Emeritus Professor Myron Zalucki

Emeritus Professor

School of the Environment
Faculty of Science

Overview

The study of insect abundance and distribution.

I am an insect ecologist by "bent" and my students and I work on various applied and basic research areas. We generally take an individuals-process based approach to the study of insect abundance and distribution. We use various "model" systems to ask questions ranging from the effect of host chemistry on oviposition behaviour and early stage caterpillar survival, to the effects of learning on oviposition behaviour at a landscape level and the effects of climate on insect abundance. I prefer to work on Butterfly-plant interactions, particularly Monarchs and milkweeds.

A substantial amount of our applied research has been on the ecology and biology of Helicoverpa spp, the major pest of Australian field crops, and more recently Diamondback moth, a key pest of horticulture.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), Australian National University

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • Newly hatched caterpillars are a critical stage in the life cycle of butterflies and moths. Yet few studies have assessed how well first instars convert food intake into body mass.

  • Caterpillars of the milkweed butterflies have to first sabotage the latex based defense system of their host plant before they can feed. Is the area isolated by vein snipping and trenching behaviour sufficient for a caterpillar to complete an instar?

  • Species within the Lepidoptera lay eggs of different sizes. Generally the bigger the butterfly the bigger the egg, but not always. Is the survival of neonates on host plants related to initial egg size.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Furlong, Michael J., Day, Michael D. and Zalucki, Myron P. (2021). Biological control and climate change. Biological control global impacts challenges and future directions of pest management . (pp. 220-235) edited by Peter G. Mason. Clayton, VIC Australia: CSIRO Publishing.

  • Perović, David J., Gámez-Virués, Sagrario, Landis, Douglas A., Tscharntke, Teja, Zalucki, Myron P., Saura, Santiago, Furlong, Michael J., Desneux, Nicolas, Sciarretta, Andrea, Balkenhol, Niko, Schmidt, Jason M., Trematerra, Pasquale and Westphal, Catrin (2021). Broadening the scope of empirical studies to answer persistent questions in landscape-moderated effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The Future of Agricultural Landscapes, Part III. (pp. 109-131) edited by David A. Bohan, Alex J. Dumbrell and Adam J. Vanbergen. San Diego, CA, United States: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2021.10.003

  • Zalucki, Myron P., Brower, Lincoln P., Malcolm, Stephen B. and Slager, Benjamin H. (2015). Estimating the climate signal in monarch population decline: no direct evidence for climate change?. Monarchs in a changing world: biology and conservation of an iconic insect. (pp. 130-141) edited by Karen S. Oberhauser, Kelly R. Nail and Sonia Altizer. Ithaca, NY, United States: Cornell University Press.

  • Fernández Haeger, J., Diego Jordano, D. and Zalucki, Myron P. (2015). Monarchs across the Atlantic Ocean: what’s happening on the other shore?. Monarchs in a changing world: biology and conservation of an iconic insect. (pp. 247-256) edited by Karen S. Oberhauser, Kelly R. Nail and Sonia Altizer. Ithaca, NY, United States: Cornell University Press.

  • Adamson, David, Zalucki, Myron P. and Furlong, Michael J. (2014). Pesticides and integrated pest management practice, practicality and policy in Australia. Integrated pest management: experiences with implementation, global overview. (pp. 387-411) edited by Rajinder Peshin and David Pimentel. Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-7802-3_16

  • Candy, Steven G. and Zalucki, Myron P. (2013). Defoliation. Encyclopedia of Environmetrics. (pp. 484-491) edited by Abdel H. El-Shaarawi and Walter W. Piegorsch. Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley and Sons. doi: 10.1002/9780470057339.vad010.pub2

  • Candy, S. G. and Zalucki, M. P. (2012). Defoliation. Encyclopedia of environmetrics. (pp. 479-484) edited by Abdel H. El-Shaarawi and Walter W. Piegorsch. London, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Day, Michael D. and Zalucki, Myron P. (2009). Lantana camara Linn. (Verbenaceae). Biological control of tropical weeds using arthropods. (pp. 211-246) edited by Rangaswamy Muniappan, Gadi V.P. Reddy and Anantanarayanan Raman. USA: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511576348.012

  • Ma, D., Zalucki, M. P., Wegener, M. K., Suzuki, Y., Watanabe, T., Yu, J.L. and Lin, X.C . (2005). Biological Insecticides and Their Evaluation: Using Helicocoverpa spp. as a case study. Entomological Research: Progress and prospect. (pp. 363-386) edited by Tongxian Liu and Le Kang. Beijing: Science Press.

  • Ma, D., Zalucki, M. P., Gordh, G. and Wegener, M. K. (2005). Use of Neem Extracts and Other botanical Pesticides Against Helicoverpa spp.. Entomological Research: Progress and prospect. (pp. 334-362) edited by Tongxian Liu and Le Kang. Beijing: Science Press.

  • Zalucki, M. P. and Rochester, W.A. (2004). Spatial and temporal population dynamics of monarchs downunder: Lessons for North America. The Monarch Butterfly. (pp. 219-228) edited by K.S. Oberhauser and M.J. Solensky. Cornell University Press, UK: Comstock Publishing Associates.

  • Candy, S. G and Zalucki, M. P. (2002). Defoliation. Encyclopedia of Environmetrics. (pp. 479-484) edited by A. H. El-Shaarawi and W. W. Piegorsch. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  • Walter, G. H. and Zalucki, M. P. (1999). Rare Butterflies and theories of Evolution & Ecology. Biology of Australian butterflies. (pp. 349-368) edited by R. L. Kitching, E. Scheermeyer, R. E Jones and N. E. Pierce. Victoria: Collingwood.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Newly hatched caterpillars are a critical stage in the life cycle of butterflies and moths. Yet few studies have assessed how well first instars convert food intake into body mass.

  • Caterpillars of the milkweed butterflies have to first sabotage the latex based defense system of their host plant before they can feed. Is the area isolated by vein snipping and trenching behaviour sufficient for a caterpillar to complete an instar?

  • Species within the Lepidoptera lay eggs of different sizes. Generally the bigger the butterfly the bigger the egg, but not always. Is the survival of neonates on host plants related to initial egg size.

  • Do caterpillars adjust there feeding behaviour in response to the presence of predators?

  • Many adult butterflies and moths have pollen adhering to their mouth parts. Are they able to utilise the pollen as a food source?

  • Ever wonder why there is so much greenery that is seemingly not eaten by insect herbivores? Is the food simply not suitable or is it not used for other reasons?

  • Do butterflies use the matrix or is it just treacherous landscape?

  • How well can we "predict" the range and abundance of species that have recently established in new geographic locations?