European minute pirate bug for western flower thrips
In pollen-bearing crops such as sweet pepper, strawberry, gerbera and aubergine, Biobest introduces the bug preventively as soon as the crop flowers, so a population builds on pollen before thrips arrive. Adults take every thrips stage, including the adults that predatory mites leave alone. Young nymphs take only larvae. Koppert advises combining it with generalist predatory mites and not using it in tomato. Thrips pupate in the soil, out of its reach.
Before you order
Released into flowering greenhouse crops against thrips. It eats every stage including adults and survives on pollen between prey. Its suppliers are European; Koppert's US range carries Orius insidiosus instead. How it works, how to tell it has established and the supplier list are on the full Orius laevigatus profile.
How many do I need?
Area and infestation level in; quantity, cost and a weekly schedule out. Open the calculator →
Other controls for western flower thrips
- Amblyseius cucumerisPredatory mite · 50–100 /m² per release (Koppert); UC IPM: 10–50 mites per plant, weekly; or sachets
- Orius insidiosusPredatory bug · 1–2 /m² per release; up to 10 /m² in hot spots
- Amblyseius swirskiiPredatory mite · 25 /m² preventive, 50 at first detection, 100–300 on hot spots (Cornell); sachets repeated after four weeks
- Stratiolaelaps scimitusPredatory mite · 100–500 /m² of compost surface per release (Koppert); once at planting (UConn) or repeated once or twice (Koppert)
- Metarhizium brunneum strain F52Microbial — insect-killing fungus · Label rate — granules 1.5–3 lb per cubic yard of potting mix; liquid drench 4–8 fl oz per 10 gal
- Beauveria bassiana strain GHAMicrobial insecticide (fungus) · Label rate — 1–2 qt per 100 gal (BotaniGard ES / Mycotrol ES) or 1–2 lb (22WP)