Proactive Biological Control of Invasive Exotic Arthropod Pests and Weeds

Invasive exotic arthropods and weeds pose a growing threat to biodiversity, food security, and the functioning of whole ecosystems, resulting in significant socioeconomic and ecological impacts. Classical biological control—the importation of specialist natural enemies from the native range—can lead to long-term, sustainable pest suppression, but it is typically implemented reactively after the invasive species is established and is causing significant negative impacts. Proactive biological control offers an anticipatory approach, developing biological control agents before or shortly after establishment and enabling rapid response to new incursions. This review examines current applications, opportunities, and challenges of proactive strategies and proposes steps to advance proactive management of invasive arthropod pests and weeds.