PEST CONTROL: Predator Bugs

Just Spider Mite killer

These predatory mites are shaken over the infected leaves or poured into a distribution box and hung on high or taller plants. The predatory mite reproduces at twice the rate of red spider mite at 18 degrees Celsius and eats the eggs, young and adults of the spider mite. JUST SPIDER MITE should only be applied after red spider mite have been observed and works better with higher humidity. Phytoseiulus persimilis are also more effective indoors. In optimum conditions it will consume more red spider mites than Amblyseius

Important facts:
Supplied as young and adult predators in shaker bottles
of 500 or 2000 insects contained in a vermiculite carrier
material, which should be shaked or poured onto the infected
areas of red spider mite damage.
For narrow leaves or tall plants hang the D-Boxes enclosed with
your predators.
Phytoseiulus require temperatures between 16 & 20C (61 & 68F) to
be active and reproducing.

Always release your predators as soon after receipt as possible.

Product		Price
Just Spider Mite Bags 10 plants	2500 Amblyseius andersoni 250 mites per bags	£ 26.95
Just Spider Mite Bags 50 plants	12500 Amblyseius andersoni 250 mites per bags	£ 95.00
Just Spider Mite Killer small	500 Phytoseiulus persimilis mites per bottle	£ 18.95
Just Spider Mite Killer large	2000 Phytoseiulus persimilis mites per bottle	£ 28.95
Just Spider Mite Killer Prevent small	500 Amblyseius californicus  mites per bottle	£ 19.95
Just Spider Mite Killer Prevent large	2000 Amblyseius californicus mites per bottle	£ 39.95

Just Sciarid (Fungus Fly) Killer

The young  are small, 4-6mm long, white larvae (maggots) with black heads, these can be found in the top few millimetres of the growing media.

Adult scairids are 3-4mm long, black, midge like flies that can be seen jumping or hovering over the soil surface. 

They are likely to be found in the greenhouse or around houseplants where the grow media is moist and warm, and where algae may have developed on the surface. The damage caused at high levels is damaging. They are also very irritating in high numbers with clouds of flies swarming over the growing area Seedlings are nibbled off at the base of the stem or just below the soil level. Roots of cuttings are eaten away. Damaged plants may succumb to rot.

 

Product		Price
Just Sciarid (Fungus Fly) Killer 12m²	6 million Steinernema feltiae per tub	£ 21.95
Just Sciarid (Fungus Fly) Killer 100m²	50 million Steinernema feltiae per tub	£ 34.95
Just Sciarid (Fungus Fly) Preventative	10,000 Hypoaspis sp. mites per tube	£ 23.95
Just Sciarid (Fungus Fly) Preventative	25,000 Hypoaspis sp. mites per tube	£ 41.95

Just Thrip Killer

Small, slender insects about 2-3mm long when fully grown. The adults have two pairs of narrow wings fringed with long hairs, the wings are held along the back when at rest.
Colours range from pale yellow to black, dependant on species.

Thrips feed on cell sap by piercing the leaf or flower bud with their mouthparts. These tissues then become mottled or flecked and are subject to dehydration, in severe cases they appear to have been scorched.

When leaves or buds expand they may become distorted or torn, forming "Windows" in the tissue. 

Thrips can often be found in large groups near the veins on the under-side of leaves.

JUST THRIP KILLER contains the predatory mite; Amblyseius cucumeris.
This tiny mite feeds on the thrip larvae or young. It is supplied
in a slow release bag or shaker bottle. The slow release bags produce
a high number of mites over 6-8 weeks and can be hung on plants. This
is recommended for preventative or low infestation treatments. The
shaker bottle is for spot treatments of thrips and can be shaken
over infected leaves where thrip larvae are present.
JUST ORIUS is a new product containing the predator; Orius lavigatus. This insect will feed on the larvae and adult of thrips.
It will also feed on aphids. It is only suitable for use indoors.

Product		Price
Just Thrip Killer loose	10,000 Amblyseius cucumeris mites per bottle 500 mil	£ 21.95
Just Thrip Killer loose	50,000 Amblyseius cucumeris mites per bottle 500 mil	£ 36.95
Just Thrip Killer bags Preventative	8 bags of slow release Amblyseius cucumeris	£ 21.95
Just Thrip Killer bags Preventative	40 bags of slow release Amblyseius cucumeris	£ 31.95
Just Orius small	500 Orius leavigatus (adults/nymphs) in a bottle	£ 49.95
Just Orius large	2000 Orius leavigatus (adults/nymphs) in a bottle	£ 119.95

Just Aphids Killer

Aphids are small soft bodied insects, which range in colour from yellow-green to dark-green, purple, brown and black dependant on species and the time of year, their bodies are pear shaped. 

They live on plants in dense colonies and have both wingless and winged forms. 
Aphids feed on plant sap and excrete "honeydew" on which growths such as sooty mould often develop. They normally feed at shoot tips, which restricts and deforms plant growth.

Sooty mould reduces the amount of light reaching the plant leading to leaf yellowing and defoliation.
Aphids have a number of parasites that attack them, one of these is Aphidius Colemani, a tiny parasitic wasp.

Aphidius colemani lays eggs inside aphids, these aphids then swell, turning brown and appearing leathery. After about 10-14 days, the first mummies can be observed, from which new Aphidius colemani will hatch.

They will then fly around a greenhouse or conservatory looking for further aphids to parasitize. They are very efficient at finding individual or new colonies of aphids.

The insect Chrysoperla carnea, more commonly known as a Lacewing, is at its larval stage an effective predator of aphids. It has also been observed eating other pests like Thrips, Red spider mite and Moths eggs. each larvae can consume up to 50 aphids a day.
 

Product		Price
Just Aphidius	250 Aphidius colemani pupae per bottle for preventative aphid control	£ 21.95
Just Lacewings	200 Chrysoperla carnae per bottle for control of aphids	£ 26.95

Whitefly

Adult whiteflies (see picture left) as their name suggests are white in colour. They resemble tiny moths and are about 3mm long. When they are not flying (which they do profusely when disturbed) they can usually be found on the undersides of leaves. 

Young whitefly look like clear scales and can also be found on the undersides of leaves

The whitefly eggs (scales) laid on the undersides of leaves feed by sucking sap. These scales excrete a sticky "honeydew" which falls onto the leaves and fruit below.

Sooty moulds often develop on this "honeydew" and plants under attack appear to lack vigour.

Encarsia is a tiny black and yellow parasitic wasp about 1mm in length. Adult females lay their eggs into whitefly scales.

An adult female will lay up to 60 eggs during her short lifetime of 10 to 14 days. Whitefly scales that have been parasitised by Encarsia turn black after about 10 days. Development from egg to adult takes about 28 days at 20°C or 14 days at 30°C.

Product		Price
Whitefly	Encarsia	£19.50

 

Just Vine Weevil Killer

The larvae or grubs are "c" shaped (below), creamy white with a brown head and no legs and are found in the growing media. The first sign of damage can be the plant wilting due to insufficient roots being left to support it. The larvae are normally active in the spring and late summer/early autumn but can sometimes be found all year round in heated greenhouse or conservatories.

The adult vine weevil is dull black colour with a pear shaped body. They feed at night and make distinctive cut marks on leaf edges. Female adults lay hundreds of eggs which develop into larvae.

The safest and easiest way to control vine weevil is by treating with nematodes. The larvae can be controlled by pathogenic nematodes from the Heterorhabditis species or the Steinernema species.

Just Vine Weevil killer contains nematodes, which kill the vine weevil larvae.

The nematodes are watered into pots, compost or soil and once in contact with
the vine weevil larvae they enter the body releasing a bacteria which kills
the larvae or grub.  The nematode feeds on the bacteria digesting the grub
and reproduces inside the larva or grub eventually releasing many more
nematodes to search for other vine weevil larvae.

Infected vine weevil grubs or larvae go brown and die within 2-3 weeks.

Just Vine Weevil Killer should be applied in the spring and autumn to catch
the vine weevil larvae.  Applications in the spring can be made after the
soil or compost is above 5C (41F)which is usually March onwards.  The second
treatment can be made from Mid August to October.

Applications can be made to compost in pots or open ground, where vine weevil
larvae are present.

See below for product pack combinations to cover Spring and Autumn treatments.

Avoid applying nematodes in bright conditions;
apply in dull weather or early evening.

Product		Price
Vine Weevil	Heterorhabditis	£ 19.95

Just Slug Killer

Slugs will eat about twice their own body weight each day. An average slug weighing 0.1oz will consume a staggering 1.75lbs of plant material in a season!

Slug damage can be recognised by the irregular holes with smooth edges they make on leaves and nearby will be evidence of their slime trails. They are particularly fond of succulent seedlings, which when left unprotected, can be totally destroyed in a single night. They will attack the leafy parts of salads, fruits, vegetables and ornamentals often boring holes into crops such as potato and strawberry.

Many slugs live underground and this is where we target the biological control using nematodes.

Just Slug Killer contains microscopic worms (nematode species Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita).

These tiny microscopic worms seek out slugs an kill them. This happens when the slugs are underground, mainly in the day.

The nematodes are watered into the soil and enter the slugs releasing a
bacteria, which stops them feeding and kills them within 3 days.

The nematodes use the slug to reproduce in, eventually releasing many more
nematodes to find more slugs to kill.
Safe to use, harmless to children, pets, birds and wildlife and will control
all common species of slugs up to 8cm (3 in) in length.
Continues to work in wet weather and is active from 5ºC.

Provides control for up to six weeks; for continued protection re-apply after
this time.
These nematodes will kill snails if they come into contact with them but this
is more difficult as snails feed on the surface.

Product can be used from March to October.

Nematodes should not be applied in bright sunlight, apply during dull conditions
or during the evening.

Product should not be applied close to ponds, or water snail populations can be affected.

Product		Price
Slug Killer	Nematodes	£ 19.95

Just Scale Killer

There are two distinct groups of scale insects - soft scale and hard scale.The most commonly found soft scales are Coccus hesperidum -  the adults are 3-5mm long, green to brown in colour, oval- shaped and appear slightly flattened, and Saisettia coffeae - the adults are 5mm or longer in length, deep brown in colour and dome-shaped.

Hard scales have an armoured body, rather like a ladybird and do not produce honeydew. The biological control for these is not at present produced on a commercial basis in the UK, Defenders are therefore unable to offer a control for hard scale.

The symptoms are similar to those of whitefly or aphids. Soft scales are normally found congregating along leaf veins or stems. The scales feed on plant sap and produce large amounts of sticky honeydew. Large populations will cause yellowing of the plant and defoliation. The honeydew results in the growth of black sooty moulds which ultimately kill the plant.

Metaphycus helvolus is a small parasitic wasp about 2mm in length. The female is yellow in colour and parasitises the young stages of soft scale when they have settled on the plant. It is quite active walking quickly over the leaf surface.