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Biological Control

Biological Control. Biological control is the use of parasites, predators or pathogens (disease-causing organisms) to help control pests ranging from nematodes to weeds to vertebrates. Successful Examples. 1930s - control of prickly pear ( Opuntia spp.) by Cactoblastis cactorum.

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Biological Control

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  1. Biological Control Biological control is the use of parasites, predators or pathogens (disease-causing organisms) to help control pests ranging from nematodes to weeds to vertebrates.

  2. Successful Examples 1930s - control of prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) by Cactoblastis cactorum.

  3. Cactoblastis cactorum grubs eating prickly pear

  4. Other examples 1970s - control of narrow leaf form of skeleton weed using a rust fungus. 1970s and early 1980s - control of spotted alfalfa aphid in lucerne by parasitic wasps/ 1960s to 1980s - dung beetles to bury dung. Stopped pest flies breeding and pasture fouling.

  5. Fresh Cow Dung

  6. Bush Flies develop as maggots in the animal dung. Adults have two stripes on their back. The Common House FlyMusca domestica is also in this family.

  7. Fly maggots

  8. Dung Beetle At Work

  9. Life Cycle of Dung Beetle

  10. Biological Control • Introduced organism must be tested and found to be safe before it is released. • Introduced organism often comes from the same country as the pest organism. • The introduction of the cane toad is an example of biological control that turned out disastrous. • Cane toads were introduced from South America to control cane beetles in Queensland. • Cane toad is now a major pest organism

  11. Predicted spread of cane toads

  12. These animals die when they eat cane toads

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