Biological Control Agents

You’ve heard of good cop, bad cop; how about good bug, bad bug? No it isn’t a new Pixar movie; it’s the basis behind using living organisms to control pests in fields and orchards. Farmers and fruit growers are learning to conserve existing beneficial insects by providing them with habitats and utilizing pesticides that will not harm them in order to have them do what they do naturally, seek out and destroy their natural enemies, the grower’s unwanted pests. Backyard gardeners have enjoyed for years the benefits of having ladybug larva and praying mantis in or around their gardens, where both species can eat a large number of pests in their short life spans. With the ever growing green consciousness, the future of pest control could very well depend on biological control agents. Increasing the awareness of biological controls could help eliminate overuse of chemical pesticides that can affect many species other than the intended target pest. It could also save growers money by reducing the amount of pesticide applications.