Spider Mite Control-Neoseiulus fallacis

Neoseiulus fallacis adult Neoseiulus (=Amblyseius) fallacis, the All-Purpose predatory mite, is used for the prevention, control, and management of various spider mites. These mites are voracious predators of several pestiferous spider mite species. N. fallacis can prevent and control 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 six-spotted mite (Eotetranychus sexmaculatus); the Pacific mite (T. pacificus). Moreover, these predators may offer some control of the privet mite (B. obovatus), cyclamen mites (Phtyodromus pallidus), broad mites (Polyphagotarsenomus latus) and tomato russet mites (Aculops lycopersici), and other species. This predaceous mite has a strong preference for pest mite species and will travel from plant to plant searching for them. Environment: Does best in warm humid conditions, but will also tolerate low humidity (40% - 80% at 50° - 105°F). N.Fallacis feeds on a variety of mite species, but exhibits little cannibalistic behavior. It is capable on feeding on all prey life stages. It prefers to feed on spider mites, but will also feed on the apple rust mite in the absence of more preferred prey.Fallacis uses two alternative foraging patterns, as demonstrated by research in Nebraska. When prey are plentiful, a random walking pattern is used, allowing them to utilize mites on a leaf most efficiently. When prey are scarce, the predators walk along leaf edges, increasing the chance of moving to a new leaf. Research in Michigan has revealed that this predatory mite exhibits a dispersal behavior which aids in distribution among trees and plants. Individual mites assume a stance that allows them to be carried off on a breeze; this behavior is most pronounced when prey are in low numbers. Massachusetts research has shown that Fallacis uses chemical signals from prey silk and feces to hunt prey, and furthermore uses its own marking pheromone to mark previously searched areas. Lifestyle 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 70-100°F with a relative humidity of between 40-90%. 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. 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. 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. These predators can live off of pollen alone. (See Advisories) This makes them an excellent preventive agent as well as a curative one. 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.