About Us
We work on several different aspects of insect biology, ecology, behaviour and pest management, involving laboratory and field studies. In our laboratory, fruit flies of the family Tephritidae are used as model species to address various research questions including:
- Life history evolution
- Geographic variation in life history traits
- Factors shaping life histories in field conditions
- Age structure of wild insect populations
- Cost of reproduction (mainly that of males)
- Aging and health dynamics in insects
- Age-specific expression of innate behaviours and their connection with insect performance, life span and reproduction
- The relationships between fruit flies and their host fruits
- Sexual behaviour including trade-offs and costs of reproduction
- Effects of insect symbionts on life history traits.
A further line of research regards the development of Area Wide Management Programs based on spatial population dynamics and population modelling. This also encompasses the development of trapping systems and methodologies for various insect pest species. The application of the Sterile Insect Technique, within the framework of Area Wide Integrated Pest Management, and the improvement of its efficacy following pre-release manipulations of sterile males is also within our research interests. Divergence of geographically distant populations in various fitness traits comprises a major part of the research that is currently being undertaken in my laboratory. Special emphasis has been placed on the adaptation of invasive species such as the Mediterranean fruit fly in marginal environments for its existence. Yet another area of study has involved the biology of invasive Tephritids and the life history components determining a successful invader. The ongoing collaboration of my research group with two groups of geneticists has recently expanded the scope of my research, to include the genetics of invasive species in Europe (North American Rhagoletis spp.), and the Middle East (Dacus ciliatus).
In recent years we have become interested in the biology and control of major insect vectors of the family Culicidae. Questions regarding overwintering dynamics, demography, life history and development of modern management strategies are currently being addressed.