Kia ora. I originally trained as a freshwater ecologist, and then switched to land-based entomology when I joined Plant & Food Research in 2000. I am part of the Insect Dynamics, Ecology and Sustainability (IDEaS) team, and work across a wide range of disciplines, with my main areas of expertise being insect biodiversity and identification. I also have experience in insect pest population sampling, scouting, beneficials, and insect viruses as biopesticides, and have worked in a wide range of crops including strawberries, avocados, apples, and kiwifruit – basically wherever the insects take me! I am fascinated by the diversity of life we come into contact with every day, and have a strong interest in imaging some of the little critters we come across under the microscope. My upbringing on a farm also means that I really love the practical aspects, and getting my hands dirty out in the field which is always where I find new and wonderful things.

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  Research history and publications