Entomology Commons^™

Field Entomology And Taxonomy Bio/Nrs/Ent 350, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Field Entomology And Taxonomy Ent 350x, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Creative Nonnatives: Painting Invasive Insects Of The United States, Monica Tynan

Senior Honors Projects

An invasive species is a nonnative organism that may cause damage to an ecosystem. Invasive species cause problems in an environment by outcompeting native organisms for resources or by feeding upon native species. Invasive insects in particular can harm an ecosystem by consuming foliage and decreasing biodiversity. During my experience at the Preisser Lab at the University of Rhode Island, I witnessed rsthand the damage that invasive insects can do to a tree population, and I learned about how ecosystem dynamics can be disrupted by the introduction of a nonnative species.

My project portrays an aesthetically pleasing visualization of several …

Effects Of Environmental Factors On The Abundance Of Blacklegged Ticks, Jasmine L. Miller, Roger A. Lebrun, Howard S. Ginsberg

Senior Honors Projects

The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the major vector of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne disease in North America. Tick abundance has generally been estimated using either flag/drag samples or samples from hosts. However, the biases of these sampling methods have not been adequately studied. We compared samples using both methods from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Tick abundance was compared with variables related to weather (temperature, relative humidity, and tick adverse moisture events), vegetation (canopy cover, tree density, shrub density, ground vegetation, and leaf litter cover), and host abundance (mice, small mammals, medium …

No 1 2013 Eggplant Variety Trial, Rebecca Brown

University of Rhode Island Vegetable Production Research Reports

Descriptions of eggplant varieties trialed at the Gardiner Crop Research Farm of URI, Kingston, RI

No3 2013 Melon Variety Trial, Rebecca Brown

University of Rhode Island Vegetable Production Research Reports

Descriptions of melon varieties, including disease ratings, trialed at the Gardiner Crop Research Farm of URI, Kingston, RI

An Exploration Into Project Management: A Grassroots Experience In A Developing Nation, Brittany L. O'Brien

Senior Honors Projects

As a senior at the University of Rhode Island, it has been my experience that the knowledge that has been most successfully retained within my mind has been that which I gained through active learning. As an international development minor I have taken many courses on how developmental aid is provided around the world, and throughout these courses I have learned that the drive for creating those endeavors came from an understanding of need. In order to best complete my education on international development I created a sustainable developmental aid project which provided education for specific needs in Malawi, Africa. …

Heartworm In Canines: Trends In Rhode Island Shelter Populations, Kelsey L. Mckenna

Senior Honors Projects

Heartworm in Canines

Kelsey McKenna

Faculty Sponsor: Darlene Jones, DVM, Animal Science

Each year thousands of dogs in the United States become infected with heartworm, which is caused by Dirofilaria immitis. D. immitis is a parasite that is transmitted to dogs via a bite by an infected mosquito. Nine of the seventy competent mosquito species reside in Rhode Island. The true incidence of D. immitis is unknown. Current incidence maps are derived from data generated at veterinary clinics and do not include shelter dogs. The objective of this study is twofold: to determine the prevalence of D. immitis in …

Development Of Anchor Loci To Map A Bt Resistance Factor In The Domesticated Silkworm, Bombyx Mori, Marc Chatenay-Lapointe

Senior Honors Projects

The BT toxin is an insecticide produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, and millions of acres of genetically modified crops expressing this agent have been planted. However, with such widespread use, there is a great potential for pests resistant to this toxin to develop. An understanding of how BT resistance operates and is inherited is central to ensuring continued use of the transgenic crops. Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm, is the model organism for the Lepidoptera, an order of insects containing many important agricultural pests. Screening shows that BT resistance is present in some silkworm strains, and linkage group 15 …

Plasmid Probes For Screening Specific Genes In Large Fragment Dna Libraries, Leah Ferguson

Senior Honors Projects

Heliothis virescens, a member of the lepidopteran family, is of great importance to many people who rely on agriculture as a source of income because it is a pest of many important crops. Because H. virescens feeds on a broad array of hosts including cotton, tobacco, tomato, and soybean it has earned its place as a major nuisance in the United States. Heliothis subflexa is a close taxonomic relative of H. virescens, but the two species differ in that H. subflexa is a specialized herbivore that only feeds on plants in the genus Physalis. Studies have been performed to determine …