How to Manage Pests:
Pest Management and Identification
Phytoseiulus persimilis
Scientific name: Phytoseiulus persimilis
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Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Acari
Family: Phytoseiidae
Common prey: Predaceous on spider mites in many crops including strawberries and floriculture
Commercially available: Yes
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Like other mites, Phytoseiulus spp. do not have antennae, segmented
bodies, or wings. They pass through an egg stage, a six-legged larval stage
and 2 eight-legged immature nymphal stages before becoming adults.
Phytoseiulus spp. mites are about the size of twospotted
spider mites, but lack spots, are orange in color, and are shinier
and more pear-shaped than their prey. The shiny, oval eggs of Phytoseiulus persimilis are
larger than spider mite eggs. In addition, predatory mites are
much more active than pest mites, only stopping to feed. Under
magnification the mouthparts of predatory mites can be seen extending
in front of their body while pest mite mouthparts extend downward
to feed on plants.
This predatory mite feeds exclusively on spider mites and consumes
2 or 3 adult females or several dozen egg in a day. Phytoseiulus
persimilis often needs to be reintroduced as it relies exclusively
on mites for food and can eventually consume all available prey.
This beneficial mite is commercially available and is commonly
released against Tetranychus spp. spider mites such as the
Pacific spider mite and the twospotted spider mite. P. persimilis tolerates
hot climates as long as the relative humidity is between 60 and
90 percent.
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