Their generation time is short and they build up in numbers in response to increasing pest populations. Alternate food, including pollen, nectar, and very small insects allow phytoseiid mites to survive in orchards even when pest mite numbers are very low. Typhlodromus pyri is a second species found in Midwest apple orchards. It has characteristics similar to A. fallacis . Several generalist predatory insects feed on orchard mites, including lacewing larvae, lady beetles , and predaceous bugs such as damsel bugs and minute pirate bugs .
Predatory thrips are tiny, slender, black insects that can be locally important mite predators.
Probably the most important predatory insect is a tiny black lady beetle, Stethorus punctum . Stethorus has been shown to be one of the most important spider mite predators in Pennsylvania orchards, but is not consistently abundant in orchards throughout much of the Midwest. In the next issue I will discuss the impact of orchard pesticides on these predators. Return to Contents Menu Vol.