Abstract This study reports (1) a faunistic survey of phytoseiid mites observed inside a vine plot and in neighbouring vegetation (other vine plots and uncultivated areas) and (2) dispersal of phytoseiid mites into the plot studied. These data aim to raise some hypotheses concerning natural colonisation of a vineyard by predatory mites. The study was carried out over 3 years (1999, 2000 and 2001) in an experi- mental plot planted with two cultivars (Grenache and Syrah) and with Sorbus domestica in a framework of agroforestry investigations. Phytoseiid mites were collected in both cultivated and uncultivated areas surrounding the experimental plot, and their dispersal into the plot studied using ‘‘aerial’’ traps. Densities re- mained quite low compared to previous studies. The main species encountered in the uncultivated areas and in the traps was Typhlodromus phialatus. Despite the low numbers of phytoseiid mites trapped, densities of phytoseiid mites into the vine field increased during 3 years. Typhlodromus phialatus, the species mainly found in the neighbouring uncultivated areas, was rarely found in vineyards. Another morpho- logically close species was predominant on vines: Typhlodromus exhilaratus. However, Kampimodromus aberrans the main phytoseiid mite species in vineyards of Southern France was not found in the present survey. Hypotheses for this colonisation process are discussed. Keywords Phytoseiidae Æ Uncultivated areas Æ Vineyards Æ Typhlodromus exhilaratus Æ Typhlodromus phialatus Æ Kampimodromus aberrans M.-S. Tixier (&) Æ S. Kreiter Æ B. Cheval Æ S. Guichou Æ P. Auger Æ R. Bonafos Ecole Nationale Supe ´rieure Agronomique/Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unite ´ Ecologie Animale et Zoologie Agricole, Laboratoire d’Acarologie, 2 place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 01, France e-mail: garcin@ensam.inra.fr 123 Exp Appl Acarol (2006) 39:227–242 DOI 10.1007/s10493-006-9010-9 Immigration of phytoseiid mites from surrounding uncultivated areas into a newly planted vineyard Marie-Ste ´ phane Tixier Æ Serge Kreiter Æ Brigitte Cheval Æ Sabine Guichou Æ Philippe Auger Æ Romain Bonafos Received: 28 September 2004 / Accepted: 8 May 2006 / Published online: 28 June 2006 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006