Home Page: Chemicals Affecting Insect Behaviour Laboratory (CAIBL), Beltsville Argricultural Research Center (BARC)

Photo of D. Dickens, J. Davis, and B. Hollister

Benjamin Hollister, Research Associate, Post-Doctorate

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

1989	Michigan State University, B. S. in Entomology
1993	Pennsylvania State University, M. S. in Entomology
Thesis:	Response of Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) to Volatile ChemicalsThesis advisor: Dr. E. Alan Cameron BCE
1998	Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Entomology
Title:	Behavioral and Electrophysiological Investigations into the Chemosensory Basis of Pollen Feeding in Adult Diabroticite Beetles Dissertation advisor: Dr. Christopher A. Mullin

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

1988 (Summer). Research Technician, Michigan State University Fenneville Fruit Research Station. Supervisor: Dr. David Biddinger; hourly wage employee.
Monitored fruit orchard pests captured in field traps and summary statistical analyses for weekly and seasonal trap capture.
1989-1992. Departmental Graduate Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology. M.S. Thesis advisor: Dr. E. Alan Cameron BCE.
Research involved wind tunnel flight bioassays of Thysanoptera, investigating orientation responses to aldehydes present in developing host plant flower buds, and interactions with visual stimuli. Field experiments investigated the use of attractants for monitoring of pest Thysanoptera: The pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel), in Pennsylvania sugar maple stands and the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, in commercial vegetable glasshouses.
1993. Research Technician, The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology. Supervisor: Dr. Christopher A. Mullin; hourly wage employee.
Assisted in preparation and recording of gustatory chemosensory responses in adult western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte to host plant chemistry, bioassay of chemicals for feeding deterrent activity, collection of field insect populations and maintenance of laboratory populations, and collection of host plant pollen for chemical extraction and analysis.
1994 - 1998. Graduate Research Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology. Ph.D. thesis advisor: Dr. Christopher A. Mullin.
Investigated feeding behavior of adult corn rootworm beetles on host plant pollens. Techniques included solvent extraction and analysis (thin layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography) of pollen chemistry, electrophysiological recording of gustatory chemosensory responses to pollen amino acid chemistry, and feeding bioassay of pollen amino acid chemistry.
1999 - present. Research Associate, USDA, ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Plant Sciences Institute, Vegetable Laboratory and Chemicals Affecting Insect Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville, MD. Supervisor: Dr. Joseph C. Dickens.
Research involves work on the chemical ecology of the Colorado potato beetle. Responsibilities include collection and analysis (Gas chromatography) of host plant volatiles, electrophysiological and behavioral experiments. Electrophysiological investigations include GC/EAD of host plant volatiles, and electrophysiological recordings of gustatory responses in chemosensilla located on various appendages of the Colorado potato beetle. Behavioral experiments involve quantification of characteristic orientation and substrate sampling behaviors associated with location and acceptance of a suitable host plants and potential mates.

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

Mullin, C. A., S. Chyb, H. Eichenseer, B. Hollister and J. L. Frazier. 1994. Neuroreceptor mechanisms in insect gustation: a pharmacological approach. Journal of Insect Physiology 40(11):913-931.
Chyb, S., H. Eichenseer, B. Hollister, C. A. Mullin and J. L. Frazier. 1995. Identification of sensilla involved in taste mediation in adult western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte). Journal of Chemical Ecology 21:313-329.
Mullin, C. A., A. Gonzalez-Coloma, C. Guitierrez, M. Reina, H. Eichenseer, B. Hollister and S. Chyb. Antifeedant effect of some novel terpenoids on chrysomelid beetles: comparisons with alkaloids on alkaloid and non-adapted species. Journal of Chemical Ecology 23:1851-1866.
Hollister, B. and C. A. Mullin. 1998. Behavioral and electrophysiological dose-response relationships in adult western corn rootworm rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) for host pollen amino acids. Journal of Insect Physiology 44:463-470.
Hollister, B and C. A. Mullin. 1999. Isolation and identification of primary metabolite feeding stimulants for adult western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, from host pollens. Journal of Chemical Ecology 25:1263-1280.
Teulon, D. A. J., B. Hollister, R. C. Butler and E. A. Cameron. 1999. Colour and odour responses of flying western flower thrips: wind tunnel and greenhouse experiments. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 93:9-19.
Hollister, B., J. C. Dickens, F. Perez and K. L. Deahl. 2001. Differential neurosensory responses of adult Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, to glycoalkaloids. Journal of Chemical Ecology: in press.