This study was was aimed at identifing the most likely location of the tan-mite (Dichopelmus notus Keifer) in mate-tea orchards and to study the influence of climate factors in its population fluctuation. The study was carried out in orchard of ten years, in the arrangement of 2.5 X 4.0m with height of 1.5 m, located in Chapecó, Santa Catarina state, Brazil. In three areas of approximately 2,500m², distant between itself about 100m, 30 plants had been selected randomly. Fortnightly, in the period of 27/01/2004 to 10/01/2005, were evaluated infestation of D. notus in 18 mature leaves of ten plants in each area, being six in the upper one-third, six in the medium one-third and six in lower one-third, three in each location of the crown, external and internal. The evaluations were executed directly in the orchard, using lenses with increase of ten times and 1cm² of fixed field. The results had evidenced that: the mites concentrate themselves in the external part of the plant in the upper one-third part of canopy as well as in the medium part one-third. The greatest infestation of D. notus occurred between February and April, not having been found significant correlation between the climate elements and the average number of mite for cm² of leaf.
mite sampling; Ilex paraguariensis; Dichopelmus notus
