Bugs For Bugs Cucumeris
A predatory mite for control of thrips.
Cucumeris (Neoseiulus cucumeris) predatory mites are primarily used for thrips management. They feed on the juvenile stages of thrips, with adults consuming an average of 6 thrips larvae per day. They also offer secondary suppression of spider mites and have proven useful in the management of broad mite. They survive well at low prey densities due to their ability to use alternative prey and pollen as a food source.
Cucumeris are small (<1 mm), pale, pear-shaped mites. The eggs are clear and oval. They are laid on the underside of leaves (often on hairs), under the calyx of fruit and sepals of flowers and in other protected areas. At 25°C Cucumeris take about 8 days to complete their lifecycle. Individuals can live for over a month and females lay an average of 35 eggs.
Key target pests
- Western flower thrips
- Onion thrips
Advantages
- Excellent persistence in outdoor berry crops
- Survive at low prey densities
- Can be introduced preventatively
Cucumeris have been used successfully in many protected crops including capsicums, eggplants, cucumbers, strawberries, cut-flowers, nurseries and medicinal cannabis. They can also be used in outdoor crops, as long as temperatures exceed 20°C for at least some hours each day to give the mites an opportunity to warm up and feed. Cucumeris have proven particularly useful in outdoor strawberry production and they are also used in stored onions to target onion thrips.
Cucumeris are not suitable for use in tomatoes or geraniums because the leaf structure and toxic leaf exudates prevent establishment in these crops.