Date: Tuesday, October 10th, 7:30 PM EST
Welcome to the first CEC meeting of the academic year!
Title: “Trials, Travels and Tribulations: The Evolution of a Biological Control Program”
Speaker: Christine Dodge (University of California, Riverside)
Summary: Biological control, the use of natural enemies to control a pest, can be an effective way of controlling pest populations and mitigating damage. However, a tremendous amount of work goes into ensuring that a biocontrol program will be successful, effective, and safe. As a loose average, it takes five to ten years to develop a biocontrol program, from the first detection of a pest of concern to the release and monitoring of its natural enemies. My work focuses on two invasive insects with very different biologies: a species complex of ambrosia beetles known as shot hole borers (Euwallacea fornicatus species complex); and box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, a newly invasive but fast-spreading ornamental pest. These programs are at different stages in their development, and each poses unique challenges. In this talk, I will discuss the intricacies of each of these systems, share tales from the lab and field, and detail the progress that has been made in building each of these biocontrol programs.