Safety of, and from, Hypoaspis mites?

[Vermis]

I discovered my second big mite outbreak yesterday (only scavenger mites AFAIK, but still), and after the very rapid realisation of the uselessness of my home-made sticky traps, I've thrown some money at a bio-control company to make the problem go away. But before the hypoaspis arrive, I've a couple of related questions:

I see that hypoaspis are used to control more than other mites. How discriminating are their tastes? In particular I'm thinking about trichorhina, morio worm, and fruit fly cultures.

How will the mites and other small predators react to eachother? I plan to put a few into each of my spiderling, scorpling, and mantid nymph containers. They should be too small to be viewed as prey by any but the smallest, right?
On the flip-side, what about the safety of those slings and mantids? After a search here I read one mention that they can harm moulting slings. Has anyone any more to say on that matter?

Thanks.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Who said they can harm moulting slings?
I doubt it. I've had predatory mites SWARMNG in my tartara colony incubation box. So the mites and the smallest ever roaches together in one incubator and I've never even seen a pred crawling on a roach by accident.

I know for sure that the preds will eat basically any other mite and also springtails. Not sure about the fruit flies. You'll have to try it out.

One way to get rid of H. miles is by drying out the substrate or by waiting 'til they've populated themselves to death so that there is no more food left.

 

[Sheazy]

me too...I wanna know

I am very curious about them as well. I only have mites on one of my T's, but it is too small for me to brush them off. I figured a pred. mite to track and kill the others would be good and not cause any injury to the T. Does anyone know where I can get them inside the US, or TX if not allowed to ship across state lines or borders? Would it be feesible to purchase pred. mites for one instance? I know it probably isn't, but given that mine is so small I thought it still might be worth it.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

I am very curious about them as well. I only have mites on one of my T's, but it is too small for me to brush them off. I figured a pred. mite to track and kill the others would be good and not cause any injury to the T. Does anyone know where I can get them inside the US, or TX if not allowed to ship across state lines or borders? Would it be feesible to purchase pred. mites for one instance? I know it probably isn't, but given that mine is so small I thought it still might be worth it.

Some big garden stuff suppliers will have them, also agricultural suppliers. A shipment to a private person might cost a little more but it's well worth it if it saves your T. You can try and cultivate your own (or sustain those you get via shipment) if you buy a bag of potting soil, put some in a plastic box and leave it in a damp and warm place. Exchange part of the soil every month to give the mites new food but don't put the old soil in with the new one (otherwise the preds are only gonna start eating everyting in that bag and eventually die.)

 

[Vermis]

Thanks Cirith. I'll scatter them well, then. But first, the rest of the day for cleaning out (and 'upgrading') my T cabinet...

I can't remember who mentioned the sling thing. It was one small comment in the middle of a larger topic, and I'd have to trawl through most of the 'hypoaspis' search results again to find out.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

I'd have to trawl through most of the 'hypoaspis' search results again to find out.

Don't bother. I'd have a hard time believing it even if you'd find the post.