Research Entomologist
Biography
Management & Biological Control Research UnitUSDA-ARS, Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center
Education: B.A. Biology, University of Chicago 1990 M.A. Biology, Boston University 1996 Ph.D. Biology, Boston University 2001
Research Interests: My areas of expertise include insect behavior, ecology and physiology. My research focuses on the mechanisms regulating development, dispersal and reproduction in a variety of insects. I examine the behavioral, hormonal and physiological changes in insects as they mature, and the endogenous and exogenous stimuli that regulate this transformation. I am particularly interested in how interactions with conspecifics are perceived and translated into developmental responses affecting reproductive dynamics. My principal study organism is the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus, which is a major pest of cotton. In order to develop new methods for controlling these insects, it is necessary to better understand their basic biology. Toward that end, I am currently investigating pre- and post-mating regulation of female reproductive behavior and physiology, use of a male produced anti-aphrodisiac as potential mating disruptor, the major endocrine changes accompanying maturation and egg production, and the effect of temperature on maturation and aging.
Page 1. Biography (Current Page) 2. Publications
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