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Hoverflies, predatory bugs, and parasitic wasps are among the most important antagonists of many pest species and thus perform an essential function in ecological food webs. The occurrence and diversity of these beneficial insects are therefore important indicators of the ecosystem service natural pest control in agricultural landscapes. In addition, their association with numerous host and prey species means that their occurrence can also be used as an indicator of overall insect diversity.
In the long term, insect diversity will be recorded by additionally using non-invasive methods (eDNA, camera trap).
Molecular methods, such as the analysis of eDNA, can be used to detect the presence of beneficial insects with less required effort and without the need to kill them. This works by analysing DNA fragments left behind by an insect e.g. on a flower, which are then examined to identify the respective species.
