On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:43:00 -0000, "Phil Gurr"
wrote:


"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message


I came across this advertised as something that will eat RSM (among
other things):

http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/product/bio-01-6

Thinking of trying it out to see if .....

It looks as if this is Amblysieus californicus. I tried this last year from
www.ladybirdplantcare.co.uk as I had previously tried Phytoseilus, and up
here in the far north, the temperature is too low for Pytoseilus to be
effective. It takes a little time to get going but worked very well on my
peaches and apricots under glass. I spoke to Ladybird Plant Care and they
told me that there is evidence that Amblysieus can overwinter. Because of
this, I have not sprayed with 'tar oil winter wash' this year so will wait
to see what happens. It is a bit pricey at £49 per tub but this will last
all summer in a 16x12 greenhouse. The 'dragonfli' mites are cheaper, but
there is no indication as to how many you get or the coverage - in fact very
little information at all. One major advantage with Amblysieus is that it
will feed on other food sources (even pollen) if it eats all the red spider
mite.

HTH

Phil

Phil, I asked them and they say that for your £9.95 you'll get 250 of
the little critters and yes, they can overwinter in the right
conditions. The Ladybird pack works out at £8 for 250 so, mite for
mite, they're cheaper. I suppose it depends on whether you want £49
worth of them or not. Dragonfli are experimenting with a more
voracious creature that might replace their "Mighty Mite Foliar" but
haven't said any more.

I didn't ask what the "terra" version of their product was (I assume
hypoaspis) but you get 500 of those so again Ladybird are cheaper if
my assumption's right and you want the quantity.

All that said, I wonder about all these microscopic creatures. We buy
them and do the necessary with them but are they actually doing what
we've paid for them to do? Ladybirds and their larvae, lacewings,
hoverflies are all free and seem to do as good a job with whitefly
etc. Hedgehogs and frogs are good for slugs. Now if only I can work
out where all my thrushes went last year I'll have the snail problem
sorted again.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay where
the four seasons are salt,pepper,mustard and vinegar.