Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-01T10:56:40.992Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Present Status of Biological Control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

F. J. Simmonds
Affiliation:
Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control

Extract

In a recent paper Taylor (1955) has discussed the status of biological control with particular reference to its present and future value as a method of control of insect pests. A number of his remarks are questionable, and his conclusions that present methods of biological control are of little value are not valid. His broad thesis is that insect pests with which the biological control method is effective have already been satisfactorily dealt with and that there no longer remain problems where spectacular results may be expected: moreover, that with the modern insecticides available, biological control has in many cases been rendered useless. It would be as well therefore to examine carefully his main contentions, and it should be pointed out at the outset that Taylor's criticisms of the methods of biological control, and of the claims made by entomologists working in this field, are vague, and although he does not actually say so he insinuates that biological control workers make or have made unjustified claims as to the success of a number of projects undertaken.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1956

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Balch, R. E. and Bird, F. T.. 1944. A disease of the European spruce sawfly, Gilpinia hercyniae (Htg.), and its place in natural control. Sci. Agr. 25, 6580.Google Scholar
Bates, J. F. 1955. The status of moth borer in British Guiana. (In course of publication.)Google Scholar
Box, H. E. 1933. Sugar cane moth borer (Diatraea) investigations. Report upon the introduction and establishment of the Cuban parasite, Lixophaga diatraeae Townsend. Antigua Colonial Development Fund—Outline of work done in Antigua and St. Kitts during the year 1932, pp. 140.Google Scholar
Carmen, G. E., Elmer, H. S. and Ewart, W. H.. 1954. Malathion, a new material for control of citrus scale insects. Cal. Citograph 39, 204209.Google Scholar
Carter, W. 1952. Recent developments in oriental fruit-fly research, J. Econ. Ent., 45, 274279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clausen, C. P. 1954. Biological antagonists in the future of insect control. Agric. and Food Chem., 2, 1218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Bach, P. 1951. The necessity for an ecological approach to pest control on citrus in California, J. Econ. Ent. 44, 443447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Bach, P. and Bartlett, B.. 1951. Effects of insecticides on biological control of insect pests of citrus, J. Econ. Ent. 44, 372383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Bach, P., Landi, J. H. and White, E. B.. 1955. Biological control of red scale. Ca. Citrograph 40, 254.Google Scholar
Dodd, A. P. 1929. The progress of the biological control of prickly pear in Australia. Comm. Prickly Pear Board Bull., pp. 144.Google Scholar
Dodd, A. P. 1940. The biological campaign against the prickly pear. Comm. Prickly Pear Board Bull., pp. 1177.Google Scholar
Dutky, S. R. 1940. Two new spore-forming bacteria causing milky disease of Japanese beetle larvae. J. Agric. Res. 61, 5768.Google Scholar
Holloway, J. K. and Huffaker, C. B.. 1951. The role of Chrysolina gemmelata in the biological control of Klamath weed. J. Econ. Ent. 44, 244247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lever, R. J., A. W., 1946. Annual Report of Entomologist for 1945. Agric. J. Fiji 17, 4243.Google Scholar
Pettey, F. W. 1948. The biological control of prickly pears in South Africa. Union of S.A. Dept. of Agric. Sci. Bull. 271, 1163.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J. 1948. The biology of parasites of Loxostege sticticalis L. in North America. IV: Cryptus inornatus Pratt (Ichneumonidae Cryptinae). Proc. Roy. Ent. Soc. A, 23, 7179.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J. 1949. Initial success of attempts at the biological control of the weed Cordia macrostachya (Jacq.) R. & S. in Mauritius. Trop. Agric. 26, 135136.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J. 1951. The small moth-borers of sugar cane, Diatraea spp., in Trinidad. Trop. Agric. 28, 80108.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J. 1955. Oleander scale investigations in Bermuda III. November, 1955. (In course of publication).Google Scholar
Simmonds, H. W. 1934. Ecological control of noxious weeds with special reference to the plants Clidemia hirta (the Curse) and Stacbytarpheta jamaicensis (Blue rat-tail). Agric. J. Fiji, 7, 310.Google Scholar
Steinhaus, E. A. and Thompson, C. G.. 1949. Preliminary field tests using a polyhedrosis virus to control the alfalfa caterpillar, J. Econ. Ent. 42, 301305.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. H. L. 1955. Biological control of insect pests. Ann. Appl. Biol. 42, 190196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vesey-Fitzgerald, D. 1941. The control of Coccidae in Seychelles. Bull. Ent. Res. 31, 253286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vos, H. C. C. A. A. 1953. Introduction in Indonesia of Angina cerophaga Grav., a parasite of Plutella maculipennis Curt. Contr. Gen. Agric. Res. Sta. Bogor, No. 134.Google Scholar
White, R. T. and Dutky, S. R.. 1940. Effect of the introduction of milky diseases on populations of Japanese beetle larvae. J. Econ. Ent. 33, 306309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, J. R. 1951. The control of the black sage in Mauritius by Schematiza cordiae Barb. (Col. Galerucid). Bull. Ent. Res. 42, 455463.Google Scholar
Wilson, F. 1943. The entomological control of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perjoratum L.) with particular reference to the insect enemies in Southern France. Bull. Coun. Sci. Industr. Res. Aust., No. 169, 187.Google Scholar
Wilson, F. and Campbell, T. G.. 1943. Recent progress in the entomological control of St. John's Wort. J. Coun. Sci. Industr. Res. Aust., 16, 4546.Google Scholar