My research interests include parasitology, marine biology, insect ecology and biological control. I aspire to use biological control in the future to prevent vectored human disease transmission.

My dissertation topic is focused on the biological control of the Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvitanna. 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 studying both structural and volatile components of the plants that play a role in these interactions, and utilizing various life stages of E. postvittana.

2) Behavior and competitive intraspecific interactions with the Australian ecto-parasitoid wasp, Goniozus jacintae, and its interspecific interactions with a native parasitoid in California. In addition, I am researching 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) Genetic variance among populations of E. postvittana in California and the potential for this to affect the variation in development time and therefore the susceptibility of E. postvittana to parasitism following the slow-growth high mortality hypothesis.

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)