Dutchy’s® are predatory mites from the Laelapidae family that are found in the wild in large parts of Europe. They live in the soil and hunt various soil organisms. When these predatory mites are released into the cages, they fight pests, including blood mites. They hunt the pests all day, kill them and then eat them. It’s only a matter of time; the predatory mites will almost always emerge victorious from the battle. Life cycle
Dutchy’s® are about 1 mm in size. They have a teardrop-shaped body, are light-colored and very agile. They feed on various organisms, such as the larvae of small mosquitoes, springtails and various types of mites, including blood mites. The eggs are laid on the ground or in another suitable place. After a few days, the larvae hatch, which after a number of moults eventually become adult predatory mites. Dutchy’s® eat an average of five blood mites a day. If they are introduced in time, they can often prevent the development of an infestation. They are also able to control a heavy infestation, but must then be used in larger numbers.
If you have applied Dutchy’s®, it is possible that after a few days you will notice more blood mites than before, which is because the predatory mites drive the blood mites out of their hiding places and thus make them visible. However, the predatory mites continue to hunt them and this effect disappears after a short time. Dutchy’s® can also survive a period of food shortage. However, they will not reproduce and will eat each other if necessary. However, they cannot harm the birds. If the food shortage continues, they die out after a few weeks. An adult predatory mite lives for an average of 6 weeks. Habitat
Dutchy’s® prefer to live at a temperature of 15 to 25 ºC. If the temperature is below or above this value, they go into a dormant phase. They then wait until the conditions become more favorable and then go hunting again. However, they must not be exposed to frost, otherwise most of them will die. The predatory mites are delivered in plastic bottles with plenty of scattering material. The bottles contain approx. 2,500 (10 doses), 5,000 (20 doses) or 10,000 predatory mites (40 doses). Check this material with a magnifying glass to see how the predatory mites move between the grains. The litter material should be spread in small heaps in sheltered places in the cage. In the first two weeks, the predatory mites will return to these piles every day to meet and mate. Many eggs and larvae also remain in the litter, all of which can still hatch and develop.
To determine exactly how the material must be applied and what dosage is required, please refer to our specific instructions for use. Dosage
For light infestations of bird mites, one filling cap (bottle cap) of litter material per square meter is sufficient.
For medium infestations, it is better to apply two filling caps (bottle caps) of litter material per square meter, and for heavy infestations, three filling caps (bottle caps). These heaps do not need to be spread evenly over the area. The side areas are well suited if you stick to the specified quantities. Calculate the square meter area and spread the material on at least one side. Have you calculated the required quantity? Use of chemicals
We strongly advise against using chemical control agents just before or after using Dutchy’s®. These substances have a detrimental effect on the population development of predatory mites and can even destroy the population if the predatory mites come into contact with residues of these substances. It is recommended to wait at least 6 weeks after the application of chemical agents before using Dutchy’s®. If the nests are hung in previously chemically treated bird cages, this is not a problem if the nests themselves are untreated. It is then advisable to only release the predatory mites in the nests. Use of garlic
It has been established that the addition of garlic to the feed can be harmful to the development of predatory mites. Tests and samples have shown that the blood mite and the tropical bird mite are not affected, but that predatory mites are sensitive to it. Various customers have noticed a reduced effect of Dutchy’s® after using garlic, so its use is not recommended.
