combined. Better still, check out one of our more popular mite species to see if they will meet your needs. They are a better economy and, as noted, will work in most conditions anyway.
The super short answer: We feel offering them individually is in your best interest and, as always, we aim to serve the best we can.
