Project:

Protecting agricultural interests through the identification of cryptic ladybug species via DNA barcoding techniques

Students:

Abigail Alberti, Emma McMulkin

School:

Sayville High School, Suffolk

Mentors:

Anthony DeAngelis

Abstract:

The presence of soft bodied plant pests that ladybugs eat such as aphids, mealybugs, mites, leafhoppers, common fruit flies and scaly bugs can be used as an indicator to help and identify which ladybug species should be used as pest control for a certain species of plants/crop. During experimentation, any physical observable characteristics of the specimens will be determined, recorded, and compared/contrasted. DNA barcoding will be completed once the specimens are collected to determine each species within the environment. The control is the specimen that demonstrates positive, non impactful characteristics when placed into an environment, and this species will be compared to possible cryptic species if found. It will be determined through testing if cryptic species are present, and if so measures can be done to prevent negative impacts due to wrongly identified species.