ARS Home
» Pacific West Area
» Wapato, Washington
» Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research
» People
» Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris
Rebecca Schmidt
Research Entomologist
Research Entomologist
Education:
Ph.D. Entomology, Washington State University, 2015
B.S. Biology, Washburn University, 2010
Research Interests
Dr. Schmidt-Jeffris’s lab focuses on biological control of arthropod pests of tree fruit, including apples, pears, and cherries. This includes determining pesticide non-target effects on natural enemies, augmenting natural enemy populations through releases, conservation biological control through landscape manipulation, and improving knowledge of the diversity and basic biology of orchard parasitoids and predators. Her goal is to decrease reliance on pesticides for arthropod control by increasing biological control efficacy through improved understanding of the biology of natural enemies and pests and manipulating agricultural practices to improve grower outcomes.
We are currently working on:
- Trechnites insidiosus, a parasitoid of pear psylla: understanding its basic biology, species distribution, phenology, host range, pesticide sensitivity, and improving monitoring methods
- Amblydromella caudiglans, a predatory mite: seasonal diet through gut content analysis and pesticide sensitivity
- Augmenting and conserving earwigs as predators in apples and pears
- Impacts of herbicides and orchard floor management on natural enemies
- Improving recommendations for augmentation of commercially available natural enemies in orchards, including natural enemy choice, release rates and timing, and testing drone applications
Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=9pCtNrAAAAAJ&hl=en)
Leadership
- Presidential line, Entomological Society of America, Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section (2019-2023)
- Program Co-chair, Pacific Branch Entomological Society of America (2019-2021)
- Subject Editor, Environmental Entomology (2019-present)
- Secretary, Entomological Society of America, Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section (2016-2019)
- Subject Editor, Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology (2017-present)
- Program Chair, Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America (2018-2019)
- Early Career Professionals Committee, Entomological Society of America (2015-2017)
- Co-chair representing the United States, International Congress of Entomology Student Affairs Committee, (2014-2016)
- Student Affairs Committee (2013-2015), Chair (2014-2015), Entomological Society of America
Recent Awards
- Samual J. Heyman Service to America Emerging Leader, Nominee for USDA-ARS, 2022/2023
- Early Career Professional Extension Award, Entomological Society of America, 2018
- International Organization for Biological Control Global Travel Fund recipient, 2017
- John Henry Comstock Award, Entomological Society of America Pacific Branch, 2016
- Richard and Constance Albrecht Scholarship, WSU Graduate School, 2015
- Mike and Kathy Hambelton Fellowship Scholarship Award, WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, 2015
- Student Activity Award, Entomological Society of America, 2014
- Robert and Mary Lou Harwood Student of the Year Award, WSU Entomology Department, 2014
- Student Leadership Award, Pacific Branch Entomological Society of America, awarded for leadership in the Branch, 2014
Laboratory Personnel:
Erica Moretti, Biological Science Technician
Daniel Hausler, Agricultural Science Research Technician
Extension Activities for Best Practices for Releasing Lacewings in Apples Cooperative Agreement (A) Accession Number:445790 
Integrated Approach to Manage the Pest Complex on Temperate Tree Fruits In-House Appropriated (D) Accession Number:439454 Factors mediating long term success in a biological control introduction Interagency Reimbursable Agreement (I) Accession Number:443824 Developing Best Practices for Releasing Lacewings in Apples Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R) Accession Number:446055 Biological Control of Insect Pests Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S) Accession Number:443633 Spotted Wing-Drosophila Areawide Project - Phase II Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S) Accession Number:441037 USDA-ARS/Washington State University Little Cherry Disease Research Partnership Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S) Accession Number:442287 What Factors Impact Mite Outbreaks In Pear? Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (T) Accession Number:442335 Tactics To Improve Natural Enemy Releases In Tree Fruit Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (T) Accession Number:440528 Calibrating Current NE Action Thresholds with Lure-Baited Trap Catch Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (T) Accession Number:444419 Best Practices for Releasing Lacewings in Apples Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (T) Accession Number:446053 Whirligig Mite: A New Biocontrol Agent for Apples and Pears Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (T) Accession Number:446054
- (Clicking on the reprint icon
will take you to the publication reprint.)
- Turning a pest into a natural enemy: Removing earwigs from stone fruit and releasing them in pome fruit enhances pest control -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Hanel, A., Orpet, R., Hilton, R., Nottingham, L., Northfield, T., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Turning a pest into a natural enemy: Removing earwigs from stone fruit and releasing them in pome fruit enhances pest control. Insects. 14(12). Article 906. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14120906. - Seasonal activity of Trechnites insidiosus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and its host Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in pear -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Zilnik, G.L., Cooper, W.R., Horton, D.R., Orpet, R., Nottingham, L., Hilton, R., Adams, C., Dickens, K., Halbert, S., Snyder, J., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Seasonal activity of Trechnites insidiosus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and its host Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in pear. Journal of Economic Entomology. 116(6):1957-1968. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad199. - Meta-analysis of herbicide non-target effects on pest natural enemies -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Zilnik, G.L., Bergeron, P., Chuang, A., Diepenbrock, L., Hanel, A., Middleton, E., Moretti, E.A., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Meta-analysis of herbicide non-target effects on pest natural enemies. Insects. 14(10). Article 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14100787. - Control of brown mites in apple with miticides, 2020 -(Trade Journal)
Moretti, E.A., Hanel, A., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Control of brown mites in apple with miticides, 2020. Arthropod Management Tests. 48(1)2023:tsad 109. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsad109. - Control of brown mites in apple with miticides, 2021 -(Trade Journal)
Hanel, A., Moretti, E.A., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Control of brown mites in apple with miticides, 2021. Arthropod Management Tests. 48(1)2023;tsad110. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsad110. - A fruitful discussion: field tour gathers insect biocontrol community-(Popular Publication)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Ludwick, D., Whitener, A., Smith, T., Diepenbrock, L. 2023. A fruitful discussion: field tour gathers insect biocontrol community. Entomology Today. June 28, 2023. - Herbicides harm key orchard predatory mites -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bergeron, P.E., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Herbicides harm key orchard predatory mites. Pest Management Science. 14(5):480. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14050480. - Nontarget pesticide impacts on pest natural enemies: Progress and gaps in current knowledge -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Nontarget pesticide impacts on pest natural enemies: Progress and gaps in current knowledge. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 58. Article 101056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2023.101056. - Updating integrated mite management fifty years later: comparing laboratory pesticide susceptibility of a “new” generalist predatory mite to a cornerstone specialist predator -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bergeron, P.E., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2023. Updating integrated mite management fifty years later: comparing laboratory pesticide susceptibility of a “new” generalist predatory mite to a cornerstone specialist predator. Pest Management Science. 79(10):3451-3458. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7518. - Trechnites insidiosus: What you need to know about this pear psylla natural enemy-(Popular Publication)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Zilnik, G.L., Dupont, T.S. 2023. Trechnites insidiosus: What you need to know about this pear psylla natural enemy. Miscellaneous Publishing Information Bulletin. March 2023. - Current guidelines for releasing natural enemies-(Popular Publication)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2024. Current guidelines for releasing natural enemies. Miscellaneous Publishing Information Bulletin. March 2023. - Alternative food sources for Amblydromella caudiglans (Phytoseiidae) and effects on predation -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Moretti, E.A., Jones, C.B., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2022. Alternative food sources for Amblydromella caudiglans (Phytoseiidae) and effects on predation. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 89:29-44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-022-00767-y. - First records of adventive populations of the parasitoids Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica in the United States -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Beers, E.H., Beal, D., Smytheman, P., Abram, P.K., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Moretti, E.A., Daane, K.M., Looney, C., Lue, C., Buffington, M.L. 2022. First records of adventive populations of the parasitoids Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica in the United States. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 91:11-25. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.91.82812. - Good to know: integrated research. Entomologists at the USDA laboratory in Wapato, Washington, work to advance IPM for orchards-(Trade Journal)
Cooper, W.R., Horton, D.R., Neven, L.G., Serrano, J.M., Walker Iii, W.B., Yee, W.L., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2022. Good to know: integrated research. Entomologists at the USDA laboratory in Wapato, Washington, work to advance IPM for orchards. Good Fruit Grower. March 1, 2022 Issue. - Galendromus occidentalis, western predatory mite-(Popular Publication)
- Zetzellia mali-(Popular Publication)
- Typhlodromus pyri-(Popular Publication)
- How can growers successfully release beneficial insects for pest control? New USDA research effort aims to find out-(Trade Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2022. How can growers successfully release beneficial insects for pest control? New USDA research effort aims to find out. Good Fruit Grower. 75:24-27. - Augmenting predators for pest control in apples-(Abstract Only)
- Earwigs as biological control agents in temperate tree fruit orchards: what do we know and what is the way forward-(Abstract Only)
- Alternative food sources for orchard predatory mites and effects on predation-(Abstract Only)
- Factors influencing Trechnites spp. abundance in WA and OR pear orchards-(Abstract Only)
- Apple Integrated Mite Management: where can we go next?-(Abstract Only)
- Nontarget impacts of herbicides on spiders in orchards -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Moretti, E.A., Bergeron, P.E., Zilnik, G.L. 2021. Nontarget impacts of herbicides on spiders in orchards. Journal of Economic Entomology. 115(1):65-73. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab228. - Evaluation of Tarsonemus bilobatus and Podosphaera xanthii as suitable resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus in cucurbit systems in the Southeast USA -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Farfan, M.A., Coffey, J., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2021. Evaluation of Tarsonemus bilobatus and Podosphaera xanthii as suitable resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus in cucurbit systems in the Southeast USA. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 85:31-40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00658-8. - Meta-analysis and review of pesticide non-target effects on phytoseiids, key biological control agents -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Beers, E.H., Sater, C. 2021. Meta-analysis and review of pesticide non-target effects on phytoseiids, key biological control agents. Pest Management Science. 77(11):4848-4862. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6531. - Erythritol, an artificial sweetener, is acaricidal against pest mites and minimally harmful to a predatory mite -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Beers, E.H., Smytheman, P., Rehfield-Ray, L.M. 2021. Erythritol, an artificial sweetener, is acaricidal against pest mites and minimally harmful to a predatory mite. Journal of Economic Entomology. 104(4):1701-1708. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab101. - Spider mite resistance to miticides in South Carolina strawberry and implications for improved integrated pest management -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bergeron, P., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2021. Spider mite resistance to miticides in South Carolina strawberry and implications for improved integrated pest management. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 84:407-418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00621-7. - Suitability of food resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus (Garman), a potentially important natural enemy in eastern U.S. agroecosystems -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Farfan, M.A., Coffey, J., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2021. Suitability of food resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus (Garman), a potentially important natural enemy in eastern U.S. agroecosystems. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 84(2):121-134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00622-6. - Residual activity of Acaricides for controlling spider mites in watermelon and their impacts on resident predatory mites -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Coffey, J.L., Miller, G., Monica, F. 2021. Residual activity of Acaricides for controlling spider mites in watermelon and their impacts on resident predatory mites. Journal of Economic Entomology. 114(2):818-827. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toaa320. - Conventional soil management may promote nutrients that lure an insect pest to a toxic crop -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Moretti, E.A., Wickings, K., Wolfin, M.S., Northfield, T.D., Linn, C.E., Nault, B.A. 2020. Conventional soil management may promote nutrients that lure an insect pest to a toxic crop. Environmental Entomology. 50:433-443. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa167. - Acaricide efficacy and resistance in South Carolina tomato populations of twospotted spider mite -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Snipes, Z., Bergeron, P. 2021. Acaricide efficacy and resistance in South Carolina tomato populations of twospotted spider mite. Florida Entomologist. 104(1):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.104.0101. - Better together? Combining cover crop mulches, organic herbicides, and weed seed biological control in reduced-tillage crop systems -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Lewis, D., Cutulle, M., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Blubaugh, C. 2020. Better together? Combining cover crop mulches, organic herbicides, and weed seed biological control in reduced-tillage crop systems. Environmental Entomology. 49(6):1327-1334. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa105. - Not all predators are equal: miticide non-target effects and differential selectivity -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bergeron, P., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2020. Not all predators are equal: miticide non-target effects and differential selectivity. Pest Management Science. 76(6):2170-2179. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.5754. - Efficacy of acaritouch against twospotted spider mite on lima beans, 2018 -(Trade Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Coffey, J. 2019. Efficacy of acaritouch against twospotted spider mite on lima beans, 2018. Arthropod Management Tests. 44(1), 2019,1-2. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsz073. - Non-target impacts of herbicides on Tetranychus urticae and its predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis: implications for biological control -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A., Cutulle, M. 2019. Non-target impacts of herbicides on Tetranychus urticae and its predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis: implications for biological control. Pest Management Science. 75(12):3226-3234. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.5443. - New research on miticides: spider mite resistance and harmful non-target effects on predators-(Trade Journal)
Bergeron, P., Schmidt-Jeffris, R.A. 2019. New research on miticides: spider mite resistance and harmful non-target effects on predators. North American Strawberry Growers Newsletter. Issue March 2019; pg. 6-9.
- (Clicking on the reprint icon
