[Aim]  This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vertical stratification, seasonal variations, and temporal dynamics on predation pressure exerted by natural enemies in a tea plantation, and to elucidate the real-time dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of biological control functions within the tea agro-ecosystem. [Methods]  From January 2021 to June 2022, artificial prey were systematically employed to monitor predation events by natural enemies across three vertical stratification (canopy, midstory, and ground) in a tea plantation. Spatial, seasonal, and temporal patterns of predation pressure were analyzed. [Results]  A total of 40 608 artificial prey were deployed, among which 2 362 valid predation events were recorded. Arthropods, birds, and mammals accounted for 96.02%, 2.92%, and 1.06% of all predation events, respectively. Regarding vertical stratification, both total predation rate and arthropod predation rate were significantly higher on the ground level than in the tea canopy (P < 0.001) and midstory (P < 0.001). Predation rate in the tea canopy was also significantly higher than in the midstory (P < 0.001). Birds exhibited the highest predation rate in the tea canopy. Seasonal dynamics showed that total and arthropod predation rates were significantly higher in summer and autumn than in spring (P < 0.05) and winter (P < 0.01), with arthropod predation rate was higher in autumn than in summer. Bird predation rate was most active in winter than in other seasons. Temporally, total and arthropod predation rates increased initially and then declined between January 2021 and February 2022, peaking in September 2021 and dropping to the lowest level in February 2022, followed by a slight recovery in May 2022. Throughout the period from January 2021 to January 2022, predation rates on the ground remained consistently and significantly higher than those in the canopy (P < 0.001) and midstory (P < 0.001). [Conclusion]  Predation pressure by natural enemies in a tea plantation displays pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity, driven mainly by vertical stratification, season, and time. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for refining conservation biological control strategies and promoting ecologically oriented management practices in tea plantations.