Managed environments and plant management practices can reduce the abundance and diversity of beneficial insects and the ecosystem services they provide such as biological control and pollination. In this study, we create conservation strips of flowering plants in woody plant field nurseries to increase the abundance and diversity of pollinators and natural enemies and biological control. Conservation strips of select flowering plants (treatment) were planted perpendicular to tree rows. Pollinators and natural enemies were sampled within the conservation strips using yellow sticky cards and bee bowls, and their abundance and species richness were compared to that in conventional grass allies (control) associated with tree rows. To estimate changes in biological control, sentinel prey was placed on tree foliage at specific distances out from the conservation strip or grass ally and predation rates were determined. Pollinators were more abundant in conservation strips than the grass control and plant species varied in their attractiveness to pollinators. Several new county records of bee species were determined. Natural enemies were more abundant in the conservation strips than the grass controls. However, this did not translate to differences in predators or predation within the tree rows between treatments. Parasitoids did differ between treatments. Enhanced biological control may reduce the need for conventional pesticides.
