Shelby Fleischer, Ph.D.

Department Focus Area

Ecological Applications

Research Interests

Insect ecology and management in vegetable agroecosystems

Extension

Integrated pest management in vegetables and mushrooms.

Research Activities & Interests

I am interested in the structure, dynamics, and management of insect populations. Resulting sampling plans have been adopted in alfalfa, hardwood forests, and leafy greens in the Caribbean; regional monitoring programs have been developed for diversified vegetable farms. Students have mapped insect density in alfalfa, potatoes, tomatoes, vineyards, and within protected structures. Research also develops management options based on an understanding of biological and ecological processes. Priority is placed on economically feasible technologies that improve farm-worker and environmental safety. Current work is looking at biological controls, transgenic crops, and regional monitoring networks.

Extension Activities & Interests

My Extension assignment is in vegetables and mushrooms. The Extension education program works with county-based staff at sites accessible to clientele, with presentations at about 20 sites per year, reaching close to 2,000 growers. Yearly, I contribute to the Commercial Vegetable Recommendations, available at http://horticulture.psu.edu/node/465. A regional multi-state web-GIS presentation of pests of sweet corn is at http://www.pestwatch.psu.edu

Relevant Publications

Leslie, T.W., G.A. Hoheisel, D.J. Biddinger, J.R. Rohr, S.J. Flesicher. 2007. Transgenes Sustain Epigeal Insect Biodiversity in Diversified Vegetable Farm Systems. Environ. Entomol. 36(1): 234-244. (pdf file)

Ellers-Kirk, Christa and S. J. Fleischer. 2006. Development and Life Table of Acalymma vittatum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Vector of Erwinia tracheiphila in Cucurbits. Ent. Soc. of Am. 35(4): 875-880. (pdf file)

Mullin, C.A., M.C. Saunders, T.W. Leslie, D.J. Biddinger, and S.J. Fleischer. 2005. Toxic and Behavioral Effects to carabidae of Seed Treatments Used on Cry3Bb1- and Cry1Ab/c-Protected Corn. Ent. Soc. of Am. 34(6): 1626-1636. (pdf file)

Wallis, C.M., S.J. Fleischer, D. Luster, and F.E. Gildow. 2005. Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Species Composition and Potential Aphid Vectors of Plum Pox Virus in Pennsylvania Peach Orchards. Ent. Soc. of Am. 98(5): 1441-1450. (pdf file)

Fleischer, S. J., C. L. Harding, P. E. Blom, J. White, and J. Greham. 2005. Spodoptera frugiperda pheromone lures to avoid nontarget captures of Leucania phragmatidicola. J. Economic Entomology 98: 66-71. (pdf file)

Emmen, D., A, S. J. Fleischer, and A. A. Hower. 2004. Temporal and spatial dynamics of Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), in alfalfa. Environ. Entomol. 33: 890-899. (pdf file)

Kuhar, T. P., V. Barlow, M. P. Hoffmann, S. J. Fleischer, E. Groden, J. Gardner, R. Hazzard, M. G. Wright, S. A. Pitcher, J. Speese, and P. Westgate. 2004. Potential of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for biological control of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in solanaceous crops. J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 1209-1216.(pdf file)

Blom, P. E., S. J. Fleischer, and C. L. Harding. 2004. Modeling colonization of overwintered Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Environ. Entomol. 33: 267-274. (pdf file)

Clarke-Harris, D. and S. J. Fleischer. 2003. Sequential sampling and biorational chemistries for lepidopteran management in vegetable amaranth in the Caribbean. J. Econ. Entomol. 96: 798-204. (pdf file)

Blom, P. E., S. J. Fleischer, and Z. Smilowitz. 2002. Spatial and temporal dynamics of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), in fields with perimeter and spatially targeted insecticides. Environ. Entomol. 31:149-159. (pdf file)

Harding, C. L., S. J. Fleischer, and P. E. Blom. 2002. Population dynamics of the Colorado potato beetle in an agroecosystem with tomatoes and potatoes with management implications to processing tomatoes. Environ. Entomol. 31: 1110-1118. (pdf file)

Blom, P. E. and S. J. Fleischer. 2001. Dynamics in the spatial structure of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Environ. Entomol. 30:350-364. (pdf file)

C. D. Ellers-Kirk, S. J. Fleischer, R. H. Snyder and J. P. Lynch. 2000. Potential of entomopathogenic nematodes for biological control of Acalymma vittatum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in cucumbers grown in conventional and organic soil management systems. J. Econ. Entomol. 93: 605-612. (pdf file)

Garcia-Salazar, C. G, F. E. Gildow, S. J. Fleischer, D. Cox-Foster and F. L. Lukezic. 2000. ELISA versus immunolocalization to determine the association of Erwinia tracheiphila in Acalymma vittatum (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Environmental Entomology 29: 542-550. (pdf file)

Garcia-Salazar, C. G, F. E. Gildow, S. J. Fleischer, D. Cox-Foster, and F. L. Lukezic. 2000. The alimentary canal of Acalymma vittata (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Morphology and potential role in the survival of Erwinia tracheiphila. Canadian Entomologist 132: 1-13.

Ellsbury, M. M., S. A. Clay, S. J. Fleischer, L. D. Chandler, and S. M. Schneider. 2000. Use of GIS/GPS systems in IPM: Progress and reality. pp 419-438 In G. C. Kennedy and T. Sutton, eds. Emerging Technologies for Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Research and Implementation. American Phytopathological Society Press, St. Paul, MN.

Fleischer, S. J., D. de Mackiewwicz, F. E. Gildow and F. L. Lukezic. 1999. Serological estimates of the seasonal dynamics of Erwinia tracheiphila in Acalymma vittata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Envrion. Entomol. 28: 470-476. (pdf file)

Tobin, P. C., S. J. Fleischer, and C. W. Pitts. 1999. Spatio-temporal dynamics of resident and immigrating populations of Carcinops pumilo (Erichson) (Coleoptera: Histeridae) in high-rise poultry houses. J. Medical Entomol. 36: 568-577. (pdf file)

Fleischer, S. J., P. E. Blom and R. Weisz. 1999. Sampling in Precision IPM: When the objective is a map. Phytopathology 89: 1112-1118.

Allen, J., D. D. Kopp, C. C. Brewster and S. J. Fleischer. 1999. 2011: An agricultural odyssey. American Entomologist 45: 96-104.

Fleischer, S. J., P. Blom, D. Emmen and A. Hower. 1998. Dynamics in the spatial continuity of insect density. Pp 133-141, In P. Robert, R. H. Rust, W. E. Larson 9eds). Proc., 4th International Conference on Precision Agriculture. St. Paul, MN. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.

de Mackiewicz, D., F. E. Gildow, M. Blua, S. J. Fleischer and F. L. Lukezic. 1998. Herbaceous weeds are not ecologically important reservoirs of Erwinia tracheiphila. Plant Disease. 82:521-529.

Coll, M., S. J. Fleischer and D. Rosen. 1997. Marking potato tubermoths, Phthorimaea operculella, with rubidium for dispersal studies. J. Econ. Entomol. 90:154-159.

Fleischer, S. J., R. Weisz, Z. Smilowitz and D. Midgarden. 1997. Spatial variation in insect populations and site-specific integrated pest management. pp. 101-130. In Pierce, F. J., E. J. Sadler (eds), The state of site-specific management for agriculture. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI.

Midgarden, D. M., S. J. Fleischer, R. Weisz and Z. Smilowitz. 1997. Impact of site-specific IPM on the development of esfenvalerate resistance in Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and on population densities of natural enemies. J. Econ. Entomol. 90: 855-867