Dowen Jocson’s Three Minute Thesis
Good Vibrations: Potential Mating Disruption Tool for Managing Pear Psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola)
There are a number of species within the family Psyllidae that are economic pests in fruit crops. One of the most prevalent is the pear pyslla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). This psylla can transmit disease, inject phytotoxin, and cause fruit russetting on pear trees. In depth understanding of their mating behavior, specifically their communication system can provide a more targeted integrated pest management strategy. This is one of the first recorded evidence of substrate-borne vibrations in C. pyricola as a way to communicate with, attract, and locate mates. I have also characterized and identified signal traits of male courtship songs that can be influenced by environmental stimuli such as temperature, which could provide a more effective mating disruption strategy.
Dowen grew up on a small island called Saipan, part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (a U.S. territory). Her interests in bugs started when she was young with pet beetles and spider tournaments. She attended Saint Louis University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, but didn’t expect to stay 2.5 extra years to also get a Master’s degree in the same field. Her Master’s thesis looked at temperature effects on vibrational communication in a species of treehoppers. This work has inspired her to take what she learned and apply it to develop more sustainable and targeted ways to manage insect pests. She hopes to have a career in extension work where she can communicate research to those who need it and even those who just want to learn. When she’s not listening to bugs, she likes to catch and identify them as part of a personal insect collection. In the winter, when the bugs are not out, she likes to play board games and bake.