Our research focuses on forest insects, many of which become challenges when introduced to new ranges or have life cycles altered by changing climates. Our lab attempts to link patterns observed across space and through time to individual- and community-level processes. We work in forest, field, and sometimes urban contexts.
Upcoming Projects
It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. – Charles Darwin
Current Projects
Endemic niche of mountain pine beetle
Mountain pine beetles kills vast amounts of mature trees when at outbreak levels, but where do they go during endemic periods? What co-habiting insects might facilitate invasion to the Great Lakes region?
Diapause in eastern larch beetle
A regional outbreak of eastern larch beetle has impacted 1.1M acres of tamarack covertype since 2001. We are studying how population dynamics are changing with longer growing seasons.
Management of spongy moth
Invasive spongy moth is managed by spraying a biorational insecticide to kill feeding caterpillars. We are working to improve application timing amid a changing spring climate.
Eastern spruce budworm
Eastern spruce budworm can be found on both mainland Minnesota and on Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Do the populations share similar phenologies? Natural enemies? How connected are populations?
Resin production in tamarack defense
Conifers produce pitch to repel attacks by bark beetles. What is in the resin of tamarack? How does it vary through the growing season when bark beetles are attacking?
The spread of emerald ash borer
Detection of emerald ash borer often lags infestation by several years. How rapidly can we expect trees to die? How does that affect carbon budgets?
Chemical ecology of eastern larch beetle
Both mates and predators are attracted to pheromones of eastern larch beetles. A fantastic collaboration with Dr. Brian Sullivan of the US Forest Service.
The invasion of satin moth
Satin moth was accidentally introduced to eastern North America 100 years ago yet has never reached feared problem status. Now in the Great Lakes region, we are studying natural enemies and pheromone response with the Gries lab.
Cold tolerance of elongate hemlock scale
Elongate hemlock scale is an invasive insect of regulatory concern sometimes found on imported Christmas trees. A collaborative project led by Dr. Robert Venette of the US Forest Service and MDA friends.
Larch casebearer in North America
Larch casebearer is an invasive moth introduced to North America in the 1880s. Eastern populations behave differently than those in the west. We are working to determine if they are indeed the same species.
Pending Projects
Tree protection schemes for tamarack
Pheromones and host volatiles are sometimes used in integrated pest management schemes against bark beetles. Can we develop such tree protection schemes for high value tamarack?
Spread of invasive Leps
Despite sharing several traits with related pests in the Flighted Spongy Moth Complex, the invasion of satin moth has been relatively benign. What lessons can we learn from its establishment and spread that may prove critical in the future?
Recently Completed Projects
Dispersal of mountain pine beetle
Outbreaks produce gazillions of beetles. We characterized how far you can catch mountain pine beetles away from pine trees, which informs range expansion. Hint: a long way!
Host range expansion in mountain pine beetle
Mountain pine beetle threatens range expansion to eastern North America. We examined if it could reproduce in cut logs of pine species native to eastern North America.
A few other recently completed projects:
Pheromone interactions between mountain pine beetle and pine engravers (might the latter facilitate the former in a range expansion?)
Reducing insecticide use while preserving canopy loss against emerald ash borer using associational protection schemes
Changes in voltinism of eastern larch beetle in response to expanded growing seasons coincident with the region’s 20+ year, 1M acre outbreak
Non-target effects of treatments against emerald ash borer
How a changing climate has fostered the resurgence of long-forgotten larch casebearer
Examining demographic changes in the biological control complex of larch casebearer under climate change
Drought, warming temperatures, and outbreak success for bark beetles in western North America and Sirex woodwasp in Patagonia
Determining the range of attraction for pheromones of emerald ash borer (a multinational collaboration with applications to surveillance at Ports of Entry)
Biological control of emerald ash borer (parasitoid dispersal, cold tolerance and overwintering, persistence)
Overwintering success of egg masses of spongy moth (snow insulation facilitates persistence and range expansion at northern latitudes)
Dispersal and feeding biology of larval spongy moth (with implications to harvesting practices within quarantine zones)
Host screening of walnut twig beetle associated with thousand cankers disease
Citizen science and biosurveillance of buprestids using smokey winged beetle bandit wasp
Host screening for velvet longhorned beetle, an invasive longhorned beetle assimilating into North America
And more...