Predatory mites are important biocontrol agents produced commercially to combat spider mites on many crops. However, control success by predatory mites is often variable and unpredictable, leading to limited adoption by growers. We hypothesize that rearing conditions experienced in commercial facilities result in poorly acclimated predators to novel conditions, resulting in poor retention and poor pest suppression in the field, which may explain some of this variability. We present results from field, greenhouse and EthoVision experiments comparing movement and dispersal of predatory mites reared on bean (i.e. the commercial model) or strawberry when released on novel hosts. The goal of this research is to provide recommendations to the biocontrol rearing industry to produce more predictable and higher performing biocontrol agents that may facilitate wider adoption of biocontrol by growers.
