Species available O. laevigatus, O. majusculus, O. insidiosus

Type of use

Preventative and curative

Targets

• All thrips species
• Adults and Larvae

Conditions of use

• Temperature range > 11°C / > 54°F
• Optimum temperature 20°C to 30°C

Alternative sources of food

• Highly polyphagous – many small arthropod prey ic. eggs of Lepidoptera, spider mites, whitefly and aphids
• Pollen

Information

Oriline contains the predatory bug, Orius laevigatus, O. majusculus, O. insidiosus; depending on region

Orius has a long generation time and therefore is often released preventatively in low numbers in high pollen crops where it will establish by feeding on the pollen.  After a few weeks and a few generations the numbers of nymphs and adults will have increased to a number ready to control populations of thrips that build up or invade the crop.

As it is one of the only bugs large enough to catch and control adult thrips it can be released into hot spots as adults or nymphs to reduce established populations.

Females insert eggs into plant tissue, after a period of approximately 5 days at 20°C, the egg hatches and a small, orange nymph emerges. These first instar nymphs are superficially similar to thrips larvae, and can be mistaken for them with the naked eye when first seen.  During the course of development, the larvae darken from a pale orange to a light brown colour. The overall shape remains the same throughout development.

All mobile stages of Orius spp. are voracious predators. They will attack small arthropod prey of all types including eggs of Lepidoptera, spider mites, whitefly and aphids, and will also feed and complete their development on pollen This means they can also practice intraguild predation where it feeds on other beneficial insects on the plants, however the practice of augmentative biocontrol means there will always be enough of the ‘prey’ species breeding in the crop to sustain this small amount of predation.

Use on ornamental crops depends on the presence of pollen on the crop. In the presence of pollen, Orius will establish and offer protection. On cut flower crops, the tendency of Orius to roost and lay eggs in flowers may result in a large part of the population being exported with each harvest, and may result in poor establishment.

It may not work well in short daylengths and low temperatures: this is partly due to the incidence of diapause, but also the general slowing of development and reduction of survival at low temperatures. Also, poor or delayed establishment occurs on some crops such as cucumber where pollen is not present.

Orius characteristically hide in flowers, and in the terminal shoots of plants where the leaves are tightly pressed together.  O. laevigaus is more often found in the flowers, O. majusculus across the whole plant

Available as both adults and nymphs –  release adults where good spread is required and nymphs for hotspot control..

Available as

• bottles containing 500 or 1,000 adults and late instar nymphs packed in a buckwheat & vermiculite carrier. A protein food source in the bottles ensures optimal condition of the bugs on delivery.
• 2,000 1st and 2nd instar nymphs, for quicker establishment in the crop.

 

Rates vary from

• 1 per m2 for preventative control where pollen in present
• Low curative rates 2-4 per m2
• High curative rate 10 per m2