IPMP3.0, Oregon State University, Copyright 2000

PREDATOR MITES

Contents

Identification

Development Model

Predator Mite Release Model

Management and Biocontrol Guidelines

Fact Sheet (requires Acrobat Reader 3.x or above to read and print. Click below to download the free "Reader".)

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Registered Insecticides

References

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Link to large image (74K) of Predator Mites The most common predator mite found in mint is Neoseiulus fallacis (=Ambyleius fallacis). This predator is about 0.25 to 0.5 mm long, yellow to almost translucent and "pear-shaped". These mites overwinter as adult females in the soil or crop debris. Adults become active in the spring and lay eggs on leaves. Eggs hatch in 2 to 3 days and larva feed for 1 to 2 days before molting to the protonymph stage. This stage consumes about 2 prey and completes development to the deutonymph stage in 1 to 2 days. The deutonymph stages lasts 1 to 2 days before molting to the adult. Adult females consume nearly 2 prey/day during a 5 to 6 week period. Females consume about 75 to 80 total prey and lay about 33 eggs during her lifetime. The life cycle from egg to adult requires about 6 days and there are at least 10 generations each year.

Predator Mites Feeding on Spider Mite

View the Fact Sheet For More Information

This section contains information on identification and use of predator mites for spider mite control in peppermint.  View the Fact Sheet and see Morris 1998, Morris et al. 1996, Morris et al. 1999, and Morris et al. 2000 for specific information on biology of these predators.