Predatory mites can do a lot against spider mites, fungus gnats and the like. We show where to buy predatory mites and how to use them.
Beneficial insects have become indispensable in biological crop protection and can help to combat many pests. Predatory mites (Gamasina) are often and willingly used to get at various pests.
There are many different families of predatory mites, all belonging to the order Mesotigmata. Predatory mites, as their name suggests, are predatory and eat other insects.
Predatory mites: profile and characteristics
Predatory mites are used for targeted pest control in horticulture, but they are also used in fruit production and in vineyards. They can be up to 0.6 millimeters in size and have oval bodies with a smooth surface. The adult animals have four pairs of legs, the coloring of the mites mostly depends on the food they have eaten - red coloring is rather rare.
The development of the predatory mites takes place via the larvae and nymph stage to the adult predatory mites. A female can lay 50 to 100 eggs, which are whitish in color and translucent. The small vermin have scissor-like mouthparts called chelicerae, which they use to wound their prey and then suck it out.
Predatory mites are considered to be protective predators, which means that they settle in a stand, so they appear there for a long time, and keep a pest population in check. In contrast, there are the scavenging predators, which can devour pests in large numbers but do not become established in populations. For example, a colonization density of just 0.5 to 1 predatory mite per leaf can keep a spider mite population below the damage threshold.
Predatory mite species
Various predatory mites that specialize in certain pathogens are commercially available. Below we have put together a small selection of predatory mites for youand show which pests they can be used against:
| Common spider mite (Tetranychidae) | Thrips (Thysanoptera) | Tomato rust mite (Aculops lycopersici) | Whitefly (Aleyrodoidea) | Sciaridae (Sciaridae) | Apple rust mite (Aculus Schlechtedali) | Ruff mite (Calepitrimerus vitis) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amblyseius andersoni | x | x | x | x | |||
| Amblyseius cucumeris | x | ||||||
| Amblyseius limonicus | x | x | |||||
| Amblyseius swirskii | x | x | |||||
| Macrocheles robustulus | x | x | |||||
| Neoseiulus californicus | x | ||||||
| Phytoseiulus persimilis | x | ||||||
| Typhlodromus pyri | x | x |
Each of the predatory mites has its own special prey, which you can easily fight with the beneficial insects. In the case of a heavy infestation, it often makes sense to combine several species of predatory mites in order to successfully combat them.
Buy predatory mites: Recommended sources of supply
Predatory mites are bred specifically for use as beneficial insects and then released into the plant population. Depending on the species, many predatory mites are polyphagous in their diet, i.e. they have a wide range of food - the predatory mites for use in plant protection, on the other hand, are predominantly selective. Predatory mites must be approved as plant protection products in the European Union and may only be placed on the market once the approval process has been completed. Therefore, one can be sure that the predatory mites acquired will be of high quality and effective. You also have the assurance that the predatory mites will not harm other beneficial organisms.
Predatory mites are obtained in many different ways, either as litter or cultivated on plant leaves. InIn our Plantura Shop you will find predatory mites as leaves that can be used to specifically combat spider mites.
Use predatory mites as beneficial insects against spider mites and co.
Predatory mites are preferably used in protected cultivation - such as in greenhouses or polytunnels. Predatory mites are used to combat the following pests:
- False spider mites (Brevipalpus spec., Tenuipalpus spec.)
- Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), also called whitefly
- Whitefly (Aleyrodoidea)
- S alt or swamp flies (Ephydridae)
- Spider mites (Tetranychidae), like our Plantura predatory mites against spider mites
- Springtails (Collembola)
- Thrips (Thysanoptera)
- Sciaridae (Sciaridae)
The predatory mites can therefore be used in a variety of ways, and they are particularly popular in sheltered cultivation.
Tip: If you don't want to use beneficial insects, you can also use a biological pesticide such as our Plantura organic pest-free neem. The 100% herbal active ingredient is effective against common pests such as whiteflies and the like.
Are predatory mites dangerous for dogs or cats?
There are predatory mites that attack dogs or cats, but we don't have to worry about the predatory mites that we use in the garden or in the greenhouse. The little animals feed on the pests on the plants and are therefore not a danger to pets. The predatory mites that affect our dogs and cats are the so-called fur mites (Cheyletiellae).
You can also find other interesting beneficial insects in this special article.