How to encourage insect predators

摘要

Adiverse landscape with lots of habitat is the best way to encourage the beneficial insects that are needed to provide natural pest control,and replace the use of insecticides on farms.John Holland, head of farmland ecology at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, says having as much plant diversity as possible around the farm helps support predator numbers.This makes it more likely predators will be in the right place at the right time, as the window of opportunity for control relies on natural enemies moving in early, stopping theexponential growth stage that leads to peak pest numbers. "For this to happen, there has to be plenty of habitat for them, so that they don't have far to go," he says.