The ecology and control of some insects and mites associated with pastures and forests

In the early years following the Second World War, the grazing industries accounted for some 70 per cent of Australia's total export income. Those were boom days for the wool industry and it was important that pastures carrying stock should maintain high levels of production. In southern, temperate Australia, increases in productivity depended almost entirely on the sowing of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and the overall application of superphosphate. The'resulting "pasture revolution" was an outstanding success and spectacular increases were achieved in both yields per acre and in total output. Progress was jeopardized, however, sometimes on a broad scale and often in local situations, by the attacks of both indigenous and introduced insects and mites. The researches of the author, commenced in Western Australia in 1946, were concerned with long-term studies principally of two of those pests, viz. the lucerne flea, Sminthurus viridis (L.) (Collembola: Sminthuridae) introduced from Europe, and the red-legged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor (Tucker) (Acari: Eupodidae) introduced from South Africa. The publications resulting from those researches, together with publications on related problems of the rural industry, are integrated into this thesis