How to Use biological control in a Sentence

biological control

noun
  • She uses biological controls in her garden.
  • She practices biological control in her gardening.
  • My main focus has been on the role of ants as biological control agents—as predators in the system.
    — Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024
  • To Jentsch, the biological control is the lesser of two evils.
    — Steven Strogatz, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2011
  • But what if the ship or colony were even more alive, Menezes wonders, full of biosensors and biological control systems?
    — Sarah Scoles, Discover Magazine, 18 Dec. 2015
  • Birds could learn to like it, and scientists may develop biological controls against it.
    — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 26 June 2019
  • But as the examples of the mongoose and cane toad illustrate, biological control can go awry.
    — Christina Nunez, National Geographic, 5 June 2019
  • Conserve biological control agents such as predators and the parasitoids that feed on insect pests.
    — oregonlive, 1 June 2021
  • Conserve biological control agents such as predators and the parasitoids that feed on insect pests.
    — oregonlive, 1 Aug. 2022
  • This first-of-its-kind sighting revealed the worm’s potential as a biological control for the invasive species.
    — Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Leaving the hornworm provides a host for larvae of the female braconid wasp, a biological control method for many garden pests.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
  • They’re used as a convenient form of biological control, to cull insect pests without having to resort to chemical agents.
    — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 17 Dec. 2010
  • Tiger trout act as a biological control in the reservoir, which was part of the reason for the inception of Idaho’s tiger trout stocking program.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 31 May 2023
  • Treat your lawn for grubs with a biological control like beneficial nematodes or milky spore, says Dolshun.
    — Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Using biological controls is our best bet in keeping this entire group of trees on our landscape in the long term in North America.
    — Alyssa Lukpat, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2019
  • One biological control is beneficial nematodes, which sort of look like skinny worms.
    — Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Indianapolis Star, 8 Dec. 2017
  • There’s been a huge shift from chemical use to biological controls and sustainable fertilizer.
    — Michelle Z. Donahue, Smithsonian, 13 Feb. 2017
  • For large infestations, use a biological control agent instead.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2024
  • Biological warfare One line of defense against the thrip that researchers found is biological control.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Apply a biological control called Bacillus thuringiensis var.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Wildlife managers are currently planning on introducing a type of biological control.
    — Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2022
  • It’s regarded as the classic example of biological control of a pest, an alternative to harmful pesticides.
    — John Kelly, Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2020
  • The league’s 51-page reopening plan calls for games to take place at stadiums with biological controls similar to those required by medical facilities.
    — Tariq Panja, New York Times, 4 May 2020
  • Biocontrol - pest management involving live biological control agents is an increasingly important part of the tool box for farmers in general.
    — Steven Savage, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2022
  • Milky Spore, the product name for a biological control agent for Japanese beetle grubs, is a naturally occurring bacteria that infects the grubs and kills them.
    — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 2 May 2024
  • Many researchers believe identifying and releasing natural enemies of the ash borer, an approach called biological control, could help ash sooner.
    — Gabriel Popkin, Science | AAAS, 12 Nov. 2020
  • But in both cases biological controls—where a natural enemy organism is introduced to counter the invader—turned out to be a useful tool, and the war between human and insect ended in stalemate.
    — Connie Bruck, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2018
  • There’s historical precedent for both natural enemies and introduced biological controls getting the job done.
    — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
  • Fisher and LeBrun speculate that pest control agencies might be able to use this microsporidian as a kind of biological control agent, because the pathogen doesn’t ravage native ant species.
    — Matt Simon, Wired, 30 Mar. 2022
  • The conservation of biological control agents (predators, parasitoids) should be favored over chemical controls.
    — oregonlive, 1 May 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biological control.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: