2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) This proposal will be geared at filling several holes in our understanding of biological control agents, both their phenology and which ones are key in helping stabilize pest populations during different parts of the season. Although we will emphasize BC of codling moth (CM) and leafroller (LR), our experimental design and data collection methods will provide information on a wide range of generalist natural enemies. We are choosing CM & LR to begin with for two reasons:. 1)both are key pests, and. 2)if we can maximize biological control of these two pests, we should be able to reduce the intensity of the management programs aimed at them, thus benefiting BC agents for a wide range of pests.. 1)Determine the effects of spring and summer insecticide sprays on beneficial natural enemy abundance, diversity, and phenology.. 2)Determine which predators are the key sources of codling moth and leafroller biological control based on predator gut content analysis, lab and field-cage feeding studiees and field survival estimates.. 3)Develop phenology models from intensive sampling data gathered in objective 1 forkey natural enemies and integrate those into WSU-decision aid system to enhance management recommendations. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) 1) Conduct intensive field sampling using new insect vacuum apparatus and using standard methods to identify seasonal occurrence of beneficial agents with and in the absence of insecticide sprays.. 2)Use PCR to detect specific prey in the guts of predators collected in obj. 1. Deploy codling moth and leafroller at various stages of the season and determine survival in the presence of insecticide disruption and in unsprayed control plots; measure impact of predation and parasitism in the survival. Use open and closed sleeve cages to measure natural predation and parasitism and enclose known numbers of prey with and without predators to determine predator impacts on codling moth and leafrollers.. 3)Use computer-based temperature driven development models and studies described here to include benefits of predation and parasitism on pest regulation and to risk-rate the pesticides that are recommended throughout the season. Documents Trust with WA Tree Fruit Research Commission. Log 32741. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Trust agreement between ARS and Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 5352-22000-017-00D 'Management of Insect Pests of Temperate Tree Fruit Crops'. We used a molecular method, ELISA, to determine if pear psylla remains occurred in the guts of potential predators of pear psylla. We found that two bug predators, a ladybeetle and a lacewing, all showed evidence of recent consumption of pear psylla. Also, for two predators, the percentage of predators feeding on psylla was related to psylla densities both within years and between years suggesting searching success may be limited by low prey density. ADODR STATEMENT: Monitoring of activities and progress on this project was accomplished by direct supervision of on site employees, and use of e-mail and telephone to communicate with off site collaborators.