Advice with Predator Mites

[GlandualFever]

Hi, it's my first time using predator mite sachets from Koppert. I had a thrips problem, and decided to go the predator route, and for good measure I bought some preventative for spider mites as well. Now I didn't see any mites before I got the predators, only thrips. Fast forward 1 week and I now have webbing on the plants ( thankfully I'm in veg) . I've looked for a comprehensive answer to this and cannot find one. Do predator mites Web? There are clusters of webbing which have collections of mites within. Its really baffling because there was no sign or damage from spider mites before the predators were applied. Would appreciate some experienced members to chime in here. Thanks

 

[Creeperpark]

The good mites, the predatory ones, can be seen without a hand lens and are about half the size of a pinhead, they move fairly quickly and live on their own. If you see webbing associated with these mites that would be because you also have an infestation of spider mites and the predatory mites are feeding on them.

How can you tell predatory mites from spider mites?

Predatory mites look almost identical to and are about the same size as spider mites. You can tell predatory mites apart from spider mites by their shiny, unspotted, more pear-shaped body, and longer legs that enable them to move much faster than spider mites – but you'll need magnification to see this!Mar 1, 2023
google

 

[revegeta666]

Hi, it's my first time using predator mite sachets from Koppert. I had a thrips problem, and decided to go the predator route, and for good measure I bought some preventative for spider mites as well. Now I didn't see any mites before I got the predators, only thrips. Fast forward 1 week and I now have webbing on the plants ( thankfully I'm in veg) . I've looked for a comprehensive answer to this and cannot find one. Do predator mites Web? There are clusters of webbing which have collections of mites within. Its really baffling because there was no sign or damage from spider mites before the predators were applied. Would appreciate some experienced members to chime in here. Thanks

Predator mites do not web. You're not saying which species you bought. I have bought koppert products a few times, but never for thrips. The ones labeled "swirski mites" are sold both for spidermite and thrip infestations, but I'm not so sure how effective they actually are against thrips.

I have been using for 3-4 years now, Californicus mites as a preventive,and persimilis for an active infestation. Of spidermites in both cases.

The only time I treated a thrip infestation with predators, I used orius laevigatus (not mites), and the took care of the issue in 2 days.

If you are just now seeing webs on the tops of your plants, that would make me think you hung the mites in the lower parts of the plants and they haven't managed to reach the tops. Webs are most likely made by spidermites and if you see the webs, the infestation should be pretty advanced.

Edit - it would help if you uploaded a couple of pictures though

 

[GlandualFever]

Spical ulti-mite and swiirski ulti-mite.

 

[GlandualFever]

I suppose the question I need definitive answer for is do predators Web...

 

[GlandualFever]

 

[GlandualFever]

do these look like the predators?

Amblyseius swirskii and Neoseiulus californicus. This is new to me.

 

[GlandualFever]

 

[revegeta666]

The webs are due to an advanced spidermite infestation. As I said in the previous post, predatory mites don't make webs.

Californicus are not aggressive enough to take down an established spidermite infestation. Persimilis is the predator usually recommended for this. I have never used the swirskii.

 

[Dime]

Predators will take time to establish a home for the long term and deal with their environment and have to be hungry, they won't just start eating and magically solve your problem. I would throw the plants away. Did you buy clones or plants from someone else? That's usually how you get them

 

[GlandualFever]

@Dime That's a bit harsh.... throwing them away isn't a solution, well not a comprehensive one, as now the buggers are in the environment, so a clean up operation will be required. I'm eager to avoid chemicals but if necessary Dr Shimmels will have to be the chosen option.

I'm gonna battle till the end. I just introduced these to the main room, so now the clone area is infested (small tent) as well as the main room. Boy I got some cleaning to do

 

[revegeta666]

For the record I would also throw the plants away, nuke the grow space with insecticides, clean multiple times with different products, and start over. I think this is the best advice.

And webs like that don't appear over a week

 

[Dime]

@Dime That's a bit harsh.... throwing them away isn't a solution, well not a comprehensive one, as now the buggers are in the environment, so a clean up operation will be required. I'm eager to avoid chemicals but if necessary Dr Shimmels will have to be the chosen option.

I'm gonna battle till the end. I just introduced these to the main room, so now the clone area is infested (small tent) as well as the main room. Boy I got some cleaning to do

I have had my share of mites and I'm just offering what i believe to be the best solution,take your lumps and move on, burn them is the best bet far away or you will be battling them continuously as eggs hatch,they do stay dormant until food is available. Then when you plant new ones start a maintenance program on them early.JMO I wish you the best .

 

[GlandualFever]

I have had my share of mites and I'm just offering what i believe to be the best solution,take your lumps and move on, burn them is the best bet far away or you will be battling them continuously as eggs hatch,they do stay dormant until food is available. Then when you plant new ones start a maintenance program on them early.JMO I wish you the best .

Thank you for the advice. I have an uphill battle whichever way I choose to go. I'm gonna try to treat and isolate the younger clones I have as I do not have backups. Wish and a prayer. I give myself 2 weeks. Let's see where we are then.

 

[Cypo74]

One thing i do know is thrips need to be hit with the adult eaters along with the Larvae eaters first, then a follow up a few weeks later of the Larvae eaters, learnt that the hard way
They will come back if you dont

 

[Deleted user 90433]

I'm in the agreement of it being to far gone,vacuum it well before you move it,then a strong isopropyl and water mix to clean everything,before I started using predator mites to control and prevent spider mite I also used a uv ozone light,I sealed the room and put it on a timer before I left the room(never stay in the area you use ozone or uv in!),then I waited for the room to air out once I opened it up before I entered,but unfortunately thats a bad situation

 

[Nannymouse]

If using ozone, cover any drains and get some fans going. I've read that ozone is heavy and will go right down a drain, not that ozoning the drain isn't a good idea, but i would fill the room with ozone, first. My ozone routine would include a 'plug' that is on a string that leads out the door, so that i could pull the string and empty the room of ozone, without my having to go into the room.

 

[Deleted user 90433]

If using ozone, cover any drains and get some fans going. I've read that ozone is heavy and will go right down a drain, not that ozoning the drain isn't a good idea, but i would fill the room with ozone, first. My ozone routine would include a 'plug' that is on a string that leads out the door, so that i could pull the string and empty the room of ozone, without my having to go into the

Very true,it's a great point about the drain,and absolutely correct,I'd never enter the room while the ozone is on,I just had a timer setup to turn on and off after 1 hour

 

[GlandualFever]

Update...

So the badly infested mother plants were discarded, but I managed to save the clones in the small tent next door. I applied the predators on the clones and also regularly sprayed with an iso/water mix at a ratio of 50/50 approx. I cleaned the life out of the room, and then about 4 weeks later once said clones had been planted up and moved to the main room, I started noticing signs that the mites weren't completely eradicated.

So I bit the bullet. Went Chem route and treated the entire room intensely, and took all.the vegging plants (now 3ft tall approx) to the shower cubicle and they got a pressure wash of Dr Schimmels spider mite, this smells like turps, paint stripper horrible stuff...but it worked. I did not see a single mite, bite, egg or sign of spider mites after this. I did ensure that when I treated them I covered the entire surface area of each stem, branch, leaf etc. I did get some slight deformation where the solution pooled in the crowns of a few plants but they soldiered on through and we are only a week or so away from harvest.