Ms Alana McClelland

Parasitic wasps are arguably the most important group of insects in controlling and preventing pest outbreaks. Psyllaephagus are the wasps at the core of my PhD research. They are a problematic and largely undescribed genus of tiny wasps which lay their eggs inside the nymphs, or babies, of a group of insects called lerps, that live and feed on the leaves of Eucalypt trees. Psyllaephagus control the lerp populations and prevent outbreaks which would otherwise defoliate and kill the trees.
With support from the UofA, CSIRO, Royal Society of South Australia, ABRS, the Field Naturalists Society of South Australia, Ecological Society of South Australia and the Austin Lab Group, I am privileged to be able to work with an incredible group (both insect and human!), pursuing my passion and interest in entomology and biological science. Follow my research on Twitter @entoandbento