insects

1. Enhancing Beneficial Insects
Using Native Plants

2. Introduction to beneficial insects
Role of plants in enhancing beneficial insects
Research on native plants
Implications for agricultural landscapes
Outline

3. Pollinators
-Honey bees
-Native bees
Natural enemies
-Predators
-Parasitoids
Beneficial Insects
Arthropod-Mediated Ecosystem Services (AMES)
$57 B/y
$3.1 B/y pollination
$4.5 B/y pest suppression
Losey & Vaughan BioScience, 2006

4. Natural enemies may require:
Food
Nectar
Pollen
Sap, honeydew
Alternate host/prey
Shelter
Conservation Biological Control

5. Habitat Management
Native plants
–Provide ecosystem services
–Enhance native biodiversity
–Restoration of imperiled habitats
–Habitat permanency (perennials)
Widely used plants in habitat management
–Dill Anethum graveolens
–Coriander Coriandrum sativum
–Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum
–Alyssum Lobularia maritima
–Faba bean Vicia faba

6. Assess natural enemy attractiveness to native plants
Determine important plant characteristics
SARE Project Goals

7. - 43 native perennials,
5 recommended non-native
annuals
- RCBD, 5 replicates
- 245 total 1m2 plots
- 2 hectares
2003
2004
2005
Methods: Plot Establishment

8. Plant characteristics
Week of peak bloom
Flower height
Corolla depth, width
(Spot imaging system)
Flower hue, chroma
(S 2000 Fiber optic spectrophotometer)
Floral area/ m2 plot
(Scion image)
Methods: Plant Sampling

9. Methods: Insect Sampling
Insects identified to family, counted
(77,883 total)
Vacuum-sampled all flowers for 30
seconds during 3 weeks of peak
bloom
(Stihl BG55)
Sampled grass areas between plots
weekly

10. Mid Season: July – mid August
2005 data Plant species
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Grass control
Nonnative
2005 data

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Grass control
Nonnative
Late Season: mid August – September
2005 data

12. Most Attractive Plant Species
Bloom
2005 Peak
Bloom Date
Common Name Genus and species
Plant
Type
Tolerance
e 24 May Wild strawberry Fragaria virginiana Duchesne* Forb Average
e 6 June Golden alexanders Zizia aurea (L.) Koch Forb Wet
e 14 June Canada anemone Anemone canadensis L.* Forb Average
e 14 June Penstemon Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd. Forb Average
e 14 June Angelica Angelica atropurpurea L.* Forb Average
e 21 June Cow parsnip Heracleum maximum Bartr.* Forb Average
e 21 June Sand coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata L. Forb Dry
m 12 July Shrubby cinquefoil Potentilla fruticosa auct. non L. Shrub Average
m 12 July Indian hemp Apocynum cannabinum L.** Forb Average
m 2 Aug. Hoary vervain Verbena stricta Vent. Forb Dry
m 2 Aug. Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata L. Forb Wet
m 2 Aug. Yellow coneflower Ratibida pinnata (Vent.) Barnh. Forb Average
m 9 Aug. Evening primrose Oenothera biennis L.~ Forb Average
m 9 Aug. Meadowsweet Spiraea alba Duroi Shrub Wet
l 16 Aug. Yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze Forb Average
l 16 Aug Horsemint Monarda punctata L. Forb Dry
l 23 Aug. Ironweed Vernonia missurica Raf. Forb Average
l 23 Aug Cup plant Silphium perfoliatum L. Forb Average
l 23 Aug Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum L. Forb Wet
l 23 Aug Blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica L. Forb Average
l 30 Aug. Pale-leaved sunflower Helianthus strumosus L. Forb Dry
l 13 Aug. Riddell's goldenrod Solidago riddellii Frank ex Riddell^ Forb Wet
l 20 Sept. New England aster Aster novae-angliae L. Forb Average
l 27 Sept. Smooth aster Aster laevis L. Forb Average
http://nativeplants.msu.edu

13. Attractive Flower Characteristics
Not:
–Flower height
–Corolla depth, width
–Flower color/saturation
Natural enemies and bees both like:
–Large floral area relative to time of season

14. Win-Win Scenarios
• On-farm conservation

15. Win-Win Scenarios
• Biofuel production

16. Broader Implications
• Consistent with conservation goals
– Soil and water
– Biodiversity
– Ecosystem services
• Rural Sustainability
– Native Plant Nurseries
– Agrotourism

17. Learn More
 “Enhancing Beneficial Insects
with Native Plants”
http://nativeplants.msu.edu