Sugar sources to boost biological pest control
Background
Adult predators and parasitoids can play an important role in the biological control of insect pests. The majority of these ‘carnivorous’ arthropods also need to feed on sugar sources to cover their energy requirements. Biological control workers have long been aware that the lack of food sources in agriculture and forestry may constrain the efficacy with which predators and parasitoids control insect pests. It is increasingly recognized that the provision of food supplements (e.g. floral nectar) can be a powerful tool to enhance the effectiveness of natural enemies in so-called “conservation biological control” programs. However, the provision of sugar sources entails the potential drawback that pest organisms may benefit from the food as well. Using chemical analytical methods we address food source use and feeding history of field-collected predators/parasitoids as well as herbivores to study the impact of sugar sources on predator-pest interactions.
Publications
- Wäckers FL, Romeis J, van Rijn PCJ (2007) Nectar and pollen feeding by insect herbivores and implications for multitrophic interactions. Annual Review of Entomology. 52:301-323
- Wäckers FL, van Rijn PCJ, Bruin, J. (2005) Plant-Provided Food for Carnivorous Insects: a protective mutualism and its applications. Cambridge University Press.