Category: Cultivation advice
Date published: August 18, 2021

Swirski-Mite: First Aid for Problems with Thrips and Whitefly

Spotted the first signs of an outbreak of thrips or whitefly? The natural enemy Amblyseius swirskii can help you fight these infestations effectively. Well begun is half done!

A pack of Swirski Mite contains predatory mites of the species Amblyseius swirskii. These mites are no larger than a pinhead. They are mixed in with the carrier material, bran. This bran protects the predatory mites and at the same time makes it easier to scatter them through the crop. Scattering is the best method of dispersal in the case of a rapidly spreading infestation. If the infestation builds up more slowly, slow-release sachets are a more obvious choice. These are available in three versions: Swirski-Mite Plus, Swirski-Mite LD, and Swirski Ulti-Mite.

The Amblyseius swirskii predatory mite pierces a wide range of prey and sucks them dry. In this way, a mite attacks the young larvae of a variety of species of thrips and the eggs and larvae of whitefly.

The predatory mite does not necessarily need insects in order to survive; it can also build up its numbers on pollen. This is extremely useful as it means you can ensure there are enough predatory mites in the crop to tackle a pest as soon as it appears in the crop!