Responses of Two Phytoseiid Mites to Pesticides Used in New York Apple Orchards

The toxicity of a number of orchard pesticides to the predatory mites Amblyseius fallacis (Garman), and Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten, was determined in the laboratory by use of the standard slide-dip technique. Results indicated that azinphosmethyl and endosulfan were non-toxic to both species. Chloropropylate, formetanate hydrochloride, dimethoate and Galecron, however, were extremely toxic to the species. Carbaryl, demeton, and phosalone were highly toxic to A. fallacis , but these materials were nontoxic to T. pyri . Several other pesticides exhibited either no, slight, or moderate toxic effect on A. fallacis and T. pyri . Use of these materials in an integrated pest control program may allow predators to persist in apple orchards and provide satisfactory regulation of phytophagous mites at economic levels.