So I want to raise spider mites
and their predators, mostly to rear and produce those predators for myself and others to use instead of poisons and near-poisons on their crops.
There is a document in Missouri by Whalon about rearing predators of spider mites on bean plants, infesting them and letting the predators loose on those as you move bean plants in and out.
Then you can take the bean plant that has the predators on it to your other crop.
I found another in BC where they sicced the mites on Lima beans then set the plants out to collect and count the indigenous predators that killed them.
The problem in getting them for most people isn't the cost, but the fact that they insist on shipping it overnight or second day air, which makes sense.
I see a small grow tent to hold bean plants, spider mites, and predators - many of which are temp and humidty sensitive, so that has to be controllable somewhat. And probably another to raise new bean plants in (we have a short summer here, so I will have to do this indoors, underground if I can arrange it. under the HID sun).
The answer, for environmental reason as well perhaps, is to produce them locally.
If anyone can tell me anything, or has any thought, about building an "insectary", perhaps a greenhouse, maybe outfitting a bedroom (she thought my raising worms on the back porch was bad...<G>
for that purpose, have at it, please.
