Sublethal effects of novel insecticides on a beneficial parasitoid wasp and the implications for biological control.
Supervisors: Dr Lucy Alford & Dr Harry Siviter
Broad-spectrum chemical insecticides such as neonicotinoids are a major cause of beneficial insect declines globally. In response to this, bans and restrictions on neonicotinoid use have been implemented on a global scale in an attempt to reverse trends in insect biodiversity loss. This has led to a rise in the development of novel ‘bee-safe’ insecticides, including flupyradifurone, registered for use in the control of pest insects. Whilst these novel insecticides differ in their chemical class, they share the same mode of action as neonicotinoids, raising the question as to whether they have similar sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects.
Parasitoid wasps of the genus Aphidius are beneficial insects in agroecosystems and play an important role in the biological control of cereal aphids; economically important pests that threaten the production of staple cereal crops including wheat, triticale, and barley. Employing wasps of the genus Aphidius and their aphid hosts as the study system, the proposed project will investigate non-lethal effects of novel insecticide exposure on these beneficial parasitoid wasps and their ability to perform natural biological control of cereal aphids.
The successful candidate will gain experience in a range of laboratory techniques including measures of life history traits, microdissection, and insect husbandry across multiple trophic levels.
This is currently a self-funded MRes project to begin September 2024. Any further questions can be directed to [email protected]. There is no formal deadline and the advert will remain live until the position has been filled. Applications should be submitted via the University of Bristol postgraduate application portal:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/start-application/
Supervisors: Dr Lucy Alford & Dr Harry Siviter
Broad-spectrum chemical insecticides such as neonicotinoids are a major cause of beneficial insect declines globally. In response to this, bans and restrictions on neonicotinoid use have been implemented on a global scale in an attempt to reverse trends in insect biodiversity loss. This has led to a rise in the development of novel ‘bee-safe’ insecticides, including flupyradifurone, registered for use in the control of pest insects. Whilst these novel insecticides differ in their chemical class, they share the same mode of action as neonicotinoids, raising the question as to whether they have similar sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects.
Parasitoid wasps of the genus Aphidius are beneficial insects in agroecosystems and play an important role in the biological control of cereal aphids; economically important pests that threaten the production of staple cereal crops including wheat, triticale, and barley. Employing wasps of the genus Aphidius and their aphid hosts as the study system, the proposed project will investigate non-lethal effects of novel insecticide exposure on these beneficial parasitoid wasps and their ability to perform natural biological control of cereal aphids.
The successful candidate will gain experience in a range of laboratory techniques including measures of life history traits, microdissection, and insect husbandry across multiple trophic levels.
This is currently a self-funded MRes project to begin September 2024. Any further questions can be directed to [email protected]. There is no formal deadline and the advert will remain live until the position has been filled. Applications should be submitted via the University of Bristol postgraduate application portal:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/start-application/