Entomology Masters Candidate

Phone: +27 63 163 7804

Email: La.mdods@gmail.com

BSc (Hons) University of Fort Hare (2011)

 

 

Thesis Title: A New Candidate Biological control agent for the control of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae).

Supervisor: Dr Iain Paterson, Co-supervisor: Prof. Steve Compton

Lumka completed her Honours degree at the University of Fort Hare in 2011. In 2013, she was an intern at Rhodes University in the Biological Control Research Group where she was researched the biological control of Pereskia aculeata, mentored by Dr Iain Paterson. P. aculeata is an invasive climbing cactus from Brazil, impacting indigenous species biodiversity. She has completed host-specificity testing and impact studies of the biological control agent Catorhintha schaffneri. Currently, she is enrolled for a Master’s degree in the Department of Zoology and Entomology at Rhodes University, continuing with her host-specificity work to further investigate the impact and potential use of Pereskiophaga brasiliensis (a new potential biological control agent) with the aim of developing it as an additional biological control agent of P. aculeata.‌

Last Modified: Thu, 29 Mar 2018 09:07:45 SAST