Persimilis was the first predatory mite used as a pest management product. It is the most ferocious webbing spider mite predator known, but as a Type I predator these are their only prey. They can be identified by their long front legs and red bodies. Persimilis eat up to 35 food units (a spider mite egg or adult) per day while laying 4-7 of their own eggs per day. While extremely ravenous, they need very specific conditions for their eggs to hatch and create a reproducing population. This includes a consistent 70% relative humidity within the plant canopy. For many growers this is not ideal as many plants do not fruit or bloom well in that humid of an environment.
Because of these biological characteristics, they make a great predator for "hot spots"; smaller sections of crops that have a larger infestation of webbing spider mites. Using their ferocity to our advantage, they quickly reduce the small areas of higher infestation.
