Population Cycles

Why pests rise first, why beneficials lag, and why resets make outbreaks worse.

Understanding cycles (simple)

  • Pests increase quickly
  • Beneficials respond slowly
  • Balance follows discomfort

Harsh interventions reset the system and often make future outbreaks more likely.

The real goal

Encouraging beneficial insects does not eliminate pests. It makes outbreaks:

  • Slower
  • Smaller
  • Less frequent
  • Easier to manage

Biological control does not remove nature — it recruits it.