Herbarium of Native Vegetation Surrounding Malaise Traps Used to Collect Hymenoptera in Lockyer Valley (2007-2008)

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Our teams work focuses on understanding and capturing the ecosystem services of pest control and pollination for sustainable, secure food production. A key component of this work is knowing the function of a wide range of invertebrates that provide these services and understanding how these insects move around in differing landscapes. Most of our research projects revolve around the role of native vegetation in agricultural production systems. It is thought that by having an integrated approach to agricultural production and landscape management it will help to create a more pest suppressive landscape. Studies have shown that native vegetation provides a reservoir of natural enemies by providing them with prey and nectar. Therefore these natural enemies have the potential to colonise a crop quicker thereby suppressing pest populations. This particular project involved the use of 12 bi-directional malaise traps set up for a year (2007-08) in various habitats and differing landscapes (native vegetation and agricultural areas in the Lockyer Valley). This Herbarium collection consists of approximately 50 (dried & pressed) native plant specimens collected from around these malaise traps.