Entomology Masters candidate

Office: S9, Second Floor, Life Sciences Building
Email: elizabethvdm3@gmail.com

BSc, Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University (2018)
BSc (Hons), Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University (2019)

MSc thesis title: The host specificity of Phenrica guérini, a candidate for the biological control of Pereskia aculeata in Australia

Supervisor: Dr Iain Paterson

Elizabeth grew up in Zimbabwe and always looked forward to the weekends or holidays when they could get out of town and into the bush to go fishing, hiking or camping. She has always enjoyed watching everything in nature from the big popular game to the insects, birds and plants but has been more and is passionate about ecology and conservation. She did her third year project looking at temperature effects on digestion in a Neochetina weevil used in the biocontrol of water hyacinth and then looked at another weevil released for the biocontrol of prickly pear for her Honours project.

Her Masters project is focusing on the impact and host specificity of Phenrica guérini in the hopes that it will be released in Australia for the biological control of Pereskia aculeata.

Last Modified: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:39:08 SAST