What is a typical biological control programme?

  1. Identify the pest and find out where it came from.
  2. Investigate its original site (normally from another country or continent) and identify its natural enemies.
  3. Test the potential control agent under careful quarantine to ensure that:
    1. It is specific on its prey only.
    2. Will not swap to a new prey species and become a pest itself.
    3. Has a life-cycle which will allow it to develop a large enough population to act as an economic control.
  4. Mass culture the control agent.
  5. Develop the most effective way of introducing and maintaining the pest control agent.