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Title: News Release: DPR Offering New Guide to Suppliers of "Good Bugs" for Farms and Gardens
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Release No. 97-33
Date: November 14, 1997 http://www.cdpr.ca.gov |
Media Contact: Veda Federighi (916) 445-3974 |
SACRAMENTO -- Free copies of the 1997 edition of "Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms in North America" are now available from Cal/EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Listed are commercial sources for the "good bugs" or beneficial organisms that kill or otherwise help control farm and garden pests.
The booklet is an invaluable resource for finding places to buy biological controls to use as alternative or supplementary pest controls for insect, mite, snail or weed pests. Biological controls are an integral part of integrated pest management (IPM). IPM programs include several components such as pest monitoring and cultural controls as well as the judicious use of pesticides.
"DPR has a wide-ranging program to encourage the development and use of reduced-risk pest management techniques," said Peter Rooney, Secretary for Environmental Protection. "DPR's efforts are part of a broader Cal/EPA objective to encourage pollution prevention. Our focus is on economically sound, voluntary prevention efforts aimed at avoiding those activities that have the potential to create human health and environmental problems."
"Good bugs" include not only "true" bugs like the spined soldier bug and the minute pirate bug, but also "bugs" from other insect groups such as flies, beetles and wasps. Several other types of beneficial organisms are also listed including mites, nematodes, fish, and a snail that eats other snails.
With a black ladybug larva on its bright orange cover, the 32-page booklet lists commercial sources for more than 130 different beneficial organisms used for biological control of pests. There are 142 suppliers listed including 95 suppliers in the U.S., 14 suppliers in Canada, and 33 suppliers in Mexico.
DPR updates the booklet every two to three years. Almost 25,000 copies of the last edition (1994) were distributed upon request to residents in almost every state and province in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and also to residents in more than 100 other nations.
For more than 16 years, the publication has been a leading source of information on commercial biological controls. Pest management specialists, master gardeners, researchers, and university extension specialists use it, as well as farmers and backyard gardeners. The 1997 edition should be even more helpful with its listing of Web sites that feature information on biological control and integrated pest management.
The 1997 edition has been produced by DPR with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Biological Control, the Association of Natural Bio-control Producers, and Sanidad Vegetal de Mexico.
As in past editions, the 1997 edition has two different indexes to help the reader in finding biological controls for pests. One is an alphabetical listing by scientific name of all the beneficial organisms used for biological control that are commercially available in North America. The other index lists beneficials under 13 different categories such as, "Predatory Mites," "Aphid Parasites and Predators," and "Parasites and Predators for Greenhouse Pests."
Biological controls that are single-celled organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and viruses are not listed as they are registered as pesticides under state and federal law and are widely available.
Free, single printed copies of the booklet are available from the Department of Pesticide Regulation, Environmental Monitoring and Pest Management Branch, Attn.: Beneficial Organisms, 1020 N Street, Room 161, Sacramento, California 95814-5624. To request the booklet by telephone, call (916) 324-4100. Requests for the booklet can also be made via E-mail to chunter@cdpr.ca.gov.
The booklet is available electronically and can be downloaded through the Publications menu of DPR's Web site at <http://www.cdpr.ca.gov>.