Toxicity of Apple Orchard Pesticides to Agistemus fleschneri12

The toxicity of a variety of pesticides to the stigmaeid mite predator Agistemus fieschneri Summers was studied in laboratory and field experiments. Results indicated that predators were inherently tolerant to several organophosphate insecticides. Treatments of Dikar® [maneh (57.4%) + dinocap (4.7%)], dinocap, Plictran® (tricyclohexylhydroxytin), carbaryl, Omite® (2-( p-tert -butylphenoxy)cyclohexyl 2-propynyl sulfite), endosulfan, and phosalone were highly toxic to A. fieschneri . Tests indicated that several additional chemical treatments were intermediate to nontoxic to A. fieschneri and use of these materials in an integrated pest control program may allow predators to persist in apple orchards and provide biological control of destructive spider mite pests.