About
Founded in 1928, Associates Insectary is a grower-owned cooperative dedicated to providing complete pest control services to commercial citrus and avocado farmers throughout much of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
The production of beneficials at Associates Insectary is a continuous process, producing up to two million insects and mites each and every day. These beneficials are liberated regularly on over 10,000 acres of orchards owned by our grower-members.
- We are the ONLY U.S. PRODUCER OF MEALYBUG DESTROYERÂ BEETLES
- We have the experience in shipping large numbers of beneficials with no unacceptable loss
- Volume discounts
Our Insectary was originally established to raise the ladybird Beetle: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, (Mealybug Destroyer) which feeds voraciously on citrus mealybugs. In addition to raising Cryptolaemus beetles, we also raise the Rumina decollata, a predacious snail that feeds on its own cousin, the brown garden snail. To help avocado growers control the Persea mite, Neoseiulus californicus predatory mites are reare d at Associates Insectary. We help farmers tackle California red scales with beneficial wasps, Aphytis melinus.
Biological control alone may not provide 100% economical control of certain pests at all times and certain destructive pests have no effective natural enemies. To maintain high quality crops in these cases, our grower-members use these beneficials as part of an Integrated Pest Management program. This program greatly reduces the need for highly toxic pesticides to control pests. When Associates Insectary must resort to the controlled spraying of pesticides, only materials approved by the Environmental Protection Agency are used. Our staff of California licensed Pest Control Advisors recommend treatments using oils, insect baits and other selective materials which target pests and minimize the disruption of natural predators. Associates Insectary is dedicated to controlling orchard pests with the lowest possible impact on the environment.