Neoseiulus Californicus

Neoseiulus californicus is an effective predatory mite of a wide array of pest mites. N. californicus is <1mm long, pear-shaped and buff to tan colored. Males are much smaller and darker brown than females, with females generally more numerous. Their eggs are oblong, transparent and white to dirty-white in color. The female lays oval, clear whitish eggs, singly or in small clusters on leaf undersides, often on leaf hairs or at the vein junctions. The rate of development from egg to adult is temperature dependent under greenhouse conditions and ranges from 4-10 days.
Neoseiulus californicus establishes well, even when pest numbers are scarce. It is able to feed on various species of prey and on alternative such as pollen. N. californicus is highly tolerant to a wide range of temperatures, both high and low as well as to low humidity and dry conditions.