any one know where to buy....?!

[codykrr]

ok i posted this in he tarantulas forum as well. ok im in serious need of some predatory mites, specifically H. miles. i keep finding mites in my enclosures mainly in the water dishes, theres very very tiny mites on the surface of the water. anyway if anyone has a link to buy hese for cheap id like it alot. im trying to get a grip on my situation here.

 

[Matt K]

If the mites you have are only cellulose mites, they are harmless. Grain mites are the ones to be concerned about.

That being said:
I got mine at http://store.evergreengrowers.com/prostores/servlet/Categories?category=Fungus+Gnat+Predators
and i was pretty pleased. As far as I know, that site has the best prices.

 

[Galapoheros]

Hi Matt, I can't find info on "cellulous mites", what do they look like? Cody do those things hop around on the water if you put your finger around there? If they're on top of the water floating around, sounds like Springtails to me. Harmless, might even be good things to have in there. I prob have H. miles but I still haven't found a company to send them to that would verify it for me, any suggestions?

 

[Endagr8]

Wrong section. Mites are arachnids.

It can't hurt to post this all over though...more advertisement. lol

 

[codykrr]

Hi Matt, I can't find info on "cellulous mites", what do they look like? Cody do those things hop around on the water if you put your finger around there? If they're on top of the water floating around, sounds like Springtails to me. Harmless, might even be good things to have in there. I prob have H. miles but I still haven't found a company to send them to that would verify it for me, any suggestions?

yes acually, pm Bill S he will gladly tell you what they are, as for te springtails, after looking agai and again i think that thats what they are! and i know mites are arachnids but i posted it there too also what are the benifits to haveing springtails in a tank? and what harm can they can o my Ts. also i read that some species are acually human parasites...any truth to any of this?

 

[Matt K]

...Looking for the PDF I had but can't find it just now....

Cellulose mites feed on decaying wood, but will eat decaying leaves, Eco-earth coco-bark products, or just about anything else plant related. For a mite they can be (a little big for a mite) or small, but usually are very pale and pretty mobile all the time.

Grain mites are slow moving or sedentary, normally ivory colored but can be black also. On an arachnid or insect they tend to congregate and seem stuck to the host so tight you either have a hard time removing them or cant remove them at all. The bieest problem with grain mites is that they will feed on anything but prefer fresh food or a live host, and will aggregate in or around openings for breathing and suffocate the livestock in question.

So, wandering all around but few or none on your livestock = cellulose mite.
Moving very slowly or gathering on food items, waste items, or livestock = grain mite invasion.

Hope this helps a bit- back to searching around my junk for a reference.

P.s.- in either case, Hypoaspis miles will eat both cellulose and grain mites until they are gone, and will devour gnat lavae until gnats are gone, springtails are mostly or completely gone, and any other tiny thing until gone!

 

[arachyd]

I've used H. miles with good success. I've never seen them cheap and they don't last long. When they run out of food they eat each other. This means that you can't just get the excess from someone who already has a colony of them because they aren't a thriving colony kind of animal. If $ is a concern the best way IMO would be to find someone else near you who would like to go halves with you on a small order.

 

[codykrr]

I've used H. miles with good success. I've never seen them cheap and they don't last long. When they run out of food they eat each other. This means that you can't just get the excess from someone who already has a colony of them because they aren't a thriving colony kind of animal. If $ is a concern the best way IMO would be to find someone else near you who would like to go halves with you on a small order.

well ive found 10,000 for 22 dollars....sure beats 1000 for 50 and man i live in the boonies....no one around here even knows about Ts and even if they do there pretty much like "eeewww"

 

[Galapoheros]

I need suggestions about where to send these mites for ID that I have. I'm convinced they are pred because I've watched them with a mag glass stab and carry off grain mites. I'd be glad to send them to people but I need to get a definite ID for them first. I've read Hypoaspis pred mites eat detritis until they come across what they like more. Arachyd, is that documented or your own personal experience that they die out fast? I'll be happy to finally ID these. I wouldn't be surprised if what I have are H. miles. I've had them in my roach containers for about 3 years. I've purposefully tried to infest my roaches with grain mites but they don't have a chance in there because these mites eat them, I've watched them. So if somebody knows a lab I can send a sample off to, that'd be awesome. If I can tag them by a professional saying these are beneficial predators, I could send them to people cheap.

 

[arachyd]

It is from personal experience (I've seen them eating each other), the package they come in says they are packed with a small amount of prey to keep them from eating each other, the site I ordered from has it posted http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/hypoaspis.html , and the rare times I've seen them offered at local nurseries they have a date stamp and a 2-week expiration date on the package. Maybe I should clarify about the cost. It isn't so much the price of the mites but the shipping is very high. Where did you find them for $22? How much is the shipping on that? If it is less than what I've paid I'll look into getting from there in the future.

 

[codykrr]

I need suggestions about where to send these mites for ID that I have. I'm convinced they are pred because I've watched them with a mag glass stab and carry off grain mites. I'd be glad to send them to people but I need to get a definite ID for them first. I've read Hypoaspis pred mites eat detritis until they come across what they like more. Arachyd, is that documented or your own personal experience that they die out fast? I'll be happy to finally ID these. I wouldn't be surprised if what I have are H. miles. I've had them in my roach containers for about 3 years. I've purposefully tried to infest my roaches with grain mites but they don't have a chance in there because these mites eat them, I've watched them. So if somebody knows a lab I can send a sample off to, that'd be awesome. If I can tag them by a professional saying these are beneficial predators, I could send them to people cheap.

i told you to pm Bill S he will glady take them and id them for you....

 

[Galapoheros]

I didn't catch that, never heard of that username. Is he a scientist?, a pro? OK I look into it thanks.

 

[codykrr]

as far as i know, he just likes doingit? not sure, but i know he knows his stuff about mites

 

[Galapoheros]

Ok, he prob really knows his stuff and I'll consider it. However I need like a "notary" kind of deal, a stamp of approval kind of thing so people will have more confidence. I'll hit up more universities and such, I haven't tried real hard. I usually haven't had to try so hard. I hit A$M and hit a dead end. ...prob got hold of the wrong person.