Wasps have great potential to be beneficial insects and can play a larger ecological role in pest control, said Raghavendra Gadagkar, Professor and National Scientific Chair, Center for Ecological Sciences, IISc. | Photo credit: file photo
Wasps have great potential to be beneficial insects and can play a larger ecological role in pest control, said Raghavendra Gadagkar, Professor and National Scientific Chair, Center for Ecological Sciences, IISc.
In the TN Ananthakrishnan Birth Centenary Lecture on “You Are What You Eat: Caste and Nutrition in the Indian Paper Wasp, Ropalidia marginata”, Dr. Gadagkar said that for a long time bees were the focus of beneficial insects and that no one really looked at wasps.
Greater ecological role
“However, in recent years it has been noted that wasps are excellent predators of pests and are now being used for pest control. In the last five to 10 years, people have woken up to the possibility of wasps playing a larger ecological role, particularly in terms of pest control,” said Dr. Gadagkar.
He added that nutrition is the key and that wasps that eat more become clutches of eggs and well-fed larvae develop into adults that feed more and become laying hens.
“Wasps that feed more will develop ovaries early. Behaviorally dominant and well-fed wasps tend to leave their natal webs to find new nests alone or together. They prepare for this future by changing their behavior on and off the nest,” he added.
Specialized tasks
Dr. Gadagkar said that division of labor is a fundamental feature of social insects, and different individuals specialize in different tasks. “Such differently specialized individuals are called castes,” said Dr. Gadagkar.
SN Puri, Former Vice-Chancellor, MPKV, Rahuri & Central Agricultural University, Imphal, emphasized the importance of research into technologies used in natural farming and standardization of drone applications for delivery of various biological agents.
NPS scheme
JP Singh, Adviser, Plant Protection, Government of India, briefed on the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) and highlighted the importance of pest tracking for deciding the right dose and use of pesticides by farmers.
Published – 15 Dec 2025 21:17 IST
