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EducationMSc Biology. University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 2007 BSc Biology. University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 2005
ResearchThe evolution of the gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is rapid compared to other families of Diptera and the family contains more than 5 000 species. Most species are monophagous, and closely related species can live on very different host plants while distantly related species sometimes co-exist on the same plant. I will study four gall midge species to investigate if there is a correlation between their speciation and their host plant preferences. Two of the studied species use wheat as host plant, the orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) and the yellow wheat blossom midge (Contarinia tritici), and two of them use Cruciferous plants, the swede midge (C. nasturtii) and the brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae). Two of the species are closely related and these two species use different host plants (the swede midge and the orange wheat blossom midge).
Current projectHost shift induced speciation in gall midges. 2007 – 2011. Funded by the Linnaeus initiative "Insect Chemical Ecology, Ethology and Evolution" ICE3.
PublicationBoddum T, Wiren M, Skals N, Baur R, Rauscher S, Hillbur Y. 2007. Optimization of the pheromone blend of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, for monitoring. In prep.
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