| dc.description.abstract | Field margins support important ecosystem services including natural pest regulation. We
investigated the influence of field margins on the spatial and temporal distribution of natural enemies
(NEs) of bean pests in smallholder farming systems. We sampled NEs from high and low plant
diversity bean fields using sweep netting and coloured sticky traps, comparing monocropped and
intercropped farms. NEs collected from within crops included predatory bugs, lacewings, predatory
flies, parasitic flies, parasitic wasps, lady beetles, and a range of other predatory beetles; with the
most dominant group being parasitic wasps. Overall, high plant diversity fields had a higher number
of NEs than low-diversity fields, regardless of sampling methods. The field margin had a significantly
higher number of lacewings, parasitic wasps, predatory bugs, syrphid flies, and other predatory
beetles relative to the crop, but beneficial insects were collected throughout the fields. However, we
observed marginally higher populations of NEs in intercropping than in monocropping although the
effect was not significant in both low and high plant diversity fields. We recommend smallholder
farmers protect the field margins for the added benefit of natural pest regulation in their fields. | en_US |
