title: Characteristics of successful natural enemies in models of biological control of insect pests.
abstract: Biological control of insect pests is characterised by a persistent, strong reduction in the pest population following the introduction of a natural enemy. Analysis of mathematical models suggests that differential exploitation of patches of the pest in a spatially heterogeneous environment provides the most likely mechanism to account for known successes.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D004777:Environment; D007313:Insecta / Q000469:parasitology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior