Arthropods associated with pesticide leach lines in selected orchards in central New York

Chemical control centers were constructed on selected farms in Wayne County, New York, to minimize pesticide pollutants. These centers provided areas where several classes of agricultural chemicals, primarily those from spray operations, could be handled and disposed of safely. We surveyed the arthropod fauna found above the pesticide leach lines and in adjacent soils. Of the 70 arthropod taxa determined, we identified the following families: Diptera (18 families), Hymemoptera (12), Coleoptera (7), Hemiptera (3), Homoptera (1) and Thysanoptera (1). Seasonal comparisons of arthropods above the pesticide leach lines and in the checks showed no apparent differences. Slight taxa variations were observed within and between farms with chemical control centers. No residues greater than 0.2 ppm were found in either water or soil samples. These results imply that no contamination of the environment was caused by the use of the chemical control centers.