biological control

American  

noun

1. the control of pests by interference with their ecological status, as by introducing a natural enemy or a pathogen into the environment.

---

biological control British  

noun

1. the control of destructive organisms by the use of other organisms, such as the natural predators of the pests

---

biological control Scientific  

1. Control of pests by disrupting their ecological status, as through the use of organisms that are natural predators, parasites, or pathogens. Examples of biocontrol include the use of ladybugs to prey on aphids and scale insects and the treatment of turf with spores of the bacterium Bacillus popilliae, which cause milky disease in Japanese beetle larvae.

---

Etymology

Origin of biological control

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

biological control

"To have a natural biological control agent doing it for us is really valuable," he explains.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

From 2005 to 2019, managers attempted biological control measures to reduce urchin numbers, but these efforts ultimately did not succeed.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 12, 2025

More recently, Yoo has been assisting as the New Jersey Department of Agriculture attempts a biological control, releasing parasitoid wasps known to feed on emerald ash borer larvae.

From New York Times ● Oct. 20, 2022

They accept a little crop loss while providing habitats for predators and introducing other forms of biological control to obtain a much more robust and resilient ecosystem.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 22, 2021

Perhaps the opportunities for the more conventional types of biological control are greatest in the forests.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson