European earwigs for biological control of woolly aphid

2017 | Jabbar Khan, Fruit Growers Victoria, and Angus Crawford, APAL | Future Orchards® 2016–17 trial report

Woolly apple aphid is attacked by a range of natural enemies, and European earwigs can contribute useful predation in apple orchards. This Southern Victoria Future Orchards® trial by Jabbar Khan and Angus Crawford investigated whether earwig populations could be established in a commercial block to strengthen biological control of woolly aphid.

The demonstration reflects an IPM approach in which growers try to increase the contribution of beneficial organisms rather than relying only on insecticides. Establishment, habitat, food availability and the compatibility of the spray program with earwig survival are all important considerations when using predators as part of pest control.

For growers, the report provides a practical example of biological control being tested at orchard scale. The objective is not necessarily complete pest elimination, but a more stable pest-management system in which natural enemies suppress populations and reduce pressure for repeated chemical intervention.

For library users, this resource is most useful as a record of the technical thinking and field evidence available at the time. Product registrations, resistance advice and regional pest pressure can change, so any present-day control decision should be checked against current labels and local recommendations while retaining the monitoring and decision-making principles described here.