Although several researchers in the field of biological control and especially theoretical ecologists frequently recommend extensive basic research prior to introduction of new natural enemies for pest control, no sound ecological method seems to exist that provides reliable predictions regarding the success of such natural enemies. A review is given of the available evaluation techniques together with indications of their usefulness. At this moment long-term basic research is not a good strategy for developing new biological control methods. The opinion of a number of students in this field that the trial-and-error method is expensive and has a low success ratio is misleading: comparison with other control methods (also with conventional chemical control methods) shows the opposite.
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J.C. van Lenteren (1979) studied this question.
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