Space and Earth Sciences News

University of Minnesota researcher George Weiblen and colleagues have found a faster way to study the spread and diet of insect pests. Using a technique called DNA barcoding, which involves the identification of species from a short DNA sequence, Weiblen and an international team of researchers studied populations of numerous moth and butterfly species across Papua New Guinea. DNA barcodes showed that migratory patterns and caterpillar diets are very dynamic.

"DNA barcoding was developed for rapid identification but it also provides information about the habits and history of species," Weiblen says.
"We need to understand the genetic history of invasion in order to combat the pests that threaten trees and crops," Weiblen says. "DNA barcoding can pinpoint the geographic source of an invading species and measure the distances over which pest species can travel."