Page:BIOLOGY TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 01 - Habitat Development for Beneficial Insects.pdf/3

BIOLOGY TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 01, pg. 3

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Manage Beneficial Habitat

The following conservation practices are commonly used to ensure that the habitat area functions as intended for the lifespan of the insectary or trap crop.

Table 3: Conservation practices commonly used to manage beneficial insect habitat.

645 - Upland Wildlife Habitat Management

Commonly used to provide a management & monitoring plan, which often includes: strategies for early detection of factors that may adversely affect the habitat area (i.e. scouting for newly emerging invasive weeds); a contingency plan for stressors such as drought; best management practices such as promoting insect overwintering areas; and a plan for record keeping.

472 - Access Control

This management practice may be useful for sites that require additional planning and thought regarding how to protect the habitat area from accidental spraying, mowing, grazing etc.

315 - Herbaceous Weed Control

Where weeds may become an issue, this practice can help to differentiate between beneficial “weeds” and those that could threaten the integrity of the habitat area or cause a concern for the adjoining cash crops. When control is needed, it will provide a weed suppression strategy to minimize the adverse effect to the non-target plants (such as spot spraying/wick application or by using non-chemical control methods).

Measures for a Successful Beneficial Insect Habitat Area

• Prevent insecticide use within the habitat areas and if used on nearby fields ensure that measures are in-place to prevent chemical drift onto the habitat areas (i.e., create a buffer, check wind directions before application, avoid application upslope from the habitat area, etc.).
• Prevent disturbances that could affect blooming or insect health, such as grazing, mowing, tillage, burning, or herbicide application. If they are necessary to manage for the health of the habitat area, then use mitigation techniques such as spot treatments and/or waiting until after the bloom periods.
• Have a contingency plan in place for unexpected events such as drought or if the habitat area is lost.
• Maintain the beneficial “weeds” that establish naturally within the habitat areas, such as milkweed, sunflowers, asters, and yarrow. As a general rule, maintain plants unless they are on the Colorado Noxious Weed List (lists A, B, or C) or they have the potential to cause an issue for the cash crops.
• Consider keeping a record to evaluate the effectiveness of promoting beneficial insects on the farm and to watch for when adaptive management may be needed to improve habitat conditions.

(i) Dates of when flowering starts and ends for each of the habitat plants.

(ii) Observations of the type and quantity of beneficial insects found in the habitat area.

(iv) Crop records or observations of pest type and quantity in the cash crop field.

Additional Resources
Hopwood, J. et. al. 2017. Habitat Planning for Beneficial Insects. Guidelines for Conservation Biological Control. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Portland, Oregon. http://www.xerces.org

Lee-Mäder, E. et. al. 2014. Farming with Native Beneficial Insects. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Portland, Oregon. http://www.xerces.org

Vaughn, M. et. al. Agronomy Technical Note No. 9: Preventing or Mitigating Potential Negative Impacts of Pesticides on Pollinators Using Integrated Pest Management and Other Conservation Practices. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Xerces Society. http://www.xerces.org