Enhancing Beneficial Insects
Using Native Plants
Douglas A. Landis and Anna K. Fiedler
Department of Entomology
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI USA
Outline
Introduction to beneficial insects
Role of plants in enhancing beneficial insects
Research on native plants
Implications for agricultural landscapes
Beneficial Insects
Pollinators
-Honey bees
-Native bees
Arthropod-Mediated Ecosystem Services (AMES)
$57enemies
B/y
Natural
$3.1 B/y pollination
-Predators
$4.5 B/y pest suppression
-Parasitoids
Losey & Vaughan BioScience, 2006
Conservation Biological Control
Natural enemies may require:
Food
Nectar
Pollen
Sap, honeydew
Alternate host/prey
Shelter
Habitat Management
Widely used plants in habitat management
–Dill
–Coriander
–Buckwheat
–Alyssum
–Faba bean
Anethum graveolens
Coriandrum sativum
Fagopyrum esculentum
Lobularia maritima
Vicia faba
Native plants
–Provide ecosystem services
–Enhance native biodiversity
–Restoration of imperiled habitats
–Habitat permanency (perennials)
SARE Project Goals
Assess natural enemy attractiveness to
native plants
Determine important plant characteristics
Methods: Plot Establishment
2004
2003
- 43 native perennials,
5 recommended non-native
annuals
- RCBD, 5 replicates
- 245 total 1m2 plots
- 2 hectares
2005
Methods: Plant Sampling
Plant characteristics
Week of peak bloom
Flower height
Corolla depth, width
(Spot imaging system)
Flower hue, chroma
(S 2000 Fiber optic spectrophotometer)
Floral area/ m2 plot
(Scion image)
Methods: Insect Sampling
Vacuum-sampled all flowers for
30 seconds during 3 weeks of
peak bloom
(Stihl BG55)
Insects identified to family,
counted (77,883 total)
Sampled grass areas between
plots weekly
2005 Bloom Period
Mid Season
Late Season
Sambucus racemosa
Fragaria virginiana
Geranium maculatum
Aquilegia canadensis
Zizia aurea
Senecio obovatus
Hydrophyllum virginianum
Anemone canadensis
Penstemon hirsutus
Angelica atropurpurea
Heracleum maximum
Heuchera americana
Coreopsis lanceolata
Vicia faba
Potentilla fruticosa
Apocynum cannabinum
Ceanothus americana
Asclepias tuberosa
Rosa setigera
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Coriandrum sativum
Scrophularia marilandica
Fagopyrum esculentum
Verbena stricta
Asclepias incarnata
Veronicastrum virginicum
Ratibida pinnata
Amorpha canescens
Oenothera biennis
Allium cernuum
Desmodium canadense
Spiraea alba
Agastache nepetoides
Monarda punctata
Vernonia missurica
Silphium perfoliatum
Cacalia atriplicifolia
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Lobelia siphilitica
Anethum graveolens
Lobularia maritima
Helianthus strumosus
Lespedeza hirta
Liatris aspera
Solidago riddellii
Solidago speciosa
Aster novae-angliae
Aster laevis
Early Season
Week:
1
May
2
3
Jun
4
5
1
2
3
Jul
4
1
2
Aug
3
4
1
2
3
Sep
4
5
1
2
3
Oct
4
1
2005 Bloom Period
May
2
3
Jun
4
5
1
2
3
Mid Season
s s
Late Season
Sambucus racemosa
Fragaria virginiana
Geranium maculatum
Aquilegia canadensis
Zizia aurea
Senecio obovatus
Hydrophyllum virginianum
Anemone canadensis
Penstemon hirsutus
Angelica atropurpurea
Heracleum maximum
Heuchera americana
Coreopsis lanceolata
Vicia faba
Potentilla fruticosa
Apocynum cannabinum
Ceanothus americana
Asclepias tuberosa
Rosa setigera
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Coriandrum sativum
Scrophularia marilandica
Fagopyrum esculentum
Verbena stricta
Asclepias incarnata
Veronicastrum virginicum
Ratibida pinnata
Amorpha canescens
Oenothera biennis
Allium cernuum
Desmodium canadense
Spiraea alba
Agastache nepetoides
Monarda punctata
Vernonia missurica
Silphium perfoliatum
Cacalia atriplicifolia
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Lobelia siphilitica
Anethum graveolens
Lobularia maritima
Helianthus strumosus
Lespedeza hirta
Liatris aspera
Solidago riddellii
Solidago speciosa
Aster novae-angliae
Aster laevis
1
Early Season
Week:
s s
s s
s
p
Jul
4
1
2
Aug
3
4
1
2
3
Sep
4
5
1
2
3
Oct
4
1
2005 Bloom Period
May
2
3
Jun
4
5
1
2
Mid Season
s
Late Season
Sambucus racemosa
Fragaria virginiana
Geranium maculatum
Aquilegia canadensis
Zizia aurea
Senecio obovatus
Hydrophyllum virginianum
Anemone canadensis
Penstemon hirsutus
Angelica atropurpurea
Heracleum maximum
Heuchera americana
Coreopsis lanceolata
Vicia faba
Potentilla fruticosa
Apocynum cannabinum
Ceanothus americana
Asclepias tuberosa
Rosa setigera
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Coriandrum sativum
Scrophularia marilandica
Fagopyrum esculentum
Verbena stricta
Asclepias incarnata
Veronicastrum virginicum
Ratibida pinnata
Amorpha canescens
Oenothera biennis
Allium cernuum
Desmodium canadense
Spiraea alba
Agastache nepetoides
Monarda punctata
Vernonia missurica
Silphium perfoliatum
Cacalia atriplicifolia
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Lobelia siphilitica
Anethum graveolens
Lobularia maritima
Helianthus strumosus
Lespedeza hirta
Liatris aspera
Solidago riddellii
Solidago speciosa
Aster novae-angliae
Aster laevis
1
Early Season
Week:
s
s
s
p
3
Jul
4
1
2
Aug
3
4
1
2
3
Sep
4
5
1
2
3
Oct
4
1
Tuell et al. Environ. Entomol. In press
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S
honeybee abundance
wild bee abundance
Bee Abundance at Native Plants
early
250
200
150
100
50
middle
plant species
late
300
Bombus impatiens
Lasioglossum admirandum
Hylaeus affinis
Agapostemon virescens
Halictus ligatus
Ceratina calcarata/dupla (♀)
Xylocopa v. virginica
all others (~40 spp.)
0
250
Apis mellifera
200
150
100
50
0
Natural Enemies Collected at Flowers
Total natural enemies collected, 2005
Syrphid flies
Dance flies
Spiders
Minute pirate bug
Chalcids
Col 2: 12.0000
Col 2: 144.0000
Col 2: 20.0000
Col 2: 857.0000
Col 2: 75.0000
Col 2: 22.0000
Col 2: 95.0000
Col 2: 78.0000
Col 2: 74.0000
Col 2: 441.0000
Col 2: 3485.0000
Col 2: 13.0000
Col 2: 225.0000
Col 2: 69.0000
Col 2: 587.0000
Col 2: 28.0000
Col 2: 1542.0000
Col 2: 153.0000
Col 2: 918.0000
Col 2: 4259.0000
Col 2: 119.0000
Col 2: 928.0000
2005 data
30%
25%
Predatory mirids
Lady beetles
Soldier beetles
Nabids
2005 data
ve d
Plant species
um
o p s is
a ly s s
core
root
n ip
lic a
pars
a lu m
cow
ang e
n
one
eaf
te m o
nem
a te r l
pens
da a
sand
Cana
ort
ders
rag w
le x a n
n ia w
d - le a
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roun
en a
b in e
n iu m
0
g o ld
g era
30
c o lu m
w ild
er
berry
d e ld
s tr a w
e r r ie
w ild
red-b
Number of natural enemies per sample
Early Season: May – mid June
40
35
Native
Nonnative
Grass control
25
20
15
10
5
zero
http://native plants.msu.edu
Plant species
sand
um
o p s is
a ly s s
core
root
n ip
lic a
pars
a lu m
cow
ang e
n
one
eaf
te m o
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a te r l
ort
ders
b in e
rag w
pens
da a
n ia w
Cana
V ir g i
le x a n
ve d
en a
d - le a
g o ld
n iu m
0
c o lu m
g era
30
roun
2005 data
w ild
er
berry
d e ld
s tr a w
e r r ie
w ild
red-b
Number of natural enemies per sample
Early Season: May – mid June
40
35
Native
Nonnative
Grass control
25
20
15
10
5
zero
Plant species
sand
um
o p s is
a ly s s
core
root
n ip
lic a
pars
a lu m
cow
ang e
n
one
eaf
te m o
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a te r l
ort
ders
b in e
rag w
pens
da a
n ia w
Cana
V ir g i
le x a n
ve d
en a
d - le a
g o ld
n iu m
0
roun
2005 data
2005 data
g era
30
c o lu m
w ild
er
berry
d e ld
s tr a w
e r r ie
w ild
red-b
Number of natural enemies per sample
Early Season: May – mid June
40
35
Native
Nonnative
Grass control
25
20
15
10
5
zero
rub f ab
by a b
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w
o w ild s e
on
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o w o il
sw
ee
t
sh
Number of natural enemies per sample
Mid Season: July – mid August
40
35
30
2005 data
2005 data
Native
Nonnative
Grass control
25
20
15
10
5
0
Plant species
llo
w
g ia
nt
hy
ho
ss
rse
op
mi
nt
ir o
n
w
pa
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d
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w
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r
nd od
sm
a
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th
as
te r
ye
Number of natural enemies per sample
Late Season: mid August – September
240
230
220
210
Native
Nonnative
Grass control
200
190
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2005 data
Plant species
Most Attractive Plant Species
Bloom
2005 Peak
Common Name
Bloom Date
Genus and species
Plant
Type
Tolerance
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
24 May
6 June
14 June
14 June
14 June
21 June
21 June
12 July
12 July
2 Aug.
2 Aug.
2 Aug.
9 Aug.
9 Aug.
16 Aug.
16 Aug
23 Aug.
23 Aug
23 Aug
23 Aug
30 Aug.
13 Aug.
20 Sept.
27 Sept.
Fragaria virginiana Duchesne*
Zizia aurea (L.) Koch
Anemone canadensis L.*
Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd.
Angelica atropurpurea L.*
Heracleum maximum Bartr.*
Coreopsis lanceolata L.
Potentilla fruticosa auct. non L.
Apocynum cannabinum L.**
Verbena stricta Vent.
Asclepias incarnata L.
Ratibida pinnata (Vent.) Barnh.
Oenothera biennis L.~
Spiraea alba Duroi
Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze
Monarda punctata L.
Vernonia missurica Raf.
Silphium perfoliatum L.
Eupatorium perfoliatum L.
Lobelia siphilitica L.
Helianthus strumosus L.
Solidago riddellii Frank ex Riddell^
Aster novae-angliae L.
Aster laevis L.
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Shrub
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Shrub
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Forb
Average
Wet
Average
Average
Average
Average
Dry
Average
Average
Dry
Wet
Average
Average
Wet
Average
Dry
Average
Average
Wet
Average
Dry
Wet
Average
Average
Wild strawberry
Golden alexanders
Canada anemone
Penstemon
Angelica
Cow parsnip
Sand coreopsis
Shrubby cinquefoil
Indian hemp
Hoary vervain
Swamp milkweed
Yellow coneflower
Evening primrose
Meadowsweet
Yellow giant hyssop
Horsemint
Ironweed
Cup plant
Boneset
Blue lobelia
Pale-leaved sunflower
Riddell's goldenrod
New England aster
Smooth aster
http://nativeplants.msu.edu
Attractive Flower Characteristics
Not:
–Flower height
–Corolla depth, width
–Flower color/saturation
Natural enemies and bees both like:
–Large floral area relative to time of season
Win-Win Scenarios
• On-farm conservation
Win-Win Scenarios
• Biofuel production
Broader Implications
• Consistent with conservation goals
– Soil and water
– Biodiversity
– Ecosystem services
• Rural Sustainability
– Native Plant Nurseries
– Agrotourism
Learn More

“Enhancing Beneficial Insects
with Native Plants”
http://nativeplants.msu.edu
Acknowledgements
Research collaborators:
Bill Schneider
Gene Vogel, Richard Stuckey
Julianna Tuell, Rufus Isaacs
USDA NRCS
Ingham County Soil
Conservation District
MSU IPM
Identification support:
Gary Parsons
Dr. Debra Trock
Funding Support:
USDA
Sustainable
Agriculture
Special Grant
Undergraduate Research Assistants:
Jessica Steffen, Dawn Richards, Emily
Knoblock, Bob McDonald, Alissa Berro, Matt
Wood, Chuck Stahlman, Charlie Richards, Tara
Lehman, Mike Wayo, and Ryan Alderson.
Landis lab:
Chris Sebolt, Jeff Evans, Mary
Gardiner, Alejandro
Costamagna
http://nativeplants.msu.edu