ADDRESSING KEY LIMITATIONS TO CAPITALIZING ON HOVER FLY (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE) POLLINATION AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL SERVICES

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1026384
• Grant No.: 2021-67034-35132
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $160,000.00
• Proposal No.: 2020-10474
• Project Start Date: Jun 15, 2021
• Project End Date: Jun 14, 2024
• Grant Year: 2021
• Program Code: [A7201]- AFRI Post Doctoral Fellowships

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
200 D.W. BROOKS DR
ATHENS,GA 30602-5016

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
Hover flies are common insects found throughout North America which provide multiple ecosystem services thatcan greatly benefit crop production and improve sustainable agriculture. Adults are important pollinators for manyglobal crops while larvae provide a diverse set of services from reducing environmental contamination via nutrient recycling to biological control of soft-bodied pests such as aphids. Despite this, hover flies are often understudied and under-appreciated by the general public. This postdoctoral research projectwill partially address three major limitations to capitalizing on hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) pollination and biological control services: 1) a lack of in-depth ecological knowledge of specific species, 2) a lack of familiarity with hover flies by the general public, and 3) a lack of information on regional species diversity. These will be addressed through two objectives.For Objective 1, we will seek to better understand the long-distance migratory strategies of the highly abundant, crucially important aphidophagous species Eupeodes americanus using a novel RADseq population genomics approach. Large-scale seasonal migrations like these have major implications for farmers and other stakeholders because they determine whether certain crops will be successfully pollinated, and aphid pests will be suppressed. Our aim is to examine the degree of genetic similarity and/or dissimilarity between populations across this species' range, thus allowing us to better understand migratory dynamics and implications for stakeholders. Objective 2 is to collaborate with the Georgia Botanical Garden's Connect to Protect program to alleviate "hover fly blindness" among the general public and underrepresented communities by distributing educational materials including a Georgia species checklist and identification key. By improving the public's knowledge onhover flies, people will be more inclined to appreciate and conserve these insects and the crucial benefitsthat they provide.

Animal Health Component

30%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

60%

Applied

30%

Developmental

10%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
215	3110	1130	30%
211	3095	1130	30%
136	3110	1130	40%

Knowledge Area
211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants; 136 - Conservation of Biological Diversity; 215 - Biological Control of Pests Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
3095 - Other non-bee pollinators, general; 3110 - Insects;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;

Keywords

hover fly

syrphidae

biological control

migration

outreach

pollination

population genomics

Goals / Objectives
The overall purpose of thisresearch is to partially address major limitations to capitalizing on hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) pollination and biological control services. Our objectives are to 1) usenovel genomics technologies to examine continental-scale population dynamics of a crucially important, partially migratory species, and 2) produceeducational materials to alleviate "hover fly blindness" and inform the public of the beneficial services provided by these insects while alsoinvestigating regional species diversity andcreating a publicly-accessible species checklist of Georgia hover flies coupled with an identification key.

Project Methods
To examine for genetic similarity and/or dissimilarity among North American hover fly populations (i.e. Objective 1) of E. americanus, we will use a Next Generation RADseq approach, an increasingly popular tool in population genomics. RADseq allows researchers to obtain a reduced version of an individual organism's genome which can then be explored. Restriction enzymes cut the DNA at specific restriction-enzyme sites that occur throughout the genome. One then sequences thousands of these fragments, or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across multiple individuals. These SNPs are then used to compare in a population genomics framework using bioinformatics approaches.In our study we will sample populations of E. americanus in five locations across eastern North America: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, and Quebec. We plan to obtain at least 20 female individuals during fall of 2021 and 2022, a time when flies are most abundant and when they are most likely to be migratory. Upon collection, specimens will be immediately placed in 95% ethanol to properly preserve DNA for analysis. When possible, collaborators will be recruited to send us specimens from their respected localities in order to save time and travel costs. Collaborations in Illinois and Quebec have already been established.We will utilize the original RADseq population genomics protocolto compare populations. SNP library construction will be outsourced through SNPsaurus (https://www.snpsaurus.com/), and bioinformatics will be conducted via intra-lab collaboration using the STACKS software pipeline.For the second objective, we will collaborate with the Georgia Botanical Gardens' Connect to Protect program (https://outreach.uga.edu/connect-to-protect/), which has over 60 gardens distributed throughout the state. The purpose of Connect to Protect is to utilize native plant displays and educational materials to inform the public about the role of native plants in promoting biodiversity. They have a special significance in serving underprivileged and underrepresented communities anywhere from urban city centers to rural towns, which we plan to utilize. We will use the Connect to Protect program and their network of gardens to A) perform educational presentations about hover flies and other beneficial garden insects, B) distribute materials about hover flies via their annual handbook, and C) survey Georgia hover fly fauna. We will also compile a list of hover fly friendly native flowering plant species which will be used to establish 'hover fly gardens' accompanied by informational displays at their facilities. Finally, these educational materials will also be distributed at various outreach events such as the University of Georgia State Botanical Gardens' September Insect-ival.In addition to these efforts, we will also create an easily accessible online identification guide to Georgia hover flies, coupled with a species checklist and floral host plant database. Specimens observed or collected in Connect to Protect gardens as well as those residing in the University of Georgia Collection of Arthropods will be examined to accomplish this goal. We will also examine specimens photographed as part of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census program (https://ggapc.org/). Species will be identified using the most relevant published materialsor through taxonomic experts like Dr. Jeff Skevington when necessary. All specimen data including date, locality, and floral visitation records will be compiled into a publicly available, searchable database. Finally, this will all be published open access with quality photographs and a morphological key to species in the journal Zootaxa.While there are always limitations to public outreach, we will make strides to ensure this information is available to anyone who is interested in identifying hover flies.

Progress 06/15/21 to 08/22/24

Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period we collaborated with a variety of professional researchers as well as citizen scientists who have been able to collect and send us hover fly specimens. Through outreach efforts at the Georgia Botanical Gardens, we have also reached a hundreds of citizens in the area. Changes/Problems:The major challenges have been working with the massive dataset that I have produced from this work. We believe we have mostly completed the analyses, though, and the main things to do involve writing. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I have received much training in conducting experiments on DNA, and I have learned some bioinformatics skills to examine the data. I have also developed skills working with the public and conducting outreach. Finally, I have developed collaborations with a variety of researchers, which will be very useful in the future. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public, including an Entomology for Gardener's Course through the botanical gardens. We also have a UGA extension publication on common hover flies of Georgia which will be published very soon. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I plan to complete and publish the major manuscripts resulting from this work.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Both of these major project goals are nearly completed. For goal 1, we have all the data from both 2021 and 2022 field seasons, and the analyses are nearly complete. I have drafted the figures we plan to use for publication, somost of what remains involves writing up the manuscript. I also am in the process of writing a review on predacious insect migration. For goal 2, the Hover Flies of Georgia publication is slated to be published in the next few days. I have completedcuration of the hover flies in theUniversity of Georgia Natural History Museum. Specimens are awaiting digitization and I expect the checklist will be published within the next year. The Syrphidae of Illinois publication was published last year (2023).I have also conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public including a course on identifying common backyard arthropods. Overall, I have conducted 15 presentations either at scientific conferences or for a general public audience. I have also published 9peer-reviewed manuscripts, with two more for which I am preparing to submit within the next year.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: Harris-Shultz, K., J. S. Armstrong, J. Knoll, S. Sapkota, and C. Scott Clem. Insect Pollinivores of Sorghum bicolor and Plant Traits that Influence Visitation, Journal of Entomological Science (in review)

Progress 06/15/23 to 06/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period we collaborated with a variety of professional researchers as well ascitizen scientists who have been able to collect and send us hover fly specimens. Through outreach efforts at the Georgia Botanical Gardens, we have also reached a number of citizens in the area. Changes/Problems:The major challenges have been working with the massive dataset that I have produced from this work. We believe we have mostly completed the analyses, though, and the main things to do involve writing. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I have received much training in conducting experiments onDNA, and I have learned some bioinformatics skills to examine the data. I have also developed skills working with the public and conducting outreach. Finally, I have developed collaborations with a variety of researchers, which will be very useful in the future. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public, including an Entomology for Gardener's Course through the botanical gardens. We also have a UGA extension publication on common hover flies of Georgia which willbe published very soon. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The final goals I must accomplish is to publish the main research resulting from this grant. I expect to use to remaining funds to cover these costs.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have accomplished all of these goals. For objective 2, I have conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public and we have an extension publication that will very soon be published through UGA.The only thing remaining is to publish the scientific work resulting from Objective 1. There are two large publications which we are currently writing and plan to publish in the next year.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: McCravy, K.W., Clem, C. Scott, Bailey, J.B., Elgar, S.A. and Blaauw, B.R. 2024. Hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) diversity and seasonality in North Georgia apple and peach orchards. Journal of Economic Entomology, p.toae103.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Harris-Shultz, K.R., J.S. OHearn, J. Knoll, and C. Scott Clem. 2024. Insects Foraging on Pearl Millet, Cenchrus americanus, Pollen. (In press, Journal of Entomological Science).
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Clem, C. Scott, and J.V. McHugh. Documentation of diurnal and nocturnal migratory activity of Anax junius (Odonata: Aeshnidae) on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA. (In press, Southeastern Naturalist)
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: Clem, C. Scott, S. Reynolds, and A. Young. A comprehensive review of long-distance hover fly migration (Diptera: Syrphidae) (In review, Ecological Entomology).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: A century of Illinois hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae): Museum and citizen science data reveal recent range expansions, contractions, and species of potential conservation significance. Entomology Collections Network Meeting. November 4, 2023, Washington D.C. Poster presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: A long-range spatial assessment of population genomics and microbial community composition of predacious hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. November 5, 2023, Washington D.C. Oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Population and community ecology from an insects perspective: Migration, agroecology, and biodiversity conservation. January 30, 2024, Illinois State University Seminar. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Goals for pollinator conservation in the Northern Great Plains. South Dakota State University Seminar. February 6, 2024. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hover fly conservation in the Anthropocene: What do we know? Entomological Society of America Southeastern Branch Meeting, Augusta, Georgia. March 18, 2024. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Entomology for Gardeners: Identifying & Understanding Common Backyard Arthropods (April 29, 2023; April 20, 2024)  This is a course designed by me as part of the UGA Botanical Gardens Plants & Pollinators series for the Native Plant Certification program aimed at local gardeners.

Progress 06/15/21 to 06/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period we collaborated with a variety of professional researchers as well as citizen scientists who have been able to collect and send us hover fly specimens. Through outreach efforts at the Georgia Botanical Gardens, we have also reached a hundreds of citizens in the area. Changes/Problems:The major challenges have been working with the massive dataset that I have produced from this work. We believe we have mostly completed the analyses, though, and the main things to do involve writing. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I have received much training in conducting experiments on DNA, and I have learned some bioinformatics skills to examine the data. I have also developed skills working with the public and conducting outreach. Finally, I have developed collaborations with a variety of researchers, which will be very useful in the future. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public, including an Entomology for Gardener's Course through the botanical gardens. We also have a UGA extension publication on common hover flies of Georgia which will be published very soon. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I plan to complete and publish the major manuscripts resulting from this work.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Both of these major project goals are nearly completed. For goal 1, we have all the data from both 2021 and 2022 field seasons, and the analyses are nearly complete. I have drafted the figures we plan to use for publication, somost of what remains involves writing up the manuscript. I also am in the process of writing a review on predacious insect migration. For goal 2, the Hover Flies of Georgia publication is slated to be published in the next few days. I have completedcuration of the hover flies in theUniversity of Georgia Natural History Museum. Specimens are awaiting digitization and I expect the checklist will be published within the next year. The Syrphidae of Illinois publication was published last year (2023).I have also conducted numerous oureach presentations for the public including a course on identifying common backyard arthropods. Overall, I have conducted 15 presentations either at scientific conferences or for a general public audience. I have also published 9peer-reviewed manuscripts, with two more for which I am preparing to submit within the next year.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: Harris-Shultz, K., J. S. Armstrong, J. Knoll, S. Sapkota, and C. Scott Clem. Insect Pollinivores of Sorghum bicolor and Plant Traits that Influence Visitation, Journal of Entomological Science (in review)

Progress 06/15/22 to 06/14/23

Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period we collaborated with a variety of researchers and citizen scientists who have been able to collect and send us hover fly specimens. Through outreach efforts at the Georgia Botanical Gardens, we have also reached a number of citizens in the area. Changes/Problems:Nothing major has changed since the last report. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I have gained numerous skills working in a molecular laboratoryand doing bioinformatics. This has been quite ensightful. I have also conducted a multitude of research and extension presentations over the past 2 project periods. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I am producing two outreach/extension articles about hover flies and other beneficial insects, which will be distributed to the general public. I am also participating in several outreach activities (see Objective 2 above) which will disseminate my work. Finally, I am presenting this work at several professional conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I plan to complete the two objectives. For Objective 1, I plan to finish analyzing and publishing the data. It is a massive dataset and is taking some time. For Objective 2, I plan to finish publishing the Hover Flies of Georgia extension paper and complete my project at the museum.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Both of these major project goals are nearly completed. For goal 1, we have all the data from both 2021 and 2022 field seasons, and we are working to analyze it for publication. For goal 2, the Hover Flies of Georgia publication is nearly complete, and we have other materials slated to be sent out. I am continuing to collaboratewith the University of Georgia Natural History Museum to curate and digitize hover flies from Georgia. I will also be using datasets from other researchers as part of this effort. Furthermore, my checklist of Illinois hover flies has been accepted in the Journal of Insect Science and will be published very soon.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: The humble hover fly: An overview of ecosystem services provided by world-famous mimics. Georgia Entomological Society Meeting, Unicoi State Park, Georgia, April 19-21, 2023 Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Flies on the move: Unpacking evidence and mechanisms of long-distance migration in Nearctic hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). University of Georgia Department of Entomology. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Entomology for Gardeners: Identifying & Understanding Common Backyard Arthropods. University of Georgia Botanical Gardens Workshop for Native Plant Certification Program. April 29, 2023. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: From ground beetles to hover flies: Ecology, conservation, and movement of beneficial arthropods in agriculture. USDA ARS Invited oral presentation, May 5, 2023, Maricopa, AZ.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Mimicry and mayhem: Pollination and other vital ecosystem services provided by hover flies and other overlooked Diptera. Pollinator symposium in Winder, GA organized by Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) June 24, 2023. Invited oral presentation (planned).
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Clem, C. Scott and W.E. Snyder. 2023. An Introductory Guide to Common Hover Flies of Georgia (Diptera: Syrphidae). (accepted pending revision, University of Georgia Extension Bulletin).
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Clem, C. Scott, L. V. Hart, and T. C. McElrath. 2023. A century of Illinois hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae): Museum and citizen science data reveal recent range expansions, contractions, and species of potential conservation significance. (accepted, Journal of Insect Science).
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Clem, C. Scott, K. A. Hobson, and A. N. Harmon-Threatt. 2022. Insights into natal origins of migratory Nearctic hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae): New evidence from stable isotope (?2H) assignment analyses. Ecography, e06465. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.06465.

Progress 06/15/21 to 06/14/22

Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period we collaborated with a variety of researchers and citizen scientists who have been able to collect and send us hover fly specimens. Through outreach efforts at the Georgia Botanical Gardens, we have also reached a number of citizens in the area. Changes/Problems:Objective 1 has mostly gone according to plan so far. In addition to the RADseq population genomics component, I hope to include analyses of microbiomes, plant DNA (pollen), and isotopes. I hope to expand my network for the second sampling season, and get specimens from new locations. For Objective 2 I decided to work with the UGA Botanical Gardens as a whole rather than Connect to Protect. This seems to be more appropiate for my objectives. Other than that, plans are the same. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Through this project so far, I have learnedmethods for extractingand examining the quality of DNA. I have also learned some basic bioinformatics, which I plan to apply to my data once it is received. I have also developed several collaborators through this work, and through presentations at conferences. Finally, I am learning how to create and distribute outreach/extension materials. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I am producing two outreach/extension articles about hover flies and other beneficial insects, which will be distributed to the general public. I am also participating in several outreach activities (see Objective 2 above) which will disseminate my work. Finally, I am presenting this work at several professional conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I will complete the second round of sampling this fall, extract DNA from specimens, and get sequencingdata analyzed. I also plan to participate in a number of outreach/extension activities this upcoming fall and spring. Finally, I will be presenting results of the work atthe Entomology Society of America conference this November.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For Objective 1 I have collected the first years' worth of specimens from several sites across the eastern U.S., extracted their DNA, and we are awaiting sequencing data. I am now beginning to collect specimens for the second year. For Objective 2 I have produced two extension articles and accompanying garden displays which I plan to publish soon. One is a guide to common hover flies of the southeast, and another is a guide to common insect natural enemies. I am coordinating with the Georgia Botanical Gardens to display these pieces. I also have plans to participate in the Insectival festival here in Athens, where I will host a booth about hover flies and other beneficial insects. Finally, I will be leading a beneficial insects identification course through the Georgia Botanical Gardens as part of their native plants certification course. I am also collaborating with the University of Georgia Natural History Museum to curate anddigitize hover flies from Georgia. I will also be using datasets from other researchers as part of this effort. Furthermore, I will soon be publishing an extensive checklist of Illinois hover flies through the Illinois Natural History Survey.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Mechanisms of long-distance hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) migration. Entomological Society of America National Meeting in Denver, CO. Oct 31-Nov 3, 2021. Oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Examining winter survival behavior of Midwestern hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomological Society of America North Central Branch Meeting in Minneapolis, MN. March 20-23, 2022. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Migratory flies? Uncovering long-distance movement of eastern North American hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomological Society of America Southeastern Branch Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. March 26-30, 2022. Invited oral presentation.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Population genomics of the migratory hover fly Eupeodes americanus (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomological Society of America Joint Annual Meeting in Vancouver, CAN. November 13-16, 2022. Oral presentation
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Clem C. Scott, K. A. Hobson, and A. N. Harmon-Threatt. 2022. Do Nearctic hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) engage in long-distance migration? An assessment of evidence and mechanisms. Ecological Monographs, e1542. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1542.