These are live insects and MUST be shipped OVERNIGHT. No USPS or ground shipping.
| INFESTATION | QUANTITY | TIME PERIOD |
| Light to Moderate | 1 per 10 sq. ft. | bi-weekly |
TARGET PESTS: Fungus Gnats, Shore Fly, Thrips, Springtails, and Root Aphids.
DESCRIPTION: Dalotia coriaria are light to dark brown in color; adults are 3 - 4 mm long and are slender with short wing covers.Rove beetles have an interesting habit of curving the abdomen upwards like scorpions and can run or flywhen disturbed.
Dalotia coriaria is a native species of soil-dwelling rove beetle, which feeds on small insects and mites (e.g., shore flies, fungus gnats, moth flies, springtails, root mealybug crawlers, aphids, spider mites). Both adults and larvae are aggressive active predators and are attracted to decomposing plant or animal material and algae where their hosts are found. Since they actively fly, they rapidly colonize the release area.
LIFE CYCLE: The complete life cycle takes 21 days at 21°C (70°F). The eggs hatch in 3-4 days into young larval stages. Each Dalotia consumes 10-20 preys per day. The larvae resemble the adults; pupal chambers are constructed out of silk. Adults live for 21 days and are non-diapausing under greenhouse conditions. Atheta populations will naturally fluctuate throughout the growing season depending on host numbers.
RELEASE RATES: 0.5-1 per sq. ft.
Atheta is most effective while numbers are still low (below 10/trap/week), or when applications are started before fungus gnat population becomes well established. One application of Atheta per crop cycle is usually sufficient
if started early in the season.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS: It is likely that foliar sprays are less harmful than soil drenches, depending upon how much pesticide reaches the soil surface. Microbial pesticides, such as Vectobac® (BTI) will not harm Atheta.