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Title: MARKING AND TRACKING TECHNIQUES FOR INSECT PREDATORS AND PARASITOIDS IN ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

Author
item LAVANDERO, BLAS - CANTERBURY NZ
item WRATTEN, STEVE - CANTERBURY NZ
item Hagler, James
item TYLIANAKIS, JASON - GOTTINGEN GERMANY

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003
Publication Date: 2/1/2004
Citation: LAVANDERO, B.I., WRATTEN, S.D., HAGLER, J.R., TYLIANAKIS, J. 2004. MARKING AND TRACKING TECHNIQUES FOR INSECT PREDATORS AND PARASITOIDS IN ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. BOOK CHAPTER #7 ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING FOR PEST MANAGEMENT 119-133.

Interpretive Summary: Tracking movement of insects in their natural habitat is essential for understanding their basic biology. A wide variety of markers have been used to assess insect population dynamics, dispersal, territoriality, and other ecological interactions. The ideal marker should persist without inhibiting the insect's normal biology. Furthermore, the marker should be environmentally safe, cost effective, and easy to use. In this article, we review the current state of knowledge regarding insect marking, document the advantages and limitations of each marking technique, and discuss advances made in marking over the past decade.

Technical Abstract: Ecologically based research into biological control of natural enemy populations usually requires an understanding of population dynamics, dispersal into the crop from a particular resource or habitat patch or immigration into a region. In order to investigate these processes, assessment of natural enemy movement is essential. Consequently, different methods for marking and tracking individuals in the field have been developed. Such techniques should be easy to use, cost-effective, environmentally safe and persist without affecting the animal's behaviour.