This is one of the older Biological Controls, but still one of the best. It replaced A. barkeri about 20 years ago as the better compromise. Not as effective a Thrip predator as barkeri, cucumeris was chosen because it does not interfere with other Beneficials, most notably, P. persimilis.
On a cost basis, there is no other Thrip predator that even comes close. A. cucumeris prefers to feed on first instar Thrip larvae. They can sense the Thrip emerging from the leaf tissue and wait to bite the head off the emerging Thrip. They can also eat second instar larvae. Like many of its’ cousins, cucumeris is also a true generalist, capable of providing preventative control against the 2 Spotted Spider Mite, and still the preferred Bio control for the Broad and Straw Mites, it also eats Whitefly eggs and can survive on wind-blown pollen.
We sell cucumeris in 3 packages;

1. 50,000 bulk tube; 1 liter of Bran for sprinkling or broadcasting over a crop. It can also be applied in piles at the base of the plant if Atheta coriaria is not present. The pile however, is not recommended as both Hypoaspis miles and Gaeolaelaps gillespiei will also feed on it.
2. Slow Released packet; this small packet is designed to hang in the crop. It has a balanced population of A. cucumeris and the food mite Tyrophagus. When protected from sunlight and excessive moisture, the packet will release some cucumeris every day for up to 6 weeks, usually yielding about 5,000 cucumeris. This product was originally developed in England for use in the Hybrid Cucumbers because they do not produce pollen. It is important to remove these bags after 6 weeks as there is a chance that the food mite may persist, potentially causing damage to susceptible flowers.
3. 1,000 packet; this product is the same formulation as the tube and was created for hobbyists who could not justify the 1 Liter tube.

Our cucumeris is re-cultured and packaged immediately prior to shipping, thus ensuring a healthy logarithmic culture with a balanced sex ratio. We do not package in any size larger than 1 liter due to the significant aeration requirements of this species. If this product cannot be used immediately upon receipt, it should be laid on its’ side and kept in a cool, dark place. Any storage beyond a few days will result in an impaired culture, although mite counts will be acceptable for up to 2 weeks.