I have identified about 9 phytoseiid mite species dwelling on the peach trees. I have also sampled the wild plant species that inhabit the ground vegetation and have found the same phytoseiid mite species that dwell on the peach leaves. Would there be any possibility that these phytoseiid mites move up and down the peach trees and the ground vegetation? How can I prove that these mites move between the ground vegetation and the peach leaves?
You a peach tree and put a sticky band on the stem just one feet above the ground .see the results.
Here is a method that has been used for spotted wing drosophila (http://vimeo.com/31701321), I don't know if it would work for mites: You spray the surrounding vegetation with egg white to mark the mites (good coverage is needed). Then you can recover mites from the trees later and analyze them with ELISA to detect the egg white protein.
Thank you Rosemarije, a very interesting method, never heard nor read it before but surely, its interesting. However, the only problem here would be, will it work for mites. Size wise, drosophila are a little bigger than mites hence am not quite sure if recovery rate would be 100% for mites. But thanx though, will try to consider your suggestion.
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