natural enemies
Born to clash
Natural enemies are species that prey on, parasitize, or otherwise harm another species as part of their biological relationship.
The term appears most often in agriculture and pest control, where natural enemies of crop pests—predators, parasites, pathogens—are introduced or encouraged as alternatives to pesticides: Ladybugs are natural enemies of aphids.
Extended to humans, natural enemies are those whose opposition seems inevitable or inherent rather than circumstantial: Cats and dogs are natural enemies.
- lionManed African feline
- biological controlPest suppression via natural enemies
- waspNarrow-bodied stinging insect
- entomologyStudy of insects
- nematodeThreadlike parasitic worm
garden pests · keystone species · apex predator · larvae · fungus · grasshopper · ladybug · protozoan · host plants · hawk · circle of life · bacterium · rabbit · cat and mouse · wolf · foes · adversaries · struggle
- farm ecologyagroforestry, beneficial insects, biological control, companion planting, cover crops
natural enemiesmutualists
Species benefiting each other
symbionts · pollinators · host species · beneficial insects · cleaner fish
natural enemiesallies
Cooperative partners united together
friends · protectors · guardians · companions · partners