TECHNICAL NOTES
Habitat Development for Beneficial Insects
for conservation biological control of agricultural insect pests
Provided is guidance on the conservation biological control of agricultural insects pests, by creating habitat to support beneficial predators and parasitoids that attack those insect pests.
Conservation biological control is a science-based pest management strategy that seeks to integrate beneficial insects back into cropping systems for natural pest control, ultimately reducing and in some cases eliminating the need for pesticides.
In addition to enhanced crop pest control, this conservation practice can provide additional farm benefits, including:
- Improved water quality and soil health ₰ Replacement of under-used areas for those that work to support the farm ₰ Farm beautification by establishment of wildflowers and other blooming plants ₰ Support conservation standards for various farm certification programs
Ecology of Native Beneficial Insects and the Pests they Control
The foundation of using conservation biological control for agricultural insect pests is understanding the interrelationships between organisms and their environment. Appendix 1 provides a table to help determine what native beneficial insects should be targeted for habitat development based on the ecology of the species, its habitat requirements and the pest it controls.
- What pest species is of concern?
- Photo identification and information on “pests to be controlled” can be found using USDA-APHIS’ Identification Technology Program (ITP), ID Tools: http://www.idtools.org/
- What beneficial insects would you like to target?
- Often there are several beneficial insects to control the pest species of concern, your strategy may be to target all of them or just to focus on one species or group of species (i.e. predatory bugs).
Designing the Insectary or Trap Crop
The insectary is a habitat area established primarily of perennial plants that provides long-term habitat. The trap crop is a yearly habitat area established by creating a cover of primarily annual plants. Both serve useful purposes and it’s recommended to plan for both types on the farm. The insectary will provide a longer term sanctuary to keep the insects on the farm, while the trap crop will focus their presence on a specific field where they are needed to control the pest insects.
