Chemicals applied in commercial agricultural systems such as vineyards often limit diversity and populations of predatory arthropods, lead to resurgence and resistance of pests, and create imbalances in predator and prey dynamics. Exploration of arthropod fauna on untreated plants could uncover resident species that may be used for biocontrol efforts in managed vineyards. Sampling of commercial vineyards in wine growing appellations of eastern Washington in 1999-2000 revealed a complex of predatory arthropods, including phytoseiid mites, leafhopper parasitoids, predaceous thrips, and several generalist predators. To discover whether chemicals used in commercial vineyards are limiting predator diversity and/or populations, seventeen abandoned or unsprayed vineyard sites were sampled monthly from June-Sept. 2001 in grape growing regions of eastern Washington. Species composition, abundance and populations dynamics will be discussed.
Keywords: phytoseiidae, Vitis spp
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA