Apple-pest-management
Guides
Mastrus
Mastrus is a genus of ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) containing parasitoid species that attack lepidopteran hosts, particularly tortricid moths. The genus includes species of significant agricultural importance as biological control agents, notably M. ridens and M. ridibundus, which parasitize the codling moth (Cydia pomonella). Species in this genus are gregarious ectoparasitoids that attack host larvae during the cocooning/prepupal stage. Research has focused on their olfactory host-finding mechanisms, thermal biology, and integration into conservation biological control programs.
Zetzellia mali
apple mite, Zetzellia mite
Zetzellia mali is a predatory mite in the family Stigmaeidae, widely distributed across apple-growing regions of the world. This small arachnid serves as an important natural enemy of phytophagous mites in orchards, particularly targeting spider mites (Tetranychidae) and eriophyid mites. The species exhibits a three-generation annual life cycle in temperate climates, with adult females overwintering in protected locations on host trees. While less efficient at population regulation than some competing predatory mites such as phytoseiids, Z. mali contributes significantly to biological control in integrated pest management programs.