Ground Beetles Key Allies for Slug Control in Conservation Agriculture
Slugs are a common headache for corn and soybean growers following the conservation agriculture practices of limited tillage and frequent cover cropping. A new study finds that, among slugs' natural enemies, ground beetles provide the best control, and growers should consider practices that attract ground beetles to their fields.
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.
Fungus Species Found Infecting Moth Pest of Chinese Fir Trees
Several species of fungus in the genus Fusarium are known to infect insects, while some also infect plants. Researchers in China report the first observation of the species Fusarium concentricum infecting an insect—in this case a key moth pest of Chinese fir trees.
How One Entomologist Turns Biological Control Into Real-World Results
Meet Nicole Quinn, Ph.D., entomologist at the University of Florida, expert in insect biological control, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.