Abstract The purpose of this contribution is to illustrate the use of optimal control theory to obtain optimal strategies for the control of a prey-predator system. Two types of control variables are used. One control variable is the rate of release of predators or preys which are bred in laboratories. The other type of control variable is the rate of application of an insecticide. An interesting and unexpected result is that it is feasible to control a pest by means of an insecticide that destroys only the predators but leaves the pests unharmed. This is because the prey-predator system is a dynamical system. The level of the control variable and the timing of its application can be manipulated to produce desired responses from the dynamical system. Another interesting result is that the system can be controlled by releasing pests which have been bred in laboratories. These results may be useful in formulating an integrated control scheme for the management of a pest.
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