My research interests include parasitology, marine biology, insect ecology and biological control. I aspire to use biological control in aquaculture or of marine invasive species in the future. I believe that we can make aquaculture more sustainable and healthy to consume than it currently is.

My dissertation topic is focused on the biological control of the Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvitanna, an Australian moth that recently invaded California. Particularly I am interested in three main projects in this area of research.

1) Tritrophic interactions among the common plants that E. postvittana feeds on, the pest/host (E. postvittana) and the natural enemies (Californian parasitoid wasps). In this project, I am utilizing various life stages of E. postvittana to study both structural and volatile components of the plants that play a role in these interactions.

2) Behavior and competitive intraspecific interactions with the Australian ectoparasitoid wasp, Goniozus jacintae. I have also explored G. jacintae's clutch size on E. postvittana and how clutch size differs with parasitoid experience, age and size, as well as host size and age.

3) From the above experiments, I have developed an interest in how the parasitoid utilizes the host for its survival. In particular, I am interested in the parasitoid modification of metabolites in E. postvittana. Parasitism modifies the balance between storage and availability of key nutrients in parasitized hosts. These modifications can be influenced by many factors including: 1) parasitoid feeding strategy, ectoparasitism versus endoparasitism, 2) superparasitism, 3) clutch size and 4) the developmental stage of the host and parasitoid. I am examining the concentrations of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, three major metabolites that are modified in the hemolymph and fat body and effect the successful development of the parasitoid.

Me, in the field with my 9 different plants, studying tritrophic interactions

Goniozus jacintae larvae feeding on E. postvittana 5th instar larva

PUBLICATIONS

Hopper J.V., Nelson E.H., Daane K.M., Mills N.J. (2011). Growth, development and consumption by four syrphid species associated with the lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri, in California. Biological Control 58 (3) 271-276

For my full CV click here (pdf)