Exploring Urban Integrated Pest Management
61
Michigan State University Pesticide Education, 2001
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Biological Control
Classroom Activity
Grades 4-6
#11
Biological control is a method of managing pests by
using natural enemies. In this lesson students learn
about three groups of natural enemies of pests and
how they can be used in an IPM program.
Students will:
•
learn about biological control and how it is used
in IPM.
•
see how food chains apply to biological control.
•
recognize three groups of biological control
agents.
video: Biological Control: Learning to Live with
the Natural Order (see the next page for
information on ordering your free copy), TV and
VCR, slide show or pictures at http://
www.pested.msu.edu), worksheet
science
1 hour
Objectives
Overview
Subjects
Duration
Materials
Background
Doing the Activity
Step 1: Discussion. Review the steps in IPM.
Review the choices for control methods (refer to
“What is IPM” student handout from lesson #3 or
bulletin board). Biological control is using natural
enemies to manage or control pests. Ask: What are
some ways that pests can be controlled by their
natural enemies?
a) they can be eaten-predators
b) they can have other insects living inside or on
them- parasites
Biological control is an important control method
that can be used in an IPM program. Biological
control is a method of managing pests by using
natural enemies. This lesson focusses on natural
enemies of insect pests. Natural enemies can also be
used for controlling weeds and other pests. (For
excellent classroom lessons on biological control of
purple loosestrife, a serious weed in wetlands, see
the classroom resource list on page 6.)
In IPM we can introduce natural enemies to a
situation, or we can take steps to preserve the
natural enemies that are already there. For example,
as part of a cockroach IPM program, we may order
tiny wasps that find cockroaches and i