The “Standing Army” Approach
One of the challenges of biologically based Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is that natural enemies can only establish once pests are present. This head start allows pests to reproduce, causing plant damage, increasing the time and expense required for pest control and sometimes solicits chemical correction as an interim solution. Chemical residues may then delay natural enemy release and establishment hence increase the required application rate of natural enemies.
The “Standing Army” approach provides alternative, supplementary nutrition to natural enemies, allowing them to establish and multiply in the absence of prey. If you fortify your troops, they will be ready to put up a fight when pests arrive.
Insect Feed
BioBee offers a variety of highly nutritious supplementary feed for a wide range of natural enemies. In 2019, BioBee launched BioArtFeed, a premium quality feed based on decapsulated Artemia cysts, with extraordinary long viability, post application. BioArtFeed is also unique as it provides suitable feed for all the key predator groups: predatory mites, predatory bugs and mirid bugs. BioBee made BioArtFeed available as a combo with either BioSwirski or BioOrius, allowing the simultaneous and precise application of both feed and natural enemy.
In 2020, BioBee launched BioArtLine. The patent-pending, innovative delivery system is a 100-meter tape bearing fine lines of BioArtFeed, glued on the edges of both sides of the tape. This product functions as a multi-purpose platform: a feeding station which attracts, feeds and facilitates mobility of the natural enemy as well as offering shelter (domatia) and oviposition sites.
Alternative diets for mass rearing predatory insects & mites
There are many possible alternative diets for mass rearing predatory insects and mites, some are more costly than others. The level of effectiveness also varies. BioBee offers an array of high-quality feed to help in your endeavors. BioMedFeed is one of the highly nutritious feed for predatory insects, based on inactivated, frozen Medfly eggs. This patented feed is a cost-effective alternative to Ephestia eggs, especially suited to mass rearing of minute pirate bugs and Mirid bugs.
