hypoapsus miles (predatory mites) eating the beneficial pillbugs?

[Link]

This is taken from a website about predatory mites for use in snail enclosures.

here is the link:

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache...oaspis+miles+pillbug&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

This is the quote from the faq of the site:

"Are there any risk to other tank inhabitants, such as woodlice?


Picture courtesy of Krister Hall
There have been lab tests to see if they are effective against woodlice:

"Currently under investigation is the potential for these mites to impact root mealybugs (Rhizoecus arabicus and other Pseudococcidae family members), sow bugs and pill bugs, a.k.a. rolly-pollies (Portcellio spp. and Armadillidium vulgare, respectively), and even a fungus-eating mite. The control of sow bugs looks like it's a lab thing only unfortunately. I've yet to hear positive feedback from the field." 2

Personally I think adult woodlice are not under threat because of their size but juveniles are. Size, speed and accessibility are all factors. If Hypoaspis can catch something that isn't too much larger than themselves, they'll eat it.

If woodlice are important to your tank habitat, I'd recommend removing them temporarily if you wish to use Hypoaspis as a curative or simply keep adults only"







Is there any merit to this? I was wanting to get some H. miles for my naturalistic tanks as a preventetive measure, as well as control some grain mites in my small sling enclosures. I will probably still get them for the slings, but my naturalistic enclosures all have pillbugs (which do an amazing job), and I don't want the mites to eradicate all of the pillbug babies. What should I do??

edit: apparently i misspelled their scientific name, it's Hyoaspis miles not hyoapsus miles

 

[Cirith Ungol]

It's "Hypoaspis miles" actually, unless it was changed recently (one never knows with these things).

These predatory mites are only going to stay in the tanks as long as there is food for them. So putting them in there in a preventative capacity is not going to do you much good. Give something in the order of ten days and the majority will be dead. They need a constant supply of food.

They'll very likely not do a thing to mature pill bugs. I'm not even sure they'll go after small ones. Hypoaspis eat mainly other mites and their eggs and I'd be surprised if they went after much else other than that specialized food source, and even if they didn't the pill bugs will far outlive the mites and just go on like normal. They (mites) also eat springtails, or their eggs.

 

[Link]

Sorry. I did indeed butcher the sci name.

I read that H. miles will opportunistically feed on other things if there is little to prey on, such as pollen and carrion.

 

[Triopod]

Do they look anything like this? This is from a wild caught culture I have and they weren't like this to my knowledge a few days ago.

 

[l4nsky]

I've asked a similar question before. @boina gave me a lot of really good information.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/predatory-mite-question.315892/#post-2890275

Thanks,
--Matt