Commercial availability of invertebrate biological control agents targeting plant pests in Germany

Abstract Biological control is a recognized and well-implemented strategy to protect crops from pests and diseases, and there is an urgent need to expand biocontrol-based crop protection further, also in Germany. Specially, the use of invertebrate biological control agents (IBCA) is considered as a fundamental method in integrated pest management and organic farming. The objective of this article is to give an overview of the current commercially available and used IBCA species in Germany. Of those, individual non-indigenous species are critically examined for potential environmental risks. Furthermore, the current legal situation in Germany about the use of IBCA is described. Based on this information, this article clarifies the need for an environmental impact assessment for IBCA species that do not occur naturally in Germany. An outlook for their safe use in the future is discussed.