Mon Dec 15 15:47:32 UTC 2025: News Article:
Wasps Emerge as Unsung Heroes in Pest Control, Indian Scientist Highlights
Bengaluru, December 15, 2025 – Long overlooked in favor of bees, wasps are now being recognized for their significant potential in natural pest control, according to Professor Raghavendra Gadagkar, National Science Chair at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc. Speaking at the T.N. Ananthakrishnan Birth Centenary Lecture, Dr. Gadagkar emphasized that wasps are excellent predators of pests and are increasingly being utilized for pest control strategies.
“In recent years, people have woken up to the possibilities of wasps playing a larger ecological role, especially in terms of pest control,” Dr. Gadagkar said. His lecture, titled “You are how much you eat: Caste and nutrition in the Indian paper wasp, Ropalidia marginata”, explored the link between nutrition and wasp behavior, noting that well-fed wasps are more likely to become egg-layers and establish new colonies. This crucial role in the ecosystem and the new opportunities for ecological pest control may drastically change current agricultural strategies.
Dr. Gadagkar also highlighted the division of labor within wasp colonies, explaining that different individuals specialize in various tasks, forming a caste system.
The lecture also featured contributions from S.N. Puri, former Vice-Chancellor of MPKV and Central Agricultural University, who emphasized the need for research into technologies used in natural farming, including the standardization of drone applications for delivering biocontrol agents. J.P. Singh, Plant Protection Advisor for the Government of India, discussed the National Pest Surveillance Scheme (NPSS) and stressed the importance of pest scouting to determine appropriate pesticide usage.
This news comes from The Hindu e-paper. The paper also offers a wide range of news, culture, technology, science, health and books.
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