Affiliates: Invertebrates

The 2023 IPBES Invasive Species Assessment indicates that more than 3,500 invasive species with documented negative impacts have been recorded worldwide. Although their numbers are likely to be underestimated and expected to increase, 1,852 invertebrate species contribute to that statistic, including insects, spiders, mollusks, worms, and more.

Shane Allan

Shane Allan

Master’s Student
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Allan is investigating how prescribed burns affect the spread of laurel wilt, an invasive insect-vectored fungal disease caused by Harringtonia lauricola.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Restoration ecology
Olivia Andrews - Entomology Ph.D. Student

Olivia Andrews

Ph.D. Student
Department of Entomology

Andrews’ research focuses on the biological control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). She is specifically establishing populations and studying the biology of two specialist predators of HWA, Leucotaraxis argenticollis and Leucotaraxis piniperda, in the eastern United States.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention & eradication
Dr. Brian Badgley

Dr. Brian Badgley

Associate Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Dr. Badgley and his lab conduct research in environmental microbiology with a particular focus on how populations and communities of microorganisms impact water and soil quality.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
  • Restoration ecology

Camille Block

Master’s Student
Department of Entomology

Block uses the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius), an invasive urban pest, to study urban evolutionary processes. Such processes include invasion dynamics, the genomics of establishment, and patterns of gene flow and genetic structure.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure

Dr. Warren Booth

Associate Professor
Department of Entomology

Dr. Booth’s research explores how organisms adapt and evolve within urban environments, using invasive indoor urban pest insects (most notably bed bugs) as model systems of study.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Bryan Brown

Dr. Bryan Brown

Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences

Dr. Brown’s research focuses on aquatic ecology, including community ecology and biodiversity, metacommunity structure and assembly, and the impact of invasions on symbiotic interactions.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Kelly Cobourn

Dr. Kelly Cobourn

Associate Professor
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

 Dr. Cobourn’s research involves integrating biological models of pest dynamics with economic models of human decision making to understand what factors drive the spread of invasive species and what policy instruments effectively and efficiently slow or halt spread.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Economics & policy
  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Dr. Robert Cooper

Assistant Professor
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Dr. Cooper uses genomic techniques to understand the health of populations and their resilience to anthropogenic pressures, including invasive species and habitat alteration.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure

Dr. Jon Czuba

Dr. Jonathan Czuba

Associate Professor
Department of Biological Systems Engineering

Dr. Czuba’s research focuses on the transport of water and sediment in streams and rivers and how that affects the distribution of invasive and native aquatic species, including fish, macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels, and plants.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Restoration ecology
Taylor Darnell

Taylor Darnell

Ph.D. Student
Department of Entomology

Darnell’s research goals focus on providing cost-effective, environmentally sound management practices for aquatic (specifically submerged plants), natural areas, and right-of-way plant species. Such species include Cogongrass, Phragmites, and Japanese Knotweed.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Restoration ecology

Dr. Alejandro Del-Pozo

Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology, Hampton Roads AREC

Dr. Del-Pozo is an applied insect ecologist, leading efforts to implement pest management solutions for turfgrass and ornamental stakeholders across Virginia.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Dr. Jon Eisenback

Dr. Jonathan Eisenback

Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Dr. Eisenback’s research focuses on plant-parasitic nematodes.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Dr. Stacy Endriss

Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology

Dr. Endriss is an evolutionary ecologist with a passion for understanding the evolution, ecology, and impacts of introduced plants, especially in the context of species invasion and dispersal.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Dr. Sally Entrekin

Dr. Sally Entrekin

Professor
Department of Entomology

Dr. Entrekin studies how aquatic invertebrate identity and function are changed by human activities on land and in the water.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Restoration ecology
Luis Escobar

Dr. Luis Escobar

Assistant Professor
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

A key component of Dr. Escobar’s research is developing theory and methods to study the biogeography of infectious diseases, disease ecology, and invasion biology. Current projects include bat-borne rabies, chronic wasting disease, spatial epidemiology in the Anthropocene, and disease-biodiversity relationships.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics

Dr. Carrie Fearer

Dr. Carrie Fearer

Assistant Professor
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Dr. Fearer’s research explores the micro- and macro- level impacts of nonnative pathogens on forest ecosystems. She has studied laurel wilt disease, beech bark disease, beech leaf disease, and walnut witches’ broom.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Restoration ecology

Dr. Drew Harner

Assistant Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Alson H. Smith Jr. AREC

Dr. Harner’s research examines how spotted lanternfly (SLF) affects grapevine biology and physiology, fruit composition traits critical for grape and wine quality, grape production, and vineyard agroecosystems, as well as how interactions between SLF and other major vascular pathogens influence vine biology and functioning.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
Charly Hartle, Ph.D. Student

Charly Hartle

Ph.D. Student
Department of Entomology

Charly studies the microbiology of invasive and pest ants, as well as how pathogens and microbiomes can influence their behaviors.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Erin Hassett

Research Support Specialist
Department of Entomology

Erin Hassett serves as the Research Support Specialist for all Endriss Lab students. While assisting with research projects and lab management, Erin also works on the lab’s science communication, extension, outreach, and public relations efforts.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Social sciences

Christen Hughes

Christen Hughes

Ph.D. Student
Department of Biochemistry

Christen’s research is focused on defining the male determining locus borders of Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and whether it was inherited from a common ancestor (A. albopictus and A. aegypti).

Thematic Area(s):

  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Benjamin Jantzen

Dr. Benjamin Jantzen

Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy

Dr. Jantzen’s current research involves clarifying the nature of biological entities and processes through philosophical analysis,  developing computational tools for automating scientific inference (especially concerning complex systems measured through time), and the monitoring, natural history, and conservation of invertebrates.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Arts & humanities
  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
Dr. Anne Jones

Dr. Anne Jones

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Entomology

Dr. Jones investigates temporal and spatial changes in insecticide resistance in German cockroach populations, as well as the chemical ecology of several pest and invasive species behavior.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
Dr. Tom Kuhar

Dr. Thomas Kuhar

Professor
Department of Entomology

Dr. Kuhar has over twenty years of experience working on various invasive species of agricultural importance including brown marmorated stink bug, kudzu bug, spotted lanternfly, Asian jumping worm, Asian longhorned tick, and others.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Lahondère

Dr. Chloé Lahondère

Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry

Dr. Lahondère researches the thermal biology, eco-physiology, and neuroethology of disease vector insects and ticks. 

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention & eradication

Dr. Angie Larsen-Gray

Dr. Angela Larsen-Gray

Adjunct Faculty
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Dr. Larsen-Gray’s research focuses on wildlife ecology in private, working forests throughout the eastern United States.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
Chloe Liu - Graduate Student

Fang-Ling (Chloe) Liu

Ph.D. Student
Department of Entomology

Liu’s research investigates the disease dynamics of viruses in the invasive fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, and the interplay between virus prevalence and current baiting strategies.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Andrea Lopez

Master’s Student
Department of Entomology

Lopez studies plant-insect interactions in invasive plant systems with a focus on management.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Harrison Miles

Harrison Miles

Ph.D. Student
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Miles studies the biological control of tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) with a soil-borne fungus (Verticillium nonalfalfae) and their interaction with spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Dr. Lindsay Miles

Dr. Lindsay Miles

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Entomology

Miles uses genomic data of invasive and pest invertebrates to understand evolution in urban habitats.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure

Mitch Miller

Mitch Miller

Adjunct Drawing Professor
School of Visual Arts

Miller believes art and science work well together, when they work together, which is not often enough. He has interests in all drawing, sustainable design and systems, international art fairs, bugs, and art/science collaborations.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Arts and humanities
Dr. Claudia Nunez-Penichet

Dr. Claudia Nuñez-Penichet

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Dr. Nuñez-Penichet is passionate about research that explores quantitative ecology, distributional ecology, invasive species, dispersal ecology, and biodiversity patterns.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Dr. Ksenia Onufrieva

Dr. Ksenia Onufrieva

Research Scientist
Department of Entomology

Dr. Onufrieva coordinates and manages research on the optimization of mating disruption tactics against spongy moths (Lymantria dispar) in support of the national “Slow the Spread Program”.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
Shirin Parizad

Shirin Parizad

Ph.D. Student
Department of Entomology, Southern AREC

Shirin examines the roles of invasive aphids and alternative host plants in barley yellow dwarf virus transmission to understand better how environmental changes affect its spread.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure
William Parrott

William Parrott

Master’s Student
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Parrott investigates the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to detect in-situ resistance in Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri, Poir.) to infestation by the balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae, Ratz.).

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Metabolomics

Scott Salom

Dr. Scott Salom

Professor and Graduate Program Director
Department of Entomology

Dr. Salom researches forest insect and weed pests, with an emphasis on developing tools and strategies to improve management for those pests. His main area of focus is the biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid and tree of heaven.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication

Grace Stern

Grace Stern

VCE Master Gardener Program Coordinator & Master’s Student
Department of Entomology

As the VCE Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Stern supports and directs the work of over 5,000 volunteers and serves as a resource on plant health and environmental stewardship issues. In her role as a Master’s student, Stern is researching the presence and impact of Allium leafminer (Phytomyza gymnostoma) in Virginia.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Community engagement & science communication
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication


Mark Sutphin

ANR (Horticulture) Extension Agent
Virginia Cooperative Extension

Sutphin provides education and outreach about horticultural pests, including spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, spongy moth, and tree-of-heaven.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Community engagement & science communication

Dr. Esra Buyuktahtakin Toy

Associate Professor
Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Dr. Buyuktahtakin Toy’s research explores optimal management of invasive species with mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence. Past species of interest include the emerald ash borer in North America, Sericea Lespedeza in the Great Plains, and buffelgrass in the Sonoran Desert.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Social science, economics, & policy

Sophia Vrh

Ph.D. Student
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Vrh’s dissertation project explores the ecosystem dynamics of plant and animal communities in Grayson Highlands State Park using interdisciplinary methods to elucidate species interactions and inform park management.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure

Dr. Scotty Yang

Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology

Dr. Yang studies invasive ants through an integrated approach combining genetics & genomics, behavior ecology and microbial interactions with a goal of developing biorational invasive ant management strategies that mitigate their impacts.

Thematic Area(s):

  • Biology, ecology, & ecosystem dynamics
  • Detection, management, prevention, & eradication
  • Genetics, genomics, & community/population structure