Using spatial heterogeneity to reduce pest problems in organic farming: studies on cabbage butterflies

The aim is to study the responses by egg-laying females of cabbage butterflies (Pieris spp) to the heterogeneity of cropping fields.

The background is that previous studies suggest that the within field heterogeneity may have strong effects on the egg-laying rates, and damage, by Pierid butterflies on cabbage crops. By increasing the understanding of the small-scale oviposition decisions in these butterflies it may therefore be possible to manipulate the heterogeneity in order to reduce damage on sensitive crops.

The work will utilise a large scale experiment, on Öland, that aims to examine the within-field heterogeneity of brassica crops during the summer 2007. The field work will be mainly performed during july, and will consist of field observations of butterfly egg-laying behaviour and estimation of egg numbers.

Research group: Plant ecology section at the Department of Botany, Stockholm University. The plant ecology section contains 9 researchers, 15 graduate students and various numbers of master students.