Roy Van Driesche & Mark Hoddle 
Control of Pests and Weeds by Natural Enemies 
An Introduction to Biological Control

Biological control – utilizing a population of natural
enemies to seasonally or permanently suppress pests – is not
a new concept. The cottony cushion scale, which nearly destroyed
the citrus industry of California, was controlled by an introduced
predatory insect in the 1880s. Accelerated invasions by insects and
spread of weedy non-native plants in the last century have
increased the need for the use of biological control. Use of
carefully chosen natural enemies has become a major tool for the
protection of natural ecosystems, biodiversity and agricultural and
urban environments.

This book offers a multifaceted yet integrated discussion on two
major applications of biological control: permanent control of
invasive insects and plants at the landscape level and temporary
suppression of both native and exotic pests in farms, tree
plantations, and greenhouses. Written by leading international
experts in the field, the text discusses control of invasive
species and the role of natural enemies in pest management.

This book is essential reading for courses on Invasive Species,
Pest Management, and Crop Protection. It is an invaluable reference
book for biocontrol professionals, restorationists,
agriculturalists, and wildlife biologists.

Further information and resources can be found on the
Editor’s own website at:
www.invasiveforestinsectandweedbiocontrol.info/index.htm

About the author

Roy Van Driesche, University of Massachusetts, is an expert
in biological control in the Entomology Division of the University
of Massachusetts at Amherst. An earlier book on this topic by Van
Driesche was published in 1996 as well as one on the invasive
species problem. He is currently working to resolve the threat to
eastern hemlock (a native forest tree) posed by an invasive
Japanese adelgid.

Mark Hoddle, University of California, Riverside, has
written numerous articles and edited conference proceedings on
biocontrol. He has recently successfully controlled the glassy wing
sharpshooter in French Polynesia with introduced egg
parasitoids.

Ted Center, US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture
Research Service, is a world leader in biological control of
invasive plants, in particular against the world’s worst
water weed, waterhyacinth, and against melaleuca, an invasive
Australian tree threatening the survival of the Florida Everglades,
a World Heritage site.