Biological Control Agents
Beneficial organisms combined with careful scouting, account for more than 80% of Sweet Valley’s pest management program. Biological pest control is a method of controlling pests such as aphids, mites, thrips and plant diseases using other organisms. Here’s a list of some of the critters we use to keep your plants healthy. If you happen to see some of them on your plants, don’t worry. These creatures are here to help!
CALIFORNICUS
NEOSEIULUS
Benefits
We use Neoseiulus californicus for the biological pest control of spider mites and broad mites.
Description
The mite 0.04 mm long is pinkish red to pale white color with six legs. Males are smaller than females. The larvae are translucent. Females lay 2-4 eggs a day. Eggs take 1.5-4 days to hatch depending on temperatures. Adult predatory mites, nymphs and larvae actively search for their prey and consume them.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with insects that look like this. These insects are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
COLEMANI
APHIDIUS
Benefits
Aphidius colemani, from the wasp family, helps us with the biological pest control of aphids.
Description
Adult female parasitic wasps lay their eggs parasitically in the aphids, causing them to swell and harden into leathery, grey/brown mummies. The first adult parasitic wasps emerge through a round hole at the rear of the mummy approximately 2 weeks after introduction.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with insects that look like this. These insects are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
CUCUMERIS
NEOSEIULUS
Benefits
We use Neoseiulus cucumeris to help with the control of thrips, spider mites, and broad mites.
Description
The mite has a pear-shaped translucent pinkish or tan-coloured body (depending on what it has most recently been feeding on) and grows to a length of between 0.5 and 1 mm (0.02 and 0.04 in). Adult predatory mites actively search for and feed on their prey.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with a sachet that looks like this. These biologicals are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
EREMICUS
ERETMOCERUS
Benefits
We use Eretmocerus eremicus for the biological pest control of whiteflies in larval stage 2 and 3.
Description
Adult female parasitic wasps parasitize the second and third larval stage of the whitefly. Additionally, host feeding also occurs.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with a strip that looks like this. These biologicals are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
FELTIAE
STEINERNEMA
Benefits
We use Steinernema feltiae for the biological pest control of shore fly larvae and thrip pupae.
Description
After application, the nematodes actively search for their prey and penetrate them. The nematodes feed on the contents of the prey, excreting specific bacteria from their digestive tracts as they do so. These bacteria convert host tissue into products that the nematodes can easily ingest. The larvae die within a few days.
What to Expect
These biologicals are very small and are hard to see without magnification. They are more likely to be found in the soil.
Watch Video
FORMOSA
ENCARSIA
Benefits
We use Encarsia formosa for the biological pest control of whiteflies in larval stage 3 and 4.
Description
Female adult parasitic wasps parasitize the third and fourth larval stage of the whitefly. Additionally, host feeding also occurs.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with a strip that looks like this. These biologicals are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
PERSIMILIS
PHYTOSEIULUS
Benefits
We use Phytoseiulus persimilis for the biological pest control of spider mites.
Description
Phytoseiulus persimilis feeds on all stages of spider mites, but has a preference for eggs. The predatory mites pierce the eggs and consume the contents. Adult Phytoseiulus persimilis also attack adult spider mites but the smaller development stages only feed on smaller prey stages.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with insects that look like this. These insects are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
SCIMITUS
STRATIOLAELAPS
Benefits
We use Stratiolaelaps scimitus for the biological pest control of egg, larvae, and pupae of fungus gnats.
Description
Adults and nymphs feed on larvae of sciarid flies and other soil based insects. The mites appear in and on the soil and at the base of plant stems. Stratiolaelaps scimitus rarely transfers on to the plant itself. The reduction of the infestation level occurs at a slow but steady rate.
What to Expect
Some of your plants may arrive with insects that look like this. These insects are safe and can be left on your plants.
Watch Video
SWIRSKII
AMBLYSEIUS
Benefits
We use Amblyseius swirskii for the biological pest control of both thrips and whiteflies.
Description
Adult predatory mites search for their prey or wait for it to pass by and subsequently feed on their prey.
What to Expect
