Diversity is the key to success at Matthiasson Family Vineyards. They grow wine grapes across the Napa-Sonoma region, with a diversity of plants at each site–grape vines, cover crops and native habitat. Having variety allows them to make different kinds of wine, manage fertility and spread risk when pest pressures, heat, or smoke from fires threaten.

To manage pests, they rely heavily on beneficial insects. To support these natural enemies, they incorporate habitat anywhere they can. One of Steve’s favorite species to use is Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis). It's an overwintering habitat for Anagrus, the parasitoid wasp that helps to manage pest leafhoppers. Anagrus needs to overwinter on an alternative host insect and the Coyote Brush is a great site for supporting those hosts.

Learn more about the diversity at Matthiasson Family Vineyards in this video featuring Steve Matthiasson and researcher Houston Wilson, who discusses leafhopper biocontrol in vineyards.