Flower strips save on pest control costs

PLANTING wildflowers in apple orchards could save farmers up to £3,000 per hectare a year, a new study has revealed.

- 

Flower strips create a home for a team of helpful insects like ladybirds, hoverflies, and lace-wings that eat harmful pests such as aphids. This natural team of pest controllers helps keep apple trees healthy with less need for chemical sprays.

This study, published in Journal of Agricultural Economics, builds on previous research from a University of Reading team that found flower strips can reduce damage from pests (rosy apple aphids) by up to 32% in bad pest years.