Roy Van Driesche
Professor Emeritus of Entomology
Phone: +1 (413) 545-1061
Office: Ag. Eng. 320
Primary Interests
I am an entomologist, with a specialization in biological control of invasive species (insects and plants), with current work all centered on the impact of these pests on natural communities, mostly forests. I am interested in the impacts of invasive species on natural communities and the process of using introduced natural enemies from their native ranges to lower their population densities on the landscape. Topics of interest include parasitoid biology, evaluation of invader suppression by experimental and lifetable methods, assessment of nontarget impacts of biological control agents and ecological restoration of invader-damaged ecosystems, communities or species.
Current Projects
Current activities are biological control of emerald ash borer (research) and public education concerning biological control in relation to invasive pests of wildlands.
Courses Taught
I teach a science Gen Ed for non-biology majors called Insects and Human Society (every spring) that explores insect diversity and effects of insects on human concerns and natural systems. I also teach one advanced course: Restoration Ecology (odd springs) that examines all aspects of restoration of damaged natural systems or areas (rebuilding destroyed habitat, restoration of missing processes such as fire or flood, reintroduction or augmentation of extirpated or threatened native species, and management or eradication of damaging exotic invasive species.
Recent Publications
Representative journal articles
Duan, JJ, LS Bauer, and RG. Van Driesche. 2017. Emerald ash borer biocontrol in ash saplings: the potential for early stage recovery of North American ash trees. Forest Ecology and Management (in press)
Abell, K. J.; Gwiazdowski, R.; Normark, B. B.; Kamata, N.; Van Driesche, R. G. 2016. The scale and parasitoid community on native hemlocks in Japan. Biological Control 100, 7-17.
Japoshvili, G., M. Fizdale, R. G. Van Driesche, and G. Kirkitadze. Comparative phenology and cohort survival of beech scale in part of its native range (Caucasus Mts., Georgia) and in an invaded area (Massachusetts, USA). Florida Entomologist 98(4):1193-1198
Bauer, L. S., J. J. Duan, J. R. Gould, and R. Van Driesche. 2015. Progress in the classical biological control of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in North America. The Canadian Entomologist 147(3): 300-317.
Soper, A., C. J. K. MacQuarrie, and R. Van Driesche. 2015. Introduction, release, and recovery of Lathrolestes thomsoni (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) for biological control of the ambermarked birch leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), in Alaska. Biological Control 83: 13-19.
Morton, T. A. L., A. Thorn, J. M. Reed, R. Van Driesche, R. A. Casagrande, F. S. Chew. 2014. Modeling the decline and potential recovery of a native butterfly following serial invasions by exotic species. Biological Invasions 17: 1683–1695.
Casagrande, R. A., F. S. Chew, and R. G. Van Driesche. 2014. Ecological traps and weed biological control, pp. 105-11. In: Impson, F. A. C, C. A. Kleinjan, and J. H. Hoffmann (eds.). Proceedings of the XIV International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. 2-7 March, 2014. Krugar National Park, South Africa. University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Duan, J. J., K. J. Abell, L. S. Bauer, J. Gould and R. Van Driesche. 2014. Natural enemies implicated in the regulation of an invasive pest: a life table analysis of the population dynamics of the emerald ash borer. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 79: 36-42. published on line DOI: 10.1111/afe.12070
Abell, K. J., L. S. Bauer, J. J. Duan, and R. G. Van Driesche. 2014. Long-term monitoring of the introduced emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) egg parasitoid, Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Michigan, USA and evaluation of a newly developed monitoring technique Biological Control 79: 36–42.
Herlihy, M. V., D. L. Wagner, and R. G. Van Driesche. 2014. Persistence in Massachusetts of the veined white butterfly due to use of the invasive form of cuckoo flower Biological Invasions DOI 10.1007/s10530-014-0698-x (published on line in April 2014)
Aluja, M., J. Sivinski, R. Van Driesche, A. Anzures-Dadda, and L. Guilen. 2014. Pest management through tropical tree conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 24 (3): 831-853.
Hoddle, M. S., C. Crespo Ramírez, C. D. Hoddle, J. Loayza, M. P. Lincango, M. P.; R. G. Van Driesche, and C. E. Causton. 2013. Post release evaluation of Rodolia cardinalis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) for control of Icerya purchasi (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) in the Galápagos Islands. Biological Control 67: 262-274.
Japoshvili, G., K. J. Abell, and R. G. Van Driesche. 2013. Aphelinid and encyrtid (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) parasitoids of armored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) attacking hemlocks (Tsuga spp.) in Japan and the USA, with description of eight new species. Annals of the Entomological Society 106(5): 541-554.
Duan, J.J., L. S. Bauer, K.J. Abell, J. P. Lelito, R. Van Driesche. 2013 Establishment and abundance of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Michigan: Potential for success in classical biocontrol of the invasive emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 106:1145-1154.
Books or Book chapters
Van Driesche, R. and M. Hoddle (eds.). 2017. A Review of Nontarget Effects of Insect Biological Control Agents: Concepts and Examples FHTET 2017-0XX. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA (in press)
Van Driesche, R. G. and R. Reardon (eds.). Suppressing Over-abundant Invasive Plants and Insects in Natural Areas by Use of Their Specialized Natural Enemies FHTET 2017-07. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Van Driesche, R. G. et al. 2015. Integrating Biological Control into Conservation Practice Wiley, publication in late 2015
Van Driesche, R. G. and R. Reardon (eds.). The Biology and Control of Emerald Ash Borer. FHTET 2014-09. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Van Driesche and R. Reardons (eds.). The Use of Classical Biological Control to Preserve Forests in North America. FHTET- 2013-02. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Van Driesche, R. G., J. H. LaForest, C. T. Bargeron, R. C. Reardon, and M. Herlihy. 2013. Forest Pest Insects in North America: A Photographic Guide. FHTET 2012-02. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia. 702 pp.