BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF GLASSHOUSE SCIARID FLIES (BRADYSIA SPP) WITH THE PREDATORY MITE, HYPOASPIS-MILES, ON CYCLAMEN AND POINSETTIA

The predatory mite Hypoaspis miles was released from laboratory cultures into young crops of pot-grown cyclamen and poinsettia in six small glasshouses. Five different rates of release were used together with a control house. In both crops, rates of 55 mites per pot and above gave satisfactory control of glasshouse sciarids with no later resurgence of the pest. Mites persisted on the pots until the end of the trial, probably feeding on a residual population of sciarids. In separate tests, H. miles was found mostly in the top 1 cm of compost and persisted in horticultural compost for up to 7 weeks in the absence of food.