• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.254-258
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• 2017

Mushroom mites have recently caused severe damage to sawdust beds, mushroom mycelia, and fruiting bodies; therefore, they have reduced the production of the button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, in greenhouses. There are currently no registered pesticides for mushroom mites. It is necessary to selectively control mushroom flies and mites without affecting the growth of the mushroom. We examined biological control of mushroom mites using predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus in button mushroom cultivation. As a result, a three times treatment (1 treatment after water cleaning, 1 treatment after fungus inoculation, and 1 treatment before or after casing) was most effective at controlling mushroom mites, with 3.000 predatory mites (3 bottles) scattered evenly over $165-230m^2$ every 1-2 m. Predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus could control mushroom flies and mites at the same time and could be used at any time during cultivation.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2018

A mass-rearing method for a soil-dwelling predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) was developed using the double box system. The rearing box consists of two, outer (22 L, $54{\times}36{\times}18cm^3$) and inner (6.5 L, $31{\times}22{\times}11cm^3$), plastic boxes. Inner box was filled with chaff (rice husks) which is used as the shelter of the predatory mites. Outer box contained 1 L of water and the inner box, then covered with a lid. This system prevents the predatory mites from escaping as well as keeping moisture of the shelter. In addition, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), as prey mites of S. scimitus, was reared on the rice bran as a food source using the same double box system. The both mites were reared at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $60{\pm}10%$ relative humidity condition. The prey mites were provided once a week. The density of predatory mites increased three times for four weeks and the final population was approximately 120,000 individuals/box (4 L). This is a simple mass-raring technique of S. scimitus and helpful for the biological control of soil pests.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2019

For greenhouse crops, thrips is one of the major insect pests, but its control is difficult owing to short generation time, rapid escaping behavior, and development of pesticide resistance. Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) is a soil-dwelling predatory mite attacking various soil invertebrate species, including thrips. Using the method by growers' self-production, we mass-reared S. scimitus colony and investigated thrips control in the greenhouse chrysanthemum. The initial density of thrips was six individuals/flower. The treatment with one S. scimitus box in the greenhouse was estimated to be $1,000individuals/m^2$. From August to September 2018, the greenhouse was released with a total of 10 boxes of S. scimitus. The density of thrips in the untreated and the treated cultivar was $53.7{\pm}7.0$ and $13.5{\pm}1.7$ on the late September, respectively, which indicated a reduction of 74.9% in the treated cultivar. Our results suggest that S. scimitus was highly effective for the control of thrips in the greenhouse chrysanthemum although temperature is very high during the summer season.