HIGHWAY PEST MANAGEMENT-THE ROLE OF MICROBIAL CONTROL

NATURAL LANDSCAPES---I.E., THOSE WITH A NARROW SUCCESSION OF NATIVE PLANTS LEADING INTO THE DOMINANT ECOSYSTEM FOR THE REGION---TEND TO KEEP INSECT PEST PROBLEMS TO A MINIMUM. IN MOST URBAN AREAS, HOWEVER, THE HIGHWAY LANDSCAPE IS NOT NATURAL: CONSTRUCTION ALTERS TOPSOIL AND SUBSOIL, INTRODUCES GROSS CHANGES IN TOPOGRAPHY, AND AND IS FOLLOWED BY PLANTING OF A VARIETY OF EXOTIC AND ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. INSECT COLONIZATION OF THE NEW HIGHWAY LANDSCAPE MAY RESULT IN A PEST SPECIES ESTABLISHING ITSELF BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF ITS NATURAL PREDATORS AND PARASITOIDS; OR THE LATTER MAY NOT FIND THE NECESSARY FOOD, SHELTER, OVIPOSITION SITES, ETC.. THE INHERENT INSTABILITY OF THE PEST POPULATIONS MILITATES AGAINST THE USE OF BROAD-SPECTRUM PESTICIDES, WHICH MAY ONLY AGGREVATE THE OVERALL SITUATION. FUTHERMORE, CHEMICAL INSECTICIDES HAVE A DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS SHOWN THAT BACTERIAL AGENTS ARE EFFECTIVE CONTROLS OF PEST SPECIES; FIELD TESTS HAVE GIVEN GOOD RESULTS. IN ADDITION, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT PARASITIC WASPS ARE IN EXCELLENT CONTROL FOR THE RED-HUMPED CATERPILLAR. BY MODIFYING THE HIGHWAY LANDSCAPE WITH LONG-FLOWERING SHRUBS IT IS POSSIBLE TO ENCOURAGE THESE WASPS TO SETTLE. DURING PEST OUTBREAKS ONE OF THE BACTERIAL INSECTICIDES CAN BE APPLIED WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY HARMING THE WASP POPULATION. WORK ON OTHER PEST-CONTROL PROBLEMS IS IN PROGRESS.

• Authors:
  • Pinnock, D E
• Publication Date: 1970-11

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 190-5
• Serial:
  • Am Assoc State Highway Officials Proc

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bacteria; Insects; Landscape design; Landscape maintenance; Pest control; Pesticides; Roadside
• Old TRIS Terms: Parasites; Vegetation selection
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219024
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 2 1973 12:00AM