Habitat Manipulation - A Tool to Manage Insect Pests

Abstract

Habitat manipulation results in diversification of habitats and enables natural enemies to access resources. Effective conservation biological control provides tactics that enhance the relative abundance of effective predator among the predators. Varying types of resources provide protection, suitable microclimatic conditions, oviposition sites and plant-provided food (pollen and nectar) by increasing vegetation diversity which favour the attraction and retention of natural enemies. Landscape management may be important if successful biocontrol has to rely on a wide range of natural enemies. The density of some common species can indeed be increased through enlarging the community, however species richness is often determined by the landscape composition. The intercrop may create the favourable microclimate to hasten the activity of predators and parasitoids while hindering the pest survival. The choice of the intercrop also plays a significant role for the effectiveness of biocontrol.