Additional information
by David Headrick (Author)
Insect pest management is a constant in our lives, whether we are protecting our gardens, our agricultural crops, or our family and pets. A typical first reaction is to use pesticides, but another tool - biological control - has been in use for over 100 years, and can be just as effective, if not more so. Biological control typically has been characterized as the anti-pesticide; but it is so much more than that. Biological control has played an integral part in the development of our modern day agricultural production and is a major factor in the integrated approach to pest management that allows us to successfully grow plants of all kinds. Biological control also is much more than simply tossing a few praying mantis or ladybugs at a perceived pest problem and walking away feeling good. Biological control is a process that takes commitment and understanding. Thus, The Biological Control Companion - an easy-to-understand guide to the complexities of pest biology and management. The key for any practitioner of biological control is to have a deep appreciation for and keen awareness of natural control and the rules of predator / prey engagement, because it is these rules that you will be manipulating in the arena of man-made ecosystems to restore and maintain balance among its interconnected constituents. Seems daunting, but this book, with full-color illustrations will help bring concepts and creepy crawlies to life, and place into your hands the tools you need to understand how biological control works, why its role in managing pests is crucial to the future success of global agriculture, and how it can benefit your own home and garden.
Author Biography
David H. Headrick, Ph.D., Professor Dr. Headrick teaches Agricultural Entomology, Biological Control of Agricultural Pests, Vertebrate Pest Management and Insect Pest Management in the Plant Protection Science concentration at California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. He earned his PhD from UC Riverside where he studied biological control of weeds and became a specialist in tephritid fruit fly ecology and behavior. He served as a post-doctoral research associate in biological control specializing in whiteflies and parasitic Hymenoptera biology and taxonomy. His research on these agriculturally important groups has resulted in more than 80 published articles, book chapters and technical reports. He was the recipient of the 2005 University Distinguished Teaching Award; in 2008 he received a national Distinguished Agriculture Educator Award; and he was selected for the 2010 Outstanding Researcher Award and the 2015 Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award from Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. He continues to conduct research on insect pest management in vegetable, citrus and greenhouse cropping systems and has given 100 national and international research-related presentations.
