Weintraub, P.G., ARO, Gilat Research Center, Dept of Entomology, D.N. Negev 85280, Israel
Alchanatis, V., ARO, Dept of Sensing, Information and Mechanization Engineering, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Palevsky, E., ARO, Neve Ya'ar Research Center, Dept of Entomology, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel

Neoseiulus cucumeris is used for biological control of phytophagous mites such as the broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus), and thrips such as Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci on greenhouse cucumbers and sweet peppers. The distribution of N. cucumeris has been studied in cucumbers; however, information is lacking in sweet peppers. To determine the distribution of this predator on pepper plants, 500 N. cucumeris were released on each sweet pepper plant and allowed to establish. Samples of flowers, and leaves from the top, middle and bottom of plants were taken shortly after sunrise, noon and shortly before sunset, and placed in 80% EtOH. Data loggers recorded temperature and humidity from the same location as the leaf samples. In the laboratory, mites and western flower thrips were counted. Significantly more N. cucumeris were found on leaves in the middle and bottom of the plants at all hours as compared to top leaves. This is similar to the distribution of spider mites, Tetranychus urticae. When Orius spp. were not present, N. cucumeris were found in flowers with thrips; when Orius spp. were present, thrips, but not N. cucumeris, were found predominantly in the flowers. Implications of N. cucumeris distribution are discussed.