Applied Entomology Flashcards
How important is agriculture?
The most important event in the cultural evolution of the human species
When and where (2) did agriculture begin?
12,000-18,000 years ago first implements and storage containers found
Middle East
Egypt
What were the first products of agriculture? (4)
Wheat
lentils
chickpeas
dates
What allowed the development of an agricultural society? (2)
development of cereals
domestication of herbivorous animals
Examples of cereal (6)
wheat
rye
barley
corn/maize
rice
sorghum
How did agriculture affect the development of human society?
shift from a hunter/gatherer system to an agricultural society?
What are three characteristics of a hunter/gatherer system?
mobile
low fertility
active involvement
What are three characteristics of an agricultural society?
sedentary
increased fertility
few individuals involved in food procurement
How did agriculture advance between 12,000 years ago to the 1700s? (2)
little change
most of human population involved in production agriculture
What are three recent advancements of agriculture?
improved mechanization
improved crop plants
increased energy input
Who invented GMOs and introduced the Green Revolution?
Norman Borlaug
What is the Green Revolution also known as?
the Third Agricultural Revolution
How can insects create competition in agriculture? (5)
consuming crop products
consuming stored products
structures
vectoring diseases to plants, animals, and humans
acting as a pest
How much of insects are herbivores?
30-40% of all insects
Levels of insect pests (5)
subeconomic/ non-financially damaging pest
occasional/seasonal pest
key pest- requires control or action
perennial/ non-seasonal pest
severe pest
What is the Economic Injury Level? (2)
lowest number of insects that will cause an economic loss
point at which loss due to damage is greater than cost of control
How is the economic injury level measured?
number of insects/ unit of measure
What is the economic/action threshold?
insect density that would justify intervention
What is a fixed economic threshold?
EIL is 6 insects per plant, intervention is at 4 insects per plant
Action Threshold graph
What is the economic threshold level?
point below the economic injury level at which a decision is made to treat or not treat
pest density at which action should be taken to prevent an increasing pest population over the EIL
Economic threshold level graph
Integrated Pest management options (4)
biological control
physical control
cultural control
chemical control
What is the foundation of IPM?
monitoring insect numbers
What are examples of cultural control (2)?
good sanitation
habitat change
What are examples of physical/mechanical control? (3)
flea/lice combs
screens
proper clothing
Example of biological control (2)
predators
parasites
Examples of biorational chemical control? (5)
repellants
diatomaceous earth
oils
insect growth regulators
microbials
Examples of conventional chemical controls (1)
pesticides that kill on contact?
How does prevention graduate to intervention in pest control?
prevention slowly graduates to intervention as cultural > physical > biological > chemical
How does toxicity graduate in pest control?
increases in toxicity as cultural > physical > biological > chemical
Methods to monitoring pests (4)
direct counts
traps
damage estimates
prediction- degree-days
4 benefits of monitoring pests
track the number of pests and natural enemies
able to target insecticide application at the correct time
enhances conservation of natural enemies
indicate efficacy of treatments
How can biological controls help against pests? (2)
natural enemies of pests cause mortality
maintain pest population at below threshold levels
How can this insect be a biological control?
parasitoid
How can this insect be a biological control?
predator
How can this insect be a biological control?
pathogen
How can this insect be a biological control?
How can this insect be a biological control?
What are 3 types of biological control?
import natural enemies and establish in the filed- classic method
augmentative release- release each season
conservation- depend upon local natural enemies
What do biological control require?
conservation of natural enemies
Methods to conserve natural enemies (3)
reduce insecticide use
use softer chemicals
manipulate habitats like intercropping
four concerns of biological control
non-target effects
host specificity testing
risk assessment protocols
necessary evils- eugenics
How are insecticides used as resources? (3)
financial investment for development
potential for use or abuse
provide options for pest management
5 problems with insecticides
kill or disrupt natural enemies
secondary pests
residues on produce
build-up of resistance- insecticide treadmill
environmental concerns
What is an incorrect approach to dealing with insecticide resistance? (2)
raising the concentration of active ingredients
increasing frequency of application
What is the correct approach with insecticide resistance (#)
reduce reliance on chemicals
alternate chemical groups
target insecticide application
5 benefits of insecticides
effective if used correctly
provide an immediate solution
new formulations are safer
target-specific mdoes of action are being developed
effective chemicals should be conserved for sustainable pest management
How do you calculate an EIL?
total cost of managing a potential pest
costs can fluctuate with time
What contributes to the cost of managing pests? (4)
pesticides
application equipment
time involvement
need to hire expertise or help
value of crop
graph of EIL calculation
What are subeconomic pests? (3)
amount of damage done is not sufficiently costly to manage
costs more to mage the pest than the damage is worth
rarely if ever managed
EIL of subeconomic pests
examples of subeconomic pests
What are occasional pests?
do not usually do enough damage to justify management
favorable conditions may place population above the EIL
Key, perennial, and severe pest characteristics (3)
regular and serious damage
high numbers in high value crops
aesthetic damage
EIL of occasional pests
Examples of occasional pests
How are key, perennial, and severe pests managed? (2)
prophylactic basis
management revolves around these pests
how common are key, perennial, and severe pests?
200 in US
2000 in the world
key, perennial, and severe pests EIL
example of a key pest
How do certain insects become pests? (3)
Insect population numbers and ecosystem modification
transportation
human attitude
Examples of ecosystem modification leading to pests (2)
agricultural monocultures
r and K selection
How does transportation contribute to pests? (3)
moved in association with humans and products
anthropogenic
released from natural controls
What is r and K selection?
a continuum of r»_space;»> K
r organism characteristics (5)
high reproductive capacity, no young care
short-lived
rebound quickly after change
often insects
often pests
k organism characteristics (4)
low reproductive capacity, increased young care
long-lived
difficulty dealing with change
humans, mammals, some insects
How does human attitude contribute to pests?
standards and lifestyle
lice management in children
flea management in pets
fecal material management in corn
blemish-free fruit
How does pest population benefit entomologists?
provides job security
