Page 37 - Green knowledge 2024

Photo: Gunda Thöming
Team up with beneficial insects in farming
In Norway, we have around 17,000 different species of insects. Do you know which ones
benefit or compete with us for food?
Some years, large portions of agricultural crops can
be lost due to insect attacks. Traditionally, pesticides
have been used to combat these pests. However, pes-
ticides can also harm insects that are highly benefi-
cial to agriculture. Beneficial insects include preda-
tors like ladybirds, lacewings, and ground beetles, as
well as pollinators such as bumblebees, solitary bees,
and hoverflies.
There is increasing focus on reducing the use of pes-
ticides and instead utilising wild insects in agricul-
tural production. Therefore, NIBIO is working on a
project aimed at creating suitable habitats for both
predatory and pollinating insects.
The ecology of predatory insects and pollinators
often overlaps. In some cases, they are even the same
species at different life stages.
“Hoverflies and lacewings have this dual role, where
their larvae are predators that can consume large
numbers of pests, while the adults feed on pollen and
nectar,” says researcher Dr Marie V. Henriksen.
The intensification of agriculture has led to more
monoculture with less diverse plant production,
resulting in fewer areas suitable for insects. Open,
flower-rich landscapes, blooming field edges, and
flower strips are increasingly important for beneficial
insects. In addition, insects need suitable nesting
and overwintering sites, such as open, untilled sandy
soil, rock piles, old trees, or dead wood.
It is also crucial that insects have access to a variety
of plants flowering at different times to provide food
throughout the season. At NIBIO, researchers are
studying how flower strips established with different
seed mixes influence pollinators, predatory insects,
and pests—both within the flower strips and adjacent
agricultural fields.
Purpose: There is a significant need for more knowledge about beneficial insects in Norway. The aim of this
work is to provide insights into effective measures that can enhance the diversity of pollinators and
other beneficial insects.
Funding: NIBIO Core Funding
–
Future Initiative
Contact: Research Scientist Marie Vestergaard Henriksen, Division of Food Production and Society.
Email: marie.henriksen@nibio.no | Phone: +47 907 60 178
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