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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425606
Research Project: New Technologies and Strategies for Managing Emerging Insect Pests and Insect Transmitted Pathogens of Potatoes

Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research

Title: Biological control in potato with the whirligig mite: prospects and challenges

Author
item OHLER, BONNIE - Washington State University
item Cooper, William
item Horton, David
item WATERS, TIMOTHY - Washington State University

Submitted to: Potato Progress
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2025
Publication Date: 6/1/2025
Citation: Ohler, B.J., Cooper, W.R., Horton, D.R., Waters, T.D. 2025. Biological control in potato with the whirligig mite: prospects and challenges. Potato Progress. 25(1):2025 https://www.nwpotatoresearch.com/consortium-info/potato-progress.

Interpretive Summary: Previous work by ARS and university scientists indicates that a small, red predatory mite known as whirligig mite is an important predator of potato psyllid on weedy plants near potato fields. Its potential role in controlling the psyllid and other potato pests in commercial potato fields is unknown. USDA researchers in Wapato, WA in collaboration with a scientist at Washington State University evaluated through research and literature review whether whirligig mite deserves attention as a source of biological control in potato fields. Our conclusions are the mite likely would be an effective predator of multiple pests in fields, but that loss of the mite population every year due to cultivation and soil fumigation in preparation for planting means that the predator must recolonize fields every spring to be effective. We discuss methods to help re-establish the mite in fields via by providing mite-friendly habitat near fields, or by augmenting populations through purchase and release of insectary-produced specimens.

Technical Abstract: Anystis baccarum is a predatory mite known commonly as whirligig mite or Crazee mite, that is receiving increasing attention as a source of biological control for pest aphids, mites, thrips, leafhoppers, whiteflies, and psyllids in orchards, row crops, and greenhouses. In this paper we provide a brief overview of our research on whirligig mite in the potato growing region of Washington State, including observations on its predatory activities, seasonal phenology, and monitoring. One conclusion from this research is that whirligig mite could be an effective natural enemy of arthropod pests in potato fields if it were present. Monitoring of commercial potato fields, however, indicates that the mite is not abundant in fields. Standard field practices in preparation for planting such as cultivation and soil fumigation likely are very harmful to any resident Anystis, meaning that the predator would have to re-colonize fields every spring to be effective. We discuss practices possibly available to growers, such as conservation of mite-friendly habitat adjacent to fields or actual augmentation of populations via release of insectary-produced mites, as tactics which might be used to ensure presence of Anystis in commercial fields.