Journal profile · Entomology
BioControl
ISSN 1386-6141 · eISSN 1573-8248 · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · Bimonthly · Founded 1956
BioControl: CAS Zone 2 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.55; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,790; median 176 days to acceptance (100 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 74 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
BioControl is published by Springer Netherlands and is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Insect-Plant Interactions and Control, Insect Pest Control Strategies and Insect Resistance and Genetics, together about 36.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Insect Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
BioControl, the official journal of the International Organization for Biological Control, presents original papers on basic and applied research in all aspects of biological control of invertebrate, vertebrate and weed pests, and plant diseases. Coverage includes biology and ecology of organisms used for biological control on agricultural and natural settings, but also in urban, aquatic, forest, and stored product ecosystems, and aspects of use including biological control agents for integrated pest management. Papers presenting broadly works at the purely molecular or theoretical levels are also welcome, providing that they are clearly linked to biological control. Papers presenting only laboratory trials on non-target effects of pesticides, or estimating life table parameters, on natural enemies are not considered but papers dealing with the corresponding effects on community dynamics of natural enemies are welcome. Finally, papers dealing solely with the effect of plants or plant extracts are not considered. Organisms covered include parasitoids, invertebrate and vertebrate predators of pest animals and plants, mites, plant and insect pathogens, nematodes, and weeds, including human and veterinary pathogens.The journal publishes interdisciplinary papers with a global perspective on the use of biological control in integrated pest management systems, and related developments in molecular biology and biotechnology that have direct relevance.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Entomology
Editor-in-chief Eric Wajnberg INRAEPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Belgium 3, Greece 3, Germany 2, Canada 2, Switzerland 2 (22 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Insect-Plant Interactions and ControlAgricultural and Biological Sciences21.6%
- Insect Pest Control StrategiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.7%
- Insect Resistance and GeneticsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.5%
- Insect and Pesticide ResearchAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.7%
- Insect behavior and control techniquesAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.5%
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest ControlAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.2%
- Biological Control of Invasive SpeciesAgricultural and Biological Sciences5.8%
- Forest Insect Ecology and ManagementEnvironmental Science5.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Entomology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Entomology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Entomology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
CASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.55LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.59LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.97LetPub ·
- h-index
- 58LetPub ·
- h-index
- 104OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,312OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.67OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 34.87%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 72LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 285,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,902 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 60 | 26 | 12 |
| 2025 | 74 | 29 | 168 |
| 2024 | 66 | 29 | 353 |
| 2023 | 61 | 29 | 568 |
| 2022 | 48 | 14 | 493 |
| 2021 | 55 | 14 | 708 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
176 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 127 days – 236 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 16 days (100 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 186 days
- Sample
- 100 articles with submission and acceptance dates (149 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 12 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,790 / EUR 2,890 / GBP 2,490 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted10
- editorialDouble-blind peer review This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout p…Length not stated
- forum papersForum papers aim to stimulate discussion and debate, particularly by presenting new ideas and by suggesting alternative interpretations to the more formal artic…Length not stated
- hypothesisOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- letterOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- letters to the editorOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- original articleOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- original articlesOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis.Length not stated
- original researchOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- reviewOriginal articles are full length papers describing original research or a novel hypothesis. A concise presentation is encouraged; the paper should not exceed 2…Length not stated
- reviewsReviews are normally by invitation from the Editor-in-Chief, or by an Associate Editor.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Plagiarism
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; AI-assisted copy editing does not need to be declared Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. • Figures should appear each on separate sheets after the list of references, after tables. All captions should be grouped on separate sheets before figures. • Make sure to identify all elements found in the figure in the caption. • Identify any previously published material …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
COPE member journal Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Copyright transfer to IOBC or exclusive publication and dissemination rights Model summary
Authors will be asked to transfer copyright of the article to the IOBC (or grant the IOBC exclusive publication and dissemination rights). This will ensure the widest possible protection and dissemination of information under copyright laws. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in BioControl, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Double-blind peer review
This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout peer review. It is the responsibility of the author to anonymize the manuscript and any associated materials. Author names, affiliations and any other potentially identifying information should be removed from the manuscript text and any accompanying files (such as …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism
Plagiarism screening software may be used Model summary
Important note: the journal may use software to screen for plagiarism.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1956
- ISSN
- 1386-6141
- Electronic ISSN
- 1573-8248
- Society / sponsor
- International Organization for Biological Control
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 71, Issue 4 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about BioControl
What CAS zone is BioControl in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, BioControl is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Entomology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of BioControl?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.55; CiteScore 5, h-index 104.
How long does peer review take at BioControl?
Based on the dates recorded on 100 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 176 days (interquartile range 127–236 days); authors report an average review time of about 12 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of BioControl?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of BioControl based?
Of the 22 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Belgium (3), Greece (3) and Germany (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index BioControl?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, BioControl is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is BioControl open access, and what is the APC?
BioControl is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .