Do border-enhanced hedgerows increase beneficial insect diversity in peach orchards?

Hedgerows are man-made rows of trees or shrubs that separate crop fields, usually used to protect crops from wind damage. They act as a corridor of movement for many species, as they connect isolated patches of habitat. Hedgerows are often used in fruit tree production in southeastern America, but they currently do not provide many resources to beneficial insects. Many insects require access to alternate hosts, overwintering habitats, a constant food supply, and microclimates, all of which can be provided by enhancing hedgerows with floral diversification. We hypothesize that by increasing the architectural complexity of existing hedgerows and by increasing the connectivity between existing hedgerows, we will enhance natural enemy and pollinator abundance within field crops.

Our objective for this presentation is to assess the diversity of insect species in the experimental, enhanced orchard compared to the control orchard without flower enhancement. We have enhanced the experimental orchard by adding flowering vines, shrubs, and wildflowers to the existing hedgerow. We will be determining insect density and diversity using yellow sticky card traps. Traps were placed on the border of the hedgerow and at the 3rd row of each treatment plot. They were left out over the course of two weeks, once a month, for 5 months. Insects collected were counted and identified, and response of these treatments on the density and diversity of beneficial insects was observed over the course of two years.