Pests Stay In, Parasitoids Fly Out: The Augmentorium for Biological Control in IPM
A simple tent equipped with a carefully selected mesh can be a helpful tool in augmentative biological control efforts. With infested fruit placed inside, the mesh keeps pest insects in but allows parasitoids to escape and continue their work as natural enemies of target pests.
Researchers Use Simulation Model to Optimize Delimitation Trapping Surveys
When an invasive insect appears, responders must quickly set monitoring traps in the area to determine the extent of the pest outbreak. A collaboration between USDA-APHIS and USDA-ARS is working to improve such delimitation trapping survey designs and will publish new guidelines after field experiments are completed later this year.
New Guide Outlines Management for Mediterranean Fruit Fly in Egypt
In Egypt, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is a major pest of a wide variety of fruit crops. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management details the fly's life cycle and biology and available management methods for growers.
New Approach to Sterilizing Fruit Flies
The sterile insect technique, or SIT, has been used for decades to control insects such as the Mediterranean fruit fly. Basically, insects are exposed to radiation, which makes them sterile, […]