Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.

The only references for this species I can find through Google are to
its use to control red spider mite. As far as I know we have no red
spider mite. The infestations have happened every summer since the
house was built in 1998.

While they seem to be harmless, nobody wants to sit out on our terrace
because of this 'red carpet'.

What do you recommend to control/eliminate this pest. And where can I
find out something about their habitat, breeding, etc?

Ian

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

"Ian Burns" wrote in message
m...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.

The only references for this species I can find through Google are to
its use to control red spider mite. As far as I know we have no red
spider mite. The infestations have happened every summer since the
house was built in 1998.

While they seem to be harmless, nobody wants to sit out on our terrace
because of this 'red carpet'.

What do you recommend to control/eliminate this pest. And where can I
find out something about their habitat, breeding, etc?

Ian

Sounds like you have a natural resource ... if they can be collected .... to
offer them to people who do suffer from red spidermite!
L

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

"Ian Burns" wrote in message m...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.
No - not Phytoseiulus persimilis, they are *much* smaller and slower than the little fast moving red spiders that you're
seeing. They are very common in hot dry parts of the garden at this time of year. Absolutely harmless and nothing to get
concerned about. Less concrete/ more beds and borders and of course plants with the moister conditions that these would
bring is the way to reduce your little spiders if you must - you'll have a more interesting garden as well ;-))
BTW Phytoseiulus persimilis if you look at it with a decent hand lens has a somewhat pear shaped body compared with the
round body of these much larger little spiders.

Rod

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

"Zizz" wrote in message
...

"Ian Burns" wrote in message
m...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.

The only references for this species I can find through Google are to
its use to control red spider mite. As far as I know we have no red
spider mite. The infestations have happened every summer since the
house was built in 1998.

While they seem to be harmless, nobody wants to sit out on our terrace
because of this 'red carpet'.

What do you recommend to control/eliminate this pest. And where can I
find out something about their habitat, breeding, etc?

Ian

Sounds like you have a natural resource ... if they can be collected ....
to
offer them to people who do suffer from red spidermite!
L

Not the same creature, the little red things we all get on concrete and
stone are not red spider mites or their predators

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message ...
"Zizz" wrote in message
...

"Ian Burns" wrote in message
m...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.

The only references for this species I can find through Google are to
its use to control red spider mite. As far as I know we have no red
spider mite. The infestations have happened every summer since the
house was built in 1998.

While they seem to be harmless, nobody wants to sit out on our terrace
because of this 'red carpet'.

What do you recommend to control/eliminate this pest. And where can I
find out something about their habitat, breeding, etc?

Ian

Sounds like you have a natural resource ... if they can be collected ....
to
offer them to people who do suffer from red spidermite!
L

Not the same creature, the little red things we all get on concrete and
stone are not red spider mites or their predators

Well, my questions stand. How can I deal with them? And what are they?

Thanks for your info.

Ian

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

"Rod" wrote in message ...
"Ian Burns" wrote in message m...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.
No - not Phytoseiulus persimilis, they are *much* smaller and slower than the little fast moving red spiders that you're
seeing. They are very common in hot dry parts of the garden at this time of year. Absolutely harmless and nothing to get
concerned about. Less concrete/ more beds and borders and of course plants with the moister conditions that these would
bring is the way to reduce your little spiders if you must - you'll have a more interesting garden as well ;-))
BTW Phytoseiulus persimilis if you look at it with a decent hand lens has a somewhat pear shaped body compared with the
round body of these much larger little spiders.

Rod

Thank you for your input, Rod, but I wasn't asking for garden design
advice. Do you have any idea what these creatures are and whether it
is possible to reclaim our terrace from them?

Ian

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

In article ,
(Ian Burns) writes:
| "Charlie Pridham" wrote in message ...
|
| Not the same creature, the little red things we all get on concrete and
| stone are not red spider mites or their predators
|
| Well, my questions stand. How can I deal with them? And what are they?

Learn to live with and love them. Small spiders.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Phytoseiulus persimilis - red carpet treatment
 

(Ian Burns) wrote in message om...
At this time of year, the whole area of our garden under concrete (a
terrace and paved areas) are swarming with what I believe are
Phytoseiulus persimilis, best known as the predator for red spider
mite.

The only references for this species I can find through Google are to
its use to control red spider mite. As far as I know we have no red
spider mite. The infestations have happened every summer since the
house was built in 1998.

While they seem to be harmless, nobody wants to sit out on our terrace
because of this 'red carpet'.

What do you recommend to control/eliminate this pest. And where can I
find out something about their habitat, breeding, etc?

Ian

For the benefit of anybody else Googling through the newsgroups for
help with this creature, some further digging around on the internet
leads me to believe these creatures are 'clover mites'.

Clover mites are bright red, about 1/50th inch long, are known for
swarming in huge numbers and live off the sap of grasses and other
plants.

Sadly, all the references I can find (a couple included below) are
from US sources, though I, at least, am convinced that this is the
creature infesting my Chester, UK garden.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2095.html
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplo...sts/g07358.htm