Abstract Adding wildflowers to arable lands is a tactic used to engineer agroecosystems to provide additional ecosystem services by attracting and supporting beneficial arthropods. Two studies were conducted to investigate the ability of wildflowers to influence populations of natural enemies. In the wildflower study, 24 early, mid and late season flowering species native to the USA Mid-Atlantic region were evaluated for their attractiveness to natural enemies and competitiveness with a perennial grass over two years. Insectary values were assigned to each wildflower based on length of flowering and relative attractiveness adjusted for background natural enemy activity. Wildflower species differed significantly in their ability to attract natural enemies, provide floral resources during the growing season, and maintain continued growth and flowering when contiguous with a perennial grass. Over two years, 45.9 to 82.4% of beneficials captured on sticky cards were hymenopteran parasitoids and their abundance was the major driver accounting for differences among wildflower species. At the farm level, we evaluated effects of wildflower addition to grass buffers on natural enemies in adjacent cornfields. Significant increases in taxa richness, abundance, and diversity of beneficial arthropod communities were measured in cornfields adjacent to grass buffers with wildflowers. Taken together, both studies provide evidence that insectary wildflowers can augment natural enemies in crop fields. However, differential attraction, flowering period and competitive abilities of wildflowers should be considered when selecting insectary species to mix with permanent grass buffers.

中文翻译：

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评估用于保护草缓冲区的野花，以增加邻近玉米田的天敌

摘要 在耕地中种植野花是一种用于设计农业生态系统的策略，通过吸引和支持有益的节肢动物来提供额外的生态系统服务。进行了两项研究来调查野花影响天敌种群的能力。在野花研究中，对原产于美国中大西洋地区的 24 种早、中和晚开花物种进行了两年多的评估，评估它们对天敌的吸引力和与多年生草的竞争力。根据开花长度和根据背景天敌活动调整的相对吸引力，将昆虫值分配给每个野花。野花种类在吸引天敌、在生长季节提供花卉资源、并在与多年生草相邻时保持持续生长和开花。两年多来，粘卡上捕获的 45.9% 到 82.4% 的有益物质是膜翅目寄生蜂，它们的丰度是导致野花物种差异的主要驱动因素。在农场层面，我们评估了在草地缓冲区中添加野花对邻近玉米田天敌的影响。在与野花草缓冲区相邻的玉米田中，测量到有益节肢动物群落的类群丰富度、丰度和多样性显着增加。综上所述，这两项研究都提供了证据，表明昆虫野花可以增加农田中的天敌。然而，差异化的吸引力，