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Thrips Predator Release Instructions
The thrips predator (Amblyseius cucumeris) is a very small, tan-colored mite, less than 0.5 mm (1/50th of an inch) long. It moves quickly to capture its prey which is the egg and larval stages of western flower thrips, onion thrips and rose thrips. The adult predatory mite sucks dry 2-3 thrips larvae per day. Females will lay 2-3 eggs per day at the underside of the leaves, on fine leaf hairs. Tiny nymphs soon hatch and begin feeding on pollen, spider mite eggs and the smallest thrips. Even when thrips populations have been eliminated, the thrips predators remain established in the greenhouse, feeding on leaf surface fungi, pollen and spider mites.
Thrips predators are reared in a granular material on alternate host mites. These can be distinguished from the predators because they move slowly and are pearly-white, with long hairs; host mites will be present in the container but do not harm plants.
Thrips predators are released at a rate of 25,000 per 1,000 sq. ft., every three weeks. To release, gently tumble the container to mix the contents and shake the predators out close to thrips infestations.
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