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ECOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL
Since 1965, Florida has used the alligatorweed flea beetle to control invasive mats; once established, it can cause them to collapse within about 3 monthsA small but mighty insect, the alligatorweed flea beetle, has proven to be an efficient guardian against the spread of invasive alligatorwe...- In 1888, USDA sent an entomologist to Australia to collect vedalia beetles for California’s cottony cushion scale; within a year, the pest had sharply declinedThe cottony cushion scale insect threatened California's citrus growers with devastation. The USDA took action by sending a scientist to Au...
- In 1978, Japan released just 10 to 15 cane toads on Ishigaki Island; their population likely surpassed 20,000, and native snakes were found dead near the toadsA Japanese island's initiative to curb pests with cane toads resulted in unintended consequences. These invasive toads proliferated, wreaki...
- In the 1990s, a predatory flatworm was released in Samoa to control giant African snails; it later drove native island snails toward extinctionBiological control efforts introduced the New Guinea flatworm to Pacific islands. This predator began hunting native land snails, pushing t...
- In 1998, over 1,000 truckloads of orange peels were dumped in a barren Costa Rica pasture, 15 years later it turned into a dense forestIn a groundbreaking initiative in Costa Rica, researchers turned orange waste into a remarkable tool for land restoration. This organic byp...
- In 1500s, Spanish explorers introduced pigs into North America. Now areas where they roam free have fewer invasive speciesAlthough wild pigs have long been viewed as destructive invasive species, recent findings reveal they also play a surprising role in curbin...
- In the 1500s, European settlers brought pigs to North America as travelling food; more than 6 million feral swine now occupy at least 35 statesEuropean pigs introduced centuries ago became invasive feral swine across North America. These adaptable animals now inhabit diverse enviro...
- In 1955, Hawaiʻi released a predatory snail to control giant African snails; it climbed into native forests and helped wipe out rare tree snailsIn Hawaii, the introduction of the rosy wolfsnail was intended to combat a pest, but it drastically backfired. Instead of targeting its int...
- The hidden danger inside Spain's eucalyptus forests that worries scientistsSpain's eucalyptus plantations appear green but support fewer native birds and insects. These monocultures lack the diverse vegetation and ...
- Madhavan rarely goes to the market to buy veggies, explaining how his terrace garden fulfils 70% of his seasonal vegetable requirements: ‘The easiest ones to grow…’Dhurandhar star Madhavan almost never visits the supermarkets to buy vegetables. Reason? He has his own balcony garden which yields fresh s...
- Scientists found ants have been running tiny 'Dairy Farms' for 35 million years, and the sweet reward explains whyAnts and aphids share an ancient mutualistic relationship for nourishment and protection. Ants herd aphids, receiving sugary honeydew and p...
- North America once had 400 million beavers, nearly wiped out by the 1900s; they are now helping shield wildfire-prone stream corridors in northeastern Washington from flamesBeavers, once a dominant presence in North America, shaped resilient ecosystems that thrived as they created vast wetland habitats. Their n...
- No rodents in California vineyards? Barn owls point to a new future for American farming as ‘fear effect’ cuts pests by up to 52% without poisonCould barn owls offer a new future for farming in America? New research in California vineyards found that areas with more active barn owls...
- In 1974, a Spainish rancher imported 2,000 kg of American crayfish from Louisiana. 50 years later, it has become an invasion nobody could stopAn American red swamp crayfish invasion reshaped Spain's Guadalquivir River basin and Doñana National Park. This destructive biological inv...
- In 2006, Arizona tried to eliminate a cotton pest by breeding billions more; planes flooded fields with sterile pink bollworm moths; by 2018, the US declared victoryThe elimination of the pink bollworm pest in the United States marks a significant achievement by scientists. By introducing billions of st...
- Japanese invasive beetle grubs are quietly killing lawns from below: Why skunks and moles may be your best friends to save your yardSkunks digging in yards are often searching for insect food sources. Japanese beetle grubs are a common culprit weakening grass from below....
- In 1837, New Zealand fur promoters released Australian possums to build a new industry; the first attempt failed, so settlers kept trying until the animals invaded the countryNew Zealand settlers introduced Australian possums in 1837 for a fur trade venture. This initial plan failed, but subsequent attempts event...
- In 1872, a Jamaican planter imported nine mongooses to kill rats in his sugarcane fields; the predators then turned on native birds and reptilesJamaican planters introduced mongooses to combat rat infestations destroying sugarcane harvests. These predators, however, did not stop at ...
- In 1934, a New York socialite bought the Pennsylvania mountain where hunters shot hundreds of hawks; the killing stopped almost overnightRosalie Edge established Hawk Mountain Sanctuary after seeing a photograph of dead hawks. This sanctuary holds the world's oldest continuou...
- In 1928, Henry Ford carved a slice of small-town America into the Amazon rainforest to grow his own rubber, a jungle city called Fordlândia that the forest quietly swallowed wholeHenry Ford established Fordlândia in Brazil to secure rubber supplies for his company. He built an American-style town, imposing strict rul...
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