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How to Manage Pests:
Pest Management and Identification
Western predatory mite
Scientific name: Galendromus occidentalis (Galendromus=Metaseiulus=Typhlodromus)
Click on image to enlarge
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Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Acari
Family: Phytoseiidae
Common prey: Predaceous on spider mites in many crops including almonds and grapes
Commercially available: Yes
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Like other mites, western predatory mites 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.
Western predatory mites are about the size of twospotted spider
mites, but lack spots, range in color from cream to amber red (depending
on what they just recently consumed), and are shinier and more
pear-shaped than their prey. The shiny, oval eggs of the western
predatory mite are larger than spider mite eggs. In addition, predatory
mites are 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.
The preferred foods of western predatory mites are mites of all
stages, including eggs, but they also feed on pollen and other
food. The western predatory mite is commercially available and
is commonly released against Tetranychus spp. spider mites
such as the Pacific spider mite and the twospotted spider mite.
Effective control of spider mite pests has been documented in various
many crops and ornamentals. The western predatory mite tolerates
hot climates as long as the relative humidity is above about 50
percent.
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