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181. Derived from: Moore, I. & E. F. Legner. 1978.
The importance of taxonomy in biological control as exemplified by
rove beetles. Newsletter Michigan
Entomol. Soc. 23(3 & 4): 1, 5. Systematics is without question the most important fundament to
biological control. It is the key to all
fields of research related to any biological control problem. Clausen considered only 38 of the approx.
113 families of beetles in 1940 as having entomophagous species. Two of these, Carabidae and Staphylinidae,
are large families almost all of whose species are predaceous. The impact of the members of these two
families on pest insects due to natural biological control must be great but
is poorly understood due to lack of study.
Carabidae are attractive to collectors and, consequently, are better known
than Staphylinidae. But the
prevalence of staphylinids in association with pest insects suggests that
they outweigh carabids in their importance to humans. Staphylinidae could rank as the most
beneficial Coleoptera. |
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