Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: General pests
Agent introduced: Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Parasitiformes: Laelapidae) = Hypoaspis miles
Imported:
Not applicable - indigenous to New Zealand
Import notes:
Nielsen et al. (2025) - Stratiolaelaps scimitus is a mite that is indigenous to New Zealand. The laboratory population used to supply the commercial product "Hyper-Mite" (an augmentative biocontrol agent) was developed from a wild New Zealand population.
Release details:
Bioforce 2020 (accessed 26 Feb 2026), Nielsen et al. (2025) - inundative releases of S. scimitus, as the commercially available product "Hyper-Mite", for augmentative biocontrol programmes, are ongoing.
Impacts on target:
Bioforce 2020 (accessed 26 Feb 2026) - Stratiolaelaps scimitus, a predatory soil-inhabiting mite that is commercially available in New Zealand under the product name "Hyper-Mite", is used as an augmentative biocontrol agent in Integrated Pest Management programmes. [Augmentative biocontrol involves the mass-rearing and periodic inundative release of natural enemies to manage pest populations on a short-term basis.] It feeds on fungus gnats (flies in the families Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae), shore flies [Ephydridae], thrips pupae, other insects, mites and nematodes in soil and growing media. It has also proven effective against the pollen cap mite (Tyrophagus neiswanderi) in cymbidium orchids. While effective against thrips pupae in soil, S. scimitus alone does not provide adequate thrips control. Combining it with other inundatively-released biocontrol agents commercially available in New Zealand - Neoseiulus cucumeris (under the product name “Mite-A”) and/or Orius vicinus (under the product name “Orius”) - enhances thrips management significantly. Stratiolaelaps scimitus is valuable in greenhouse vegetable and ornamental crops, including bulbs, as part of Integrated Pest Management strategies.
References
Bioforce (2020). Bioforce Ltd https://www.bioforce.co.nz
Nielsen M-C, Barratt B, Thompson C, Chhagan A, Puketapu A, Horne P, Vereijssen J (2025). Augmentative biological control of invertebrate pests in Australasia: experiences from down under. Biological Control, Vol. 210, November 2025, Article No. 105895 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105895
