An anystid mite, Anystis agilis (Banks) (Acarine: Anystidae) has been observed feeding on larval and adult citrus thrips, Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) in orange groves in River-side and Ventura counties. The mite has also been known to prey upon aphids and citrus red mites. This observation is important because citrus thrips is one of the two or three most important citrus pests in California, yet very little is known about its natural control. Since the population density of the citrus thrips varies widely from year to year and between different groves in the same year, natural factors not yet understood are operating to produce these observed fluctuations. Thus, this new ob-servation of A. agilis as a predator of citrus thrips is of considerable interest.

Drs. I. M. Newell, W. H. Ewart, and J. A. McMurtry of the University of California, Riverside, critically reviewed the manuscript; Drs. F. M. Summers of the University of California, Davis, and Edward W. Baker of the USDA, ARS helped in identifying the mites; and M. E. Badgley of the University of California, Riverside, took the mite photographs. This publication was sup-ported by the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency, through a grant (NSF GB-34718) to the University of California. The findings, opinions and recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the University of California, the National Science Foundation or the Environmental Protection Agency.