Winter collections (November through January 2006–2007) of phytoseiid mites were made from dormant buds in 19 different sites of wild blackberry and 13 different farms with commercial blackberry. Twelve different species were collected from wild blackberry, with Metaseiulus arboreus (Chant) being the dominant species, collected in all plots except one, in which no phytoseiids were found. Eight of these species are considered Type III generalist feeders. In commercial blackberry, phytoseiids were not only less numerous, but M arboreus, collected in all plots except one in which no phytoseiids were found, was the only species except for a single specimen of Galendromus occidentalis (Nesbitt). The low diversity of phytoseiids on commercial blackberry may be related to the lack of diversity in plants, alternate foods and the adverse effects of dormant sprays.
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30 November 2012
Phytoseiidae on Blackberry in Central California
James A. McMurtry,
Edgar D. Show
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