Instructions for use for tropical bird mites

Dutchy’s ® against “tropical bird mites” (Ornithonyssus bursa)

Instructions for use

The application of predatory mites to control tropical bird mites should be carried out with great care. Please follow the instructions in this manual exactly. If the instructions are not followed correctly, the control may fail. The predatory mites use a heap of straw material as a meeting place for the first few weeks. This is where fertilization takes place and new eggs may also be laid. It is therefore very important that these heaps are maintained for several weeks and do not dry out. The predatory mites can be placed both in the aviaries and in the incubators.

In the case of an infestation with tropical bird mites, however, application in the nests is preferable.

Important instructions for application:

1. Hold the bottle horizontally and rotate it slowly around its own axis a few times. This distributes the predatory mites evenly throughout the material.
2. Use the dosage below to calculate how many piles should be spread.
3. For best results, place a moistening mat or sprinkle some potting soil (approx. 1 cm) on the bottom of the nest. Lightly moisten the mat or soil and place the bedding material (in small piles) on top.
4. It is important that the material is kept moist. If it dries out, many larvae and eggs will not survive and control will be less effective. We therefore recommend the use of small moistening mats.
5. Leave the heaps undisturbed for at least two weeks. Every day, predatory mites migrate from the heap into the nest or incubator.
6. It may also be useful to spread predatory mites elsewhere in the incubators. You can use distribution containers for this. You can attach these containers to the perches or outside the brood box. Fill the container with approx. 2 cm of moist potting compost and place the bedding material on top. The predatory mites will crawl out through the opening of the container and spread throughout the aviary.
7. Apply the material as soon as you receive it and use it all, as it is not possible to store it for any length of time without the predatory mites in the bottle eating each other.
8. Leave the empty bottle in the aviary for at least one day after application. If there are still predatory mites inside, they can crawl out during this time.

Dosage

At least one capful of litter material is required per nest to control tropical bird mites. It may be necessary to repeat the treatment after a few weeks. Depending on the intensity of the infestation and the temperature, it may be necessary to apply the treatment several times in one season. Do not leave out any nest, but always treat all of them consistently.

Durability

The predatory mites can be kept in the bottle for several days. To ensure this, the cap is fitted with a fine membrane. This prevents the predatory mites from crawling out, but oxygen can still get into the bottle. Always store the predatory mites in a cool place. The best storage temperature is 10 ºC. (A refrigerator is usually too cold!) The small sticker on the bottle informs you of the maximum expiration date.

Chemical agents

If chemical agents were used before the Dutchy’s® were released, it is quite possible that the predatory mites will become ineffective as a result. In many cases they even die prematurely. If you have used chemicals, you must wait at least six weeks before you can use the predatory mites effectively again.

Use of garlic

It has been found that the addition of garlic to the feed can be harmful to the development of predatory mites. Tests and samples have shown that blood mites and other bird mites are not affected, but that predatory mites are sensitive to it. Various customers have noticed a reduced effect of Dutchy’s® after the use of garlic, so that its addition should be avoided.

Place of application	Dosage	Repetition	Method
Incubator 40×40 cm	1-3 VK per incubator	Every 3 weeks	Spreading containers or humidification mats in the incubators
Incubator 80×80 cm	1-3 VK box	Every 3 weeks	Spreading containers or humidification mats in the incubators
Nest (for tropical bird mite)	1-3 UK nest	Every 3 weeks	Under or between the nesting material
Incubator	1-3 UK incubator	Every 3 weeks	Under or between the nesting material
* A dosage means 1 level cap. * The lowest dosage is applied at the beginning of a pest infestation or as a preventive measure. * The highest dosage is applied when the number of harmful mites is very high. * Moistening mats must always be covered so that the animals cannot scatter or otherwise disturb the material * The material must not dry out during the first 2 weeks – VK = 1 cap