1. Biological Control
S3 Science

2. Learning Objectives
Explain how natural predators can be used to control crop pests.
Give examples of where biological control has been used, indicating the name of the pest and the biological control organism.
Outline the possible effects of introducing a non-native predator, using the cane toad as an example.
Effectively presenting scientific ideas through a short presentation.

3. What is Biological Control?
Biological control is using a living organism to control the population of a pest:
Predator
Parasite
Disease causing organism such as a bacterium or virus

4. Parasitic wasps

5. What is Biological Control?
Using biological control lowers the population of a pest.

6. Biological Control Problems
How do you think biological control could go
wrong?
Introduced to control beetles that ate sugar cane
Cane toads in Australia
Ate other things than the beetles and cane toad population now out of control

7. Decide whether the description and photo show predator, parasite or pathogen

8. Examples
Hippodamia convergens, the convergent lady beetle, is commonly sold for biological control of aphids.

9. Examples
The larvae of many hoverfly species principally feed upon greenfly, one larva devouring up to fifty a day, or 1000 in its lifetime

10. Examples
Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita is a microscopic roundworm that kills slugs by feeding and reproducing inside them.

11. Examples
Encarsia formosa was one of the first biological control agents developed.

12. Examples
Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely applied species of bacteria used for biological control.

13. Examples
rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus that causes the rabbit haemorrhagic disease.

14. Examples
The cane toad, Bufo marinus was introduced to Australia to control the corn borer.

15. Examples
The invasive species Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed) was controlled in Florida (U.S.) by the introduction of Agasicles hygrophila (alligator weed flea beetle)

16. TASK Work in pairs Choose an example of biological control
Produce a poster (A3 or flip chart paper). 30 mins max!!!
Present to the class.