Adult Orius will eat all mobile thrips stages (larvae and adults), spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies. The nymphs mainly eat thrips larvae. Adults and nymphs can survive on pollen and be supplementary fed with NUTRIforce™.

Do not store the adults or nymphs in the bottle for more than 8 hours.

Hold at moderate humidity between 50-60°F.

Release Orius at sundown the day of receipt. Gently rotate the bottle to distribute the predators evenly within the carrier to release. Next, open the bottle in the crop area and gently tap out the predators and their carrier directly onto the foliage of the infested plants or evenly throughout the crop if the infestation is widespread. Some could fly out on their own. 

If they begin to exit too quickly or dispersal control is not manageable, re-secure the cap between release points. Concentrate their bulk at release points on or near the most heavily infested plants. For any that will not readily come out of the bottle, tuck it into the foliage of a plant, preferably one with a heavy pest population.

The most significant indication that they are working in the crop will be the lack of pests after release. Adults can sometimes be found in the crop with diligent scouting. If Orius are found on sticky cards, that indicates a healthy population.

The nymphs will undergo diapause if the day length is below 12 hours- supplemental lighting can be used to counteract this. Even with a short day length and no supplemental lighting, Orius can treat thrips hotspots. However, if they lay eggs, the resulting nymphs will diapause in that situation so that no establishment would occur. Flowering plants with pollen help sustain their populations. They may bite but are not medically significant and will not cause any lasting harm.

Live-Product: Beneficial Insectary strives to guarantee the live delivery of the freshest organisms to our customers. We offer replacements or credits for any compromised shipments to our customers that report any issues or concerns within 24 hours. These issues or concerns must be relayed before releasing any organisms that are suspected of having viability issues. Please do not discard the product. You may be requested to return the shipment for further analysis.

Establishment of BCAs in Crop Settings: Many variables can negatively or positively impact BCA and pest populations in various crops we work with (pesticide applications, watering practices, improper storage methods, cultural/physical/mechanical controls, etc.). Some beneficial organisms require a steady pest presence as a food source to build their population. Others may require alternate food sources, such as pollen or nectar as an example. While other BCAs have specific photoperiod requirements for success. Due to these variables, we cannot guarantee the long- or short-term establishment of the BCAs we sell after the release of the organism(s). We will not offer refunds, discounts, or other credits on products that have already been released. Please adhere to our “Live-Product” disclosure.