Revealing Insect Pest Pathways with The Biological Recording Company

Katharina Heinrich discusses her research using Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA) to reveal the origins and pathways of insect pests.

Stable isotopes of elements are in everything. The abundance of different isotopes in plants and animals can vary depending on where they grow, or what they eat. Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA) is an analytical technique that allows the isotopes naturally present in a sample to be measured. SIRA has been used for a number of years to map the production and origin of samples of plants and animals. This presentation will provide background on the technique and present applications, looking at how pest pathways may be determined with the use of SIRA. Case studies include house flies and woodboring beetles such as the invasive Asian Longhorn beetle and Ips typographus.

Katharina Heinrich is an inorganic Chemist, working since 2002 across various food safety and authenticity programs at Fera (the Food and Environment Research Agency). Her specialty is stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Her current research uses this technique with a focus on the determination of geographical origin, especially the origin of nuisance or invasive insect pests.

For more information and to book your place, visit The Biological Recording Company Eventbrite page.

entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company, British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife, Field Studies Council and NBN Trust.