Species complexes of leaf-inhabiting mites on Prunus laurocerasus L. (Rosaceae) trees in Ordu, Turkey

Prunus laurocerasus L. (Rosaceae) is a summer fruit and evergreen species belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is also known as cherry laurel, common laurel, and sometimes English laurel. This plant grows naturally in the North- Eastern region of Turkey. The aim of the study was to investigate the mite species on P. laurocerasus trees in eleven municipalities (Altınordu, Akkuş, Çaybaşı, Fatsa, Gülyalı, İkizce, Kabadüz, Kumru, Perşembe, Ulubey and Ünye) of the Ordu province (Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey) in 2015 and 2016. Leaf samples were taken weekly from late April until early October in each year. At each sampling date, leaves were taken from different parts of the tree canopy, i.e. lower, middle and upper. The number of sampled trees was determined according to the total number of the trees in each orchard. Approximately 20 leaves per P. laurocerasus tree were taken. A total of eighteen mite species belonging to three orders, six families and twelve genera were identified including Phytoseiidae (7), Tydeidae (5), Tetranychidae (2), Stigmaeidae (2), Iolinidae (1) and Winterschmidtiidae (1) during the study. According to the results, P. laurocerasus trees have an especially rich fauna of beneficial mites probably due to lack of pesticide usage. Prunus laurocerasus L. (Rosaceae) is a summer fruit and evergreen species belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is also known as cherry laurel, common laurel, and sometimes English laurel. This plant grows naturally in the North- Eastern region of Turkey. The aim of the study was to investigate the mite species on P. laurocerasus trees in eleven municipalities (Altınordu, Akkuş, Çaybaşı, Fatsa, Gülyalı, İkizce, Kabadüz, Kumru, Perşembe, Ulubey and Ünye) of the Ordu province (Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey) in 2015 and 2016. Leaf samples were taken weekly from late April until early October in each year. At each sampling date, leaves were taken from different parts of the tree canopy, i.e. lower, middle and upper. The number of sampled trees was determined according to the total number of the trees in each orchard. Approximately 20 leaves per P. laurocerasus tree were taken. A total of eighteen mite species belonging to three orders, six families and twelve genera were identified including Phytoseiidae (7), Tydeidae (5), Tetranychidae (2), Stigmaeidae (2), Iolinidae (1) and Winterschmidtiidae (1) during the study. According to the results, P. laurocerasus trees have an especially rich fauna of beneficial mites