Scale Insects on Urban Trees Benefit Spiders, Other Natural Enemies in Plants Below
Two new studies find even more benefits to tolerating scale insects on urban trees, boosting the abundance of a variety of spiders and attracting predator insects that serve as natural enemies of other pests in both trees and nearby plants.
New Container Aids in Biocontrol of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Researchers deploying predator insects to attack an invasive forest pest need to monitor how well those predators' populations are growing. A new specially designed container speeds up that work by collecting and separating two different predator species at the same time.
Why Augmentative Biological Control Holds Promise for Advancing Agriculture in Developing Countries
Numerous examples show the success of augmentative biological control efforts. With adequate support and capacity building in place, the approach can be economical and make agricultural systems more sustainable and improve the human and institutional capacity of developing countries.
How Flea-Killing Fungus Could Keep Prairie Dogs From Spreading Plague
Prairie dogs in the western U.S. can carry the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, and their fleas play a primary role in spreading it among prairie dogs and to other animals. A group of scientists say insect-pathogenic fungi that target those fleas could be a useful tool in interrupting that transmission route.