Predator mites/Ladybugs available locally?

[lampost]

Can you get predator mites or ladybugs anywhere locally?

If not, do you know of any hydro shops or garden shops that will order them for you? I wouldn't mind keeping some of these around just to ensure there won't ever be a problem...

lampost Reviewed by lampost on 01-18-2010. Predator mites/Ladybugs available locally? Can you get predator mites or ladybugs anywhere locally? If not, do you know of any hydro shops or garden shops that will order them for you? I wouldn't mind keeping some of these around just to ensure there won't ever be a problem... Rating: 5

[canaguy27]

Ace hardware on broadway and alameda had some ladybugs by the check out counter, but that was in the summer. Haven't been back since.

They had some preying mantis too.

[davo420]

Most hydro stores have these in stock.

Call around, but i know ive seen them at Indoor Paradise, Boulder and Denver hydro.

[DannyGreenEyes]

Most grow stores have lady bugs in stock. You have to call ahead & tell them you want predatory mites and they can usually order them for you. But predatory mites take time to colonize before they're really effective. Mite Destroyers or Pirate Bugs might be a better bet if you're short on time. The grow stores should be able to order them for you too.

[lampost]

Awesome, thanks fellas. I think I might get some ladybugs during flowering just to be safe, Maybe I'll check out some of those other bugs. I've heard ladybugs just fly into the light and die and they'll be gone in about a week...

[DannyGreenEyes]

They do fly into the light a lot. But if you keep the temp between 70 & 80 they don't do it too badly. One or two a day, and 1,500 only cost about $8.

If you don't have a bug problem, they're a great prevention, I use them myself. Even if you do get bugs after you get the Lady Bugs, the pests wont make a nest when predators are present. Plus the lady bugs will keep them on the edge of extinction for you so it's easier to wipe them out. (lady bugs wont kill off their food supply all together)

They do like to hide behind mylar or in corners though, so you'll want to start with about 500 per plant & try to find a way to keep them on the plants. Spraying your folliage at lights out works pretty good. But I'm still looking for a better way to keep them on the plants myself, I'm getting tired of picking & flicking them back onto the plants. lol

You can order food for them here. Pest Control Insects
Not sure how good the food is though. I just feed mine some raisins every few weeks (cut them in half and put them in thier water bowl - Water bowl is a bowl with cottom balls that I keep wet)

If you don't want them to fly into your light, just spray them with some sweet water when the light go out (a little molasses mixed in water). That will keep them from flying for a day or two so if you spray them every day, they wont be able to fly.

The best prevention though is getting no-thrip screens on all your intakes & exhausts. They're not expensive, just do a search on the net for no-thrip screens. There are a lot of companies that sell them to green houses, you just have to find one that sells in smaller qtys. I use them too, you can never be too carefull. There's a lot of mites in this state.

Hope that helps

[lampost]

They do fly into the light a lot. But if you keep the temp between 70 & 80 they don't do it too badly. One or two a day, and 1,500 only cost about $8.

If you don't have a bug problem, they're a great prevention, I use them myself. Even if you do get bugs after you get the Lady Bugs, the pests wont make a nest when predators are present. Plus the lady bugs will keep them on the edge of extinction for you so it's easier to wipe them out. (lady bugs wont kill off their food supply all together)

They do like to hide behind mylar or in corners though, so you'll want to start with about 500 per plant & try to find a way to keep them on the plants. Spraying your folliage at lights out works pretty good. But I'm still looking for a better way to keep them on the plants myself, I'm getting tired of picking & flicking them back onto the plants. lol

You can order food for them here. Pest Control Insects
Not sure how good the food is though. I just feed mine some raisins every few weeks (cut them in half and put them in thier water bowl - Water bowl is a bowl with cottom balls that I keep wet)

If you don't want them to fly into your light, just spray them with some sweet water when the light go out (a little molasses mixed in water). That will keep them from flying for a day or two so if you spray them every day, they wont be able to fly.

The best prevention though is getting no-thrip screens on all your intakes & exhausts. They're not expensive, just do a search on the net for no-thrip screens. There are a lot of companies that sell them to green houses, you just have to find one that sells in smaller qtys. I use them too, you can never be too carefull. There's a lot of mites in this state.

Hope that helps

Great info!

Yeah, it seems like a lot of people get them! Must be the arid climate...

So, do you have a problem with ladybugs getting around the rest of your house? My room isn't entirely sealed and they could crawl around boards or out cracks! Can't you put some in the fridge to put them in suspended animation and bring them back when you need them.

[DannyGreenEyes]

Yeah, they do get around. I have a piece of pleather (the type used on cheap couches) over the door, hung on 3 sides by velcro strips. No way to velcro the bottom. They find their way out under the make shift door from time to time & migrate to my rooting station near the door.

If you don't have solid walls, they will get around a lot faster. But if you spray them with sweet water every night at lights out, that slows them down a lot. They don't really like to walk long distances, and to a Lady Bug, 20 feet is a very long distance.

The sweet water makes their wings sticky and they can't get them open for a couple of days.

Mites & Thrips are bad in this state. When I first started I got spider mites, broad mites, and fungus gnats all at the same time while there was over a ft of snow on the ground. Taught me real quick to get screens or filters on the intake & exhaust. The lady bugs took care of 2 of them for me leaving me with the Broad Mites to get rid of, and it took forever, until I found out about petroleum, the only stuff that kills the eggs. After that it wasn't hard getting rid of them, but they were still a pain.

I can't stress the importance of screens enough, and changing your clothers after coming in from the outside & before coming in contact with your plants. Since I started to that I haven't seen hide nor hair of any pests, but I still keep the lady bugs around just in case.