Erika T. Machtinger, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor of Entomology
University Park, PA 16802
- Email etm10@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-9162
- Pronouns She/Her
Areas of Expertise
- Veterinary Entomology
- Tick ecology and control
- Filth fly management and behavior
- Wildlife entomology
- Arthropod behavior
Education
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, USDA, ARS
- Ph.D., Entomology, University of Florida
- M. S., Entomology, University of Florida
- B. S., Wildlife Conservation, University of Delaware
Web/Social
Graduate Students
Hannah Tiffin (Ph.D. student, Entomology)
Jessica Brown (Ph.D. student, Ecology)
Jesse Evans (MSc student, Entomology)
Postdoctoral Scholars
Karen Poh, Ph.D. (Post-doctoral Scholar)
Research Support
Arash Maleki (Research Technologist)
Anya Watts (Research Associate)
Baxter Bierbaum (Research Associate)
Kylie Green (Research Associate)
Zoey Cole (Research Associate)
Anna-Marie Wise (Research Associate)
Chloe Roberts (Research Associate)
Research
The mission of the Veterinary Entomology Laboratory is to investigate the ecological relationships between vertebrates and their ectoparasites and other arthropod pests to facilitate the development of control methods and integrated pest management strategies. We don't study a specific taxa or phenomenon but rather problems associated with non-human vertebrates. Of particular interest are filth flies affecting livestock, poultry, and equids and ticks and tick-borne disease ecology.
Publications
Toxicity of fluralaner, a companion animal insecticide, relative to industry-leading agricultural insecticides against resistant and susceptible strains of filth flies
Scientific reports, Burgess, Edwin R., Geden, Christopher J., Lohmeyer, Kimberly H., King, B. H., Machtinger, Erika T., Scott, Jeffrey G., 2020
Choice of laboratory tissue homogenizers matters when recovering nucleic acid from medically important ticks
Journal of medical entomology, Jones, Amanda M., Van De Wyngaerde, Marshall T., Machtinger, Erika T., Rajotte, Edwin G., Baker, Thomas C., 2020
Tick tubes reduce blacklegged tick burdens on white-footed mice in Pennsylvania, USA
Journal of Applied Entomology, Brown, Jessica E., Miller, Taylor M., Machtinger, Erika T., 2020
Host distribution and pathogen infection of fleas (Siphonaptera) recovered from small mammals in Pennsylvania
Journal of Vector Ecology, Fedele, Kaila, Poh, Karen C., Brown, Jessica E., Jones, Amanda, Durden, Lance A., Tiffin, Hannah S., Pagac, Alexandra, Li, Andrew Y., Machtinger, Erika T., 2020
Behavioral inhibition of the house fly (Diptera
Journal of economic entomology, Tuorinsky, Elizabeth V., Machtinger, Erika T., 2020
Evaluation of Filth Fly Species Composition and Abundance Using Two Monitoring Methods in Swine Confinement Housing
Journal of Medical Entomology, Machtinger, Erika, Burgess, Edwin, 2020
Tick control bait box use by Peromyscus spp. influenced by habitat placement but raises questions on disease ecology
Ecosphere, Machtinger, Erika T., Li, Andrew Y., 2019
Tick Bite Risk and Tick-Borne Disease Perceptions of School District Administrators in the Mid-Atlantic United States
Journal of School Health, Machtinger, Erika T., Li, Andrew Y., Liu, Yifen, 2019
Deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Lipoptena and Neolipoptena) in the United States and Canada: New state and county records, pathogen records, and an illustrated key to species
Journal of medical entomology, Skvarla, Michael J., Machtinger, Erika, 2019
Development of nontarget wildlife exclusion devices for small mammal trap protection
Wildlife Society Bulletin, Roden-Reynolds, Patrick, Hummell, Grace, Machtinger, Erika, Li, Andrew Y., 2018
Repellencies and toxicities of five ant-derived defensive compounds against the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (Acari
Applied Entomology and Zoology, Machtinger, Erika, Yang, Xiaolong, Chen, Jian, Li, Andrew Y., 2018
Evaluation of four commercial natural products for repellency and toxicity against the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari
Experimental and Applied Acarology, Machtinger, Erika, Li, Andrew Y., 2017
Effects of four commercial fungal formulations on mortality and sporulation in house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans)
Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Weeks, E. N.I., Machtinger, E. T., Gezan, S. A., Kaufman, P. E., Geden, C. J., 2017
Manure preferences and postemergence learning of two filth fly parasitoids, spalangia cameroni and muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
PloS one, Taylor, Caitlin E., Machtinger, Erika T., Geden, Christopher J., Kramer, Matthew, 2016
House fly (Musca domestica) (Diptera
Biocontrol Science and Technology, Machtinger, Erika, Weeks, E. N.I., Geden, C. J., Kaufman, P. E., 2016
House and Stable Fly Seasonal Abundance, Larval Development Substrates, and Natural Parasitism on Small Equine Farms in Florida
Neotropical Entomology, Machtinger, E. T., Leppla, N. C., Hogsette, J. A., 2016
Impacts of extended laboratory rearing on female fitness in Florida colonies of the parasitoid Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Machtinger, Erika, Geden, C. J., LoVullo, E. D., Shirk, P. D., 2016
Oviposition deterrence and immature survival of filth flies (Diptera
Journal of Insect Science, Machtinger, E. T., Weeks, E. N.I., Geden, C. J., 2016
Comparison of the Olfactory Preferences of Four of Filth Fly Pupal Parasitoid Species (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for Hosts in Equine and Bovine Manure
Environmental Entomology, Machtinger, E. T., Geden, C. J., 2015
Linear dispersal of the filth fly parasitoid Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and parasitism of hosts at increasing distances
PloS one, Machtinger, Erika T., Geden, Christopher J., Leppla, Norman C., 2015
Use of pupal parasitoids as biological control agents of filth flies on equine facilities
Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Machtinger, Erika T., Geden, Christopher J., Kaufman, Phillip E., House, Amanda M., 2015
Comparison of Host-Seeking Behavior of the Filth Fly Pupal Parasitoids, Spalangia cameroni and Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY, Machtinger, Erika, Geden, C., Teal, P., Leppla, N., 2015
Development and oviposition preference of house flies and stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in six substrates from Florida equine facilities
Journal of medical entomology, Machtinger, E. T., Geden, C. J., Hogsette, J. A., Leppla, N. C., 2014
Using a combined approach of guided inquiry & direct instruction to explore how physiology affects behavior
American Biology Teacher, Machtinger, Erika, 2014
Host location by Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in equine associated substrates
Biological Control, Machtinger, Erika T., Geden, Christopher J., 2013
