Amblyseius swirskii

[N.E.wguy]

Anyone ever heard or used these little bad boys ?


Amblyseius swirskii are an excellent beneficial mite for preventative control of thrips, whitefly and various mite species. A. swirskii adults resembles Amblyseius cucumeris in appearance and take on the color of what they are consuming. Adult females lay eggs arranged on leaf hairs. When temperatures reach 77°F the larvae hatch and mature to adulthood in about a week. This predatory beneficial prefers warm, humid environments but survives cooler nights by moving to lower locations on the plants. They do not enter diapause when temperatures cool so they are efficient in areas where temperatures drop below 60°F; however, eggs do not hatch in temperatures that low. Repeated releases of adults will be necessary in the presence of low temperatures. Depending on the stage of development, the Amblyseius swirskii can consume about 10 thrips or whitefly larvae a day and up to about 20 whitefly eggs per day. This beneficial can survive by consuming pollen and mold.
In warm and humid environments they reproduce quickly, therefore they are an optimal choice for crops grown under protection in warm environments. Typically, they can be used until nighttime temperatures drop below 60°F.


Optimal Conditions:
Temperature: 77-85°F (can remain active to 60°F)

Relative Humidity: 70%

Before the onset of infestation.

Release rates:

Shaker Tube & Bag – 2-5 per square foot biweekly as needed.

Sachet Releases – Place one sachet every 6 feet of crop row monthly as needed.

Amblyseius swirskii is not recommended for use on infestations on tomato crops.

 

[N.E.wguy]

ARE YOU FIGHTING SPIDERMITES???

PP Phytoseiulus persimilis. – 5P367

A predatory mite (Family: Phytoseiidae) This is the most frequently used mite predator to control two-spotted spider mites in greenhouses and outdoor crops grown n mild environments.

General appearance and life history:
Adult females are approximately 0.5 mm long, reddish in color, pear shaped and active at room temperature. About 80% are females.

At optimum temperatures P. persimilis can develop from egg to adult in 7 days and live for up to 1 month.

A well-fed female will lay about 50 eggs in her life time. Prey consumption is up to 7 adult spider mites or 20 eggs per day.

Environment:
Ideal temperature range is 70 – 85oF (20 – 30oC) with relative humidity of 70 – 80% inside the plant canopy.

Minimum temperature for activity is 50oF (10oC). This predator does best when humidity is 60% or higher with a temperature range of 55o – 105oF.

Application Rate: Rates will vary depending on crop and level of pest infestation.
Typical inoculation rate is 50/m2 (1 / 5ft2) or 5 -10/plant.

Predators should be released regularly every 2-4 weeks.

 

[umbra]

I use a triple blend of Phytoseiulus persimilis , Mesoseiulus longipes , and Neoseiulus californicus in the shaker can and Amblyseius Californicus in the slow release satchets. I have done 3 grows without spraying and no spider mites. I am in an area of California where we have super bugs that are resistant to every pesticide available.

 

[Rosebud]

I love it when you talk like that... LOL...Amblyseius swirskii

Where are you getting these lovely little baby beneficials??? Tell me.

I love beneficials.. thanks for posting, but really did it say up there where you get them?

 

[N.E.wguy]

No i didn't want to link any suppliers that i seen because i have no way to tell if they are good suppliers or not just thru the Ol' google search.

Figured ask around here and see what we can stir up for info on suppliers and good prices, cause what I have seen they can be pricey.

But I was amazed at the thought of a possible preventive strike on annoying pests by adding these as Umbra says he does.

Could you provide any links when you have time Umbra ?

I love the thought of spider mites running for their lives and eggs being eaten seems so appropriate for those fokers!

 

[umbra]

buglogical.com

 

[Rosebud]

I use beneficials all the time. They are an organic growers best friend. Thank you for posting.

 

[N.E.wguy]

Thanks Umbra, No problem Rose seemed worth posting as we all have the potential for these common enemies to appear lol

oh YA that site got it ALL http://www.buglogical.com/spider-mite-predator/

 

[Rosebud]

It is very much worth posting. Thank you.

 

[blondlebanese]

i have used mesoseiulus longipes. 1000 of them in a shaker .my first time. indoors i released them over 15 plants. three days later i finaly found one. the only one i found was 4-5 times bigger. it was high centered on two tricomes. its legs were moveing but not touching . it was so fat it turned transluecent. they do work if you keep adding more. i had two spotted mites. finally had to end the grow and bug bomb. then clean and clean some more. so many tents it looked like a mega BSA jamboree. i hung the plants upside down from twine that i strung up like a clothes line. the spider mites climbed off the plants onto the twine. i put vasileen on both ends so they had to stay on the twine estimate 5-6 thousand.maybe more. in the darkthey formed living chaines only 4 or 5 abreast that almost reached the floor. 3 feet long. strong little bugs.

 

[umbra]

never seen spider mites do that

 

[blondlebanese]

it was all very interesting. so were the fungus gnats and the thripes that i have had from placing my plants outside during the day. i live in the desert how the hell do they find my plants. should there even be insects in 16 % humidity. if i were an insect here, i would head east.

 

[umbra]

16% Rh, lol. barely 9% here. It needs to freeze for a week or more to kill them every year. Not in Cali, way too warm. Mostly they are from outside. They can smell the water in the plants.