Product Information

Neoseiulus californicus

Scientific Name:

Family: Acarina: Phytoseiidae
Genus: Neoseiulus
Species: californicus

Common Name: Cali Mite

Host Mites: Spider mites, Persea, Eriophyid mites.

Host plants: Avocados, strawberries, grapes, corn, cotton, ornamental plants

Life Stages: Egg, Larvae, Protonymph, Deutonymph, Adult

Development: Completes a generation in one to two weeks depending on temperature.

Environment:

Does best in coastal weather; 55 - 105 ºF
Tolerates low humidity of inland valleys
Goes into diapause with less than 11 hours of daylight.

Pesticides: It is not recommended to release predators before or after pesticide applications. A detailed list of the pesticide resistance of the Sterling strain of predatory mites is available here.

Augmentation: Release rates on tree and vine crops range from 2,500 – 5,000 predatory mites per acre at the first sign of spider mites. Later releases will require much higher rates to be effective. Field crops generally require higher application rates on average of 5,000 to 10,000 per acre. Greenhouse or horticulture crop release rates should be 1 predatory mite per square foot.

Release: Predators are extremely perishable! Bean plants bag contents are a minimum of 10,000 predators on 300 plants. To release spread the bean plants throughout the crop at the desired rate.

To release predators from bottles gently rotate the bottle to evenly mix the contents. Do not shake! Sprinkle predators and carrier material onto foliage of infested plants.