FAQs

Q: How do I put out the predatory mites onto my plants that have spider mites?

A: We package and ship the predatory mites on cut bean plants or in bottles. The bean plants are cut in the greenhouse and then placed into a brown bag for shipment. The cut bean plants with predatory mites are placed directly onto your plants, trees or vines. The predators walk off the bean plants onto your plants and will begin feeding on spider mites. It’s best to leave the bean plants in place for three days or until the plants are dried out and all the mites have moved off. Once this occurs, the dried bean plants can be removed.

10,000 predatory mites = ~ 250 cut bean plants = 1 flat of bean plants = $130
7,500 predatory mites = ~ 188 cut bean plants = ¾ flat of bean plants = $97.50
5,000 predatory mites = ~ 125 cut bean plants = ½ flat of bean plants = $65 (min. order)
2,500 predatory mites = ~ 63 cut bean plants = ¼ flat of bean plants = $32.50

For our bottled product, we have 1 oz., 6 oz. or 8 oz. bottles that have corn grit or vermiculite as a carrier for the predatory mites. To release the mites, the bottle is gently rotated over the plants that have spider mites, and the carrier and mites fall out through small holes in the sifter lid.

We recommend using the bean plants in orchards, vineyards, and other areas where corn grit or vermiculite would have a tendency to fall onto the ground in large quantities.

We recommend using the bottled product in areas with dense canopies such as ornamental plants in a greenhouse or cotton or strawberry fields where the corn grit or vermiculite would be caught by the plants.

Q: How do I order products from Sterling Insectary?

A: Call 661.792.6810 to place an order.

Q: How are the predatory mites and beneficial insects shipped?

A: We use overnight shipping in a Styrofoam cooler with a cool pack for all of our products. This assures that our customers are receiving the freshest quality product as quickly as possible.

Q: How can I tell if the predatory mites are working?

A: After releasing the predatory mites, you should begin to see a decrease in the spider mite populations within 7 – 10 days. You can use a 10X or higher hand lens or microscope to see the pests and predators in action. The plant leaves that have been damaged by spider mites cannot repair themselves; thus, you can look to the new growth on the plant to see if your spider mites are under control. If the new growth does not have spider mites, then you have probably successfully eliminated the spider mites. If the new growth does have spider mites, then you may need to do a second predatory mite release or you can give the predatory mites more time to consume the remaining spider mites.

Q: How do I tell the difference between spider mites and predatory mites?

A: Spider mites are usually yellowish with dark spots on their backs. They are humped-shaped and hairy and scary . . . well, scary only if it was a horror movie and they were our size. They hold their front two sets of legs toward the front of the body, and the back two sets towards the back of the body. They tend to hang out on the underside of the plant leaves or in protected areas of the plant. The predatory mites are clear to whitish to orange in color (depends on what they have been feeding on). They are tear-dropped shaped and often use their front set of legs as sensors by lifting them into the air. An adult, female spider mite (females are usually larger than males in the mite world) can be larger than an adult, female predatory mite, but the predatory mites do not care – they will attack a spider mite that is larger them themselves by inserting their straw-like head into the spider mite body, then releasing digestive enzymes, and then feeding on the dying spider mite. In the laboratory, we often observe numerous young predatory mites feeding in a group on a single, large spider mite. In addition, the spider mites and predatory mites have differently shaped eggs: spider mite eggs are perfectly round whereas predatory mites eggs are oval.

Q: What happens to the predatory mites once they eat all of the spider mites?

A: The predatory mites are obligatory predators of mites so, when all the spider mites are gone, the predatory mites move on to find more food or they die off.

Q: Will other predatory mites or insects attack the predatory mites?

A: Possibly. The largest predatory mites will attack smaller predatory mites if there is nothing else to eat. They will eat their own eggs, juveniles, etc. to survive. Beneficial insects, such as lacewings, ladybugs or minute pirate bugs, have the potential to attack predatory mites, too, but the predatory mites are fast moving and will quickly run away from a threatening insect. Also, the relationship between the size of the predator and the size of the food it wants to eat is similar so a ladybug would rather eat an aphid or other small insect instead of a tiny mite. The analogy I often use is to imagine telling a bodybuilder to only eat carrots; that’s what it is like feeding a large insect only tiny mites.