Reports of severe infestations caused by southern red mites (SRM), Oligonychus ilicis McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), have increased in recent years in southern highbush blueberries (SHB). Currently, there is little known about the management of tetranychids in SHB, and only two miticides (fenazaquin and fenpyroximate) have recently been labeled for use in SHB. Oligonychus ilicis has caused up to 80%-100% losses in some blueberry plantings, and growers are looking for management tools for this new pest of blueberries. We report on injury to SHB from O. ilicis and the performance of seven miticides used to manage SRM populations, including spiromesifen, spiromesifen plus surfactant, vegetable oil concentrate, fenazaquin, "proprietary miticide" (referred to as Pro1), bifenazate, and fenpyroximate. Miticide efficacy was rated based on the number of SRM recorded on collected leaves and plant damage ratings using an arbitrary index (from 0 = no bronzing to 4 = 100% bronzing). Characteristic symptoms of leaf injury included purple or bronzed leaf color, leaf dryness and roughening. Fenpyroximate significantly reduced mite numbers three days after application. Additionally, plants treated with fenpyroximate or fenazaquin showed significantly less bronzing compared with the control plants. Overall, fenpyroximate and fenazaquin showed the best performance for the management of O. ilicis on SHB.Insects 2020, 11, 233 2 of 10 mild, dry and humid winters, when populations continue to grow without any diapause. They can complete one generation within two weeks under optimal conditions (25 ± 2 • C) on coffee and holly crops [9][10][11].Southern red mites are now one of the main pest species attacking blueberry plants in the southeastern US. They feed on plant tissues by inserting their chelicerae into the host and removing cell contents, resulting in a net photosynthesis rate decline due to chloroplast destruction [12]. Southern red mites can reproduce on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. Bronzed-colored leaves are the characteristic symptom associated with SRM injury in ornamental crops, and the intensity of the bronzing is proportional to the degree of internal leaf damage [12].Oligonychus ilicis primary hosts include several ornamental plants such as camellias, azaleas, and hollies, whereas only a few fruit plants have been reported as hosts for this spider mite, including coffee, strawberry, and cranberry, the only reported host in the genus Vaccinium [9-13]. This paper reports highbush blueberry as a new host of O. ilicis from north-central Florida. Additionally, the evaluation of various newly registered miticides for the control of SRM in a commercial SHB planting, as well as information regarding leaf injury and plant damage, is included.

Florida is a major producer of squash (Cucurbita pepo L., Cucurbitaceae) with approximated 16 % of the US production in 2019, valued at about 35 million USD.Major insect pests, including the sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn., MEAM1; Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and the melon aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover, Hemiptera: Aphididae) jeopardizes plant development and transmit viruses of economic importance that can cause up to 50% yield loss in organic squash crops.Pesticides are generally used for insect management in conventional squash, but the development of insecticide resistance and their non-target effects are major concerns. Organic growers have limited pest management tactics for insect pest management since pesticides are not allowed. A combination of non-pesticidal approaches was evaluated, including intercropping flowering plants, augmentation, and conservation biological control to manage key pests in organic squash.Refugia increased natural enemies around the squash; however, only a few beneficial arthropods moved from the companion plants towards the squash plants. Whitefly densities and squash silverleaf ratings were reduced, while natural enemies were more abundant when the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was released alone or together with sweet alyssum.All companion plants used in this study increased natural enemies, but only African marigolds and sweet alyssum ultimately increased biological control activities.

Amblyseius swirskiiAthias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a predatory mite used to control thrips (Thysanoptera), whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn., Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and broad mites (BMs) (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks, Acari: Tarsonemidae). Dispersal of A. swirskii, using the ornamental pepper “Explosive Ember” as a banker plant was evaluated for control of BMs in high-tunnel peppers. Open-canopy plants (5 weeks old) versus closed-canopy plants (10-weeks old) were used to evaluate the effect of plant connectedness in A. swirskii dispersal, in the presence (two females per plant) and absence of BMs. Plots consisted of a single central banker plant and four bell peppers extending linearly north and south. Sets of all treatments were destructively sampled 1, 4, and 7 days after releasing A. swirskii. Within 24 h, A. swirskii dispersed four plants away from the banker plants (1 m), regardless of the state of the canopy. Canopy connectedness did increase the presence of A. swirskii on the crop plants. Predatory mite numbers on closed-canopy treatments doubled within the 7-day sampling period, whereas no significant increase was observed on open-canopy treatments. The presence of BMs had no significant effect on the movement of A. swirskii. The results suggest further experiments with A. swirskii and banker plants for control of BMs is warranted.

Knowledge about the effects of pesticides on biological control agents is required in order to successfully implement integrated pest management programs. The predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot has been used to control thrips, whiteflies, and broad mites in vegetable production; however, effects of fenpyroximate, an acaricide and insecticide used in vegetable crops, on A. swirskii have not been evaluated. The effect of four residual concentrations of fenpyroximate on A. swirskii females was measured under laboratory conditions including its effect on their fecundity and larval survival. Fresh residues of fenpyroximate were significantly toxic to adult females and larvae. Mortality increased and fecundity decreased as the concentration (0.026-0.208 ml/50 ml of water) and time after treatment (24-120 h) increased. Fifty percent of the larvae survived on the two lower concentrations (0.026 and 0.052 ml/50 ml of water) after 120 h.