The landscape of fear in cattle farms? How the presence of barn swallow influences the activity of pest flies

Authors of a research article recently published in Journal of Applied Ecology talk us through how barn swallows are effective biological control agents for lowering pest fly activity in livestock farms. Preamble: Farmland birds, filth flies and the landscape of fear Birds are key suppliers of crucial ecosystem services worldwide, and insectivorous species can consume up to 400 – 500 million tons of prey each … Continue reading The landscape of fear in cattle farms? How the presence of barn swallow influences the activity of pest flies

Prioritising local habitat quality for woodland hoverflies

Kirsty Park and colleagues discuss the importance of habitat quality in restoration efforts. Read the full article, Local-scale attributes determine the suitability of woodland creation sites for Diptera in Journal of Applied Ecology. To benefit woodland-associated Diptera, and in particular hoverflies, woodland creation and restoration efforts should focus on ‘habitat quality’, in particular to ensure a diverse tree and understory vegetation structure. These are the findings … Continue reading Prioritising local habitat quality for woodland hoverflies