Survey of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) and the European red mite Panonychus ulmi Koch in apple orchards of South Tyrol, Northern Italy

Abstract

In order to get detailed information about the population dynamics and densities of the tetranychid pest Panonychus ulmi (Koch 1836) and phytoseiid mites in apple orchards in South Tyrol (Northern Italy), investigations were carried out during four consecutive vegetation periods in 50 sites. Furthermore, a faunistic analysis of mite species, present during summer and wintertime, was realized. A total of seven phytoseiid species were found, whereas Amblyseius andersoni (Chant 1957) was an eudominant and the most frequent species on leaves and in branch-stub winter shelters. A. andersoni showed ubiquitous occurence and represented 80% of total determined specimens. A permanently presence of A. andersoni was observed in 85% of the orchards. Typhlodromus pyri (Scheuten 1857) and Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans 1915) were permanently present at 18.5% and 7.4% of the locations and their quantity constitute 12.8% and 5.8% of total phytoseiid count, respectively. Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor 1954) was found for the first time on apple trees in South Tyrol. Kampimodromus aberrans (Oudemans 1930), Paraseiulus talbii (Athias-Henriot 1960) and Typhlodromus bakeri (Garman 1948) occured sporadically and represented altogether less than 2% of total classified phytoseiid records.