per leaf and the mite population was about 6-8 per leaf. Popula- 

 tions such as these can be tolerated, especially this late in the 

 season: moreover, a certain number of prey are required to main- 

 tain populations of beneficial insects. The plan of the integrated 

 program is to regulate the pests below the economic level of injury, 

 but to allow sufficient numbers to maintain adequate predator and 

 parasite populations 



there were sev- 

 -"' were not 

 g, and 

 aceous 

 he presence 

 program 



An assessment of insect and disease damage to fruit was taken 

 by examining 4 bushels of apples of each variety from each block. 

 Red Delicious apples exhibited no difference in the amount of dam- 

 age, but Mcintosh apples from the integrated trees had more damage 

 from green fruit worm and plum curculio than those from the control 

 trees . 



Plans for Further Study 



Further experimentation in the 

 same block is being conducted in 

 1972 to examine the insect and mite 

 population dynamics in the integrated 

 trees as compared to control trees, 

 together with the resulting damage 

 in each situation. 



This past winter we laboratory- 

 reared a small, black ladybird bee- 

 tle, Stethorus punctum , (see photo) 

 and some predatory mites which are 

 predaceous on both European red and 

 two-spotted mites. These beetles 

 were released in our experimental 

 orchard this spring. 



The Ladybird beetle Stethorus 

 punatum feeding on a two- 

 spotted bpiaer Mite. 



