Biological Control of Insects
Biological control
Biological control of insect pests
Biological control can be defined
as the use of natural enemies to
reduce the damage caused by a
insect pest populations.
BC is a tactic/approach that fits
into an overall Insect Pest
Management System (IPMS), and
represents a potential ALTERNATIVE
STRATEGY to combat with the
insect pest damages to the
agriculture & forestry ecosystems.
Approaches to achieve potential BC
Three ways to enhance effectiveness of natural enemies in
insect pest management
Classical biological control
Augmentive biological control
Conservation of indigenous natural enemies
Classical Biological Control
Importation biological control means to introduce a new exotic
natural enemy from one environment to a new ecosystem.
Control by introducing and establishing effective natural
enemies from pest’s area of origin called classical in view of first
use in 1800s
Some biological control practitioners consider this as "true"
biological control approach.
Exotic pest invades region without their adapted natural
enemy complex, and, in absence of effective natural enemies,
reach very high population levels
Systematic steps to be taken in a Classical
Biocontrol Programme
1. Evaluate the pest problem in the target region for the biocontrol
program. Establish taxonomic identity of pest and area of origin.
2. Foreign exploration for the pest in the area of origin. Surveys to assess
the complex of natural enemies of the pest, their impact and degree of
specialization
3. Selection of enemies from this complex for importation and
establishment in the target region.
4. Quarantine for removing hyperparasitoids, plant pathogens and insect
pathogens from culture
5. Release natural enemies cleared from quarantine in the target region.
6. Regular monitoring should be done after establishment of the natural
enemy and pest population
Augmentative Biological Control
Augmentation biological control basically
means adding natural enemies, either
where they are not present, or are present
but in small numbers.
Augmentation has been used more
extensively in agro or forest
ecosystem, but there are examples of
successful use in nearly all settings.
Two ways of Augmentation:
Inoculation: Begins with a small number and allows the
natural enemy populations to increase over
time. In this case, the pest population does
not decrease quickly
Inundation: Introduction of a large number of natural
enemies, with the intention of reducing the
pest population quickly.
Conservation of indigenous
natural enemies
Conservation basically means keeping alive and
enhancing the effectiveness of those natural
enemies that are already present in the ecosystem.
Reduction of pesticides use is one of the most
important tools in conservation approach.
Use of "soft" pesticides such as those based on
natural products.
Integration of other control measures like plant origin
insecticides.