UK: Predatory insects protect apples from pests when flowers are planted on farms, finds study

Bugs including hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds play an important role in keeping Britain's apples healthy, a new study has shown.Wildflower strips planted around apple orchards provide a habitat for predatory insects that prey on pests that deform and damage apples.Flower margins had been established next to five dessert apple orchards in the U.K. A research team led by the University of Reading found that only 48% of trees had fruit damage compared to 80% in orchards without flowers.In 2020, 200,000 metric tons of dessert apples worth £158 million were produced in the United Kingdom. The two-year study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, suggests farmers could harvest up to an additional 2,420 kg per hectare (6.9%) of undamaged, premium apples by installing flower margins on orchards.Lead author Charlotte Howard, from the University of Reading, said, "By looking after our creepy crawlies, we can take better care of our apples. Planting flower margins near fruit ...