Does Mother Really Know Best? Preference-Performance Hypothesis of Delia platura in Organic Fertilizers.

Since New York has a prominent dairy industry, many farms use cow manure as a natural organic fertilizer. However, it has been proposed that manure might attract dangerous pests like D. platura because it increases the amount of decomposing organic matter. We aim to test the “Mother Knows Best” hypothesis, which posits that insects are more likely to lay their eggs in places that maximize larval performance. Specifically, we will test the preference and performance of D. platura on a variety of soil amendments and seed types, assessing whether larvae survive better and cause more damage to crops in these environments. To test this hypothesis, we conducted lab experiments examining D. platura preference and performance with four different soil amendments—liquid dairy manure, bedding dairy manure, chemical fertilizer, and a control. Additionally, we tested two different seeds, corn and soy. We found that D. platura does not exhibit an oviposition preference and that larvae do not perform differently across the various soil amendments. However, we observed that larvae have a preference for soy over corn. With these findings, farmers can safely continue using dairy manure to fertilize their fields. Future studies could explore D. platura’s preference and performance across other crops.

This summer, my internship at Cornell University was a very educational and useful experience. While entomology is not my strong suit—my distain for bugs was quite prominent—the opportunity to immerse myself in a new field was amazing. I learned so many useful and new things I never would have thought to learn. I cherished the friendships and support of my lab colleagues, whose enthusiasm made every day enjoyable. Additionally, the chance to connect with potential PhD labs broadened my academic horizons and helped solidify my research interests for my future. Overall, this internship has been important in shaping my future goals and expanding my professional network.