Research Project: Development and Implementation of Biological Control Programs for Natural Area Weeds in the Southeastern United States

Location: Invasive Plant Research Laboratory

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

The Brazilian peppertree biological control agent Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) displays flexible feeding strategy between foliage and reproductive tissues - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Predicting parasitoid accumulation of potential Brazilian peppertree biological control agents from assessments in the native and invaded ranges - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Wheeler, G.S., Jones, E., Fung, J., Fernandez-Triana, J., Vitorino, M., Mckay, F. 2022. Predicting parasitoid accumulation of potential Brazilian peppertree biological control agents from assessments in the native and invaded ranges. Biological Control. 173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2022.104981.

Ecological host range of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bowers, K., Hight, S.D., Wheeler, G.S., Minteer-Killian, C. 2022. Ecological host range of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree. Biological Control. 172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2022.104976.

Temperature-dependent Development, Survival, and Oviposition of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Specialist Predator of Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Foley Iv, J.R., Mcavoy, T., Saint-Amant, R., Regniere, J., Biggs, A., Wright, E., Mayfield, A., Brewster, C., Salom, S. 2022. Temperature-dependent Development, Survival, and Oviposition of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Specialist Predator of Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). Environmental Entomology. 51(4):688–699. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvac047.

Insect Bio-controls in the Florida Everglades - (Abstract Only)

Release and persistance of the Brazilian peppertree biological control agent Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) in Florida - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Wheeler, G.S., Minteer, C., Rohrig, E., Steininger, S., Halbritter, D.A., Leidi, J.G., Rayamajhi, M.B., Le Falchier, E. 2022. Release and persistance of the Brazilian peppertree biological control agent Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) in Florida. Florida Entomologist. 105(3):225-230. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0308.

Classical Biological Control of Air Potato Vine, Dioscorea bulbifera, Infestations in Florida - (Book / Chapter)
Rayamajhi, M.B., Dray Jr, F.A. 2022. Classical Biological Control of Air Potato Vine, Dioscorea bulbifera, Infestations in Florida. Book Chapter. 288-299.

Transformative learning in graduate global change education drives conceptual shift in invasive species co-management and collaboration - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Foley Iv, J.R., Salom, S.M., Barney, J.N., Lakoba, V.T., Brooks, R., Fletcher, R., Heminger, A., Maynard, L., Mcelmurray, P., Haak, D.C., Sharma, G., Seo, H. 2022. Transformative learning in graduate global change education drives conceptual shift in invasive species co-management and collaboration. Environmental Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2055746.

Crown area predicts total biomass for Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, an invasive shrub in Florida - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Smith, M., Pratt, P.D., Rayamajhi, M.B. 2022. Crown area predicts total biomass for Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, an invasive shrub in Florida. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 15(1):61-66. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2022.8.

Epibiont community composition of red mangroves Rhizophora mangle are contingent on root characteristics - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Stewart, H.A., Janiak, D.S., Wright, J.L., Hunt, D., Carmona Cortes, A., Powell, K.T., Chapman, L.J., Altieri, A.H. 2022. Epibiont community composition of red mangroves Rhizophora mangle are contingent on root characteristics. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 686:15–35. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13999.

The phytogeography and genetic diversity of the weedy hydrophyte, Pistia stratiotes L. - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Madeira, P.T., Dray Jr, F.A., Tipping, P.W. 2022. The phytogeography and genetic diversity of the weedy hydrophyte, Pistia stratiotes L. Biological Invasions. 60(5):685–69. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syr041.

Advances in mass rearing Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent for Brazilian peppertree in Florida - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Halbritter, D.A., Rayamajhi, M.B., Wheeler, G.S., Leidi, J.G., Owens, J.R., Cogan, C.A. 2021. Advances in mass rearing Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent for Brazilian peppertree in Florida. Insects. 12(9):790. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12090790.

Community of bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) infesting Brazilian peppertree treated with herbicide and the volatile tree response - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Wheeler, G.S., Kendra, P.E., David, A.S., Lake, E.C., Sigmon, J., Palacios, J.N. 2021. Community of bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) infesting Brazilian peppertree treated with herbicide and the volatile tree response. Environmental Entomology. 50(6):1311–1321. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvab096.

Integrating biological control with other weed management techniques: challenges, opportunities, and successes - (Abstract Only)

Success in Biological Control - (Abstract Only)

Megamelus scutellaris (Berg) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) biology and population dynamics in the highly variable landscape of southern Florida - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Goode, A.B., Tipping, P.W., Minteer, C.R., Pokorny, E.N., Knowles, B.K., Foley, J.R., Valmonte, R. 2021. Megamelus scutellaris (Berg) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) biology and population dynamics in the highly variable landscape of southern Florida. Biological Control. 160(2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104679.

Localized induced defenses limit gall formation by eriophyid mite against invasive Lygodium microphyllum - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
David, A.S., Carmona Cortes, A., Wheeler, G.S., Lake, E.C. 2021. Localized induced defenses limit gall formation by eriophyid mite against invasive Lygodium microphyllum. Environmental Entomology. 50(4):814:820. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvab049.

Volatile chemistry, not phylogeny, predicts host range of a biological control agent of Old-World climbing fern - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Wheeler, G.S., David, A.S., Lake, E.C. 2021. Volatile chemistry, not phylogeny, predicts host range of a biological control agent of Old-World climbing fern. Biological Control. 159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104636.

Bottom-up factors determine local, but not regional, distribution of a biological control agent against invasive Lygodium microphyllum - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
David, A.S., Carmona Cortes, A., Lake, E.C. 2021. Bottom-up factors determine local, but not regional, distribution of a biological control agent against invasive Lygodium microphyllum. Biological Control. 159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104632.

Eriophyid mite Floracarus perrepae readily colonizes recovering invasive vine Lygodium microphyllum following herbicide treatment - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
David, A.S., Glueckert, J.S., Enloe, S.F., Carmona Cortes, A., Abdel-Kader, A.A., Lake, E.C. 2021. Eriophyid mite Floracarus perrepae readily colonizes recovering invasive vine Lygodium microphyllum following herbicide treatment. Biocontrol. 66:573-584. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-021-10087-6.

The influence of two wildfires and biological control agents on the population dynamics of Melaleuca quinquenervia in a seasonally inundated wetland - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Tipping, P.W., Martin, M., Foley, J., Pierce, R., Gettys, L. 2021. The influence of two wildfires and biological control agents on the population dynamics of Melaleuca quinquenervia in a seasonally inundated wetland. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 14(1):3-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2021.4.

Preliminary impacts of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) on the biological control of Brazilian peppertree and indirect effects on arthropod food webs - (Abstract Only)

Updates on the biological control of Brazilian peppertree - (Abstract Only)

Optimizing mass rearing techniques for Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent for Brazilian peppertree in Florida - (Abstract Only)

Weeding around the edges of the science of invasive plant management: biological control agent hybridization, apparent competition, and biotic resistance - (Abstract Only)

Establishment of Lygodium microphyllum biological control agents: Population dynamics and bottom-up effects - (Abstract Only)

Establishment of Lygodium microphyllum biological control agents: Population dynamics, bottom-up effects, and integrated weed management - (Abstract Only)