PREDATORY MITES
            

Bug Index

 

Predatory mites  

Predatory mites are valuable predators. They eat pest mites such as spider and citrus mites, and are sold commercially for use on house plants, in greenhouses, in fruit orchards and farms. 

Adult mites are tiny, about half a millimeter in length (1/50 inch), and are virtually invisible to the naked eye. Mites are often smaller than the prey they eat. Predatory mites are beige to reddish tan in color and they resemble pest mites but are faster moving and have fewer hairs. They have tear-drop shaped bodies and 8 legs.

Mites are so tiny that they can get into places that pesticide sprays can not. They live near plants rich in pollen and are happiest where it is very humid.

Appearance
Mites are not insects; they are more closely related to spiders. Adults have four pairs of legs. They also have two, rather than three, body parts. The species best known to growers are the plant-feeding spider mites. There are, however, many species of beneficial predatory mites, several of which are mass reared commercially.

Predatory mites are usually teardrop-shaped, long legged when compared to spider mites, and often orange-red, tan, or brown. They move quickly through and around spider mite colonies in search of prey and, unlike spider mites, can move backwards as well as forwards. Eggs are usually oval-shaped and a little larger than the spherical eggs of spider mites. Predatory mite nymphs resemble small adults.


   

   
Predatory mites

Habitat (Crops)
Predatory mites live in fields and orchards, or anywhere they can find food -  greenhouse crops, orchards, small fruit plantings.

Pests Attacked
Different species of predatory mites attack spider mite adults, nymphs, larvae, and eggs; thrips, and fungus gnat eggs and larvae. Many species may also prey on other small insects and insect eggs.

Life Cycle
The time from egg to adult can range from a few days to weeks, depending on the temperature, humidity, and species. The commercially available species often have high rates of reproduction and short generation times, and are able to match the life cycle of their prey reasonably well. Most commercially available species do not live over winter in cold climates.

Relative Effectiveness
Predatory mites can seek out prey in places that may be inaccessible to chemical sprays. These beneficial mites are used against spider mites and several species of thrips by greenhouse flower, ornamental, and vegetable producers in Canada and Europe, and by some United States growers. Predatory mites are particularly successful in greenhouses partly because of the high degree of control that the grower has over the environment. However, several predatory species also have been used successfully to suppress spider mites in United States apple, citrus, and avocado orchards and also in field-grown strawberries and raspberries in California.

Some species of predatory mites are among the few biological control agents that will starve if they cannot locate any food. Once their food is gone, predatory mite populations will also die. The ability of predatory mites to seek out prey can be hindered by plants with hairy stems or leaves.

Predatory mite