Upload
others
View
4
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
Photo: Debbie Roos
Conservation Biological Control Short CourseUniversity of Rhode Island, East Farm
Jarrod Fowler, Conservation Biocontrol Specialist, The Xerces Society
Kelly Gill, Pollinator Conservation Specialist, The Xerces Society & USDA NRCS
Gary Casabona, State Biologist, USDA NRCS Rhode Island
Special thanks to:
Gary Casabona, State Biologist, USDA NRCS
Heather Faubert, University of Rhode Island
Dr. Steve Alm, University of Rhode Island
Jarrod Fowler, Xerces Society
Jillian Vento & Sara Morris, Xerces Society
Xerces Society Members & Supporters
Xerces Society Sponsors & Partners:
Photo: Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society)
Thank You!! Thank You!!
What is the Xerces Society?
Photos: California NRCS and Ed Ross
Since 1971, the Society has worked to
protect wildlife through the conservation
of invertebrates and their habitat.
Xerces blue butterfly
(Glaucopsyche xerces),
the first U.S. butterfly to
go extinct due to human
activities.
Endangered species
Photos: Joel Sartore, Matthew Shepherd, Carly Voight, David Funk
Pollinator conservation
Butterfly conservation Aquatic conservation
What is the Xerces Society?
Pollinator Conservation Program
• Habitat restoration & protection
>200,000 acres of U.S. farmland
• Applied research
• Technical guides
• Training sessions
• Documenting at-risk pollinators
• Citizen science programs
• Conservation policy guidance
• Education and outreach
• TSP / consulting services
• Staff Backgrounds: farming,
ecology, entomology, teaching,
beekeeping, wildlife conservation,
habitat restoration, native seed
production, +more
© Jen Knutson
Photos: Brianna Borders, Jolie Goldenetz Dollar, Adam Varenhorst, Jen Knutson, Eric Mader, Kelly Gill
What is the Xerces Society?
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Joint Staff Biologist positions with USDA NRCS
• Technical assistance for Farm Bill programs
• Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect habitat
• Financial support for conservation
• Learn more www.nrcs.usda.gov
Farm Bill Programs for Pollinators
Photo: USDA-NRCS, USDA-ARS
2
What is the Xerces Society? What is the Xerces Society?
Xerces Society – Pesticide Risk Reduction and Training
• Training for agricultural professionals, farmers, and gardeners
• Guidelines on pesticide risk reduction strategies for farmers
• Natural pest control systems (using “good bugs” to manage “bad bugs”)
Course Outline
• Conservation Biological Control
• Common Beneficial Insects
• Break
• Designing & Restoring Beneficial
Insect Habitat
• Pest Case Studies
• Lunch 12:00-12:45
• Habitat Assessment Guide (intro)
• Field Tour (1:00)
• Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
• USDA Programs and Practices for
Beneficial Insect Conservation
• Additional Resources and Q&A
• COURSE EVALUATIONS
• HAND IN YOUR CEU SHEETS
Farming with Native Beneficial Insects
Photo: Kelly GiIl Photo: Jennifer Hopwood
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Insect contribute $22 billion to
the recreation industry as food
for wildlife (bird watching)
Native, wild pollinators
contribute at least $3 billion in
crop pollination in the U.S.
Wild natural enemies protect
more than $4.5 billion in crop
production in the U.S.
Clean up grazing lands saving
ranchers more than $380
million, recycle nutrients
Losey & Vaughan. 2006. The Economic Value of Ecological
Services Provided by Insects. Bioscience 56 (4). Photos: VADGIF, Piotr Naskrecki, Edward Ross, USDA-NRCS
Insects Provide Ecosystem Services
Photo: Nancy Adamson
Assassin bug eating
stink bug on raspberry
“The greatest single factor in preventing insects from overwhelming
the rest of the world is the internecine warfare which they carry out
among themselves” - Dr. Robert Metcalf
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
3
The estimated value of pest control by wild beneficial insects is
$4.5–12 billion annually for U.S. crops, and $100 billion worldwide.
Losey & Vaughan. 2006. The Economic Value of Ecological Services Provided by Insects. Bioscience 56
(4). Pimental et al. 1997. Economic and Environmental Benefits of Biodiversity. BioScience:47 (11) Photo © Margy Green, www.margygreen.com
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
The estimated value of pest control by wild beneficial insects is
$4.5–12 billion annually for U.S. crops, and $100 billion worldwide.
Losey & Vaughan. 2006. The Economic Value of Ecological Services Provided by Insects. Bioscience 56
(4). Pimental et al. 1997. Economic and Environmental Benefits of Biodiversity. BioScience:47 (11) Photo © Margy Green, www.margygreen.com
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Parasitoid wasp
attacking a mottled
tortoise beetle
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Beneficial Insects and
Biological Control
Using living organisms to
provide pest management
3 Types
• Classical/Introduced
• Augmentative
• Conservation
Photo: Nancy Adamson
Scoliid wasps parasitize
Japanese beetle grubs
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Classical/Introduced
• Releasing non-native species
• Expectation of establishment
• Introductions of species and
resulting interactions irreversible
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Lady beetles eat up to 5,000
aphids during their lifetime
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Augmentative
• Increase numbers of existing
natural enemies
• Purchase and release mass-
reared beneficial insects
• Problems with releasing
convergent lady beetles
(Hippodamia convergens)
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Conservation Biological Control
• Merger of farming and ecology
• Increases beneficial insect
numbers and diversity
• Providing food, shelter, and
other habitat
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
4
Photo: Nancy Adamson
In conservation biological control,
habitat is the key ingredient…
Great golden digger wasp
sipping wingstem nectar
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photo: Eric MaderPhoto: Jennifer Hopwood
Research shows
• The amount of natural habitat on a farm directly
influences beneficial insect abundance
• If more than 20% of a farm is diverse habitat, pest
control by beneficial insects occurs throughout fields
Bianchi, et al. 2011. Proc. R. Soc. B 273: 1715-1727
Carvell, et al. 2007. J of Applied Ecology 44: 29-40.
Potts, et al. 2003. Ecology 84:2628-2642.
Tscharntke, et al. 1998. J of Applied Ecology 35:708-719.
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Habitat is the KEY IngredientBianchi et al 2011: Landscape complexity enhances natural beneficial insect
populations in 74% of cases
Photos: Matthew Roth and Lynn Betts
Pests thrive in monocultures… But beneficial insects need more
Bianchi, F. J. J. A., C. J. H. Booij, and T. Tscharntke. 2011. Sustainable pest regulation in agricultural landscapes:
a review on landscape composition, biodiversity and natural pest control. Proc. R. Soc. B 273: 1715-1727.
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Natural habitat provides
Food sources: pollen, nectar, alternate prey
Shelter: overwintering and egg-laying sites,
refuge from disturbance
Photo: Kelly Gill
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Habitat: Alternate Food
• Many predatory insects eat pollen
or nectar when prey are not
available
• Some switch diets depending on
their life stage
Photos: Mace Vaughan, Alex Wild, Ed Ross
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Habitat: Alternate Food
• Wildflowers help sustain beneficial
insects when crops are not in bloom
• Greater abundance of beneficial
insects closely associated with native
palnts vs non-native plants
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
5
Habitat: Alternate Food
Habitat can harbor alternate
prey or hosts when crop pests
are absent or in low numbers
Photos: Alex Wild
Lady beetle larva on
milkweed eating oleander
aphids (not a crop pest)
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Habitat: Shelter
• Sites for over-wintering, egg-laying,
refuge from disturbance
• Bunch grasses, brush piles, rock piles,
stumps/logs, untilled areas
Photos: insecte.org; Alex Wild
Nesting Isodontia wasp
(grasshopper hunter)
Lacewing eggs
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Lacewing larva feeding
on soybean aphids
Benefits of Conservation
Biological Control
• Ecological pest control
• Alternative to insecticides
• Natural resources conservation
• Increases farm diversity
• Reduces environmental risk
• Fulfill biodiversity requirements
for organic certification (NOP)
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photo: Nancy Adamson
bumble bee
on wild bergamot
Benefits to other beneficial insects
• Native, wild bees
• Managed bees
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photos: Adam Varenhorst
Benefits to other beneficial insects
• Monarch adults and caterpillars
• Many other butterfly species
monarch butterfly
on swamp milkweed
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photo: Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society)
Threats to Beneficial Insects
6
Photo: Griggs Dakota
Unprecedented scale of habitat loss
• 9+ million acres of grassland/prairie
converted to cropland since 2008
• Largest conversion of habitat to
cropland since before the Dust Bowl
Tough Times for Insects
Unprecedented scale of habitat loss
• Simple landscapes favor pest outbreaks
and support fewer beneficial insects
• Lawns have little habitat value
• Exotic ornamental plants do not support as
many beneficial insects as native plants
Tough Times for Insects
Photos: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; Brianna Borders
Simplified landscapes
• Lack habitat to support natural
enemies and biological control
• Pest densities reach economic
thresholds more frequently
• Common response is insecticide
treatments that decimate beneficial
insect populations
Tough Times for Insects
Photo: USGS
Tough Times for Insects
An unprecedented rise in insecticide use
Photo: USGS
Tough Times for Insects
An unprecedented rise in insecticide use An unprecedented rise in insecticide use
Photo: USGS
Tough Times for Insects
7
An unprecedented rise in insecticide use
Photo: USGS
Tough Times for Insects
An unprecedented rise in insecticide use
Photo: USGS
Tough Times for Insects
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Multiple techniques to minimize
economic and environmental risks
• Reduce pesticide use while still
protecting the crop
1. Prevent conditions that favor
insect pests and plant disease
2. Establish pest thresholds
3. Monitor pest and beneficial
insect populations
4. Control pests that exceed
economic thresholds
Photo: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Cannot Rely On A Single Method
Biological control is a critical
component of any IPM strategy
Conditions that favor pests
• Introduction outside native range
• Becomes disease vector
• Host shift in native insect – e.g.,
CPB, apple maggot
• Simplified landscapes – e.g.,
monocultures, loss of biodiversity
• Agricultural practices – e.g.,
continuous cropping, pesticides
• Lack of IPM – e.g., insects rapidly
adapt to environment, pesticide
resistance
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org
Why Farm With Beneficial Insects?
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
crab spider
eating a fly
Questions?
• Up next: common beneficial insect
• Get to know your insect allies!
1
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Beneficial Insects
• AKA
• “Natural Enemies”
• “Biocontrol Agents”
• Majority of insect species
• Perform ecosystem services
• Supporting
• Provisioning
• Regulating
• Regulate insect pests
• Predators
• Parasitoids
Photo: Susan Ellis, bugwood.org
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Alex Wild
Lacewing larva
eating aphids
Predators and Parasitoids
Insects
• Beetles (Coleoptera)
• Bugs (Hemiptera)
• Flies (Diptera)
• Lacewings (Neuroptera)
• Mantids (Mantodea)
• Wasps (Hymenoptera)
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Sam Droege, USGS
Predators and Parasitoids
Non-Insects
• Centipedes
• Harvestmen
• Mites
• Pseudoscorpions
• Spiders
• Entomopathogens
• Fungi
• Nematodes
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Chaswick Chap
Predators
Hunt, kill, and consume pests
• Commonly generalists
• ~ 1/25 – 4 inches
• Ravenous feeders
• Shared regulation of pests
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo:8thstar
Parasitoids
Hunt, consume, and kill pests
• Commonly specialists
• Often < 1/25 inch
• Inconspicuous
• Susceptible to pesticides
2
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
“Generalists”
• Feed on a variety of prey
eggs, larvae, pupae, or
adults
• Persist in environments
when pests are not
present
• Reduce pest
populations, but not
always below thresholds
Photo: MJ Hatfield
Spined soldier bug
attacking caterpillar
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
“Specialists”
• Feed on limited range of
related insect eggs,
larvae, pupae, or adults
• Persist in environments
only with low-levels of
prey
• Reduce pest
populations, but not
always below thresholds
Wasps emerging
from stink bug eggs
Photo: Bugwood, David Cappaert
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Mnolf
Monitoring
• Observing
• Netting
• Trapping
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, Pages 183 – 207
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Alex Wild, David James, Thelma Heidel-Baker
Assassin bug
Ambush bug Minute pirate bug
Predators: True Bugs
• Assassin Bugs
• Thread-legged Bugs
• Ambush Bugs
• Big-Eyed Bugs
• Damsel Bugs
• Minute Pirate Pugs
• Predatory Stink Bugs
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Tom Potterfield
Predators: True Bugs
Assassin Bugs
• Narrow-neck with curved and 3-segmented beak
• 0.2 – 1.5 inches
• Generalist predators of caterpillars, beetles, leafhoppers, and more
Assassin bug nymph
eating its prey
3
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Debbie Roos
Predators: True Bugs
Ambush Bugs
• Raptorial legs
• Masters of camouflage
• Capture prey 10 X their size
• 0.2 – 0.5 inches
• May drink nectar when prey
are scare
Photo: Leslie Abram
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Predators: True Bugs
Damsel Bugs
• Slender with 4 segmented beak and raptorial legs
• Some species have reduced wings
• 0.1 – 0.5 inches
• Prey on small soft-bodied arthropods
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Predators: True Bugs
Minute Pirate Bugs
• Teardrop to flattened oval-
shaped bodies with triangular
wing patterns
• Commonly < 0.25 inch
• Prey upon small soft bodies
arthropods
• Consume pollen, nectar, and
sap
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker, HJ Yoo,
Orius insidiosus nymph and adult
eating soybean aphid
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Predators: True Bugs
Predatory Stink Bugs
• Shield-shaped with enlarged beak
• 0.2 – 0.5 inches
• Consume soft-bodied prey
• May consume nectar and pollen
Photo: Tomasz Gorny (Nemo5576)
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Mace Vaughan
Predators: Mantids
• Triangular heads with
chewing mouthparts
• Raptorial legs
• 0.4 - >6.5 inches
• Extreme generalists
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Eggs
Larva
Photos: Sarah Foltz Jordan, Sylvia Delfino, Thelma Heidel-Baker
Predators: Net-Winged Insects
Lacewings
• Eggs are stalked
• Larvae: Alligator-like with large jaws
• Adults: Nocturnal with copper-colored eyes
• Adults feed on prey, nectar, honeydew, or pollen
4
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
Predators: Beetles
• Checkered Beetles
• Firefly Beetles
• Ground Beetles
• Tiger Beetles
• Lady Beetles
• Soft-Winged Flower Beetles
• Soldier Beetles
• Rove Beetles
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Sarah Foltz Jordan
Predators: Beetles
Firefly Beetles
• Soft-bodies beetles with
concealed heads
• 0.2 – 0.3 inches
• Larvae eat slugs, snails,
and soft-bodied arthropods
• Adults feed on nectar and
pollen (native Asteraceae)
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Tom Murray; MJ Hatfield
Predators: Beetles
Ground Beetles
• Hard-bodied and agile beetles
• 0.3 – 2.6 inches
• Ravenous nocturnal predators
• Some eat pollen, berries, seeds
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Katja Schultz from Washington, D.C., USA
Predators: Beetles
Tiger Beetles
• Straight-sided elytra and slender legs
• Sickle-shaped mandibles
• 0.3 – 2.8 inches
• Generalist predators of open habitats
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Thelma Heidel-Baker; Alex Wild
Predators: Beetles
Lady Beetles
• Round, oval, or oblong
• With or without markings
• 0.04 – 0.39 inches
• Crawling larvae feed on prey
• Adults feed on prey, pollen,
and nectar
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Debbie Roos
Predators: Beetles
Soldier Beetles
• Soft-bodied with leathery elytra
• Brightly colored
• 0.1 – 0.6 inches
• Adults and larvae consume soft-
bodied prey
• Adults feed on nectar and pollen
5
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Predators: Flies
• Hover Flies
• Dance Flies
• Long-legged Flies
• Robber Flies
• Snipe Flies
Photo: Susan Ellis, bugwood.org
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Mario Ambrosino, Sarah Foltz Jordan
Predators: Flies
Flower or Hover Flies
• Mimic bees or wasps
• Lapping mouthparts
• 0.04 – 1.38 inches
• Larvae feed on soft-bodied
arthropods
• Adults feed on nectar and
pollen
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Andre Karwath
Predators: Flies
Dance Flies
• Elongate with distinct neck
• Long and pointed mouthparts
• Slender, often raptorial legs
• 0.04 – 0.55 inches
• Larvae detritivores or predators
• Adults feed on prey and nectar
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Matt Reinbold
Predators: Flies
Long-Legged Flies
• Slender flies with long legs
• Blue, copper, or green bodies
• Piercing mouthparts
• 0.04 – 0.35 inches
• Larvae and adults eat small
invertebrates
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Kelly Gill
Predators: Flies
Robber Flies
• Elongated, tapered abdomen
• “Bearded” face and piercing
mouthparts
• Bee or wasp mimics
• 0.2 – 1.2 inches
• Generalist predators
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: James Cane
Predators: Wasps
• Crabronidae
• Pompilidae
• Sphecidae
• Vespidae
6
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Hectonichus
Predators: Wasps
Sphecidae – Thread-waisted Wasps
• Thread-waisted abdomen
• 0.4 – 1.2 inches
• Larvae feed on paralyzed caterpillars,
grasshoppers, or spiders
• Adults feed on nectar
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Sarah Foltz Jordan
Predators: Wasps
Vespidae – Hornets,
Mason Wasps, Paper
Wasps, Potter Wasps,
Yellow Jackets
• Constricted eyes
• Horse-shoe shaped
• Larvae feed on
caterpillars
• Adults feed on nectar,
pollen
Polistes paper wasp
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Parasitoids
Wasps and Flies
• Eggs laid in or on specific hosts
• Larvae consume and eventually
kill hosts (e.g. Alien)
• Small insects, but highly
effective natural enemies
Photo: Alex Wild
Parasitoid wasp laying
eggs in an aphid
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Thelma Heidel-Baker, Matthew Roth and Alex Wild
Process of parasitizing a
hornworm caterpillar
Parasitoids: Wasps
Parasitica
• Diverse forms and life histories
• 0.01 - 1.00 inches
• Specialists or Generalists
• PolyDNA Virus
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Connie Schmotzer
Parasitoids: Wasps
Scoliidae, Tiphiidae – Scarab
Hunters, Flower Wasps
• Full-bodied, hairy wasps
• 0.2 – 2.0 inches
• Endoparasitoids of grubs
• Adults consume nectar and pollen
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photos: Bill Bouton, Katja Schultz from Washington, D.C., USA
Parasitoid Flies:
Tachinids
• Appear similar to house or
flesh flies
• Stiff bristled abdomens
• Some mimic bees or wasps
• 0.1 – 0.6 inches
• Generalist or specialist larvae
• Adults eat nectar and pollen
7
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Predators and Parasitoids
Non-Insects
• Centipedes
• Harvestmen
• Mites
• Pseudoscorpions
• Spiders
• Entomopathogens
• Fungi
• Nematodes
Photo: Chen-Pan Liao
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: SEA
Predators and Parasitoids:
Nematodes
• “Roundworms”
• Juveniles ambush or cruise for hosts
• Explosive populations
• Prey upon many soil-dwelling pests
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Stein Florist
Parasitoids: Fungi
• Often Ascomycota, Sac Fungi
• Infect during asexual or sexual phases
• Disable and kill insects
• Generalists or Specialists
Photos: Surendra Dara, Karrie Buckman, Sarah Foltz Jordan
Aphid with Pandora neoaphidis Fly with Entomophthora muscae
Common Beneficial Insect Groups
Photo: Thelma Heidel-Baker
Conservation Strategies?
1
Photo: Kelly Gill
Designing and Restoring Habitat
Wildflower Strips
Mixed Vegetable Farm, NJ
Xerces-NRCS Habitat Installation Guides
and Biology Tech Notes
• Step-by-step recipes for creating
pollinator and/or beneficial insect habitat
• Available for several regions of the U.S
Creating Habitat for Beneficial Insects
Creating Habitat for Beneficial Insects
Planning considerations
• What is already there?
• Protect existing natural areas!
• Habitat deficiencies
• Plant selection
• Crops and common pests
• Location and configuration
• Accessibility
• Perennial vs. annual
• Protection from pesticides
• Multiple benefits
Photo: Kelly Gill
Plant selection
• Perennial plants
• Focus on native plants
• Abundant pollen and nectar
• Bloom throughout the year
• Focus on availability and cost
• Seed mixes with PLS
Perennial Habitat for Beneficial Insects
Pollinator Garden
Lehigh Gap Nature Center, PA
Photos: Elaine Haug NRCS, Matthew Shepherd; Mace Vaughan, Eric Mader, Jeff McMillan NRCS, Berry Botanic Garden, Nancy Adamson
maple
(Acer)
false indigo
(Baptisia)
goldenrod
(Solidago)
willow
(Salix)
mountain mint
(Pycnanthemum)
aster
(various genera)blazing star
(Liatris)
A diversity of pollen and nectar plants and continuous bloom
Perennial Habitat for Beneficial Insects
Photos: Rod Gilbert, Eric Eldredge, Adam Varenhorst
James, D.G. 2010. Attraction of beneficial insects to flowering endemic
perennial plants in the Yakima Valley. Irrigated Agriculture Research and
Extension Center, Washington State University. Unpublished raw data.
Native Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
• High quality nectar source for bees
• Obligate host plants for monarch
caterpillars
• Top species for attracting beneficial
insects (lady beetles, parasitic wasps,
pirate bugs, syrphid flies) in western
US vineyards
Perennial Habitat for Beneficial Insects
2
Photo: Nancy Adamson
Native trees / shrubs
• Red maple (Acer ruburm)
• Black willow (Salix nigra)
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
• Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
• New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
• Pasture rose (Rosa carolina)
• Southern arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
• Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
• Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Perennial Habitat for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Don Keirstead
Perennial Habitat for Beneficial Insects
The Habitat Restoration Process
Perennial Plantings
Photo: Eric Mader
Habitat Installation: Key Characteristics
Evaluate site conditions
• Soil condition / type
• Accessibility
• Ability to irrigate
• Protection from pesticides
Photo: USDA-ARSPhotos: Jessa Guisse, Xerces
Evaluate site conditions
• Site history
• Weed pressure
• Pest problems
Photos: Jessa Guisse, Xerces
Habitat Installation: Key Characteristics
Photo: Matthew Shepherd
MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE
RETORATION PROCESS!!
• Good site preparation is critical
• Removal of weeds
• May require more than one season
• Focus on invasive, persistent
perennial weeds
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
3
Photo: Jessa Guisse (Xerces)
Herbicide treatment:
• Non-selective and non-persistent
• Conventional or organic herbicide
• Timing: 6 to 12 months
• Early spring – fall, weeds 4-6 inches
• Avoid tillage
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
Photos: Eric Mader, Alex Stone (OSU),
Disk and/or Tine Harrow
Repeated shallow cultivation
• Early spring – deep cultivation (1x)
• Then - shallow cultivation (2 in.)
• Repeat - 4 to 6 week intervals
• Irrigation may be needed
• ONLY use implements that can be set
to shallow depth (scratching surface)
Sweep Cultivator
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
Cultivation + Smother Crop
• Buckwheat Example
• Spring: Till, before winter/spring
annuals flower
• Two weeks later: Shallow cultivation
(sweep / harrow)
• Two weeks later: Repeat shallow
cultivation - IMMEDIATELY seed crop
• Six weeks later: Mow, remove debris,
and rebroadcast (70 lb/ac) OR drill
seed (50 lb/acre)
• Six weeks later: Mow or crimp and
leave debris on surface
Photo: Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society)Photos: Commons
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
Photos: Jessa Guisse (Xerces)
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
Soil Solarization
• Timing: 6+ months
• Mow, prepare bed, irrigate
• Use UV stabilized, clear plastic
• 6 ml high tunnel plastic
• NO airflow, repair rips
Photos: Eric Mader
Habitat Installation: Site Preparation
Spring Summer
Fall Wildflowers!
Seed bed preparation
• Burn or rake off debris
• Light harrowing is ok – deep
tillage is not!
• Do not to bring more dormant
weed seeds to the surface
• Lightly pack if needed
Photos: Mace Vaughan
Not ready for planting!
Ready for planting!
Photos: Don Keirstead
Habitat Installation: Preparing to Plant
4
Habitat Installation: Seeding Methods
Photos: Jessa Guisse, Don Keirstead, Kelly Gill
Preparing to Seed:
• Plant in the dormant season
• Bulk up the seed mix with an
inert carrier (e.g. sand) – for
broadcasting
Photos: Brianna Borders
Habitat Installation: Broadcast Seeding
Immediately after broadcast seeding
• Roll seed to ensure seed-soil contact
• Cultipacker
• Lawn roller
• Chain harrow
• Lawn rake
Photos: Mace Vaughan, Jessa Guisse
Habitat Installation: Broadcast Seeding
Native Seed Drills:
• Multiple seed sizes
• Plant directly in stubble (no till)
• Tye, Truax, Great Plains
(common manufacturers)
Brillion Drop Seeders:
• Made for sowing turf and
pasture grasses, also alfalfa
and clover
• Works with native seed (change
seed box agitators)
• Requires smooth, cultivated
seed bed (not like this photo!)
CALIBRATE AND MONITOR
Photos: Jessa Guisse
Habitat Installation: Drills and Drop Seeders
Photos: Eric Mader
Management During Establishment
The Year After Seeding
• Weed treatments as needed
Targeted herbicide application
• Grass-selective herbicides
• Spot spraying or wicking
Mowing
• Use only with perennial mixes
• High mow ( > 8 in.) to prevent
annual weeds from re-seeding
Other options
• Weed wacker, flame weeder
target annual weeds
• Hand weeding!
Mow the wild radish to find…
wildflower seedlings underneath!
Mowing, grazing, burning are best at
infrequent intervals
• Disturbance to no more than 1/3 of habitat
area each year
• Allow for long recovery times after
management (e.g. after grazing)
• Time management for when most effective
against target, or during dormant season
Photos: USDA-ARS, Audubon California
Long-Term Management
5
Transplants
• Supplemental irrigation
• Mulch
• Animal guards
• Mechanical transplanters
Photos: Mace Vaughan
Habitat Installation: Transplanting
Photo: Kelly Gill
Mixed Vegetable CSA
Biodynamic Farm, NY
Habitat Restoration Opportunities
Opportunities to expand or
enhance perennial habitat
• Field borders
• Buffers, filter strips
• Retired cropland, preserves,
open space
• Hedgerows
• Windbreaks
• Ground covers
• Edges / transitional zones
*Pesticide-free areas
Photos: New Hampshire NRCS
Every Farm Has Field Borders!
Field Borders
There are idle spots on every farm, and every highway is bordered by an idle strip as long as it is;
keep cow, plow, and mower out of these idle spots, and the full native flora…could be part of the
normal environment of every citizen. -Aldo Leopold Photos: Don Keirstead
Pre-Planting: 2009 Post-Planting: 2011
Example: Blueberry farm, New Hampshire
Field Borders
Flowering Hedgerows
Photo: Katharina Ullmann, Nancy Adamson, Gordon E Robertson Wikimedia Commons, Scott Seigfreid
Native shrubs and trees
• Multiple bloom periods
• Important source of nectar
and pollen in early spring
• Nesting and shelter
• Screen wind and dust
• Seed/berries for birds
• Harvestable product
Photo: Gary Casabona,
Wildflower Meadows
Example: Godena Farm, Rhode Island
6
Photo: John Anderson, Elaine Haug NRCS, Nancy Adamson, Sally and Andy Wasowski
Windbreaks and Shelterbelts
Windbreaks
• Flowering trees/shrubs,
erect forbs and grasses
• 40-60% density for wind
protection; >60% for wind
+ snow protection
• Protects crops, creates
boundaries
• Corridors for wildlife
Red maple (Acer ruburm)
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
Little bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium)
Permanent Ground Covers
Photos: Eric Mader and Robin Dobson
Example: Apple Orchard, New Hampshire
Williams, N. 2011 Restoration Ecology 19:4, pg. 450–459.
Riparian buffers
• Native wetland plants
• Untilled areas
• Stumps and snags
• Riparian corridors for wildlife
• Buffers and enhances
stream/wetland health
Riparian and Wetland Restoration
Photo: Jennifer Hopwood, Nancy Adamson, Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte, Bugwood.org
pussy willow (Salix discolor)
blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Skipper on buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Research by Dave Biddinger, Penn State University; Photos: Alex Suricia, Jennifer Hopwood, Scott Seigfried
Example: Natural Enemies of BMSB
• Emerging Research: Sand wasp predation of brown marmorated stinkbugs
• Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.) and spotted beebalm (Monarda
punctata) as nectar plants for wasps
Native Plant Field Borders
Photo Kelly Gil
Perennial Insectary Strips
Photos: Connie Schmotzer
Example: Apple Orchard, Pennsylvania
PSU Plant Trials
• Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus
• Trichopoda pennipes
• Astata unicolor
The Habitat Restoration Process
Annual Plantings
Photo: Kelly Gill
7
Photo: Jim Gillis
Plant selection
• Annual plants
• Non-invasive / naturalized
• Abundant pollen and nectar
• Compliments crop
• Focus on availability and cost
• Annual insectary strips
• Cover crops
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Low Cost Mix of Annuals and Perennials
Bee Forage Planting, PA
Annual plant selection
• Partridge pea
• Plains coreopsis
• Annual blanket flower
• Buckwheat
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Sunflower
• Alyssum
• Phacelia
• Cosmos
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Blanket flower
(Gaillardia)
Cilantro
(Coriandrum sativum)
Photo: Steve MasleyPhoto: Sarah Foltz Jordan
Photo: Kelly GillPhoto: Kelly Gill
Buckwheat
(Fagopyrum esculentum)
Crimson clover
(Trifolium incarnatum)
Photos: Richard Old, Tessa Grasswitz
LavenderCoreopsis
Bachelor button Dill
Low cost ornamentals, herbs, and medicinals
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Rincon-Vitova
Annual Insectary Strips
• Promote movement of beneficial
insects into cropped areas
• Low-cost, rapid blooming species
• Usually established at time of
primary crop planting
• Does not offer shelter for
overwintering
• Must keep pesticide-free
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Jessa Guisse
Planting insectary strips
• Plant annual strips in spring after frost
(perennial in fall)
• Prepare ground as you would for any
other crop
• Plant by hand or vegetable seed drill
• Just barely cover with soil (perennials
sown on surface)
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Matthew ShepherdPhoto: Matthew Shepherd
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Annual insectary strips
• NM study, pumpkins with insectary
strips had more natural enemies
• Fewer spotted cucumber beetles
• Insectary plants can be
incorporated in cut flower plots
• Can be added in and around high
tunnels Photo: Sarah Foltz Jordan
8
Photo: Debbie Roos
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Cover crop selection
• Legumes, brassicas,
grasses
• Lacy phacelia, buckwheat,
partridge pea
• Planting date for your
hardiness zone
• Winter cover crops vs.
summer cover crop (see
FNBI page 126-127 )
• Termination date and
method (tilling, mowing,
herbicide, roller-crimper)
• Residue management
Example: Intercropping with vegetables
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Example: Hawthorne Valley Farm, New York
Photo: Kelly Gill
Example: Flowering Cover Crops Enhance Pest ControlMississippi: flowering cover crops near soybeans (buckwheat for nectar)
increased wasp parasitism of stink bug eggs by 2 ½ times.
Photos: Russ Ottens; Jennifer Hopwood
Glynn Tillman, USDA ARS. 2013. Crop Protection & Management Research
Lab, Tifton, GA, Manuscript in progress.
Telenomus wasp
parasitizing stink bug eggs
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Example: Cover Crop Trials, North Dakota
Photos: Eric Mader and Robin Dobson
Cover crop mix inter-seeded with sunflower
• Sunflower managed without fertilizer,
irrigation, or insecticides (including seed trt)
• Yields compare to neighboring
conventionally managed sunflowers
Jay Fuhrer
District Conservationist
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Selected Cover CropsUse in rotation with cash crops
Partridge Pea
(Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Lacy Phacelia
(Phacelia tanacetifolia)
Annual Plantings for Beneficial Insects
Habitat: Shelter
Over-wintering and egg-laying
Photos: insecte.org; Alex Wild
Nesting Isodontia wasp
Lacewing eggs
Creating Shelter for Beneficial Insects
9
Photo: Gwendolyn Ellen, OSU
Beetle Banks
• Raised bed of perennial bunch grasses
• Cover for predatory ground beetles
• Central location, extending length of field
Beetle bank field trials, Oregon
Beetle Banks
Photo: Grinnell Heritage Farm; Bugwood
Example: Grinnell Heritage Farm Beetle Bank, Iowa
Native grass strips intercropped with vegetables
Pasimachus ground beetle
Firefly beetle
Creating Shelter for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Grinnell Heritage Farm; Bugwood
Pasimachus ground beetle
Firefly beetle
Creating Shelter for Beneficial Insects
Study shows refuge habitat increases ground
beetle numbers and enhances biocontrol
• Ground beetles are common predators of
insects and weed seeds
• Ground beetles in numbers commonly found in
midwestern crop fields can remove:
• Up to 4000 cutworms/acre/day
• Up to 40 weed seeds per square foot/day
(Menalled and Landis 1997)
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Special Collections:
http://www.wildflower.org/collections/
Value to Beneficial Insects•Special Value to Native Bees
•Special Value to Bumble Bees
•Special Value to Honey Bees
•Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees
•Supports Conservation Biological Control
This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
AND Protection From Pesticides
(coming up in Part 5: Farm
Practices for Beneficial Insects)
Photos: Paula Kleintjes-Neff
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Beneficial Insects Need Diverse Habitat
Shelter and RefugeAlternate PreyPollen & Nectar
Photo: Thelma Heidel-Baker Photo: Alex Wild Photo: Kelly Gill
10
Photo: Matthew Shepherd
Final Thoughts:
As the single largest land use on Earth, farming
is critical to the future of biodiversity.
Questions?
• Up next: Evaluating Farm Habitat for Beneficial Insects
• Start planning your beneficial insect habitat!!
1
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Matthew Shepherd
Natural enemy abundance and
diversity can be limited by
agricultural practices
• Reduce favorable conditions for
insect pests and plant diseases
• Increase habitat and pesticide
protection for beneficial insects
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Claudio Gratton (UW-Madison)
Insecticides can cause significant
harm to beneficial insects
Standard advice:
• Avoid use, select alternative
• Follow labels carefully
• Use least toxic options
• Minimize and target applications
But…Label guidelines only apply to
honey bees
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Even when bee caution labels are
followed, there is limited protection
for many native bees and other
beneficial insects
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ab
stract.php?seriesno=PNW+591
UC DAVIS IPM http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/crops-agriculture.html
Select Crop > Under General Information Select: Relative Toxicities of
Pesticides Used in [chosen crop] to Natural Enemies and Honey Bees
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Regina Hirsch
Neonicotinoid Insecticides
• Increasingly used on crops
• Foliar sprays, soil treatments,
trunk injections, seed coatings
• Translocated systemically
within plant tissue
• Present in floral rewards
• Persist in plants and soils
• Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam,
Clothianidin, Dinotefuran,
Thiacloprid, and Acetamiprid
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Nancy Adamson
Neonicotinoid Toxicity To Bees
• Large doses are toxic to bees
• Small doses impact foraging and
flight in honey bees
• Bumble bee colonies exposed to
very low doses produce fewer
queens, which may impact
populations
• Neonics are also detrimental to
many other beneficial insects
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
2
Photo: Kelly Gill
Neonicotinoid Insecticides:
Annual Plants
• Detrimental to beneficial
insects
• Exposed and harmed when
feeding on nectar, pollen
• Treatment of non-blooming can
expose beneficial insects that
are hunting for prey / hosts
• Harmed when ingest pests that
were exposed, but not killed
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: Jennifer Hopwood
Neonicotinoid Insecticides:
Perennial Crops
• Detrimental to beneficial insects
• Repeated use on perennial, crops
may increase concentration to
very high levels
• Trunk injections, may result in
residues more concentrated and
persistent
• Treatment of non-blooming can
expose beneficial insects hunting
for prey / hosts
• Harmed when ingest pests that
were exposed, but not killed
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Mass bee kills in June 2013:
• Bumble bees in Oregon
• Honey bees in Canada
• Others reported subsequently
Photo: Dan Gunderson, MN Public Radio
Graph: vanEngelsdorp et al 2013.
http://beeinformed.org/
Photo: The Oregonian
Photos: Rich Hatfield (Xerces Society); The Oregonian
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
John Tooker, Penn State University
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
John Tooker, Penn State University
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Results
3. In the laboratory, the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum was unaffected by
thiamethoxam, but transmitted the toxin to predaceous beetles (Chlaenius
tricolor), impairing or killing >60%.
4. In the field, thiamethoxam-based seed treatments depressed activity–
density of arthropod predators, thereby relaxing predation of slugs and
reducing soya bean densities by 19% and yield by 5%.
doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12372
Neonicotinoids on ornamental
plants
• Level of application is much
greater than on crops 12x to 60x
which increases the risk to
pollinators
• Avoid use on flowering plants (e.g.
maple trees, linden trees, roses,
sedum, etc.)
• Make sure plants you purchase
have not been treated with
neonicotinoids
Photo: Matthew Shepherd
Protection from Pesticides
This plant is protected from problematic
aphids, white flies, beetles, mealy bugs,
and other unwanted pests by
Neonicotinoids…
3
Organic-Approved Insecticides
HIGHLY TOXIC to beneficial insects
• Pyrethrins: plant-derived, broad
spectrum poison, long residual
• Spinosad: bacterium-derived, broad
spectrum nerve and stomach poison
HARMFUL ON CONTACT
• Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils
Photo: NRCS/Toby Alexander
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Adopt and Practice IPM
• Incorporate multiple management strategies
• Preventative pest management
• Avoid prophylactic treatment (seed, plants)
• Scout for both pests and beneficial insects
• Use established economic thresholds to
eliminate unnecessary pesticide use
• Cautiously select pesticides
Photo: Jason Miller, NRCS
Preventative Pest Management
• Floating row covers
• Fruit bagging
• Crop rotation and diversity
• Resistant varieties
• Sanitation
Photo: Kaitlyn Rich
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
“Safer” Pesticide Options
• Bt sprays
• Insect repellents (e.g. garlic or
citrus oils)
• Kaolin clay barriers (Surround)
• Pheromone traps
• Mating disruptors
Photo: David Biddinger (Penn State University )
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Targeted Pest Control
• Scout crops before spraying
• Use established economic
thresholds, not “calendar spray”
• Use the most targeted, least
toxic control option
• NRCS 595: Pest Management
Photo: Matthew Shepherd
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo Thelma Heidel Baker
Reducing Pesticide Impacts
• Use IPM strategies
• Avoid broad spectrum,
highly-toxic pesticides
• Pesticides are a last resort,
at economic threshold
• Use least toxic a.i.
• Shorter residual toxicity
reduces risk to beneficial
• Manage drift
• Consider methods, timing
4
Reducing Pesticide Impacts: Control
Drift and Over Application
• Avoid temperature inversions and
windy conditions
• Ideal conditions
• Calibrate equipment annually
• Select proper nozzle type (15-30 psi)
• Drift-reducing applicators (ex. electrostatic
and tower sprayers rather than strong air blast
sprayers)
• Establish buffer strips
Photos: USDA-ARS
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photos: USDA-NRCS, USDA-ARS
Adamson N, Ward T, and Vaughan M. 2012. Designed with pollinators
in mind. Inside Agroforestry. Volume 20, Issue 1. pp: 8-10.
http://nac.unl.edu/documents/insideagroforestry/vol20issue1.pdf
Reducing Pesticide Impacts: Screen
Drift From Neighboring Fields
• Non-flowering windbreaks and buffers,
NOT attractive to beneficial insects
• Small-needle evergreen (arborvitae,
cypress, juniper, spruce, etc.)
• Porosity is critical: 40% open
• Overly dense >60% leads to wall effects
(“downwash”)
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Reducing Pesticide Impacts: Pesticide Setbacks
• Maintain buffer of at least 30 feet between any
insecticide application and habitat areas
• No spray zone on crop edge
• Protect habitat from insecticide or herbicide drift
Photo: Kelly Gill Photo: Photo: Claudio Gratton (UW-Madison)
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Reducing Pesticide Impacts:
Application Timing
• Spray when beneficial
insects are less active
• Nighttime spraying with a.i.
that has short residual
• Spray when dry
• Longer residual in cool
temps, dewy nights
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photo: USDA-ARS
Protect Ground-Dwelling
Beneficials
• Minimize tillage
• Plant cover crops, living mulch
• Reduce plastic mulch
Photos: Jennifer Hopwood, Eric Mader
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Protect Ground-Nesting Bees
Nearly 70% of native bees are
solitary ground-nesters
5
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
No-Till Squash Bees
No-till farms in Virginia hosted
three times more native bees
than did conventional farms.
Shuler, et al. 2005. Farming Practices Influence Wild Pollinator Populations on
Squash and Pumpkin. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98(3):790-795Photos: Jim Cane, Nancy Adamson
Protect Tunnel-Nesting Bees
• About 30% of native bees are solitary
tunnel-nesters
• Protect snags wherever possible
• Leave/plant shrubs or plants with pithy
stems (e.g. boxelder, elderberry, cane
berries, sumac, etc.)
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Photos: Matthew Shepherd, Nancy Adamson
Photos: Mace Vaughan, Matthew Shepherd, Bonnie Carruthers
Protect Bumble Bee Nests
• Cavities such as old rodent holes
• Overgrown field borders
• Bunch grasses, brush piles, or
piled field stones
• Reduce mowing
• All of the above are also nest
sites / refuge for natural enemies
Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects
Insects Drive The System
• Pollinator produced fruits
and seeds comprise 25% of
bird and mammal diets
• Insects are food for wildlife
(e.g. 89% of birds feed on
insects)
• Beneficial insect habitat
compatible with needs of
other wildlife (songbirds,
ground-nesting birds, New
England cottontail, etc.)
USDA-NRCS
© Sierra Vision Stock
© NRCS Jeff Vanuga
Photo: Kelly GiIl
Big Picture Benefits
Additional Resources
Pollinator Conservation
Resource Center
Region-specific Information from
Xerces, Cooperative Extension,
USDA-NRCS, NGO, and other
sources, including:
• Regional plant lists
• National plant lists
• Conservation guides
• Bee nest construction guides
• Pollinator identification guides
• Pesticide reduction guidelines
• Native plant nursery directory
www.xerces.org/pollinator-
resource-center
Additional Resources
6
Pesticide Protection and Mitigation
• Training for agricultural professionals, farmers, and gardeners
• Guidelines on pesticide risk reduction strategies for farmers
• Natural pest control systems (using “good bugs” to manage “bad bugs”)
Additional Resources What’s Old is What’s New?
Photo:The Friends of Edith Patch
(www.edithpatch.org)
Dr. Edith Patch (1916)
President, Entomological
Society of America
In 1938, Dr. Patch predicted
that by the year 2000
…the President of the United States
would issue a proclamation claiming
that land areas at regular intervals
throughout the U.S. would be
maintained as “Insect Gardens,”
under the direction of government
entomologists. These would be
planted with milkweed, hawthorn,
and other plants that could sustain
populations of butterflies and bees.
She predicted that some time in the
future, “Entomologists will be as
much or more concerned with the
conservation and preservation of
beneficial insect life as they are now
with the destruction of injurious
insects.”
Questions?
Contact Information:
Gary Casabona:
Jarrod Fowler:
Kelly Gill:
Photo: Adam Varenhorst
Thank You!! Thank You!! Thank You!!
NRCS
Where did we come from?
Background of 2008 Farm Bill
• December 2006: National
Academy of Sciences
Report
• December 2006: First
cases of CCD discovered
• Spring 2007: Initial
pollinator conservation
legislation introduced
Photo: Edward S. Ross
2008 Farm Bill: Pollinator Habitat Provisions
• Makes pollinators a priority
for every USDA land
manager and
conservationist
• Identifies pollinator habitat
as a priority for EQIP
• Requires that pollinators are
considered in the review of
Practice Standards
• Encourages the inclusion of
pollinators in all USDA
conservation programs
Photo: Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society)
Farm Bill Implementation: Practices for Pollinators
Photo: NRCS
Core Programs
EQIP, WHIP, CSP
Tech Note 78
Using Farm Bill Programs for
Pollinator Conservation
Practices for Pollinators• Tree/Shrub Establishment
• Conservation Cover
• Hedgerow Planting
• Field Border
• Restoration and Management of
Rare or Declining Habitats
• Range Planting
• Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
• Pest Management
• Early Successional Habitat
Development/ Management
Farm Bill Implementation
Example of Last Year’s
Environmental Quality
Incentives Program:
• Incentive payment for installed
conservation practices:
• Conservation Cover
(Pollinator Seed Mix:
$1000/acre)
• Tree/Shrub Establishment
(Pollinator Shrubs: $480/acre)
Photos: Hannah Gaines and Eric Mader
Farm Bill Implementation: 386
Photo: Eric Mader
Field Border Practice Standard (386): Can include a diverse
mix of native and low cost non-native plants
Farm Bill Implementation: New 595
Pest Management Practice
Standard (595):
• Protecting pollinators from
pesticides
• Establishing habitat for
other beneficial insects
Photos: David Biddinger (Penn State University),
Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society), and Elise Fog
Farm Bill Implementation: 422
Hedgerows Practice Standard (422):
• Plant a succession of flowering shrubs
• Design for multiple benefits
Photo: Katharina Ullmann (Xerces Society)
Photo: Mace Vaughan, Xerces Society
Filter Strip Practice Standard (393): Use pollinator plants to control
run-off, over septic drain fields, in ditches
Farm Bill Implementation: 393
Farm Bill Implementation: 340
Cover Crop Practice Standard (340): Can include diverse
flowering forbs such as clover, mustard, buckwheat, phacelia,
oilseed radish, alfalfa.
Photo: NRCS/Toby Alexander
Conservation Cover Practice Standard (327):
• Permanent vegetation cover
• Improve soil quality
• Enhance wildlife and pollinator habitat
Farm Bill Implementation: 327
Photo: Eric Mader (Xerces Society)
NRCS Farm Planning Example 1.
Diversified Organic Farm
• 24 Acres
• Fruits and vegetables
• Conventional farm
neighbors
• Potential resources
concerns
• Pollinators
• Pest management
• Protection from
neighbor’s pesticides
• Weed control in fallow
ground
NRCS Farm Planning Example 1.
Proposed PracticesField Border (386)
• Diverse native forb plantings
Hedgerow (422)
• Diverse flowering native
shrubs
Cover Crop (340)
• Phacelia tanacetifolia,
crimson clover, buckwheat
Pasture and Hayland (512)
• Grazing plan to encourage
forb diversity and abundance
Conservation Cover (327)
• Mixture of low cost native
and non-native forbs
Pollinator Hedgerow
Conservation
Cover
Pasture and
Hayland
Field Border
Cover Crop