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L’Ajuntament de Barcelona inicia el 20-03-2024 una prova pilot per foragitar els coloms mitjançant l’ús de falconeria. Aquesta actuació es realitza al barri de les Corts, concretament als voltants del Camp Nou, els Jardins de Bacardí i els de la Maternitat i tindrà una durada d’unes sis setmanes.

Hagen rondom boomgaarden vervullen een hele reeks van functies.

Bij het zaaiklaar maken van een akker wordt het land bewerkt, om er gewassen te laten groeien die er van nature niet zouden groeien. Boeren beïnvloeden de natuur dus, maar maken tegelijkertijd ook gebruik van natuurlijke processen die zich in de bodem en in en om het gewas afspelen. Eenmaal gezaaid zal het gewas gaan groeien, een proces dat soms helemaal goed verloopt, maar waar soms bijgestuurd moet worden. De kans bestaat dat onder invloed van ziekten, plagen en onkruiden, de oogst vermindert of zelfs verloren gaat. Een boer of tuinder zal hier dus alert op zijn en volgens een bepaalde strategie het teeltsysteem vormgeven. Met deze strategie wordt bedoeld: of, wanneer en hoe je op natuurlijke processen inspeelt. Je kunt verschillende modellen volgen ten aanzien van ziekten, plagen en onkruiden: 1. Zo veel mogelijk preventieve maatregelen nemen en zo min mogelijk bijsturen tijdens de teelt door samenwerking met de natuur (adaptatiemodel). 2. Direct bijsturen om gewassen gezond te houden door bijvoorbeeld toepassing van chemische middelen (controlemodel). In de praktijk zijn er veel bedrijven die tussen deze twee strategieën in zitten. Er worden wel enkele preventieve maatregelen genomen, maar die zijn onvoldoende om tot een robuust teeltsysteem te komen, waardoor bijsturen tijdens de teelt vaak toch nodig is. Met natuurinclusieve landbouw is het doel om zoveel mogelijk volgens de eerste strategie te werken.

Lijm wordt binnen verschillende vakgebieden ingezet als middel voor het monitoren (determineren en tellen) en het bestrijden van de aanwezigheid van dieren. In 2022 is er tijdens het debat over de Wijziging van de Wet gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en biociden een motie aangenomen die de regering verzoekt om de mogelijkheid voor een provinciale omgevingsvergunning voor een uitzondering op het verbod van gebruik van lijm als actieve stof in te trekken. Het ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) is verantwoordelijk voor het uitvoeren van de motie en wil inzicht duidelijker voor ogen hebben voor welke doeleinden en op welke manieren lijm wordt gebruikt voor het monitoren en beheersen van diersoorten, wat de noodzaak is voor het betreffende gebruik van lijm en wat de consequenties zijn van het wegvallen van lijm als mogelijkheid. Om hier antwoord op te geven is ten eerste een deskstudie uitgevoerd naar het gebruik en de beschikbaarheid van lijm voor de betreffende doeleinden. Daarnaast zijn er gesprekken gevoerd en is er schriftelijk contact geweest met betrokken organisaties. Ter aanvulling op de gesprekken is een vragenlijst verspreid onder dierplaagbeheersers.

In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) are a key instrument to combat the ongoing decline of farmland biodiversity. AES aim is to support biodiversity and maintain ecosystem services, such as pollination or pest control. To what extent AES affect crop yield is still poorly understood. We performed a systematic review, including hierarchical meta-analyses, to investigate potential trade-offs and win-wins between the effectiveness of AES for arthropod diversity and agricultural yield on European croplands. Altogether, we found 26 studies with a total of 125 data points that fulfilled our study inclusion criteria. From each study, we extracted data on biodiversity (arthropod species richness and abundance) and yield for fields with AES management and control fields without AES. The majority of the studies reported significantly higher species richness and abundance of arthropods (especially wild pollinators) in fields with AES (31 % increase), but yields were at the same time significantly lower on fields with AES compared to control fields (21 % decrease). Aside from the opportunity costs, AES that promote out-of-production elements (e.g. wildflower strips), supported biodiversity (29–32 % increase) without significantly compromising yield (2–5 % increase). Farmers can get an even higher yield in these situations than in current conventional agricultural production systems without AES. Thus, our study is useful to identify AES demonstrating benefits for arthropod biodiversity with negligible or relatively low costs regarding yield losses. Further optimization of the design and management of AES is needed to improve their effectiveness in promoting both biodiversity and minimizing crop yield losses.

Agricultural extension services have been successful in promoting knowledge sharing and innovation in agriculture. However, the adoption of new agricultural practices, particularly in integrated pest management, has been slow. Using a case study with a co-designed survey instrument, this research aimed to understand how growers in the Southwest Western Australian Grainbelt access information and resources to manage fungicide resistance. We found that the growers rely on a combination of paid agronomists, government or research institutes, local grower groups, and field days for fungicide resistance information. Growers seek information from trusted experts who can simplify complex research, value easy-to-understand communication and prefer resources tailored to their local context. Additionally, growers valued information regarding new fungicide developments and having access to rapid fungicide resistance diagnostic services. These findings highlight the importance of providing growers with effective agricultural extension services to manage the risk of fungicide resistance.

A fixed off-bottom Kappaphycus striatus var. sacol farm was monitored for 12 months (June 2019 to May 2020) and the monthly incidence of disease and pests was recorded. Meteorological information in situ, from the nearest synoptic station and online data were collected to determine the relationships between temporal environmental changes and the incidence of seaweed health problems. The results showed that “ice-ice” disease (IID) was observed in dry months (i.e., from February to April 2020) and was significantly influenced by increased irradiance, salinity, sea surface temperature, and wind speed (p=0.004‒0.030). Also, the IID incidence was positively affected by reduced precipitation, storm surface run-off, water current speed, and inorganic nutrient (nitrite and ammonia) levels (p=0.002‒0.019). In comparison, epiphytic filamentous algae (EFA) were observed in wet months (i.e., from September to December 2019), with incidence varying from low to very high (≤25–100%) as the culture progressed. EFA incidence was significantly influenced by reduced salinity and increased storm surface run-off and inorganic nutrient (nitrate and ammonia) levels (p=0.006‒0.040). An intense tropical cyclone struck the farming area in December 2019, resulting in partial die-offs of farmed seaweed. Such seaweed health problems are expected to become more prevalent in the coming years as weather disturbances brought about by changing weather patterns become more frequent and intense. Hence, mitigation and preventative approaches must be fully considered to sustain the industry’s growth while protecting the livelihoods of many coastal communities dependent on seaweed farming.

Die folgende Doktorarbeit soll neue Erkenntnisse über die Nahrungsaufnahme von Laufkäfern mit Hilfe von DNA-basierten Techniken zur Nahrungsanalyse liefern, damit das Potenzial von Laufkäfern als biologische Bekämpfungsmittel für Nacktschnecken und Unkrautsamen in Zukunft besser beurteilt werden kann. Das Wissen über das Fressverhalten von Carabiden an Schnecken beruht aktuell häufig noch auf Laborexperimenten, sodass detailliertere Kenntnisse über die Schneckenprädation von Carabiden und deren Wirksamkeit als potenzielle Schneckenjäger im Freiland fehlen. Somit fällt es schwer, genaue Aussagen über das Fressverhalten einzelner Carabidenarten an Nacktschnecken und deren Eiern im Agrarland zu treffen. Ebenso wäre ein präziserer Wissensstand darüber wünschenswert, welche Carabidenarten auf den Feldern den Samenfraß bevorzugen und die Samen welcher Pflanzenarten die jeweiligen Carabidenarten verzehren, um dadurch zu klären, welche Carabidenarten für einen zuverlässigen Fraß von Unkrautsamen und damit für einen Rückgang der Ackerunkräuter sorgen könnten. Ein genaueres Bild von der Ernährung der einzelnen Carabidenarten als bisher bekannt wäre daher zur Einteilung der jeweiligen Art in genau definierte trophische Funktionsgruppen von Nöten. Zur Erforschung der aufgenommenen Nahrung und des Fressverhaltens von in Feldern Mitteleuropas (Frankreich und Österreich) präsenten Carabidenarten war es zunächst erforderlich, die Darminhalte von Carabiden mittels DNA-basierter Techniken im Hinblick auf die potenziellen Nahrungsquellen Nacktschnecke und Unkrautsamen analysieren zu können. Zu diesem Zweck wurden neue DNA-basierte Ansätze für die molekulare Analyse des Darminhalts entwickelt, um Nacktschnecken-DNA durch Multiplex-Polymerasekettenreaktion (PCR) nachweisen und eine gezielte Amplikon-Sequenzierung (TAS) von Pflanzenarten mit anschließender detaillierter Datenanalyse durchführen zu können (Kapitel 2 und 3). Hochempfindliche Primerpaare für die Nacktschnecken Arion distinc, The following PhD thesis aims to provide new insights into the food consumption of carabid beetles using DNA-based techniques for dietary analysis, so that the potential of ground beetles to be used as biological control agents for slugs and weed seeds can be better assessed in the future. Knowledge about the feeding behaviour of carabids on slugs is currently often still based on laboratory experiments, so that more detailed information about slug predation by carabids and their effectiveness as potential slug predators in the field is lacking. It is therefore difficult to make precise statements about the feeding behaviour of individual carabid species on slugs and their eggs in agricultural land. Similarly, it would be desirable to have more precise knowledge of which carabid species prefer seed feeding in the fields and of which plant species the respective carabid species consume seeds from, in order to clarify which carabid species could provide reliable feeding on weed seeds and consequently a decline in field weeds. A more precise picture of the diet of the individual carabid species than known so far would thus be necessary to classify each species into well-defined trophic functional groups. In order to investigate the ingested food and feeding behaviour of carabid species present in Central European fields (France and Austria), it was first necessary to be able to analyse the gut contents of the carabids using DNA-based techniques with regard to the potential food sources slugs and weed seeds. For this purpose, new DNA-based approaches for molecular gut content analysis were developed to detect slug DNA by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and to perform a targeted amplicon sequencing (TAS) approach of plant species with subsequent detailed data analysis (chapters 2 and 3). Highly sensitive primer pairs for the slug species Arion distinctus (Mabille, 1868) (Stylommatophora: Arionidae) and Deroceras reticulatum (Müller, 1774) (Stylommatophora: Agri, Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des Verfassers, Dissertation Universität Innsbruck 2023

type:Article, A standard sample mixture containing 51 pesticides was separated by gas chromatography (GC), and the constituents were identified by mass spectrometry (MS) using femtosecond lasers emitting at 267, 400, and 800 nm as the ionization source. A two-dimensional display of the GC/MS was successfully used for the determination of these compounds. A molecular ion was observed for 38 of the compounds at 267 nm and for 30 of the compounds at 800 nm, in contrast to 27 among 50 compounds when electron ionization was used. These results suggest that the ultraviolet laser is superior to the near-infrared laser for molecular weight determinations and for a more reliable analysis of these compounds. In order to study the conditions for optimal ionization, the experimental data were examined using the spectral properties (i.e., the excitation and ionization energies and absorption spectra for the neutral and ionized species) obtained by quantum chemical calculations. A few molecules remained unexplained by the currently reported rules, requiring additional rules for developing a full understanding of the femtosecond ionization process. The pesticides in the homogenized matrix obtained from kabosu (citrus sphaerocarpa) were measured using lasers emitting at 267 and 800 nm. The pesticides were clearly separated and measured on the two-dimensional display, especially for the data measured at 267 nm, suggesting that this technique would have potential for use in the practical trace analysis of the pesticides in the environment.

Entomology is key to understanding terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems at a time of unprecedented anthropogenic environmental change and offers substantial untapped potential to benefit humanity in a variety of ways, from improving agricultural practices to managing vector-borne diseases and inspiring technological advances. We identified high priority challenges for entomology using an inclusive, open, and democratic four-stage prioritisation approach, conducted among the membership and affiliates (hereafter ‘members’) of the UK-based Royal Entomological Society (RES). A list of 710 challenges was gathered from 189 RES members. Thematic analysis was used to group suggestions, followed by an online vote to determine initial priorities, which were subsequently ranked during an online workshop involving 37 participants. The outcome was a set of 61 priority challenges within four groupings of related themes: (i) ‘Fundamental Research’ (themes: Taxonomy, ‘Blue Skies’ [defined as research ideas without immediate practical application], Methods and Techniques); (ii) ‘Anthropogenic Impacts and Conservation’ (themes: Anthropogenic Impacts, Conservation Options); (iii) ‘Uses, Ecosystem Services and Disservices’ (themes: Ecosystem Benefits, Technology and Resources [use of insects as a resource, or as inspiration], Pests); (iv) ‘Collaboration, Engagement and Training’ (themes: Knowledge Access, Training and Collaboration, Societal Engagement). Priority challenges encompass research questions, funding objectives, new technologies, and priorities for outreach and engagement. Examples include training taxonomists, establishing a global network of insect monitoring sites, understanding the extent of insect declines, exploring roles of cultivated insects in food supply chains, and connecting professional with amateur entomologists. Responses to different challenges could be led by amateur and professional entomologists, at all career stages. Overall, the challenges provide a div

Context Mediterranean landscapes are undergoing severe transformations (land-use change and homogenization) that threatens biodiversity and the services these ecosystems provide. These effects can differ amongst biodiversity facets (plants vs. birds, taxonomic vs. functional) and ecosystem functions (e.g., seed dispersal, forest regeneration, pest control), although these are still poorly understood in Mediterranean landscapes. Objectives Our study aims at understanding how Mediterranean landscape characteristics and land use (tree croplands, shrublands and pine, oak and mixed forest) affect the diversity of birds and plants, and how these changes in biodiversity could affect ecosystem functioning. Methods In 2020–2021, we sampled 49 (5 × 5 m) plots in South-eastern Spain and from five different land uses: tree croplands, shrublands, and pine, oak and mixed forests. We measured land use, habitat diversity and size, together with birds and plant diversity. We assessed both direct and indirect (via bird and plant diversity) effects of landscape characteristics on 6 different ecosystem functions related to forest regeneration, predation, herbivory or aboveground biomass, which imply interactions between birds, plants and their environment. Results Plant communities responded mainly to local features (land use), whereas birds did so to habitat size and landscape diversity (within 500 m radius). Seed and caterpillar predation were more affected by bird’s diversity, whereas regeneration capacity of woody species was driven by both plants and birds. Land use was amongst the most important drivers of all measured functions, with generally higher functioning levels in oak and mixed forests than in the rest of land uses. Conclusions Our results emphasize the complementary information obtained when considering multiple biodiversity facets in studying the consequences of landscape transformation. We also show that these multiple biodiversity changes can be as important as those

The human population is increasing globally, and so are the human-wildlife interactions and conservation conflicts. One source of conservation conflict is the crop damage caused by wildlife. Crop damage is negatively affecting farmers, but also the wildlife due to lethal methods used to reduce the damage. In Kenya, birds are a great threat to the rice production and chemical spraying is used to reduce the damage. To decrease the use of chemicals, other less harmful methods, such as scaring, are needed. In this study, the efficiency of a scaring kite, mimicking a bird of prey (hawk-kite), was tested in south-central Kenya. Rice was used as a bait and the number of birds visiting bait stations at sites with and without hawk-kites were compared. Also, to get a better understanding of the current situation and the challenges with damaging birds, farmers producing rice were interviewed. The hawk-kite almost halved the number of birds visiting the bait stations. Also, the birds did not seem to habituate to the kites, at least not over a 4-day period. Moreover, the interview confirmed that grain-eating birds is the major threat to the rice production and that many farmers are positive to the chemical sprays due to lack of better options. However, it seems like the hawk-kite has potential to be used as a scaring method in rice fields in Kenya, but the efficiency is likely dependent on the kite-type, weather conditions, bird species and food availability. Moreover, when scaring birds for periods longer than four days, habituation may still be a challenge. Since the hawk-kite was found to decrease the number of birds in bait stations, they could provide a better alternative to the chemical sprays in the rice fields, which in turn would lead to more sustainable food production for the increasing human population.

Aim of study: To determine if secondary metabolites present in an ethanolic extract of Salmea scandens could be considered as a viable alternative for the control of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda larvae), as this is the most important maize pest in terms of economic losses to agriculture worldwide. Area of study: S. scandens shrubs were collected in San Rafael Toltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. The laboratory assays were conducted at CIIDIR Oaxaca, and preliminary field assay was carried out in Zaachila Oaxaca. Material and methods: N-isobutyl-(2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z)-dodecatetraenamides-rich extract of S. scandens, corroborated by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR and 13C NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), was obtained from S. scandens by 10-day maceration in ethanol. The effect of the extract on the mortality of S. frugiperda larvae was investigated in the laboratory (in vitro) by topical application, and in the field (in situ), testing both topical and spraying applications. Main results: The 1H NMR, 13C NMR and FTIR spectra evidenced the obtention of the alkylamides-rich ethanol extract of S. scandens. Mortality of S. frugiperda in vitro increased with dose and monitoring time, reaching up to 80%. Under field conditions 63% of mortality was recorded at a dose of 0.30 mg µL-1 per larva by topical application, and 49% by spray application at a dose of 0.15 mg µL-1 per larva. Research highlights: The ethanolic extract of S. scandens can be considered a viable alternative for controlling fall armyworm S. frugiperda.

Invasieve exoten, zoals de Amerikaanse rivierkreeft, veroorzaken grote problemen voor mens en natuur. Wetenschappers zoeken naar een effectieve aanpak om ze te bestrijden. Een natuurlijke vijand introduceren? Wegvangen en ze dan zelf maar opeten? Lara Billie Rense gaat op zoek naar antwoord op de vraag: Hoe zinvol is het bestrijden van invasieve exoten? Met ecologen Pim Lemmers, Winnie Rip en Emily Strange, biologen Jinze Noordijk en Menno Schilthuizen en restauranthouder Jaap van Korven.

Context Rice, India’s most widely grown crop, suffers substantial and increasing yield loss to insect pests. Insectivorous bats are known suppressors of insect pests, providing significant economic value to agricultural systems worldwide, yet their ecology in Indian agricultural landscapes is poorly understood. Objectives We assess the influence of key biotic and abiotic factors on the activity of insectivorous bats over the growing season and within a night in a rice cultivation landscape. Methods Passive acoustic recorders were used to track bat activity in a rice field in the Sonitpur district of Assam, India. We used generalised linear mixed models to analyse the effect of temperature, insect activity, and moonlight intensity on the activity of six bat sonotypes. We also used a multimodal analysis to describe the within-night activity patterns of these sonotypes. Results Minimum nightly temperature and moonlight intensity had a positive and negative influence, respectively, on the activity of six bat sonotypes, while the activity of four bat sonotypes increased with insect activity. Within-night activity showed one of two patterns: three sonotypes displayed a dusk peak in activity, while the three other sonotypes were active through the night. Conclusion The potential to maximise natural pest control in agricultural landscapes can only be realised through understanding the ecology of natural enemies in these landscapes. Our findings suggest that bats in rice fields are tracking insects over a season and within a night, pointing to a valuable ecosystem service in Indian agriculture that is yet to be quantified., Context: Rice, India’s most widely grown crop, suffers substantial and increasing yield loss to insect pests. Insectivorous bats are known suppressors of insect pests, providing significant economic value to agricultural systems worldwide, yet their ecology in Indian agricultural landscapes is poorly understood. Objectives: We assess the influence of key biotic and abiotic factors on the activity of insectivorous bats over the growing season and within a night in a rice cultivation landscape. Methods: Passive acoustic recorders were used to track bat activity in a rice field in the Sonitpur district of Assam, India. We used generalised linear mixed models to analyse the effect of temperature, insect activity, and moonlight intensity on the activity of six bat sonotypes. We also used a multimodal analysis to describe the within-night activity patterns of these sonotypes. Results: Minimum nightly temperature and moonlight intensity had a positive and negative influence, respectively, on the activity of six bat sonotypes, while the activity of four bat sonotypes increased with insect activity. Within-night activity showed one of two patterns: three sonotypes displayed a dusk peak in activity, while the three other sonotypes were active through the night. Conclusion: The potential to maximise natural pest control in agricultural landscapes can only be realised through understanding the ecology of natural enemies in these landscapes. Our findings suggest that bats in rice fields are tracking insects over a season and within a night, pointing to a valuable ecosystem service in Indian agriculture that is yet to be quantified.

Meer en meer planten- en dierensoorten verspreiden zich buiten hun normale biotoop. Dat gebeurt door menselijk handelen en door de klimaatverandering. Sommige van deze exoten zijn ongevaarlijk, maar andere soorten vormen een bedreiging voor onze biodiversiteit, omdat ze geen natuurlijke vijanden hebben. Denk maar aan de Japanse duizendknoop de buxusmot of de Canadese gans. Ook landbouwers en imkers ondervinden soms schade van exoten. In deze reportage gaan we dieper in op de bestrijding van de Aziatische Hoornaar en de knolcyperus. Departement Landbouw en Visserij van de Vlaamse overheid.

Invasieve exoten zijn een snel groeiend probleem, zegt het biodiversiteitspanel van de Verenigde Naties. Er moet meer gebeuren om ze te bestrijden en om verdere verspreiding tegen te gaan.

The thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control produced by the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) critically evaluates evidence on biological invasions and impacts of invasive alien species. In alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted by the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the assessment outlines key responses and policy options for prevention, early detection, and effective control of invasive alien species and mitigation of their impacts in order to safeguard nature, nature’s contributions to people, and good quality of life.

Human activities cause substantial changes in biodiversity.1,2 Despite ongoing concern about the implications of invertebrate decline,3,4,5,6,7 few empirical studies have examined the ecosystem consequences of invertebrate biomass loss. Here, we test the responses of six ecosystem services informed by 30 above- and belowground ecosystem variables to three levels of aboveground (i.e., vegetation associated) invertebrate community biomass (100%, 36%, and 0% of ambient biomass) in experimental grassland mesocosms in a controlled Ecotron facility. In line with recent reports on invertebrate biomass loss over the last decade, our 36% biomass treatment also represented a decrease in invertebrate abundance (−70%) and richness (−44%). Moreover, we simulated the pronounced change in invertebrate biomass and turnover in community composition across the season. We found that the loss of invertebrate biomass decreases ecosystem multifunctionality, including two critical ecosystem services, aboveground pest control and belowground decomposition, while harvested plant biomass increases, likely because less energy was channeled up the food chain. Moreover, communities and ecosystem functions become decoupled with a lower biomass of invertebrates. Our study shows that invertebrate loss threatens the integrity of grasslands by decoupling ecosystem processes and decreasing ecosystem-service supply.

Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855), the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), is an invasive species that has become a key agricultural pest in its invaded range. Commercial traps available for BMSB monitoring rely on male produced aggregation pheromones as lure, with two possible shortcomings: trap spillover and low detection precision. In this study, we assessed if vibrational signals can increase the attractiveness of pheromone traps by testing the optimized vibration-based lure (Female Song 2, FS2) associated with a specifically designed trap (i.e., the vibrotrap). We evaluated the efficacy of this bimodal trap (i.e., pheromones + vibrations) on females, males and nymphs in controlled conditions (greenhouse) and in the field, in two sites at the margin of two commercial vineyards. In the field, bimodal vibrotraps were compared to three unimodal (i.e., only pheromone) trap types. Both experiments showed that the vibrotrap is highly attractive for BMSB, and the optimized FS2 signal significantly improved its effectiveness. Even though FS2 was selected to target males, the number of trapped females increased as well. Overall, the presented findings show a feasible improvement to future commercial BMSB traps through the synergic use of semiophysicals and semiochemicals. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of vibrotraps for both early detection and mass trapping.

Birds serve a variety of functions, such as nutrient cycling, ecosystem engineering, pest control, pollination, scavenging, seed dispersal, predator control, and pest control. However, the environmental services that birds provide are also reducing as a result of the global fall in bird populations. Due to a lack of knowledge, the ecological and economic value of the services provided by birds is not fully understood. In order to support bird conservation, this review paper tries to clarify the function of birds in the agro ecosystem and their advantages for humans. The protection of numerous ecological services that ultimately enhance human well-being would be made possible by healthy bird populations and their habitats.

Plaagsoorten zijn planten en dieren die een risico vormen voor de waterveiligheid, de waterkwaliteit, of de biodiversiteit. Ze vermeerderen zich snel en zijn moeilijk uit te roeien. De werkgroep Plaagsoorten deelt kennis en inzichten over effectieve bestrijding en beheersing van plaagsoorten. Bijvoorbeeld via een praktische handreiking voor de verwerking van bagger, grond en maaisel met exoten, maar ook door deelname aan experimenten met biologische bestrijding.

Het aantal soorten uitheemse mieren in Nederland neemt toe en sommige veroorzaken (veel) overlast. Hoe komen die mieren hier? En wat is ertegen te doen?

Postharvest losses of stored grains are recognized as a major constraint in food security. Thus, the reduction of losses caused by stored product pests (insects, microorganisms and rodents) can increase available food supplies. The control of pests in storage and processing industry is mainly relying on the use of chemically synthesized pesticides and toxic fumigants. However, due a ban or restriction of a number of insecticides, there is an expansion in use of natural products (particularly inert dusts and botanicals). The efficacy of several inert dusts (diatomaceous earth - DE, kaolin clay - KA and vermiculite - VE (5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 gm-2)) and plant extracts of weed and invasive plant species (Erigeron cannadensis, Daucus carota and Halacsya sendtneri (0.5, 1 and 2%)) in suppressing the Sitophilus oryzae weevils was evaluated in contact toxicity tests. DE caused significant mortality at rates 10 (67.8%), 15 (75.3%) and 20 gm-2 (98.2 %), as well as KA (75%) at 10 gm-2, after 24 h. The mortality increased with the exposure period, so in both cases, after 72 h, the mortality was very high (97.8 – 100%), regardless on the applied rates. However, VE as well as plant extracts exhibited very low insecticidal activity, since the mortality was 0-17.5%, and 0-11%, respectively.

This paper proposes an empirical research agenda for investigating the practices of biosecuritization of wild animal threats in modern society. Previously mostly studied on the lofty biopolitical level of directives on combatting invasive species or culling pests, we outline the conceptual and methodological points of entry for bringing the on-the-ground work of culling out-of-place, unwanted, individual animals and populations. This means a focus on necropolitics as constituted by the norms, everyday professional practices, vernaculars of killing, and identity work by pest controllers in the city and hunters on the countryside. Borrowing from research in the domestic animal killing context, we nevertheless show how wild animal killing is imbued with more spontaneity, remorse, aesthetics, public stigma, and multispecies entanglements, requiring adapted research protocols.

Waarschijnlijk alleen gecertificeerde bedrijven mogen per 2023 in Nederland knaagdieren bestrijden met rodenticiden. Bovendien moeten ze inzetten op Integrated Pest Management. Deskundig gebruik van middelen met verschillende werkingsmechanismen moet resistentievorming en doorvergiftiging tegengaan. ‘De Harmonix-aanpak past in dat streefbeeld, maar bij plagen moeten we wel mogen blijven beschikken over zwaar geschut’, stelt plaagdierbestrijder Werner de Mol.

Longread met informatie over de Aziatische boktor: verspreiding, herkenning en maatregelen. Tevens met verwijzingen naar kernpublicaties. Deze longread is onderdeel van het dossier Q-organismen in de boomkwekerij en is gemaakt in een Kennis op Maat project.

2023 was een goed jaar voor de Coloradokever, voor akkerbouwers is dat minder goed nieuws. WUR-onderzoeker Koen Klompe vertelt in deze video waarom dat zo is en wat je tegen overlast van de Coloradokever kunt doen. Voor Boer van de Toekomst maken we video’s over vernieuwende en interessante ontdekkingen/werkwijzen in de landbouw. Gefilmd op het fieldlab van Boerderij van de Toekomst en bedoeld om boeren te inspireren en hun kennis te verbreden. Boerderij van de toekomst en Deltaplan Agrarisch waterbeheer, 2023 (Fieldlab BvdT Lelystad) Koen Klompe (WUR).