[WaxingGibbous]

Anyone had any luck with this... I'm guessing not as I haven't seen much on them here.

"A. californicus develops well at high temperatures. This predatory mite better withstands low humidity than other predatory mites. The life cycle can be completed in 4 days at high temperatures (30°C). At the same temperature, the life cycle of spider mites is twice as long as that of A. californicus.The adult predatory mite lives about 20 days. She lays eggs during 14 days (with an average of 3 eggs a day). An adult Amblyseius californicus is able to consume 5 adult spider mites daily and possibly some extra eggs and larvae. Especially in crops where temperature and/orrelative humidity can change dramatically, Amblyseius californicus will do better than Phytoseiulus persimilis. Contrary to Phytoseiulus,Amblyseius californicus can survive longer without prey. Amblyseius californicus can survive on a diet of pollen.In crops where it is hard to spot the first two-spotted spider mites, Amblyseius californicus can also be introduced preventively even if no spider mites have been found yet.The nymphs of A. californicus prefer young stages and eggs of the two-spotted spider mite. The female eats all stages.A. californicus is most efficient in cases of a low population density of two-spotted spider mite."

Here's the thing. Had an infestation towards the end of my grow, going to clean out and bleach. However, I know my space is going to be harbouring them now as the loft is hopelessly full of junk and hiding spaces.

I think these badboys might do the trick before I get all Agent Orangey on their ass?

Any input from those that know these critters?

[WaxingGibbous]

Come on, either give me the torrid or the frozen zone! Anyone used these boys indoors or know someone that wasted their bucks?

It may just have to be me then...


NB

* Lives comfortably between 40% - 80% RH at 50° - 105°F

* They are not cannibalistic and survive shipping very well.

[WaxingGibbous]

Here's a post from everyone's favourite alleged undercover CIA stooge I just found

"I would never spray a plant to be flowered, instead spray small mothers and then when clean cut them up into small clones. Dips work better then sprays and are safer to do. Use a mask and gloves and a spray suit if you are smart. I isolate and dip any new clone 3 times, a week apart with very small clones, to make it easy. FloraMite works, but be careful if you use it.


Here is what I use:

Phytoseluls persimilis PREVENT & CURE, they CRAWL
Target: MITES No good for short photoperiod. Use them a lot before darkening.
They stop eating hunting and eating prey under 12 hours of light.

Amblyseius Californicus PREVENT & CURE, they CRAWL
Target: MITES & THRIPS works at higher temps and lower humidity then Phytoseluls persimilis No diapause so effective at 12 hours light.

Macrolophus caliginosus PREVENT & CURE, they CRAWL
Target: Mites, Whiteflys, Aphids, Thrips

Feltiella acarisuga CURE ONLY, adults FLY/ larva SLITHER
Best against big populations of MITES, larva do the killing

Amblyseius cucumeris PREVENT & CURE, they CRAWL
Target: THRIPS & MITES (get without bran mites added for food)
No Diapause effective under 12 hours, good to use with Phytoseluls persimilis

Stethorus punctillum, Prevent & Cure, they CRAWL the young Larva eat eggs, the older larva eat eggs and mites, adults eat both at a lesser rate. A type of Lady Bug.
Target: MITES

Other effective predator mites include:

Phytoseiulus longipes

Amblyseius fallacis

Galendromus occidentalis"

[Felix Dzerzhinsky]

WaxingGibbous, on 30 April 2012 - 02:44 PM, said:

Phytoseluls persimilis PREVENT & CURE, they CRAWL
Target: MITES No good for short photoperiod. Use them a lot before darkening.
They stop eating hunting and eating prey under 12 hours of light.

Interesting.

You could give A. californicus a go and let us know how you get on but my personal feeling would be they are not going to work any better than phytoseiulus persimilis.

[WaxingGibbous]

Hey Felix, thanks for showing an interest. I'm going to grab a bottle of Harkers for my Mums as I'm not confident about the outcome but I'm going to trial the Californicus and report back to you lot. Also I'm going to do some diatomaceous dusting on top of the pots going into the danger zone. Watch this space.

[Felix Dzerzhinsky]

WaxingGibbous, on 02 May 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

Hey Felix, thanks for showing an interest. I'm going to grab a bottle of Harkers for my Mums as I'm not confident about the outcome but I'm going to trial the Californicus and report back to you lot. Also I'm going to do some diatomaceous dusting on top of the pots going into the danger zone. Watch this space.

No worries, soz not around so much at the mo to reply quickly but somewhat busy at this time of year. Will be interesting to see how you get on with A. Californicus but don't get your hopes up too high. The diatomaceous earth should work a treat and you can cover the whole plant with it providing you don't have buds it could get stuck too as you really wouldn't want to be smoking it later on and it's probably best to wear a surgical mask when applying it as it's not something you should breathe in any quantity.

You can order puffers and dusters to make applying DE a bit easier if you do go down that route as it will work better if you can apply it where the mites are living rather than just on the surface of your compost. I've used it in the past as a flea and mite treatment on cats and will be using it on our chickens soon in their dust bath and around their coop to kill red mites and other external parasites.

Good luck

[cheezychong]

Managed to catch it early and got next day delivery of i
think 200(dr80), was all ready to think again,
but after 36-48hrs they'd nearly finished munching .

I was lucky to spot it quickly, but well worth a go mate. CC

[WaxingGibbous]

Felix Dzerzhinsky, on 09 May 2012 - 12:15 PM, said:

WaxingGibbous, on 02 May 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

Hey Felix, thanks for showing an interest. I'm going to grab a bottle of Harkers for my Mums as I'm not confident about the outcome but I'm going to trial the Californicus and report back to you lot. Also I'm going to do some diatomaceous dusting on top of the pots going into the danger zone. Watch this space.

No worries, soz not around so much at the mo to reply quickly but somewhat busy at this time of year. Will be interesting to see how you get on with A. Californicus but don't get your hopes up too high. The diatomaceous earth should work a treat and you can cover the whole plant with it providing you don't have buds it could get stuck too as you really wouldn't want to be smoking it later on and it's probably best to wear a surgical mask when applying it as it's not something you should breathe in any quantity.

You can order puffers and dusters to make applying DE a bit easier if you do go down that route as it will work better if you can apply it where the mites are living rather than just on the surface of your compost. I've used it in the past as a flea and mite treatment on cats and will be using it on our chickens soon in their dust bath and around their coop to kill red mites and other external parasites.

Good luck

Sprinkled the tent floor and surrounds (food safe diatomaceous for pests)... predators come in a couple days!

[WaxingGibbous]

Double post

This post has been edited by WaxingGibbous: 14 May 2012 - 03:44 PM

[WaxingGibbous]

Nearly a week and still no sign. After the DE application, no fungus gnats either, which is a bonus. I'm expecting a Kathy Bates-style return of the mites at some stage but I'll keep an eye out

[Felix Dzerzhinsky]

Nice one man

DE is great and useful against so many pests, we even used it on our cats in the pasts and always sprinkled some around the edges of our grow rooms to counter any crawling insects. It doesn't work so well when wet so if you can keep the tops of your pots dry that will increase it's effectiveness.

Good luck

[WaxingGibbous]

Maybe I was unlucky with the recent heat but it's more likely I am just plain wrong about predators and the general consensus here is just plain right.

Either way, I think it's probably time to push the big red Harkers button. Can't say I'm delighted but I have undoubtedly bought and consumed far far worse. Didn't have the luxury of knowing mind!

I have a Silver Haze that will suffer most and in the mean time the other three will finish quite nicely without Harkers (two Smile are most resistant, and a Humboldt slightly less) but I think I want rid really. So say I spray then bang them straight into 12/12, how long is Harkers active against mites and more importantly how long before it is metabolised? What concerns me most is that the little buggers have just hunkered down now and I'll never stop the shits from coming back and scoffing my delicious Haze... my loft is like Mr Trebus's house

[WaxingGibbous]

Felix Dzerzhinsky, on 21 May 2012 - 11:28 PM, said:

Nice one man

DE is great and useful against so many pests, we even used it on our cats in the pasts and always sprinkled some around the edges of our grow rooms to counter any crawling insects. It doesn't work so well when wet so if you can keep the tops of your pots dry that will increase it's effectiveness.

Good luck

Yes Felix... it's the business for gnats alright- I used to use it in the greenhouse for that. Unfortunately no dice with the little yellow sucking fellas though.

Good advice on the bottom watering all the way with these babies too, not only does it keep the tops dry but I get a nice even soak and the Mrs isn't asking me in a "forthright manner" to get a wriggle on to manage the evening family logistics.

Bending over pots in the heat sprinkling water evenly & mindfully isn't the one when you think you can just about hear terms of abuse floating up the ladder slightly above the noise of the fans

[Our Man In Malana]

WaxingGibbous, on 14 May 2012 - 03:43 PM, said:

Sprinkled the tent floor and surrounds (food safe diatomaceous for pests)... predators come in a couple days!

Clean up / wash off the DE before releasing the predators, or it'll kill them just as quick.

[WaxingGibbous]

Hello Man in Malana, I did wonder about that. But I kind of thought that if there was food in the foliage, that 2000+ hungry predators would clear up four small plants before they braved the arid wastes of the DE desert below. And then the "drawbridge" is up sort of thing...

I might soak some towels in water to up the humidity and do another predator drop in a few days but my eternally thwarted conscience is telling me I'm being a wanker and I should stop wasting money. And frankly it's because my conscience is so abusive I usually ignore the boring po-faced bastard