What made you look into Bronze Beetle? What was it about this subject that interested you?
Bronze beetle has been a problem species for the organic sector for many years and so far the most effective control approach organic growers have is cultivation. This approach is damaging to the soil and is indiscriminative.
Everyone knows I love an earwig, and this method will most certainly impact wiglets (nymphs) that are late to emerge from their soil nests in the spring. An alternative method to cultivation is desperately needed to reduce harm to the whenua and non-target organisms while also protecting fruit from bronze beetle damage.
What was something surprising about the research that you discovered?
The first year of this project uncovered that the larvae, which are present in the soil from January through to late winter, do not have substantial mouth parts. Up until this point, we have always believed they were feeding on the roots of plants and their root hairs but work within the first year of this project concluded that this could not be the case.
So, the next question is, what are they feeding on?? We have found some indication that the female beetles deposit a fungi for the young larvae to feed on, which is not uncommon for beetles but had not yet been observed in bronze beetle. It’s interesting that we are still finding new things out about this species which has been worked on for years.
What was something challenging that you encountered during the research?
The life cycle of the beetle makes this work a challenge as most of it is spent underground where we have no visibility of what is actually going on. There have been historical assumptions made (example is the larval feeding thing) which we are starting to prove/disprove but it comes at a time cost with Tara Taylor spending many hours in the winter and spring digging up the orchard.
When did you start working at BSI?
January 16th will mark my three-year anniversary of starting at BSI. The time has flown by, and this past year has been the best so far. There are exciting things happening in the industry with collaborations with key markets such as South Korea and Japan as well as getting to know more of our growers so I really feel like I’ve settle in now. There is still A LOT to learn but I’m really enjoying it.
Have you always been interested in plant/pest & disease research?
Errrr no. My degree is in wildlife conservation and I thought I would follow a career in that but I had such an incredible experience as a summer casual at East Malling Research (back in Kent in the UK) that I changed direction into entomology after university. I love the dynamic work environment and I love working with growers who have the best ideas and insights which make for really interesting research projects. I still get to weave conservation into my work but now I can see the direct impact my research has through adoption and extension.
What’s been the most interesting piece of research you’ve completed at PFR?
My baby has been the beneficial insect work. Watching growers and their orchard teams take such an interest in how to support these little critters has been genuinely awesome. It’s not a huge scientific breakthrough, but the enthusiasm it sparks is contagious. It gets people really looking at what’s happening in their blocks and noticing things they might have walked past before. I love that it encourages them to think more about the impact of their decisions—like spray timing or adding flowering plants—and how small changes can make a big difference. Seeing that shift in awareness has been the most rewarding part for me.