Five different stages can be distinguished: egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult. The life cycle can be completed within 4 days provided temperature is high. At the same temperature, the life cycle of the spider mite is twice as long as Amblyseius californicus.

The adult predatory mite lives about 20 days. She lays eggs over 14 days (with an average of 3 eggs a day). The predatory mite Amblyseius californicus is able to consume daily 5 adult spider mites and also eats some eggs and larvae.

Amblyseius californicus can be introduced in several vegetables, fruits and ornamental crops to control various mite species (e.g. two-spotted spider mite, cyclamen mite, etc.).

Especially in crops where high temperature and/or relative humidity variations occur Amblyseius californicus will perform much better than Phytoseiulus persimilis. Contrary to Phytoseiulus persimilis, Amblyseius californicus can survive for a longer time without eating. Amblyseius californicus can also live on a diet of pollen.

In crops where it is very hard to detect the first spider mites, Amblyseius californicus may be introduced preventatively, even if no spider mites have been found yet.

In the future Amblyseius californicus will become more important as a natural enemy for spider mite control, as it offers the following advantages:

Currently, Biobest is carrying out numerous side effect experiments on pesticides with Amblyseius californicus. Nissorum, Torque and Apollo, as well as the most fungicides seem to be harmless under greenhouse conditions. Lannate and most other long-term insecticides can be very negative for the build-up of the population.

Amblyseius californicus is available per 2000 units, both nymphs and adults, in tubes mixed with a vermiculite carrier.

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