Schädlingsbekämpfung durch Verhaltenskontrolle

An insect is considered a pest when it threatens a resource valued by humans, including human health. Protecting a resource from a pest is typically achieved by poisoning the pest with a toxic pesticide, but it can also be accomplished by manipulating the pest's behavior. The manipulation of a pest's behavior to protect a resource is not a new concept. The practice of trap cropping, which involves using a resource that the pest attacks to protect a valuable resource, has been known for centuries. However, in the last approximately 30 years, interest in behavioral manipulation for pest control has increased, largely due to improvements in analytical techniques and the growing desire to reduce reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides. Virtually all pest control methods involve some changes in pest behavior, whether intentional or unintentional. In this overview, we will limit our discussion to examples where pest control is achieved through intentional manipulation of a pest's behavior. For the purposes of this overview, manipulation is defined as the application of stimuli that either stimulate or inhibit a behavior, thereby altering its expression.