Eva Burghardt, Jacob McPherson, Dr. Michelle Franklin, Dr. Bryan Brunet, Dr. Juli Carrillo
In association with an ongoing effort by Agriculture Agri-Foods Canada to monitor blueberry diseases commonly vectored by aphids, specifically Blueberry Scorch Virus, we are researching aphid species and temporal distribution in highbush blueberries in the Lower Mainland of BC. Using a combination of pan and suction traps, aphids are collected throughout the summer growing season and identified to species in order to profile the species composition in BC’s blueberry fields.
In addition, live aphids are collected and reared in the PIEE lab to track the emergence of parasitoid wasp species that use blueberry aphids as their hosts. Parasitoids are collected and identified to genus level in order to deepen our understanding of aphid-parasitoid dynamics at play in BC blueberries. Live aphid samples are collected from both organic and conventional, chemical interference fields, and we aim to better understand how the usage of pesticides may be affecting the parasitism of aphid pests.
Photo by Eva Burghardt
Photo by Eva Burghardt
Photo by Eva Burghardt