Feeding beneficial insects

Picture copyright Villa et al.

Olive tree is attacked by several pests that cause important production losses. These pests are regulated by several natural enemies that also need non-host resources. Scientists Villa et al. studied survival and egg production traits of an important parasitoid of the olive moth after feeding on several natural food resources (e.g., plants and honeydew of hemipteran). They showed that the type of food available for this parasitoid was a key parameter for successful biological control in olive groves.

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