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

John Davis, Support Scientist, Entomologist

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

1966 B.A. Hiram College
1972 M.S. Universtiy of Kansas
Professor Joseph H. Camin
Thesis Life History, Population Dynamics, and Reproductive Behavior of the Martin Mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus Ewing (Acari: Mesostigmata:Dermanyssidae)
1974 Ph.D. University of Kansas
Professor Joseph H. Camin
Thesis Orientation Behavior of the Martin Mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus Ewing
Committee J. Camin, Chm., K. Stockhammer, R. Jander, Beer, R. Johnston

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1962-66 Hiram College, undergraduate teaching assistant in invertebrate zoology and entomology
1968-70 Univ. Kansas, graduate teaching assistant in general biology lab
1978-86 Alachua County, Florida Chapter America, Red Cross, instructor in CPR.
1985-86 Alachua, Fl, Boy Scouts of America, Cubmaster
1989-01 Laurel, MD, Boy Scouts of America, Scoutmaster and Asst. SM
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

  • 1970-74 University of Kansas, Graduate Research Assistant in Entomology with Dr. J.H. Camin studies of life history, population dynamics, reproductive and orientation behavior mechanisms underlying complex behavior patterns (e.g., host-finding, population regulation, habitat specificity, aggregation) of a nest-parasitic mite

  • 1976-86 USDA, ARS, Insect Attractants Lab, Gainesville, Florida, Biological Laboratory Technician with Dr. H. R. Agee (assist in data collection electrophysiological studies of acoustic and visual receptor sensitivity, information flow in the CNS, effects of pharmacologically active compounds on the nervous system; histological studies using light, fluorescent, and electron microscopy of sensory receptors and/or CNS neural networks, and use of cobalt and fluorescent dyes to label cut or into 9 phoretically injected nerves field behavioral studies of factors promoting trap capture of fruit assessment of quality of mass-reared insects by electroretinogram analysis and identification of factors responsible for reduction and restoration of visual sensitivity.

  • 1987-97 USDA, ARS, Insect Chemical Ecology Lab, Beltsville, MD, Biological Laboratory Technician with Drs. A. Raina and K. Thorpe; support scientist with B.A. Leonhardt, J. Klun, J. Aldrich, and J.C. Dickens (assist in data collection) flight tunnel assays of moth responses to pheromones; neurophysiological, histological, and behavioral studies of neuroendocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis and other physiological processes in insects (corn earworm, tobacco budworm); field studies and surveys of gypsy moth life stages; laboratory assays (fall armyworm) of various candidate compounds as feeding deterrents, growth disruptants, and toxins laboratory bioassays of insect (multicolored Asian lady, pirate responses to attractants and repellants electorphysiological studies of olfaction in various insects (gypsy moth, rosy Russian gypsy moth).

  • 1997-present USDA, ARS, Vegetable Lab/Chemicals Affecting Insect Behavior Laboratory, Support Scientist with Dr. J.C. Dickens (assist in data collection) electrophysiological studies of olfaction in the Colorado potato beetle and some of its insect (pentatomidae) predators behavioral bioassays of larval and adult stages of the Colorado potato beetle (and some of its insect predators) to various olfactory stimuli.

GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS

1977-01 Various certificates of merit for job performance
1974-76 Postdoctoral research traineeship in acarology, Ohio State University
1974 Biomedical sciences support grant (co-investigator with Dr. J.H. Camin), University of Kansas
1966-70 NDEA Title IV fellowship at University of Kansas
1965-66 NSF fellowship to attend University of Michigan, Biological Station

PRESENTATIONS

  • 1972 Reproductive behavior in the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus, Kansas Entomological Society Meeting.

  • 1975 Aggregation behavior in the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilusEntomoligical Society American Meeting

  • 1978 Humidity behavior of the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus S.E. Branch Entomological Society American Meeting.

  • 1978 Use of electroretinograms for quality control and trap development of insects, especially fruit flies. Swiss Fed. Res. Sta., invited seminar

  • 1981 Use of the electroretinogram for assessment of insect quality in mass rearing projects. Dept. Entomol., University Alberta, invited seminar.

  • 1982 Identificaation of trap features that ppromote capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew). Meeting of joint USDA-IFAS working group on the Caribbean fruit fly, invited presentation.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. 1972 Davis, J.C. Life history, population dynamics, and reproductive behavior of the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus Ewing (Acari: Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae). M.A. Thesis, Univ. Kansas. p. 97.
  2. 1974 Davis, J.C. Orientation behavior of the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus Ewing (Acari: Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae). Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Kansas. p. 108.
  3. 1974 Davis, J.C. The reproductive behavior of the martin mite, Dermanyssusprognephilus (Acari: Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae). J. Kansas Entomological Society 47(1): 142.
  4. 1976 Davis, J.C. and J.H. Camin. Setae of the anterior tarsi of the martin mite, Dermanyssus prognephilus (Acari: Dermanyssidae). J. Kansas Entomological Soc. 49: 441-49.
  5. 1977 Davis, J.C. and J.H. Camin. Aggregation behavior of the martin mite,Dermanyssus prognephilus (Acari: Dermanyssidae). J. Med. Ent. 14(3):373-78.
  6. 1981 Remund, U., A.P. Economopoulos, E.F. Boller, H.R. Agee, and J.C. Davis. Fruit fly quality monitoring: the spectral sensitivity of field- collected and laboratory-reared olive flies, Dacus oleae GMEL. (Deipt., Tephritidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Suisse. 54: 221-27.
  7. 1982 Agee, H.R., E. Boller, U. Remund, J.C. Davis, and D.L. Chambers. Spectral sensitivities and visual attractant studies on the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitaata (Wiedemann), olive fly, Dacus oleae (Gmelin), and the European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.)(Diptera, Tephritidae). Z. and. Ent. 4: 403-412.
  8. 1983 Davis, J.C. and R.H. Gooding. Spectral sensitivity and flicker fusion frequencies of the compound eye of salmon and wild-type tsetse flies,Glossina morsitans. Physiol. Entomol. 8: 15-23.
  9. 1983 Davis, J.C., H.R. Agee, and A. Ellis. Comparative ultrastructure of the compound eye of the wild, laboratory-reared, and irradiated mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)(Diptera: Tephritidae). Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 76(3):322-32.
  10. 1983 Agee, H.R., V.M. Kirk, and J.C. Davis. Comparative spectral sensitivity and some observations on vision-related behavior of northern and western corn rootworm adults (Diabrotica: Coleoptera). J. Georgia Entomol. Soc.18(2): 240-45.
  11. 1984 Davis, J.C., H.R. Agee, and D.L. Chambers. Identification of trap features that promote capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa(Loew). J. Agric. Entomol. 1(3): 236-48.12.
  12. 1988 Ridgway, R.L., M.N. Inscoe, and J.C. Davis. Expanding opportunities for practical use of insect pheromones. 1988. Proc. Cotton. Prod. Res. Conf. pp. 203-205.
  13. 1989 Webb, R.E., R.L. Ridgway, J.C. Davis, K.M. Tatman, A.M. Wieber, E.M. Handley, J.J. Hence and J.M. Hill. A gypsy moth suppression program for a county park: design and implementation. Proc. 1988 Natl. Gypsy Moth Review, Jan. 10-12, 1989.
  14. 1991 Raina, A.K., J.C. Davis, and E.A. Stadelbacher. Sex pheromone production and calling in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)effect of temperature and light. Environ Entomol. 20(5): 1451-56.

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