Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comments. I've been reading many references on two-spotted mites. Most say that they overwinter on the ground, in leaf litter, etc. Some of them say that they MAY also overwinter under bark, predominantly on the lower trunk. Since these were found at 5-6 feet high, it seemed a little unusual. Do you see them overwintering high on trunks in New Jersey? Thanks, Lorraine Lorraine Los Fruit Crops IPM Coordinator Plant Science Department, U-4067 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 06269-4067 (860)486-6449 (Phone) (860)486-0682 (Fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Peter W. Shearer Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:44 AM To: Apple-Crop Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: overwintering mites Hi Lois, Your assumption is correct. Overwintering two spotted spider mites are orange while McDaniel mites assume a yellow appearance while overwintering. Sometimes if populations are high in the fall, the mites will congregate in the calyx end and remain there in storage. I have not seen McDaniel mites in the eastern US (its not to say that they are not here, though). On another note, sometimes predatory mites will overwinter in the same areas as the two-spotted and McDaniel mites, and occasionally "snack" on nearby pestiferous mites. Peter On Feb 21, 2007, at 11:25 AM, Los, Lorraine wrote: Hello all, A Connecticut grower brought me an apple and a piece of apple bark that appear to have overwintering (orange form) two-spotted spider mites. The clusters of orange mites are in the calyx end of the Melrose apple and on the underside of the piece of bark (also from a Melrose tree) taken from the trunk approx. 5-6 feet above the ground. The samples were taken on 11/17/06. I am assuming these are twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae, but also wondered if there are other mites to consider. Also, is the McDaniel mite (T.. mcdanieli) only found on the west coast of North America? Thanks, Lorraine Lorraine Los Fruit Crops IPM Coordinator Plant Science Department, U-4067 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 06269-4067 (860)486-6449 (Phone) (860)486-0682 (Fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dr. Peter W. Shearer Extension Specialist in Tree Fruit Entomology Rutgers University Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center 121 Northville Road Bridgeton, NJ 08302-5919 (856) 455-3100 ext. 4110 (856) 455-3133 fax
