All articles tagged with #biological control
A study in Pakistan highlights the need for greater access to information for women farmers regarding parthenium weed management, emphasizing that increased awareness and training could improve control efforts and health outcomes, especially through biological control methods like the release of Listronotus setosipennis.
The Gum leaf skeletonizer, also known as the Mad Hatterpillar, is a caterpillar found in Australia and New Zealand that wears its old head capsules as a crown. This macabre adornment serves as a defense mechanism, confusing and deterring predators. The caterpillar is covered in venomous spines that can cause caterpillar dermatitis in humans. It feeds on eucalyptus leaves, often in groups, and can slow the growth or kill eucalyptus trees. To control their population, a parasitoid wasp has been introduced as a biological control agent in New Zealand.
Scientists have discovered a fungus that shows promise in controlling the spread of invasive buckthorn, a plant species that threatens native ecosystems. The fungus, called Chondrostereum purpureum, has been found to inhibit the growth of buckthorn by attacking its root system. This biological control method could potentially provide an environmentally friendly solution to managing invasive species and protecting biodiversity.
The alnus ambrosia beetle, a destructive invasive pest, uses the volatile compounds of its own fungal symbionts to aggregate en masse and potentially kill trees. Scientists have identified the chemical signals used by the beetle to find each other and identify suitable trees. The beetles prefer the odor of their symbionts and colonized branches, and this discovery suggests a new method for biological control by developing new trapping lures for the beetles on the basis of these compounds.