[Pollinator] A new book from the Xerces Society and Storey Publishing: FARMING WITH NATIVE BENEFICIAL INSECTS

[Matthew Shepherd]

We’re happy to announce that there is a new book from the Xerces Society
and Storey Publishing: *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects**.*



Lacewings, lady beetles, and flower flies are just a few of the beneficial
insect groups that attack crop pests and reduce the need for pesticides. To
increase the abundance and diversity of these hardworking insects on farms,
Storey Publishing and the Xerces Society have collaborated to publish *Farming
with Native Beneficial Insects*, the most comprehensive book ever developed
on the subject of natural pest control.



Following in the footsteps of our best-selling *Attracting Native
Pollinators*, *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* provides clear,
effective, science-based conservation strategies that increase beneficial
insect populations on farms through conservation systems such as native
hedgerows, insectary strips, beetle banks, wildlife buffers, cover cropping
and more. Details of how to implement these systems are complemented by
sections on pesticide risk reduction, case studies of natural pest control
across the U.S., information on assessing the quality of beneficial insect
habitat, and a guide to common beneficial insect groups. All of this is
accompanied by stunning color photography, step-by-step how-to
illustrations, region-specific wildflower seed mix formulas to attract
beneficial insects, and research results presented as easy-to-understand
graphs.



Along with direct benefits to pest management, the strategies highlighted
in *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* also improve farm conditions
for pollinators and other wildlife, support soil and water quality
protection, and enhance farm aesthetics. All of these features make this
book a conservation milestone.



Praise for *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects*:



*“This thorough, easy-to-follow treatment shows how to better integrate
natural enemies of insect pests into landscapes of all scales, from
backyard gardens to large-scale agriculture. Building on **Attracting
Native Pollinators**, the Xerces Society hits another home run with **Farming
with Native Beneficial Insects**.”*

      -   WHITNEY CRANSHAW, entomology professor and extension specialist,
Colorado State University



*“If you are a grower or a backyard gardener, this is a 'must-have.'
Readable and filled with gorgeous photos and handy charts, this book
provides reams of information about how to get the upper hand on your pest
issues with reduced or no pesticide use.”*

      -   CLAIRE KREMEN, professor and co-director of the Berkeley Food
Institute, University of California, Berkeley



The release of *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* coincides with the
Xerces Society's launch of a new nationwide workshop series on the subject
of natural pest control, called the Conservation Biological Control Short
Course. The course, which will begin in the West and Midwest, provides
farmers, crop consultants, and government farm agency staff with a
comprehensive, hands-on training in the natural pest management strategies
described in the book. A similar workshop model previously offered by
Xerces trained tens of thousands of people in farm communities across the
U.S. to conserve bees and restore pollinator habitat, and helped facilitate
the restoration of more than 100,000 acres of wildflower habitat for bees.



More than 250 pages in length, *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* was
co-authored by Xerces ecologists Eric Lee-Mäder, Jennifer Hopwood, Mace
Vaughan, and Scott Hoffman Black, in partnership with Canadian
entomologist-extraordinaire, Dr. Lora Morandin. Dr. Morandin's latest work
through the University of California, Berkeley studied the effects of
native plant hedgerows on beneficial and pest insects in some of the most
intensively farmed landscapes on earth. Findings from that research are
included throughout the book. *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* is
published by Storey Publishing.



Buy *Farming with Native Beneficial Insects* at
http://www.xerces.org/farming-with-native-beneficial-insects/.





________



*Matthew Shepherd*, Communications Director



*The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation     *Protecting the Life
that Sustains Us



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Tel: (503) 232-6639 ext. 110; Toll free: 1-855-232 6639 ext. 110; Cell:
(503) 807-1577

mdshepherd at xerces.org



The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international
nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of
invertebrates and their habitat. To join the Society, make a donation, or
read about our work, please visit www.xerces.org.
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