Tasks and Main Research Areas

• Head of the Laboratory of Entomology in fruit crops
• Development of integrated and ecological management strategies against insect pests in fruit crops
• Research on biology, ecology and population dynamics of pest insects and beneficial arthropods in fruit crops
• Focus: invasive insects in fruits; enhancement of biodiversity in orchards
• Evaluation of the impact of environmental parameters on development and population dynamics of new invasive pest species in orchards
• Monitoring of invasive species and their natural enemies
• Contribution to the development of edicts and legislative proposals; consultancy for the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMEL), the European and Mediterranean Plant Organization (EPPO), and the European Union (EU)
• Involvement in preparation of guidelines for efficacy tests with plant protection products in integrated production of fruits as well as for pest risk analysis of invasive species

Professional Memberships, Participation in Boards and Committees

• Member of the German Entomological Society (DGaaE)
• Associated Editor for Chemical Ecology, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
• Subject Editor "Chysomelidae", Zookeys

Publications in the Julius Kühn-Institut