Amblyseius cucumeris is a beige mite less than 1/25-inch long, and is a predator of thrips. It is very mobile on the underside of a leaf or in a flower. The female A. cucumeris mates several times. A few eggs are laid on hairs close to veins on the leaf underside every day. The young larvae that develop have only six legs and do not eat. The two subsequent nymphal stages and adult have eight legs. A nymph looks like a small adult, so there is no metamorphosis. The development from egg to adult takes 8-11 days, and adults live for about three weeks. Amblyseius cucumeris pierce and then feed on their prey (thrips). In addition to thrips, they sometimes eat spider mites, or eggs or larvae of other mites. Amblyseius cucumeris also eat pollen. As adult thrips can defend themselves by striking out with their abdomen, A. cucumeris prefers first instar thrips.

Amblyseius cucumeris can be used in greenhouse vegetable crops such as sweet pepper, cucumber and eggplant, and in ornamentals such as chrysanthemum, rose, gerbera and potted plants. However, A. cucumeris does not perform well on tomato and geranium plants. Low air humidity (below 65%) impedes the population growth of A. cucumeris because their eggs do not hatch and breeder packs (see below) dry out. Amblyseius cucumeris is less affected by low humidity in cucumber crops due to a favourable micro-climate on the cucumber leaf. Amblyseius cucumeris should be assisted by other enemies of thrips (Orius, Amblyseius degenerans, Amblyseius swirskii) during the summer.

Amblyseius-System: Amblyseius cucumeris is sold in units of 25 000 or 50 000 in a bran carrier packed in a practical ¼-gallon sprinkler-tube, or in units of 100 000 in a 1.3-gallon bucket. The Amblyseius-bran mix is sprinkled on leaves.

Amblyseius-Vermiculite-System: Amblyseius cucumeris sold in units of 25 000 mixed with vermiculite. This formulation has been developed to blow A. cucumeris onto a crop with a modified leaf-blower. This application method is particularly useful for ornamental crops.

or in a unit of 300 sachets without hooks. The ABS sachets with hooks are hung on the plant (around stem, branch, leaf petiole) while sachets without hooks are to be placed in the plant canopy. This system allows preventative introduction of A. cucumeris in crops without pollen production such as English cucumber. All ABS sachets are pre-pierced; i.e. there is no need to open them, just place them in your crop and A. cucumeris will progressively emerge from the sachets. The ABS is also available in bulk in 1.3-gallon buckets containing 100 000 A. cucumeris. This material can be deposited in small piles (preventive introduction) on rockwool cubes in cucumber and sweet pepper crops.

Amblyseius-Slow-Release System (ASR-System): The Amblyseius-Slow-Release System (ASR-System) is similar to the Amblyseius-Breeding-System (ABS), except for the ratio of A. cucumeris to bran mites. The different Amblyseius to bran mite ratio in the ASR-System provides for the release of A. cucumeris over a longer period of time (5-6 weeks). The ASR-System bags are also hung in the crop without having to open them. Sold in units of 250 bags.

- Applicable in several crops;

- Preventative introductions possible, in pollen bearing and non-pollen bearing crops;

- Long lasting protection;

- Easy application methods.

- Introduction rates can be influenced by climate, season, location and crop;

- It is always better to use Amblyseius cucumeris systems as soon as possible after receipt. If storage is unavoidable, keep at 59°F and at least 85% relative humidity for the shortest amount of time possible;

- Always use Amblyseius cucumeris systems before the expiry date stated on the label;

- Pesticides (insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, etc.) can have short or long-term negative effects on one or more stages of beneficial organisms. Please, be careful if or when choosing pesticides. Consult Biobest publications or website for the side-effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms;

- For additional information, please consult our website, or contact a Biobest supplier or technical advisor.