A principle tenet of conservation biological control is that some natural enemies feed on floral resources and so can be encouraged by providing them flowers. Our study focuses on the effect that floral density has upon population regulation of the plant feeding pests pine needle scale and evergreen bagworm. We planted four species of perennial flowering plants (white clover, goldenrod, euphorbia, and coreopsis) around pine trees that were infested with the herbivores. Three densities of flowers were used: no flowers, a low density of flowers, and a high density of flowers. Rates of predation and parasitism were significantly greater in study plots having higher densities of flowers, enhancing biological control of the pests.
Keywords: Biological Control of scale insects, Floral Resources
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA