Ecosystems are strange and wonderful places, and the ecosystem within canola fields is no exception.
It can be easy to overlook the incredible abundance of interactions between different arthropods, including insects and spiders, happening within the canola canopy. Plus, when a farmer or agronomist sees damaged plants, it can be challenging to figure out if the insects found are beneficials, “tourists,” or pests.
In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Canola School, Dr. Ken Fry of Olds College goes into detail on ways to help identify a friend vs a foe in canola fields. He explains that one way to tell what the insect feeds on is to consider the direction that its mouth faces. If it faces downwards it’s probably a herbivore because its food is down below its feet, where as typically a predator’s face is forward-facing, as it is chasing its food.
“This is what’s nice about biology, you don’t have to know right down to the species every last minutiae about it, there are some general rules… I can make good risk management decisions with just a certain amount of information,”
To learn more about the world within a canola field, watch the full episode below.
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