Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-30400-004-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Oct 1, 2025
End Date: Sep 30, 2030
Objective:
Objective 1: Conduct integrative systematic research of molecular and morphological data to: determine species boundaries; recognize, describe, and illustrate new and invasive species; develop identification keys; hypothesize phylogenetic relationships among the respective groups for the purpose of stabilizing classification and providing predictive relationships of species; and investigate host associations and specificity of Holometabola (flies: Diptera; parasitoid wasps: Hymenoptera; moths: Lepidoptera; beetles: Coleoptera) that are pests of or are beneficial to U.S. agriculture.
Objective 2: Develop web-searchable electronic databases, tools, and images of flies (Diptera), parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) in the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection obtained through field exploration. This includes developing web-based resources to improve technology transfer of research products and disseminating this information to a broad group of stakeholders (e.g., quarantine, conservation, and biological control personnel). The proposed products will include searchable databases and expert systems of certain families within Holometabola.
Objective 3: Provide authoritative identifications of specimens submitted by stakeholders worldwide, manage and curate assigned portions of the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection, including the flies (Diptera), parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera), which involve more than 15 million specimens housed in more than 50,000 insect drawers and mounted on hundreds of thousands of microscope slides.
Approach:
Conduct integrative systematic research of molecular and morphological data to: determine species boundaries; recognize, describe, and illustrate new and invasive species; develop identification keys; hypothesize phylogenetic relationships among the respective groups for the purpose of stabilizing classification and providing predictive relationships of species; and investigate host associations and specificity of Holometabola (flies: Diptera; parasitoid wasps: Hymenoptera; moths: Lepidoptera; beetles: Coleoptera) that are pests of or are beneficial to U.S. agriculture. Develop web-searchable electronic databases, tools, and images of flies (Diptera), parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) in the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection obtained through field exploration. This includes developing web-based resources to improve technology transfer of research products and disseminating this information to a broad group of stakeholders (e.g., quarantine, conservation, and biological control personnel). The proposed products will include searchable databases and expert systems of certain families within Holometabola. Provide authoritative identifications of specimens submitted by stakeholders worldwide, manage and curate assigned portions of the U.S. National Insect and Mite Collection, including the flies (Diptera), parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera), which involve more than 15 million specimens housed in more than 50,000 insect drawers and mounted on hundreds of thousands of microscope slides.