The mites naturally eliminate harmful species of mites decimating farmlands in Columbia, allowing farmers to reduce the use of pesticides and meet ecological requirements for overseas exports.
The Bio-Bee company, based in Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu in northern Israel, will provide over the next year up to 600 million predatory mites (Phytoseiulus Persimilis) to farmers in Colombia. The mites naturally eliminate harmful species of mites decimating farmlands in Columbia, allowing farmers to reduce the use of pesticides and meet ecological requirements for overseas exports.
The Phytoseiulus Persimilis mite produced by Bio-Bee is almost twice as large as the harmful mites, and faster. Its daily menu consists of 7 mites. When it encounters a mite, it pursues it, pins its jaws into it and sucks out its insides. The Israeli-bred mite’s growth rate is faster than competing brands: it completes the life cycle from egg to adult in one week.
The distribution to farmers is done using bottles, each containing from 2,000 to 4,000 mites, which are spread over farmlands, greenhouses and fruit orchards. Their price is higher than their weight in gold – several thousands dollars for a few grams. The mites are kept in coolers, and as soon as they are released into the warm air they begin to proliferate. A single dose of the mites kills tens of thousands of pests every day.
By: JNi.Media