Predators for productivity
Spider on guard
New spiders in Agriculture, Horticulture and Viticulture.
Predators prevent or postpone pumping pesticide and promote productivity in potatoes, peas, parsley, and particularly perennials like Pinot noir and pistachio. OK, so that's my fun. This project is a collaboration between Ecoconnections and the Australasian Arachnology Society with Farmers, Horticulturists and Viticulturists across the world.
Many spiders living in vineyards and horticultural enterprises across the world are undescribed. They are also doing a great job. Eating pests and keeping these agro-ecologies in balance. This project will encourage horticulturists, viticulturists and anyone working in agriculture to use Citizen Science applications and especially look for spiders and other predators. With this understanding, strategies can be developed to manage these 'good guys'.
Ecoconnections will play a coordinating role and raise funds to develop a catalogue of what is found.
To join in:
Download a citizen science app for observing, photographing and formally recording species in your enterprise. Contact info@ecoconnect.me for a recommended app.
Our capacity to coordinate and develop advice /field days from these observations will depend on getting people ecoconnected. Your best help in this is to get ecoconnected and tell your marketing lists what species you are connected to with a fun fact.
We could develop specific regional advice if enough members of your regional grower group would like to get ecoconnected and work together on this. When you ecoconnect let us know which agricultural industry you are in and a contact for your regional association.
Wine businesses or agricultural enterprises that would like to do a 'bulk connection' are also more than welcome to contact us. We can acknowledge these larger contributions if this can help you.