Morphological identification and molecular study were conducted on Polynema enchenopa, a micro-species of solitary wasps that parasitizes upon Enchenopa binotata eggs (Two Spotted Treehopper). The Polynema wasps have applications as biological control agents within agricultural settings, as well as in molecular study to further understand parasitism rates of treehoppers. The treehoppers in question are a species that show one generation per year, and thus the wasp’s life-history is closely related to that of treehoppers. This research specifically examined the morphology of the wasp, as well as the mitochondrial DNA sequence to denote exactly which species was affecting our local population of treehoppers. Another goal of this research is to form a protocol for micro-wasp sequencing to find a rate of parasitism upon local populations.
Past Projects
