Important shipping information & delays: Please be prepared to wait.
This product is drop-shipped by the manufacturer Bioforce to ensure your living organisms are received in the best possible condition so PLEASE NOTE: An email address must be provided so Bioforce can dispatch your order and ensure you receive parcel tracking details.
Also, due to high demand, you will likely experience delays in receiving your Bioforce products. See bottom of description for further details.
Mite-E™ for Spider Mite Control
Mite-E ™ is a highly active predatory mite that specialises in feeding on two spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) and other plant-feeding mite species in the family Tetranychidae.
Mite-E ™ is known to be useful in both greenhouse and outdoor crops, such as rose, orchid, bean, capsicum and strawberry as part of an integrated pest management programme.
Not 100% compatible with Mite-A™, which is a more generalist predator, be careful not to apply high concentrations of Mite-A™ with Mite-E™ applications.
Mite-E™ is a small highly active predatory mite, orange to bright red in appearance. Adult females are 0.5-0.6 mm long.
Adult female Mite-E™ lays her eggs amongst colonies of two-spotted spider mites.
Both nymph and adult predatory mites actively search for their prey and will feed voraciously on all stages of spider mite from eggs through to adults.
Under optimal conditions (20°C and 65% RH) Mite-E™ has the potential to devour up to five adult spider mites and twenty eggs and larvae per day, thus reducing two spotted spider mite populations over several weeks.
Mite-E™ is almost entirely dependent on two spotted spider mite as a source of food; once all prey has been consumed they will go out in search of a new food supply. If no food is found, the mites may become cannibalistic.
Under optimal conditions , Mite-E™ has a substantially faster life cycle than two spotted spider mite. The sex ratio of adult Mite-E™is four females to each male, and females are capable of laying up to 60 eggs in their life time. These factors contribute to the success of Mite-E™ as a predator.
Mite-E™ is not considered harmful to humans and animals, and no environmental impacts are expected.
Application Rate:
Favoured conditions for Mite-E™ are temperatures above 20 °C for a time during the day and a relative humidity of 65%.
Mite-E™ will consume two spotted spider mites and reproduce at temperatures and humidity that are not ideal, but at a slower rate.
For best results, release Mite-E when spider mite populations are still low. Monitoring is essential.
| Greenhouse crops |
Low pest pressure: 4 predator mites per square metre |
1 bottle per 250m2
|
| |
Higher pressure: 20-50 predatory mites per square metre |
1 bottle per 20-50m2 |
| Field crops |
1 predator mite per 2.5 square metres |
1 bottle per 400m2
|
| Strawberry crops |
1 predator mite per 2.5 square metres |
1 bottle per 400m2
|
If spider mites are present in "hot spots" or in larger numbers, treatments of 20-50 mites per m2 may be necessary to bring the pest levels down more quickly.
Handling:
Mite-E™ is dispatched via courier and should reach you within 1 to 2 days.
Once received:
- GENTLY ROTATE EACH CONTAINER TO MIX CONTENTS
- DO NOT REFRIGERATE
- Do not expose to direct sunlight
- Keep in darkness and in a cool environment – ideal temperature 10-12 ° C.
- Apply to the crop as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days
- Open the container in the infested area
- Open one container at a time and apply the contents immediately
- Distribute the product evenly over infested plants throughout the crop
- Leave the container and lid resting against an infested plant for a day or two
Post Release:
After 2-4 weeks, following the release of Mite-E™, you should be able to see signs of the predator working.
Two spotted spider mites that have been eaten change from pale green to brown and appear shrivelled. Use a 10x hand lens to check, as live and dead mites can appear similar to the naked eye.
Before introducing Mite-E™ into your crop please check residual chemical affects and ensure you know chemical compatibilities of products that may be applied.
Important Shipping Information & Delays:
NO LOCAL PICK UP: This product is drop-shipped by the manufacturer to ensure you receive the highest quality biological agents in the best possible condition and is therefore not available for local pick up.
EMAIL REQUIRED: An email address MUST be provided in order for Bioforce to process and dispatch your order, and to ensure you receive your parcel tracking details to keep an eye on any delivery updates from the courier. You want these guys busy in your backyard, not dying in a postal depot if you miss the delivery!
DELAYS: Seacliff Organics have no control or oversight over any Bioforce orders and they are dispatched by Bioforce once ready.
It's almost guaranteed there will be a delay with Bioforce shipping your order so please - do not order unless you are prepared to wait as it could be anywhere from 2-6 weeks before you receive your order from Bioforce. Thank you kindly for your virtuous patience!
Please contact store@seaclifforganics.nz if you have any further queries.
