Our Top STRATIOforce™ for Thrips and Fungus Gnat Control
STRATIOforce™ for Thrips and Fungus Gnat Control
Soil predatory mite for fungus gnat larvae and thrips pupae — Stratiolaelaps scimitus.
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What it targets
STRATIOforce™ delivers Stratiolaelaps scimitus (formerly Hypoaspis miles) — the soil predatory mite growers use for fungus gnat control and thrips-pupae suppression in greenhouse media. The vendor lists fungus gnat spp. (Sciaridae — Bradysia), thrips spp. that pupate in the soil, some shore fly spp., springtails, and other soil-dwelling pests as accepted prey. Stratiolaelaps scimitus lives, eats, and reproduces in the top half-inch of growing media, so it intercepts the larval and pupal stages of pests that growers can't reach with a foliar spray. Research evaluating biological control of thrips on greenhouse cucumbers showed that S. scimitus used alone reduced western flower thrips populations by up to 43%.
Layer STRATIOforce with Dalotia coriaria for a season-long resident soil program — the two work different niches: the rove beetle ranges further and handles larger larvae, while Stratiolaelaps stays in the top half-inch and cleans up pupae and small larvae. On the foliage side of a thrips program, pair with Amblyseius cucumeris — cucumeris hits the 1st larval instar on leaves, STRATIOforce closes the loop on the pupae dropping into the media.
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How it works
Stratiolaelaps scimitus is a generalist soil predator. Larvae are non-predatory; the protonymph, deutonymph, and adult stages all hunt and feed. The mites move rapidly over the soil surface in search of fungus gnat larvae, thrips pupae and pre-pupae, springtails, and small soft-bodied invertebrates. Adult females lay eggs directly in the soil and produce two to three eggs per day under favorable conditions.
Optimal performance sits around 77°F, with full development across the 59–86°F band. The mites survive cooler temperatures but feeding and development slow or stall outside that window. Moisture is the working constraint — they need consistently moist media to thrive and don't tolerate dry conditions, rockwool, or hydroponic substrates well. Egg-to-adult development runs roughly 10–46 days depending on temperature and prey availability, and adults can live up to about 142 days when food is plentiful. That long resident lifespan is what makes Stratiolaelaps scimitus formerly Hypoaspis miles the standby for greenhouse fungus gnat biological control — one release establishes a working population that holds for weeks.
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Crops, environments, and climate
Crops it supports
Vegetable crops Soft fruits Ornamental crops Hemp / Cannabis
Environments
Greenhouses Indoor facilities Fields Gardens
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Storage
Store STRATIOforce at 50–60°F for about two days. The bottles and bags ship with a food source for the mites; once that runs out, the population starts attacking itself, so a long hold isn't an option. Store bottles on their side with the filter paper facing up — that gives the mites more surface area while you wait to release.
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Instructions of use
Bottles — peat moss or vermiculite carrier
Gently rotate the bottle to distribute the Stratiolaelaps scimitus mites evenly through the carrier. Unscrew the lid, remove the filter paper, replace the lid, and tap the mites out evenly onto the soil. Release across dirt and gravel floors, around greenhouse weeds, under benches and ground covers, and any zone where fungus gnat larvae and pupae or thrips pupae and pre-pupae develop. Concentrate the bulk of the release at the most heavily infested or active breeding areas. Leave the empty bottle with the cap removed in the treatment area for 24 hours so any slow-emergers can exit on their own.
Bags — bulk release
Gently rotate the bag to distribute the mites within the carrier. Open the bag at the seal and sprinkle the contents evenly onto slightly damp growing media, soil, or ground cover using the dispensing scoop. Use a higher concentration at hot spots — fresh fungus gnat damage at the base of stems, areas where thrips pupae are dropping out of flowering canopy, or spots where sticky cards have shown a recent spike.
Where to focus release points
STRATIOforce works the top half-inch of media, so target every horizontal soil surface in the crop — pot tops, propagation flats, the strip between rows, the gravel under benches, the friable floor in corners and along walls. Soil predatory mites travel a short distance on their own; coverage at release time is what determines coverage in the crop.
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Monitoring & advisories
Monitor for
- The potato-slice test: drop a thin slice of raw potato cut-side-down on the media for 24 hours. Fungus gnat larvae burrow in to feed, and Stratiolaelaps sometimes shows up on or near the slice after a few days — a working indicator the predator population is present.
- Falling fungus gnat counts on yellow sticky cards placed just above the soil — the most useful outcome metric a few days post-release.
- Less larval damage at stem bases and on young roots; the larvae are the only stage doing actual damage.
- Soil mites moving rapidly across the media surface — phytoseiid-style fast movement distinguishes a predatory soil mite from the slower fungal-feeding soil mites you'd otherwise mistake them for.
Advisories
- Moisture is the constraint. STRATIOforce doesn't tolerate dry soil — use in herbs, cacti, and succulents may not be an option.
- Rockwool and hydroponic substrates don't support the population. Soil predatory mites need actual soil structure to live in.
- Dry soil itself deters fungus gnats, so the conditions that make Stratiolaelaps fail are often the same conditions that make the pest fail.
- Pair with Dalotia coriaria for a deeper-working partner — the rove beetle handles larger larvae and ranges further than the mite does.
- Insecticide compatibility matters — soil drenches that suppress fungus gnats will also suppress your predator. Avoid broad-spectrum chemistries in the media for at least two weeks before and after release.
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Release rates — for conventional crops
| Scenario | Rate | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive routine | 10 mites per sq. ft. | Bottle (peat/vermiculite) or bag |
| With existing pest populations step up | 30 mites per sq. ft. | Bottle (peat/vermiculite) or bulk bag |
| Treat the friable floor, potting mix, and any other soil-bearing surface in the crop — not just the planting media. STRATIOforce™ ships as Stratiolaelaps adults in 12,500 / 25,000 / 125,000 counts. Cooler media + consistent moisture make all the difference. | ||
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Cannabis Alert
Conventional release rates are usually not sufficient for cannabis growers. We recommend you double the rate or contact us for personalized help. STRATIOforce™ integrates cleanly with cannabis IPM programs as long as the medium stays moist; it's a frequent companion to Dalotia and beneficial nematodes on the soil-pest side.
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Life cycle
Stratiolaelaps scimitus runs egg → larva → protonymph → deutonymph → adult, all in the soil. Eggs hatch within one to three days; the larva is small, translucent, six-legged, and non-predatory. The two nymphal stages are larger, darker, eight-legged, and predatory — they resemble small adults. Egg-to-adult development wraps in 10–46 days depending on temperature; adults can live up to about 142 days when food is plentiful.
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Egg
2
Larva
3
Nymph (×2)
4
Adult
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See it in action
Disclosures
Live-product policy. Beneficial Insectary works to guarantee live delivery of fresh organisms. Replacements or credits are offered for compromised shipments when issues are reported within 24 hours of receipt — and before any organisms suspected of viability issues are released. Don't discard the product; you may be asked to return the shipment for analysis.
Establishment of biocontrol agents. Many variables — pesticide applications, watering practices, storage, cultural and physical controls — affect BCA and pest populations across crops. Stratiolaelaps scimitus needs consistently moist media to establish, and dry conditions or hydroponic / rockwool substrates suppress the population. Because of these variables, long- or short-term establishment of BCAs cannot be guaranteed after release, and refunds, discounts, or credits are not offered on products that have already been released.