Good news for the green transition: Flowery diets help predatory insects help farmers keep pests in check Predatory insects have been shown to live longer when they have access to nectar and pollen, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. Thus, flowers don't just benefit insects, they help farmers farm sustainably. Predatory insects are skilled pest controllers whose hunting reduces the need for agricultural pesticides.

Until now, it was believed that predatory insects needed prey to survive. But in a systematic review conducted at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, researchers collected, compared and analyzed data from studies around the world to conclude that most predators benefit greatly from flowers, and can even survive for extended periods of time on nectar and pollen alone. Thus, farmers can promote a consistent production of natural enemies to defeat pests by incorporating flowering strips and flowering margins in their fields.