It is used in biological pest control of western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) in cucumber[2] and some other greenhouse crops.

[3] The mite has a pear-shaped translucent pinkish or tan-coloured body (depending on what it has most recently been feeding on) and grows to a length of between 0.5 and 1 mm (0.02 and 0.04 in).

It varies in morphology over its wide range and has been described numerous times under different names, and it is very difficult to distinguish it from other species of predatory mite.

It is widely available commercially and can be distributed round the crop in sachets suspended from the host plants.

[1] As the predatory mite most widely used in biological control of thrips, N. cucumeris has produced excellent results in plants with pollen, such as the sweet pepper.