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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.

Summary

 

          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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