Classical Biological Control

As well as examining successful biological control programmes this book analyses why the majority of attempts fail. Off-target and other negative effects of biological control are also dealt with. Chapters contributed by leading international researchers and practitioners in all areas of biological control afford the book a breadth of coverage and depth of analysis not possible with a single author volume. Combined with the use of other experts to review chapters and editorial oversight to ensure thematic integrity of the volume, this book provides the most authoritative analysis of biological control published. Key aspects addressed include how success may be measured, how successful biological control has been to date and how may it be made more successful in the future. With extensive use of contemporary examples, photographs, figures and tables this book will be invaluable to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as being a `must' for all involved in making biological control successful.

The nature and scope of biological control; Ecological basis for biological control; The history and development of biological control; Entomophagous insects; Procedures in enemy introduction; Factors limiting success of introduced natural enemies; Analysis of classical biological control programs; Naturally occurring biological control and integrated control; Other biological methods of pest control; The future of biological control.

Publisher Description

This volume is a revision of Biological Control by R. van den Bosch and P. S. Messenger, originally published by Intext Publishers. In the revision, I have attempted to keep the original theme, and to update it with current research findings and new chapters or sections on insect pathology, microbial control of weeds and plant pathogens, population dynamics, integrated pest management, and economics. The book was written as an undergraduate text, and not as a complete review of the subject area. Various more comprehen sive volumes have been written to serve as handbooks for the experts. This book is designed to provide a concise overview of the complex and valuable field of biological control and to show the relationships to the developing concepts of integrated pest management. Population regulation of pests by natural enemies is the major theme of the book, but other biological methods of pest control are also discussed. The chapter on population dynamics assumes a precalculus-level knowledge of mathematics. Author names of species are listed only once in the text, but all are listed in the Appendix. Any errors or omissions in this volume are my sole responsibility. A. P. Gutierrez Professor of Entomology Division of Biological Control University of California, Berkeley vii Acknowledgments Very special thanks must be given to my colleagues, Professors C. B. Huffaker and L. E. Caltagirone, for the very thorough review they provided and for the many positive suggestions they gave. Dr.

This publication explains the "why" and "how" of classical biological control in forestry, and addresses the potential risks associated with such programmes. Written by a team of experts, it provides general theory and practical guidelines, featuring 11 case studies of successful implementation efforts worldwide. While insect pests already damage millions of hectares of forest worldwide each year, the extent of such damage is increasing as the impacts of climate change become more evident and as international trade grows, facilitating the pests’ spread. Classical biological control is a well-tried, cost-effective approach to the management of invasive forest pests which involves the importing of "natural enemies" of non-native pests from their countries of origin with the aim of establishing permanent, self-sustaining populations capable of sustainably reducing pest populations below damaging levels.

The Book "e;Biological Control of Insects Pests"e; illustrates how to control biologically the insect's pests. It is important to know when numbers are great enough to justify artificial control and to evaluate the effectiveness of control. The text has been organized very systematically to meet the long-felt needs of increasingly large number of readers. Biological control is the use of living organisms to maintain pest populations below damaging levels. Natural enemies of arthropods fall into three major categories: predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Predators catch and eat their prey. Some common predatory arthropods include ladybird beetles, carabid (ground) beetles, staphylinid (rove) beetles, syrphid (hover) files, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, nabid bugs, big-eyed bugs, and spiders. Biological control is the beneficial action of parasites, pathogens and predators in managing pests and their damage. Biocontrol provided by these living organisms, collectively known as natural enemies. It is especially important for reducing the number of pest insects and mites. Biological control is the beneficial action of parasites, pathogens, and predators in managing pests and their damage. Biocontrol provided by these living organisms, collectively called "e;natural enemies,"e; is especially important for reducing the numbers of pest insects and mites. Use of natural enemies for biological control of rangeland and wildland weeds is also effective. Plant pathogens, nematodes, and vertebrates also have many natural enemies, but this biological control is often harder to recognize, less well understood, and/or more difficult to manage. Conservation, augmentation, and classical biological control are tactics for harnessing natural enemies' benefits. The book will be highly useful for general entomologists, students of agricultural entomology, teachers and research scholars of zoology, especially entomology.

For many years the use of chemical agents such as pesticides and herbicides has been effective in controlling the many varieties of pests that infest both agricultural crops and backyard gardens. However, these pests are gradually becoming resistant to these agents, because the agents themselves are acting as selective factors making the pests better and better able to resist and persist. As a result, the use of biological controlling agents is increasing. This book is a comprehensive and authoritative handbook of biological control.