The Woolly apple aphid (E. lanigerum) can cause severe damage, especially in organic cultivation; sucking activity causes bark growth, the so-called blood louse canker. Promoting natural antagonists in organic orchards is a key element in controlling E. lanigerum. Further, the tree growth should be balanced through proper (root) pruning.

Conventional pest control based on the use of synthetic insecticides is very effective, however, this has important negative effects on the environment such as the loss of farmland biodiversity, especially in the group of invertebrates, including many beneficial organisms. Another key problem is the presence of insecticide residues in surface and groundwater or, potentially, in harvested products.

The effectiveness of agri-environment schemes depends on scheme type, taxon and landscape. Here, we show how spatial scale, i.e.