Impacts of insect growth regulators on populations of beneficial dung beetles in an agroecosystem in Carlisle, PA
Horn flies are a common pest to cattle found on agroecosystems whose presence results in significant economic losses for farmers. Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are targeted pesticides which impact an insect's development and can be successfully used to decrease populations of horn flies. However, horn flies exist within a community of other insects, most significantly dung beetles, as horn flies complete their larval stage of development within dung pats.
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This study seeks to determine the impacts of IGRs on beneficial dung beetles that coexist in cattle dung with horn flies. I am pursuing departmental honors with this project through the completion of a written thesis and oral thesis defense (downloadable proposal below).
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I have presented my research at the Dickinson College All-Science Symposium as well as at the annual meeting and spring conference of the Pennsylvania Environmental Resources Consortium (PERC). Recently, I won first place at the 12th annual conference of the Society of Women Environmental Professionals (SWEP) Capital Chapter's poster competition.
Skills:
Project Design
Proposal Writing
Data Collection (field & lab)
Beetle Identification (using dichotomous keys)
Statistical Analysis (using R)
Scientific Writing
Public Speaking
