Beneficial Insects

Spi-Cal Neoseiulus californicus

Top Recommendation for Spider Mites

Availability: Commonly stocked - Preorders available!

Appearance: Very small, pale tan predatory mite. Hard to see without magnification, and generally less bright red than persimilis.
Storage temperature: Apply as soon as possible after receipt. If necessary, store only briefly under recommended cool conditions.
Target pests: Two-spotted spider mite, broad mites, and other small plant-feeding mites.
Optimum Release Conditions: 13-32°C (55-90°F). Sensitive to relative humidity below 60%.
Notes: Spi-Cal is a good choice where conditions are a bit drier or less ideal for persimilis. It is often used preventatively or at the first sign of spider mites and tolerates sub-optimal grow room conditions better than many other predatory mites. Spi-Cal should be left on the plant for up to four weeks, as the mites are continually reproducing, and additional quantities should be introduced on a regular basis.

Swirski Amblyseius swirskii

Top Recommendation for Thrips

Availability: Commonly - Preorders Often Available!

Appearance: Tiny, light brown predatory mites that are difficult to see without magnification. They move quickly and are often introduced in sachets or loose carrier material.
Storage temperature: Apply as soon as possible after receipt. If necessary, store briefly under cool, ventilated conditions. Avoid prolonged storage.
Target pests: Thrips, whiteflies, tarsonemus, and other small pest mites.
Optimum Release Conditions: 20-32°C (68-90°F). Not effective below 18°C (64°F). Sensitive to relative humidity below 60%.
Notes: Swirski is a strong general-purpose predator for warm grow rooms and greenhouses, especially where thrips and whitefly are recurring problems. It works best preventatively or early in an infestation. Swirski should be left on the plant for up to four weeks, as the mites are continually reproducing, and additional quantities should be introduced on a regular basis.

Beneficial Nematodes Steinernema feltiae

Top Recommendation for Fungus Gnats

Availability: Purchase Pot Poppers Here | Larger Quantities are Special Order Only

Appearance: 0.5mm - 2mm long, non-segmented roundworms. You are very unlikely to actually see your nematodes without a microscope, though.
Storage temperature: Pot Poppers are a non-refrigerated slow-release formulation.
Target pests: Soil-dwelling stage of fungus gnats and thrips.
Optimum Release Conditions: Place directly onto the soil surface and water in. Best used where larvae are active in the root zone or potting media.

Notes: Pot Poppers are designed for easy use in potted plants, containers, and small garden areas. Nematodes do not prey on ladybugs, earthworms, or most other beneficial insects. They are harmless to plants and humans.

Stratiolaelaps Stratiolaelaps scimitus

Availability: May Be Special Ordered in Large Quantities

Storage temperature: Do not refrigerate. If necessary, containers can be held, stored on their side out of direct sunlight, at 16-21°C (60-70°F) for up to 7 days.
Target pests: Fungus gnats, Western flower thrips, springtails, root mealybug crawler, grain mites, snail mites and reptile mites.
Optimum Release Conditions: 20°C (68°F)
Notes: Stratiolaelaps excels at controlling fungus gnats and other soil-dwelling creatures. It cannot be relied on alone for thrips control. It may, however, enhance biological control when used in conjunction with other thrips predators such as cucumeris.

Cucumeris Neoseiulus cucumeris

Availability: Seldomly due to decreased demand

Appearance: Barely visible to the naked eye, although if you look hard enough you can see them moving around. Under a microscope they are light brown, pear-shaped, and rather cute.
Storage temperature: 10-15°C, relative humidity 66-70%. Do not refrigerate. Max 5 days.
Target pests: Western flower thrips, onion thrips, bamboo mites, and broad mites.
Optimum Release Conditions:15-25°C (59-77°F) with relative humidity around 66-70% or higher.
Notes: Gardeners are encouraged to use one slow-release pack per plant -- two for heavier infestations. Once they have run out of food, they will eat each other. Cucumeris come packaged with a small number of bran mites as a temporary food source. Bran mites will not infest your plant. Cucumeris should be left on the plant for up to four weeks, as the mites are continually reproducing, and additional quantities should be introduced on a regular basis.

Convergent Ladybug Hippodamia convergens

Top Recommendation for Aphids

Availability: Sold Seasonally

Storage Temperature: Store in refrigerator crisper drawer. 5°C. Up to two weeks.
Target Pests: Aphids
Optimum Release Conditions: Mist plants before releasing ladybugs (they are very thirsty), and release them in the evening or when your lights are off.
Notes: Convergent ladybugs are native to North America. They may fly away in 4-5 days, and heavy aphid infestations may require two applications spaced two weeks apart. Ladybugs may also occasionally eat moistened raisins when aphid populations are low, although the best way to keep them around is generally to use them indoors.

Persimilis Phytoseiulus persimilis

Availability: Not Available

Appearance: Bright red, pear-shaped and fast-moving arachnid, approximately 0.5mm in size.
Storage temperature: 10-15°C relative humidity 66-70% Max 5 days.
Target pests: Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and bean red spider mite
Optimum Release Conditions: 20-27°C (68-81°F) and relative humidity over 60%.
Notes: Probably one of the best biological spider mite controls. At temperatures of 18-27°C (64-81°F), the predators reproduce faster than spider mites. At warmer or cooler temperatures, however, the spider mites reproduce faster. Larger containers of persimilis may come packaged with actual spider mites as a temporary food source, as they are ravenous little critters and will not last long without food.

Stethorus (spider mite destroyer) Stethorus punctillum

Availability: Not Available

Storage temperature: 10-16ºC Max 5 days.
Target pests: Two-spotted spider mite, European red mite, Spruce spider mite, Southern red mite
Optimum Release Conditions: moderate to high temperatures of 67-90°F (16-35°C).

Fallacis Neoseiulus fallacis

Availability: Not Available

Storage temperature:8-18ºC Max 7 days
Target pests: Two-spotted spider mite, European red mite, Spruce spider mite, Southern red mite
Optimum Release Conditions:9-32°C (48-85°F), relative humidity 50%

Regular Ordinary Spider

Availability: Check your bathroom!

Unless they are venomous, spiders that show up in your grow room should be welcomed, as they eat many of the insects that eat your plants. Please do not kill your spiders; they are friends.