AN ACTIVE APPROACH TO THE USE OF INSECT BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NONNATIVE AQUATIC PLANTS

Today the use of insect biological control for the management of aquat ic and wetland plants is typically a rather passive procedure fr-om th e viewpoint of resource managers. Insects are released, usually by res earchers, with little or no direct input or effort by management perso nnel. However, the effectiveness of biological control could be enhanc ed if resource managers took an active role in its use. Four steps sho uld be utilized in order to achieve a more active approach to the use of biological control. These include gaining an understanding of the i nsect agents, initiating yearly surveys to determine insect population levels and immediate and long-term impact, supplementing the insect p opulations if surveys reveal low numbers, and developing integrated pr ocedures to minimize impact of the varied management techniques to one another Utilizing a more active approach increases the awareness of b iological control techniques and should result in increased effectiven ess.