This research was aimed at evaluating the association and concentration of predators mites in the mate-tea tree Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. (Aqüifoliaceae) with or without phytophagous mites. This study was conduced at Dois Vizinhos, State of Paraná, from August 2001 to July 2002, in a mate-tea tree commercial plantation. Leaf samples from different parts of the plant were taken monthly, and the number of mites was counted in laboratory. Two species of phytophagous mites, Dichopelmus notus Keifer and Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor), and three species of predator mites Euseius concordis (Chant), Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma, and Agistemus sp. were related to the mate-tea plant. The association of E. concordis and I. zuluagai to the leaves with D. notus, the association of Agistemus sp. to the plants with D. notus and a higher population density of E. concordis and I. zuluagai in plant with D. notus were observed.
biological control; Tetranychidae; Eriophyidae; Phytoseiidae; Stigmaeidae
