FREE DELIVERY FOR ALL ORDERS OVER £50 (Excluding Bumblebee Colony Orders & Product Subscriptions)

Hypoaspis miles - Loose Predators - Sciarid / Fungus Fly Curative System


Size

What Are Hypoaspis Miles Mites & How Can They Help Combat Pest Infestations?

Hypoaspis miles, also known as Stratiolaelaps scimitus, are small predatory mites that inhabit the soil or compost surface around the plant stem. These predators will feed on the eggs and larvae of Fungus / Sciarid flies and Thrip pupae.

Hypoaspis can last for around four weeks without a food source which makes them an ideal predator for early introduction. This early introduction can be highly beneficial in prohibiting the break out of Fungus Flies or Thrip, especially at the seedling stage, as the larvae are prevented from developing. When pests are present each Hypoaspis mite can consume around eight Fungus / Sciarid Fly Larvae per day. 

When Should I Apply Hypoaspis?

We advise using loose Hypoaspis when Thrip or Fungus Flies have been identified on your plants, or ideally before they have infested your plants, but have been caught on your nearby sticky trapsHypoaspis will control elements of the pest cycle that occur directly in the compost or soil, but will very rarely venture onto the plant itself. We would therefore further encourage you to utilise sticky traps in combination with our predators to gain the best protection against pests in these areas. See our range of sticky traps here to acquire this additional protection. 

What Conditions Do Hypoaspis Require?

Hypoaspis are suitable for use in moist conditions, both in greenhouses or on outdoor growing media. They will not tolerate standing water, however. For optimal results the soil should be moist (but not too wet), and preferably rich in organic matter. If wishing to boost your soil with the necessary organic matter, see our Soil Boost Fertiliser.

The minimum temperature for successful use of Hypoaspis is 15℃.

How Many Hypoaspis Mites Do I Need?

Dragonfli advise the following rates of application for Hypoaspis miles:

- Preventative application – 100 per square metre

- Moderate infestation – 200 per square metre

- Heavy infestation – 500 per square metre

How Do I Apply The Hypoaspis?

Hypoaspis miles are supplied in a compost for easy application amidst the soil and base of your plants. Simply turn and gently rotate the bottle when evenly spreading the predators on the compost or soil around the base of the plant stem

Full application instructions are provided on delivery.

When Will I Need To Replace The Predators?

The predators will begin consuming the pests immediately and, providing the conditions are optimal, will continue to feed and reproduce until the infestation is controlled. If you cannot see that pest numbers are reducing after around 7 days, you may need to apply more predators to completely eradicate the infestation.

Can I Store Hypoaspis Mites?

We advise using Hypoaspis straight away upon delivery, this ensures best results as the mites will be fresh.

Combine Application Of Hypoaspis With More Dragonfli Predators For Better Protection Against Thrip

Hypoaspis primarily focus on feeding the egg and larval stages of Fungus/Sciarid Flies. It will also attack Thrips pupae in the soil, but cannot be relied upon alone for Thrip control. Hypoaspis does, however, enhance biological control when used in conjunction with other predators feeding on Thrips directly on plant foliage. See our dedicated page of Thrip predators here and select which predators suit your specific infestation needs.

Use Taurrus As A Superior Alternative To Hypoaspis When Combating Snake Mites

Hypoaspis has been recommended by some, in the snake-keeping community, for control over Snake Mites. We would advise instead for the use of our specifically bred Taurrus mites for combating Snake Mites. Taurrus has been specifically designed for this purpose and achieves more convincing results. See our available Taurrus sizes here.

Also Find Our Fungus Fly Killer Nematodes For Total Control Over Fungus Fly

Fungus Fly Killer Nematodes will enter the larvae of Fungus Fly via a natural opening, like the mouth, and feed on the contents of the larvae. A natural bacterium is produced by the nematodes inside the larvae, which kills it. Infected larvae will be completely broken down by the nematodes. The nematodes also reproduce inside the larvae, releasing more nematodes into the surrounding area. 

Utilise these nematodes in combination with your Hypoaspis miles for the complete protection against Fungus Fly infestation. The Fungus Fly Killer Nematode product listing can be found here.

Chemical Pesticides

Hypoaspis is a living creature and can be affected by any chemical pesticides used within the previous few weeks. As a general guide, refrain from using Natural Pyrethrum or SB Plant Invigorator 2 days prior to use. Other chemical insecticides can have long lasting residues that could harm Hypoaspis and other predatory mites for much longer periods. Refrain from using these products or check with Dragonfli for information on the effect of these products on the predatory mites.

Allergy Information

Just as you can be allergic to cats, pollen, and dust mites, it is also possible to be allergic to the natural substances in predatory mites, feeder mites, and supplementary feeding products. If you are not allergic, but come into close and prolonged contact with certain substances, you could still develop an allergy.

Click here for advice on on the precautionary measures you can take to prevent or reduce any allergic reactions caused by the type of products mentioned above.

Customer Reviews

Based on 7 reviews Write a review

Customer Reviews

Based on 13 reviews
92%
(12)
0%
(0)
8%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
B
Betty
Didn't work for me

Over a week since my first dosage- I think there were maybe one or two areas of plants in my flat that have seen a reduction, but certainly a net increase of fungus gnats in my face/in my tea/on my guests haha. No noticeable effect on thrips but based on the description I wasn't expecting them to take them down anyway. Willing to experiment again with these in future, perhaps in the warmer months, though my place is definitely way over 15 degrees. For now I'll stick with nematodes for gnats, which have worked well for me in the past. Trying some leaf dwelling mites for my thrips. Fingers crossed!

Hi Betty,

Many thanks for your feedback. I'm sorry to hear that you weren't completely satisfied with your order. Fungus Fly are a real pain aren't they!

I would say that the Hypoaspis predators are more of a background protection for any Fungus Fly, Thrip or Springtail infestations. They're handy predators to have active in your plant soil due to their generalist approach to feeding on multiple soil dwelling insect pests, but if Fungus Fly infestations are severe, for instance, we would always recommend an application of our Fungus Fly Killer Nematodes. They will seek out and kill larger quantities of Fungus Fly larvae and bring numbers down more quickly. I'd suggest applying these in combination with some of our Sticky Traps to catch the adult flies simultaneously.

In terms of the Thrip, it's great to hear you're giving some of our specialist predatory mites a go. Again I would recommend these dedicated Thrip predators for severe infestations of Thrip as the Hypoaspis will only feed on the Thrip pupae. Hypoaspis can be used in conjunction with nematodes and other predatory mites too, so if you are wishing to maintain this baseline level of protection provided by the Hypoaspis you can continue to do so.

I hope this helps but of course if you ever need any further advice please just give us a shout and we'd be more than happy to help.

Kind regards,

Julian Ives [Director, Dragonfli]

D
David

No more fungus gnats after 7 days!! Nice work.

C
Christopher Hunt
Great

Very helpful and friendly service, would definitely use again, doe's that little bit more to help and advise. 10 out of 10.

S
S.P.

A1

A
Azariah
Perfect non-chemical pest control

I always buy these Mites when needed due to my love for house plants and war against Fungus Gnats.

Let Nature fight Nature instead of Chemicals destroy Nature. Highly recommended.