Biological Control: Learning to Live With the Natural Order is a 25 minute videotape geared
toward middle school children. Much of the video was taken from a live LERN broadcast, with
hosts Dale Bradley and Jami Morgan, originally transmitted to students throughout the United
States and Canada. It was produced by NBCI in conjunction with USDA's Agricultural Research
Service, Colorado State University, and the Walt Disney World Co. Excellent photography
accompanies the narrative, with good close-ups of beneficials in action: a lacewing larva eating
an aphid; a predatory mite attacking a twospotted spider mite; a tiny wasp "stinging" an aphid
and another wasp emerging from the aphid mummy.
The feature story tells of current biological control efforts against the Russian wheat aphid.
The stage is set during a "spy" story of international intrigue that should keep younger viewers
interested, then followed up with reports on natural enemy searches and a report card on the
program's success.
Although the video targets kids, adults will also enjoy it. Contact the USDA's National
Biological Control Institute (NBCI) at (301) 436-4329 for ordering information.
Beneficial Insect Flash Cards
A set of "good bugs" cards is now available from Colorado State University. The series
contains 54 wallet-size photographs of a variety of predatory and parasitic insects that are
important in Colorado. On the back of each is a 2 to 4 sentence description of the insect and its
habits. All the pictures are originals taken by various personnel associated with Colorado State
University; most are from the Gillette Entomology Slide Collection. Production credit and profits
from this go to the Gillette Entomology Club, CSU's student organization.
The Gillette Entomology Club Biological Control Card Set is available for $50 and can be
ordered from:
Gillette Entomology Club
Department of Entomology
Colorado State University
Ft. Collins, CO 80523
(make checks payable to Gillette Entomology Club).
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