Most documented successes in importation biological control are progra
ms on perennial crops, and much biological control theory derives from
these programs. This theory suggests the ideal traits of natural enem
ies for biological control not only in perennial crops but also in ann
ual crops (i.e., crop plant is destroyed annually; ephemeral crop habi
tat). Some biological control theory extracted from successes on peren
nial crops is unsuited for ephemeral crops. This theory then causes ep
hemeral crops to be generally viewed as poor candidates for importatio
n biological control; it may also be equally incompetent for directing
natural enemy conservation and augmentation in these crops. Ephemeral
habitats should be used for developing approaches, mechanisms, theory
, and principles for effective natural enemies in these habitats. This
contention is supported with examples. Insight is drawn from each exa
mple and focuses mainly on an alternate view of effective enemy charac
teristics needed for importation biological control in ephemeral crops
. (C) 1997 Academic Press.