Research in our lab reflects a broad interest in various aspects of insect ecology, from behavioral to population and community ecology; from insect-plant to predator-prey and complex trophic interactions; from the scale of a single leaf to that of the landscape; and from natural to managed agricultural ecosystems. In our work we strive to combine basic ecological principles and problem-solving researchin biological control, integrated pest management, and conservation biology. We employ both theoretical approaches, such as computer simulations and basic analytical models, and experimental work in the field, greenhouse and lab. The integration of ecological and agricultural perspectives in our research enables us to test basic biological principles in simplified, more controllable crop plant systems. At the same time, ecological insights offer us the opportunity to advance biologically-based pest management approaches toward more sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally-friendly agricultural production systems. Thus, specific projects in the lab can be placed at various points along the continuum between basic ecology and applied entomology. To date, our research has focused on three related and sometime overlapping areas: omnivory, spatial dynamics of arthropods in the landscape, and applied entomology. Occasionally, however, students and post-docs conduct research in other fields. Detailed descriptions of specific projects are provided under "Lab members" and "Lab alumni".

Omnivory, feeding on both prey and plant materials (termed, true omnivory) or on prey that occupy different trophic levels (e.g., trophic omnivory, intraguild predation), is widespread in ecological systems. We investigate how availability of various foods influences the behavior (food choice and switching, reproductive biology, predator evasion and more), nutrition, demographic traits, and population dynamics of omnivores, and the structure and function of communities which include omnivorous consumers. Investigations on true omnivory look primarily at omnivorous mites, true bugs and ladybeetles. Studies on IGP occasionally involve parasitoid wasps, as well. Research at the community level is particularly pertinent to the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function. Communities with greater numbers of species are more likely to include consumers that compete with herbivores for shared plant resources, and predators that feed on other predators. Work in our lab and elsewhere suggests that true omnivores are more effective than predators in suppressing pest populations due to their ability to sustain themselves by feeding on pollen, and to stay in the field when prey becomes scarce. Trophic omnivores, however, may have a negative effect on biological pest control; they may release herbivore populations from natural control by preying on effective predators of pest species. The challenge is to (i) identify and avoid conditions under which true omnivores become pests and damage crops, and (ii) promote synergistic actions oftrophic omnivores and other predators, to better suppress pest populations in the field.

Spatial dynamics (movement) of consumers among patch habitats in the landscape is a central force influencing population dynamics and community structure and function. Our work in this field is aimed at (i) understanding how properties of crop and non-crop vegetation influence the activity of pests and their natural enemies, and thus the extent of crop damage and biological pest control in agricultural fields, and (ii) assessing the influence of pest and enemy spillovers from crop fields on nearby natural communities. Towards the first objective, we work to minimize adverse effects of weeds and natural vegetation that serve as sources of pest infestations for neighboring crops. At that same time, we aim to maximize the biological control services such non-crop vegetation provides for farmers. We are particularly interested in enhancing the activity of omnivorous predators and parasitoids of key agricultural pests through the supply of plant-provided resources.Such conservation of biological control should be the foundation for anymodern agricultural system. Our research on agriculture spillovers is rooted in the recognition that pests and enemies may leave agricultural fields in large numbers after harvest, and colonize nearby natural habitats. Such large spillovers can subsidize natural communities, potentially altering their structure and function. This effect may be important for conservation biology, especially in arid regions. In these areas, there is a pronounced difference between highly productive crop fields which are typically irrigated, fertilized, densely planted and enemy-enhanced, and the surrounding parched landscape characterized by sparse vegetation and low animal densities. Any large scale influx of pests and enemies between agricultural and natural habitats may increase herbivory on desert plants, availability of prey to local predators, and the intensity of antagonistic interactions between agricultural and desert-based enemies. Such effects could dramatically alter characteristics of desert communities such as species diversity, dynamics, trophic interactions, and matter and energy flow.

Applied entomology work in our lab is aimed at developing sustainable pest management systems with minimal use of pesticides that jeopardize human health and the environment. Such systems rely on cost-effective pest monitoring; scientifically-established economic thresholds; the use of pest resistant cultivars; effective pest-suppressing cultural practices; and conservation and enhancement of naturally-occurring predators, parasitoids and pathogens of key pests. Our efforts include all of these components and typically involve investigations of relationships among crop plants, pests and natural enemies, and the environmental factors influencing these relationships. To date, our applied work has addressed a variety of pests, including aphids, thrips, pestiferous mites, moth and butterfly larvae, beetles and flies; natural enemies such as parasitoid wasps and predatory mites, ladybeetles, lacewings and true bugs); and various vegetable, field and fruit crops such as cabbage, strawberries, pepper, tomato, wheat, cotton, potato, pears and olives. We have investigated topics such as the effect of nitrogen fertilization on pests and enemies, preference and performance of pests and enemies on various crop plants, colonization time of crops by pests and enemies, pest and parasitoid dispersal, distribution patterns of pests in the field, the effect of field conditions on pest populations, release rate of natural enemies in biological control programs, to name a few. As a result of our research, pesticide applications to potato, strawberry, pepper, avocado and pear crops have been drastically reduced or eliminated.

 

	Name	Position	Research	Comments
Moshe Coll	Moshe COLL  Ph.D. Entomology UMD	Professor of Insect Ecology	Applied insect ecology Biological pest control
Moshe Coll	Ruth Ann YONAH  BSc: Cornell Univ, USA MSc: Entomology, HU Rehovot	Lab manager & Technician	Insect taxonomy, biology and mass rearing
Moshe Coll	Maria Dally  BSc: TAU 2014 Biology MSc: HU Rehovot, 2017 Environmental Quality	PhD student	MSc: Intra-specific variation in fitness gained by pollen-feeding in Hippodamia variegata PDF PhD: Utilization of plant and prey food sources by omnivorous insects: the role of symbiotic bacteria	CoA: Einat Zchori-Fein
Moshe Coll	Shahar Oz  BSc: HU Rehovot, 2015 Agroecology and Plant Health	MSc student	The Effect of prey and plant-provided food availability in the habitat on the diet of the seven-spotted ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata
Moshe Coll	Michal Eldar-Liebreich  BSc: HU Rehovot, 2005 Plant Science and Biotechnology MSc: HU Rehovot, 2009 Plant Science	PhD student	Evaluation of the relations between arthropod biodiversity and phytochemical diversity in crop yield
Moshe Coll	Shaked ESHET  BSc: HU Rehovot, 2005 Plant Sci.	MSc student, Agroecology and Plant Health	Omnivore Microbe interactions	CoA: Einat Zchori-Fein
Moshe Coll	Tal SHAPIRA  BSc: HUJI 2009, Life Sci. MSc: HU Rehovot, 2015 Environmental Quality	PhD student	Effect of pollinators, pests and their natural enemies on fruit and seed set: Plant-mediated interacting ecosystem services	CoA: Yael Mandelik

 

Books - Edited

Coll M. and J.R. Ruberson (eds.) 1998. Predatory Heteroptera: Their ecology and use in biological control. Thomas Say Publications, Entomological Society of America. Lanham, MD. 233 pp.

Gerling, D., Steinberg, S., and M. Coll. 2016. Pest Management in an Ever-Changing World. Proceedings of the IOBC/WPRS Working Group "Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Mediterranean Climate", Rehovot, Israel, 11-15 October 2015. 119pp.

Coll M. and E. Wajnberg (eds). 2017. Environmental Pest Management: Challenges for Agronomists, Ecologists, Economists and Policymakers. Wiley-Blackwell Pub. 448pp.

Chapters in Collections

Coll M. 1998. Living and feeding on plants in predatory Heteroptera. 89-130. In M. Coll & J.R Ruberson (eds.) Predatory Heteroptera in agroecosystems: Their ecology and use in biological control. Thomas Say Publications, Entomological Society of America. 233 pp.

Coll M. and J.R. Ruberson. 1998. Predatory Heteroptera: An important yet neglected group of natural enemies. 1-6. In M. Coll & J.R. Ruberson (eds.) Predatory Heteroptera in agroecosystems: Their ecology and use in biological control. Thomas Say Publications, Entomological Society of America. 233 pp.

RubersonJ.R. and M. Coll. 1998. Research needs for the predaceous Heteroptera. 225-233. In M. Coll & J.R. Ruberson (eds.) Predatory Heteroptera in agroecosystems: Their ecology and use in biological control. Thomas Say Publications, Entomological Society of America. 233 pp.

Coll M. 1998. Parasitoids activity and plant species composition in intercropped systems. 85-120. In C.H. Pickett & R. Bugg (eds.) Enhancing biological control: habitat management to promote natural enemies of agricultural pests. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 422 pp.

Coll M. 1999. Anthocoridae. In K.L. Steffey et al.,  Handbook of corn insects, Entomological Society of America, Lanham, MD. 164 pp.

Coll M. and K.R. Hopper. 2004. Guild structure of aphid parasitoids in broccoli: influence of host and neighboring crops. p 259-264. In NM Endersby & PM Ridland eds. The management of diamondback moth and other crucifer pests. The Regional Institute Ltd, Gosford NSW, Australia. 415pp

Coll M. 2004. Precision agriculture approaches in support of ecological engineering for pest management, p. 133-142. In G.M. Gurr, S.D. Wratten & M.A. Altieri (eds.) Ecological engineering for pest management: advances in habitat manipulation for arthropods. CSIRO Publishing, Australia. 225pp.

Coll M.  2009.  Feeding on non-prey resources by natural enemies, p. ix-xxiii. An invited Foreword Chapter, ix-xxiii pp. In J. G. Lundgran, Relationships of Natural Enemies and Non-Prey Foods. Springer Publishers. 453pp.

Coll M. and E. Wajnberg. 2017. Environmental Pest Management: a Call for Shifting from a Pest-Centric to System-Centric Approach. 1-18p.           In: Coll M. and E. Wajnberg (eds). Environmental Pest Management: Challenges for Agronomists, Ecologists, Economists and Policymakers. Wiley-Blackwell Pub. 448pp.

Coll M. and E. Wajnberg. 2017. Environmental Pest Management: a call for shifting from a pest-centric to system-centric approach. 405-418p. In: Coll M. and E. Wajnberg (eds). Environmental Pest Management: the Need for Long-Term Governmental Commitment. Wiley-Blackwell Pub. 448pp.

Review and Editorial Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals

Hardin M.R., Benrey B., Coll M., Lamp W.O., Roderick G.K. and P. Barbosa. 1995. Arthropod pest resurgence: an overview of potential mechanisms. Forum Paper Crop Protection, 14: 3-18.

Coll M. and M. Guershon. 2002  Omnivory in terrestrial arthropods: mixing plant and prey diets. Invited Review Annual Review of Entomology, 47: 267-297.

Rosenheim J.A. and M. Coll. 2008. Pest-centric vs. process-centric research in agricultural entomology. Commentary. American Entomologist, 54: 70-72.

Coll M. 2009. Conservation biological control and the management of biological control services: are they the same? Invited Editorial Phytoparasitica 37: 205-208.

Scientific Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals

Oron U., Sokolover M., Yawetz A., Broza M., Sneh B. and A. Honigman. 1985. Ultrastructural changes in the larval midgut epithelium of Spodopteralittoralis following ingestion of endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis var entomocidus.Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 45: 353-355.

Coll M., Hefetz A. and H.A. Lloyd. 1987. Adnexal glands chemistry of Messor ebeninus Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung, 42: 1027-1029.

Coll M. and D.G. Bottrell. 1991. Microhabitat and resource selection of the European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its natural enemies in field corn. Environmental Entomology, 20: 526-533.

Coll M. and D.G. Bottrell. 1992. Mortality by natural enemies in European corn borer larvae in different corn micro-habitats. Biological Control, 2: 95-103.

Coll M., Garcia de Mendoza L. and G.K. Roderick. 1994. Population structure of a predatory beetle: the importance of gene flow for intertrophic level interactions. Heredity, 72: 228-236.

Coll M. and D.G. Bottrell. 1994. Effects of a nonhost plant on an insect herbivore in diverse habitats. Ecology, 75: 723-731.

Coll M. and D.G. Bottrell. 1995. Predator-prey association in mono- and di-cultures: Effect of maize and bean vegetation. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 54: 115-125.

Coll M. and R.L. Ridgway. 1995. Functional and numerical responses of Oriusinsidiosus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) to its prey in different vegetable crops. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 88: 732-738.

Coll M. 1996. Feeding and ovipositing on plants by an omnivorous insect predator. Oecologia, 105: 214-220.

RapusasH.R., Bottrell D.G. and M. Coll. 1996. Intraspecific variation in the chemical attraction of rice to insect predators. Biological Control, 6: 394-400.

Coll M. and D.G. Bottrell. 1996. Movement of an insect parasitoid in simple and diverse plant assemblages. Ecological Entomology, 21: 141-144.

AtakanE., Coll M. and D. Rosen. 1996. Within-plant distribution of thrips and their predators: effects of cotton variety and developmental stage. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 86: 641-646.

Coll M., Smith L.A. and R.L. Ridgway. 1997. Effect of plants on the searching efficiency of a generalist predator: the importance of predator-prey spatial association. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 83: 1-10.

Coll M ., Fleischer S.J. and D. Rosen. 1997. Marking potato tuberworm (Lepidoptera: Gelecheiidae) with rubidium for dispersal studies. Journal of Economic Entomology, 90:154-159.

Coll M. and S. Izraylevich. 1997. When predators also feed on plants: effects of competition and plant quality on omnivore-prey population dynamics. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 90: 155-161.

Coll M and S. Abd-Rabou. 1998. Effect of oil emulsion sprays on parasitoids of the Black Parlatoria, Parlatoria ziziphi(Lucas), in Grapefruit. BioControl, 43: 29-37.

Zhou X., Coll M. and S.W. Applebaum. 2000. Effect of temperature and photoperiod on juvenile hormone biosynthesis and sexual maturation in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera: implications for life history traits. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 30: 863-868.

Zchori-Fein E., Gottlieb Y. and M. Coll. 2000 Wolbachia density and host fitness components in Muscidifurax uniraptor(Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 75: 267-272.

Zhou X., Factor O., Applebaum S.W. and M. Coll. 2000  Population structure of the pestiferous moth Helicoverpaarmigera (Hubner) in the eastern Mediterranean using RAPD analysis. Heredity, 85: 251-256.

Coll M., Gavish S. and I. Dori. 2000  Population biology of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaeaoperculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in two potato cropping systems in Israel. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 90: 309-315.

Zhou X., Applebaum S.W. and M. Coll. 2000 Overwintering and spring migration in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpaarmigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Israel. Environmental Entomology, 29: 1289-1294.

Nevo E. and M. Coll. 2001 Effects of nitrogen fertilization on Aphis gossypii: variations in color, size and reproduction. Journal of Economic Entomology,94: 27-32.

Shaltiel L. and M. Coll.  2004. Reduction of pear psylla damage by the predatory bug Anthocorisnemoralis (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae): The importance of orchard colonization time and neighboring vegetation. Biocontrol Science & Technology, 14: 811-821.

MulatuB., Applebaum S.W. and M. Coll. 2004. A recently acquired host plant provides an oligophagous insect herbivore with enemy-free space. Oikos 107: 231-238.

Coll M. and B. Yuval. 2004. Larval food-plants affect flight and reproduction in an oligophagous insect herbivore. Environmental Entomology, 33: 1471-1476.

Ode P.J., Hopper K.R. and M. Coll. 2005. Oviposition vs. offspring fitness in Aphidius colemani parasitizing different aphid species. Entomologia, Experimentalis et Applicata, 115: 303-310.

Groenteman R., Guershon M. and M. Coll. 2006.  Effects of leaf nitrogen content on oviposition site selection, offspring performance and intraspecific interactions in an omnivorous bug. Ecological Entomology, 31: 155-161.

Mulatu B., Applebaum S.W., Kerem Z. and M. Coll. 2006. Tomato fruit size, maturity and a-tomatine content influence the performance of potato tuber moth larvae. Bulletin of Entomological Research 96: 173-178.

MulatuB., ApplebaumS.W. and M. Coll. 2006. Effect of tomato leaf traits on the potato tuber moth and its predominant larval parasitoid: a mechanism for enemy-free space. Biological Control, 37: 231-236.

Bilu E.,  Hopper K.R. and M. Coll. 2006. Host choice by Aphidius colemani:effects of plants, plant-aphid combinations and the presence of intraguild predators. Ecological Entomology, 31: 331-336

Coll M., Shakya S., Shouster I., Y. Nenner and S. Steinberg. 2007 Decision-making tools for Frankliniella occidentalismanagement in strawberry: consideration of target markets EntomologiaExperimentalis et Applicata, 122: 59-67

Beck M. and M. Coll. 2007. Plant and prey consumption cause similar reductions in cannibalism by an omnivorous bug. Journal of Insect Behavior, 20: 67-76.

Bilu E. and M. Coll. 2007. The importance of intraguild interactions to the combined effect of a parasitoid and a predator on aphid population suppression.  BioControl, 52:753–763.

Mulatu B., Applebaum S.W. and M. Coll. 2007. Biological performance of potato tuber moth on tomatoes leaves. Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia 11: 61-67.

Coll M. and L. Hughes. 2008.  Effects of elevated CO₂ on an insect omnivore: a test for nutritional effects mediated by host plants and prey.  Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 123: 271-279.

Gavish E., Lubin Y. and M. Coll. 2008. Migration patterns and functional groups of spiders in a desert agroecosystem. Ecological Entomology, 33: 202–212

Bilu E. and M. Coll. 2009. Parasitized aphids are inferior prey for a coccinellid predator: implications for intraguild predation. Environmental Entomology, 38: 153-158.

Gavish E., Rotkopf R., Lubin Y. and M. Coll. 2009. Consumption of aphids by spiders and the effect of additional prey: evidence from microcosm experiments. BioControl, 54: 341-350.

Leon-Beck M. and M. Coll. 2009.  The mating system of the flower bug Orius laevigatus. Biological Control, 50: 199-203.

Shakya S., Weintraub P. and M. Coll.  2009. Effect of pollen supplement on intraguild predatory interactions between two omnivores: the importance of spatial dynamics. Biological Control, 50: 281-287.

Miller E., Coll M. and L. Stone. 2010. Complementary predation on metamorphosing species promotes stability in predator-prey systems. Theoretical Ecology, 3: 153-161.

Shakya S., Coll M. and P. Weintraub.  2010. Incorporation of intraguild predation into a pest management decision-making tool: the case of thrips and two pollen-feeding predators in strawberry.  Journal of Economic Entomology, 103: 1086-1093

Miller E. and M. Coll. 2010. Spatial distribution and deviations from the Ideal Free Distribution when animals forage over large resource patches. Behavioral Ecology, 21: 927-935.

Tabic A., Yonah R. and M. Coll. 2010. Association between omnivorous Orius bugs and their thrips prey at different spatial scales of Verbesinaencelioides flowers. Israel Journal of Plant Science, 58: 131-141.

Shaltiel-HarpazL., R. Kedoshim, D. Openhiem,  R. Sterna and M. Coll. 2010. Effect of host plant makeup, nitrogen fertilization and growth regulators on pear psylla populations. Israel Journal of Plant Science, 58: 149-156.

MaozY., Gal S., Zilberstein M., Noy M., Izhar Y., Alchanatis V., Coll M. and E. Palevsky. 2011.  Determining an economic injury level for the persea mite Oligonychusperseae, a new pest of avocados in Israel. EntomologiaExperimentalis et Applicata, 138: 110-116.

Moles A.T., 26 co-authors, Coll M., 21 co-authors.  2011. Putting plant resistance traits on the map: a test of the idea that plants are better defended at lower latitudes.  New Phytologist, 191: 777-788.

Maoz Y., Gal S., Argov Y., Coll M. and E. Palevsky. 2011. Biocontrol of persea mite, Oligonychusperseae, with an exotic spider mite predator and an indigenous pollen feeder. Biological Control, 59: 147-157.

Miller E. and M. Coll. 2012. Effects of local interaction range and mobility on the spatio-temporal dynamics of competing animals in uniform habitats. Population Ecology, 54: 205-212.

Schuldiner-Harpaz T. and M. Coll 2012.  Identification of Orius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) females based on egg operculum structure. Journal of Economic Entomology, 105(5): 1520-1523

Neeson T.M., Salomon M. and M. Coll. 2013 . Nutrient-specific foraging leads to Allee  effects and dynamic functional responses. Oikos, 122: 265-273.

Schuldiner-Harpaz T. and M. Coll. 2013. Effects of global warming on predatory bugs supported by data across geographic and seasonal climatic gradients. PLoS ONE 8(6): e66622. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066622.

Maoz Y., Gal S., Argov Y., Domeratzky S., Melamed E., Gan-Mor S., Coll M., Palevsky E. 2014. Efficacy of indigenous phytoseiids against the citrus rust mite (Phyllocoptruta oleivora): augmentation and conservation biological control in Israeli citrus orchards. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 63: 295–312.

Adler V.H., Lubin Y. and M. Coll. 2014. Spillover of crop herbivores into adjacent desert habitats. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 193, 117–124.

Salomon M., Aflalo E.D., Coll M. and Y. Lubin. 2015. Dramatic histological changes preceding suicidal maternal care in the subsocial spider Stegodyphus lineatus (Araneae: Eresidae). Journal of Arachnology, 43: 77-85.

RozenbergT., Shealtiel-Harpaz L. and M. Coll. 2015. Visualizing eggs of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Heteroptera: Miridae) embedded in tomato plant tissues. Entomological Science, 18: 400-402.

Maoz, Y., Gal, S., Argov, Y., Domeratzky, S., Coll, M., and Palevsky, E. (2016). Intraguild interactions among specialised pollen feeders and generalist phytoseiids and their effect on citrus rust mite suppression. Pest management science, 72: 940-949.

Schuldiner‐Harpaz, T., and Coll M. (2016). Estimating the effect of plant‐provided food supplements on pest consumption by omnivorous predators: lessons from two coccinellid beetles. Pest Management Science, 73: 976-983.

Schuldiner-Harpaz, T., Coll M., and Weintraub, P.G. (2016). Prey and pollen food choice depends on prbevious diet in an omnivorous predatory mite. Environmental Entomology, 45: 995-998.

Schuldiner-Harpaz, T. and M. Coll. (2017). Effect of diet history on prey and pollen food choice by two lady beetle species. Journal of Insect Behavior, 30: 432-438.

Schuldiner-Harpaz T. and M. Coll. Mixing prey and plant foods: the influence of proximity and spatial distribution of complementary resources on pest consumption by omnivores. Pest Management Science (submitted)

Graduate Students

	Name	Grad.	Title	Comments
Moshe Coll	Sivan GAVISH BSc: Plant Protection, HU Rehovot  Current Post: Research Ass.,  ARO, Ministry of Agriculture	M.Sc. 1997	Integrated control of the potato tuberworm,  Phthorimaea operculella (Zeler): The ecological background PDF	CoA: D. Rosen
Moshe Coll	Yossi SARID BSc: Plant Protection, HU Rehovot  Current Post: Pollination Services,  Yad Mordechai	M.Sc. 1998	Spatio-temporal dynamics of pest population in field crops PDF
Moshe Coll	Ettay NEVO BSc  Current Post: Science Reporter,  Israel National Radio	M.Sc. 1999	The effect of nitrogen fertilization on cotton aphid,  Aphis gossypii Glover, in cotton PDF
Moshe Coll	Xiaofeng Zhou BSc: Agric, Zhejiang Univ. CHINA Current Post: Research Scientist,  University of Toledo, OH, USA	Ph.D. 2000	Physiological and Ecological Aspects of Migration and Diapause in the Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera PDF	CoA: S. Applebaum
Moshe Coll	Ronny GROENTEMAN Cont Ed: PhD, Univ. Canterbury, NZ Current Post: Landcare Research, Lincoln NZ	B.Sc. Honor (Amirim) 2001  M.Sc. 2004	Factors that affect predation and reproduction in the omnivorous bug Orius albidipennis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) PDF Intraspecific and intraguild effects on egg deposition by Orius albidipennis Reuter PDF
Moshe Coll	Einat BILU (BEN-BINYAMIN) BSc: Plant Protection, HU Rehovot Current Post: Manager, Fresh Ag product Qual & Safety, Mor Int'l	M.Sc. 2001 Ph.D. 2006	Host range and the effect of plants on the parasitic wasp Aphidius colemani Optimal host choice by the parasitic wasp Aphidius colemani Viereck: influence of host, host plant and predators PDF	Combined PhD program
Moshe Coll	Ayala LELLOUCHE (YAACOV) BSc:  Current Post: Current Post: R&D, BioBee, Sde Eliyahu	M.Sc. 2001	Development of decision-making tools for the control of the western flower thrips Franklinella occidentalis (Pergande) in protected sweet pepper in the Arava valley PDF	CoA: S. Steinberg
Moshe Coll	Yuval GOTTLIEB BSc, MSc: Zoology, Tel Aviv Univ. Current Post: Ass. Prof., Vet School, HU	M.Sc. 2001 Ph.D. 2006	Influences of parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachiaon its parasitic-wasp hosts PDF	CoA: E. Zehori-Fein
	Daniel GOLDMAN BSc: Current Post: R&D, BioBee, Sde Eliyahu	M.Sc. 2001	Reproductive development in Orius laevigatus(Fieber) a predatory bug of the Western Flower Thrips PDF	CoA: S. Steinberg
Moshe Coll	Bayeh MULATU BSc, MSc: Alemaya University, ETHIOPIA Current Post: Senior Res Entomol, Ethiopian Inst. Agric. Res.	Ph.D. 2002	Tritrophic level interactions in Ethiopian tomato systems: effects of plants on potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea opercuella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and its parasitoids PDF	CoA: S. Applebaum
Moshe Coll	Lior ROTHENBERG BSc: HU Rehovot Current Post: Current Post: Tour Guide, Nirtours4u	M.Sc. 2002	Temporal and spatial dynamic of guilds of Hymenoptera parasitoids attacking aphids in various agricultural crops PDF	CoA: S. Applebaum
Moshe Coll	Liora SHALTIEL-HARPAZ BSc, MSc: Ecology, BGU  Current Post: Ass. Prof. Tel Hai College	Ph.D. 2002	The spatial dynamics of the omnivorousHeteroptera anthocoris nemoralis : Effects of host plants and prey PDF
Moshe Coll	Inbar SHOUSTER BSc: Plant Protection, HU Rehovot  Current Post:R&D, BioFly, Sde Eliyahu	M.Sc. 2003	Ecological and agricultural implication of tritrophic level interactions between strawberry plants, the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis, and the predatory bug Orius laevigatus PDF
Moshe Coll	Efrat GAVISH BSc: Ecology, BGU  Current Post:Post-Doc Fellow, Tel Aviv Univ	M.Sc. 2003  Ph.D. 2008	Spider assemblages in natural and agri-cultural systems in the Negev desert Herbivores Suppression by Generalist Predators in Desert Agroecosystems PDF	Ben Gurion Univ.; Combined PhD programCoA: Y. Lubin
Moshe Coll	Ezer MILLER BSc, MSc: Physics, BGU  Current Post:Post-Doc Fellow, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology	M.Sc. 2005 Ph.D. 2010	The effect of searching efficiency on predator-prey dynamics: empirical and theoretical study of the omnivorous bug Orius laevigatus and its prey PDF Spatial and temporal dynamics of structured-populations: Theoretical analyses PDF
Moshe Coll	Sulochana SHAKYA BSc: NEPAL  Current Post:Ass. Prof., Himalayan Coll. Agric Sci & Technol. & NGO VP, NEPAL	M.Sc. 2005	Damage by Western flower thrips, Frankaliniella occidentalis to strawberry: Effect of pest density, pollen and interaction between its predators Orius laevigatus and Neoseiulus cucumeris PDF PDF	CoA: P. Weintraub
	Sharon TAM BSc: Plant Prot, HU Rehovot  Current Post: Gedera Seed Co.	M.Sc. 2005	Aspects of the ecology and biological control of the Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L.: population dynamics, host plant effect and parasitoid guild structure PDF
Moshe Coll	Berhanu KASSAHUN BSc: Alemaya University, ETHIOPIA  Current Post:Post Grad studies, Gent Univ, Belgium	M.Sc. 2005	Parasitism by Diadgama semiclausum of diamondback moth larvae on three cruciferous host plants PDF	Non-thesis International MSc Program
Moshe Coll	Arnon TABIC Current Post: R&D, BioBee, Sde Eliyahu	B.Sc. Honor Amirim 2006  M.Sc. 2008	Spatial predator-prey interactions between omnivorous Orius predators and their thrips Prey PDF Biological control of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) in Israel PDF	CoA: E. Zehori-Fein
Moshe Coll	Arnon ALLOUCHE BSc:  Current Post:R&D, BioBee, Sde Eliyahu	M.Sc. 2006	The omnivorous bug Creontiades pallidus Rambur (Heteroptera: Miridae) in pepper: When does damage occur?	CoA: S. Steinberg
	Yftach MATALON BSc:	M.Sc. 2006	Various aspects of the interactions between the symbiotic bacterium Cardinium and its insect hostsPDF PDF	CoA: E. Zehori-Fein
Moshe Coll	Carmit SOFER BSc: Plant Sci, HU Rehovot  Current Post: High school teacher, Kiryat Shmona	M.Sc. 2006	Reproduction and population expansion of thorny weeds in pasture PDF	CoA: J. Kigel
Moshe Coll	Mika (LEON) BECK BSc: Animal Sci, HU Rehovot  Current Post: PhD studies Sci Edu, HU	M.Sc. 2007	The reproductive biology of the omnivorous bug Orius laevigatus PDF
Moshe Coll	Bishnu KUMARI BHANDARI BSc: NEPAL  Current Post: PhD studies, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany	M.Sc. 2007	Interactions between the predatory bug Orius laevigatus and the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae, natural enemies of the Western Flower Thrips PDF	Non-thesis International MSc Program
Moshe Coll	Yonatan MAOZ BSc: Life Sci. Tel Aviv Univ Current Post: ענף האבוקדו, מועצת הצמחים	MSc 2008 PhD 2014	Msc- Integrated pest management of Oligonychus perseae: Development of action thresholds, conservation and identification of indigenous natural enemies. PhD- Pollen provisioning in orchard systems and its effect on intraguild interactions among omnivorous mites and their pestiferous prey in citrus. PDF	CoA: E. Palevsky CoA: E. Palevsky
Moshe Coll	Lea SELLA BSc:  Current Post: Pest Scout	M.Sc. 2009	The honeydew moth, Cryptoblabes gnidiella Milliere (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in vineyards and deciduous groves and its control PDF	CoA: A. Harari
Moshe Coll	Dinesh KAFLE BSc: NEPAL  Current Post: Agric Officer, NGO, NEPAL	M.Sc. 2010	Effects of secondary compounds on host plant preference by the phloem-feeding insect, Bamisia tabaci , and the predatory omnivorous insect, Orius laevigatus PDF	CoA: S. Morin
Moshe Coll	Carmit TAL BSc: Plant Prot. HU Rehovot  Current Post: Res Ass, Eden Exp St.	M.Sc. 2011	Biological control of Polyphagotarsonemus latus(Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae mite Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) PDF	CoA: P. Weintraub
Moshe Coll	Tarryn Schuldiner-Harpaz BSc: Life Sci, HU Current Post: Post-Doc Fellow, Evolution of butterfly wing pattern at Cambridge Univ, UK	M.Sc. 2011  PhD 2017 (Combined PhD program)	Biological control of cereal aphids in wheat: Implications of alternative foods and intraguild predation PDF
	Nurit SHAPIRA BSc, MSc: Life Sci, Tel Aviv Univ	M.Sc. 2011	Populations of Western Flower Thrips and theirOrius predators on sweet pepper, ornamental plants and wild vegetation in the Arava Valley PDF
Moshe Coll	Debora DIAZ BSc: CHILE	M.Sc. 2011	Effect of diet on the reproductive biology of the omnivorous bug Orius laevigatus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)
Moshe Coll	Valeria Hochman Adler BSc: Nat'l Univ of La Pampa, ARGENTINA    MSc: Ecology, BGU	PhD 2013	Spillover of agriculturally subsidized arthropods to adjacent natural arid habitats: effects on community structure	CoA: Yael Lubin
	Teklay HAILU ABAY	MSc 2013	Food mixing in omnivorous lady beetles
Moshe Coll	Diego SERCOVICH Agr. Eng: Univ. Nacional de Cordoba, ARGENTINA Current Post: Yad Mordecai Pollination Services	MSc 2014	The effect of manure management and mass release of pteromalid parasitoids on populations of two pestiferous fly species in dairy farms PDF	CoA: Yuval Gottlieb
Moshe Coll	Maor ELRON BSc: Plant Sci, HU Rehovot Current Post: Keren Kayemet- JNF	MSc 2014	Combined effects of wheat domestication and the shift to monoculture on arthropod community and trophic interactions PDF
Moshe Coll	Tamir ROSENBERG  B.Sc: Tel Hai College Current Post: Ben Gurion University of the Negev	MSc 2016	Resistance of wild and domesticated tomato species for the tomato leafminer moth, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), and its natural enemy, the bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Heteroptera: Miridae) PDF	CoA: Liora Shealtiel
Moshe Coll	Yaron Avshalom	Undergraduate student (Amirim) 2016-2017	השפעת הפיזור המרחבי של חומר צמחי וטרף על רמת הטריפה בצרכנים אומניבוריים PDF
Moshe Coll	Anil Pokhrel BSc: University of Nepal	M.Sc. 2017	Pollen consumption by field populations of the seven-spotted ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata PDF
Moshe Coll	Naveh Hartzano-Gull BSc: Agroecology and Plant Health, HU Rehovot	M.Sc. 2018	Development of tools for management of the False Codling Moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta PDF

 

Post-Doctoral-Fellows

Moshe Coll	Dr. Einat ZCHORI-FEIN BSc HU Rehovot;  MSc Cornell Univ. USA;  PhD Entomol. HU Rehovot  Current Post: Current Post: Senior Researcher, Agric. Res. Org., Min. Agric.	1997-2000	Arthropod Endosymbionts PDF PDF
Moshe Coll	Dr. Moshe GUERSHON BSc, MSc, PhD  Current Post: Curator & Researcher, Tel Aviv Univ.	1998-2000	Behavioral ecology of omnivorous bugs
Moshe Coll	Dr. Yuval GOTTLIEB BSc: Zool, Tel Aviv Univ; MSc, PhD Entomol, HU Rehovot  Current Post: Ass. Prof., Vet School, HU	2004-2006	Endosymbionts of insect parasitoids PDF PDF PDF
Moshe Coll	Dr. Liora SHALTIEL-HARPAZ BSc, MSc: Ecology, BGU;  PhD Entomol, HU Rehovot  Current Post: Ass. Prof. Tel Hai College	2005-2008	Chemical ecology of herbivore-plant interactions
Moshe Coll	Dr. Mor SALOMON BSc, MSc, PhD: Ecology, BGU  Current Post: Res Sci, Cohen Inst for BioCont, IL	2009-2011	Nutritional ecology of omnivorous arthropods
Moshe Coll	Dr. Thomas NEESON  BS, MS: Case Western Reserve Univ, USA  MA, PhD: University of Michigan, USA  Current Post: Post-Doc Univ of Wisconsin	2011-2012	Nutrient-specific foraging and omnivore-prey population dynamics Website: http://cscs.umich.edu/~neeson	Post-Doctoral Fellow
Moshe Coll	Jessica SCHAECKERMANN MSc: Gottingen University, Germany  PhD: Leuphana University, Germany	2013	Management of agricultural field edges to enhance populations of beneficial insects	Co-Host: Yael Mandelik
Moshe Coll	Assaf Sadeh PhD: University of Haifa Researcher. Dept. of Natural Resources, The Volcani Center. website	2014-2015	Evolution of cannibalism and the involvement of micro-organisms

 

Visiting Scientists

Moshe Coll	Prof. Ekrem ATAKAN	1995	Department of Plant Protection,  University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey	6 month visit
	Dr. Shaaban ABD-RABOU	1997	Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt	3 month visit
Moshe Coll	Prof. Jay ROSENHEIM	2007	UC Davis, USA	1 yr Sabbatical

 

Thank you for your interest in our research and for considering the possibility of joining us. Positions and opportunities become available from time to time so I may be on the lookout for new enthusiastic undergraduate students, excellent graduate students, and promising post-doctoral fellows to join the lab.

Several opportunities exist for undergraduate students to gain research experience in ecology and plant protection. Students may assist with lab and field experiments, conduct an independent research project or, if you are an Amirim (Honor) student, perform your own research, which could be part of your M.Sc. thesis later on. So feel free to send me an email or stop by my office (Eizenberg Bldg., room 2) for more information.

I accept M.Sc. and Ph.D. students primarily through two graduate programs (Hugim) on campus, "Agroecology and Plant Health Program" and " Environmental Quality and Natural Resources". Each program has a different focus, they provide different training, and have different requirements. Consult the programs' websites (http://limudim.agri.huji.ac.il/ma_1.html) and program heads to explore how these programs could match your interest and long-term goals. Then, I invite you to contact me by email or in person (Eizenberg Bldg., room 2) for more information.

In my work with the students I :

• expect each student to have an intellectual input in shaping his or her research project;
• make myself available to the students. 
  This, however, differ between students as some need more guidance than others;
• encourage students to interact with others in the lab, the department and elsewhere; and
• strive to create a productive, intellectually-interesting, collaborative atmosphere in the lab
  so the years of hard work in the lab are challenging , rewarding, enjoyable and memorable.

 

Usually, students are supported by research grants that I receive and their work is therefore on topics related to those grants. A few graduate students may receive Teaching Assistantships to supplement their fellowships. However, there are only a few TA's in the Entomology Department. Some students, and more so post doctoral fellows, may be supported by scholarships or other funding sources that they have secured (often with my help). In either case, I expect all the students to become well informed in their respective fields, take initiatives in proposing new research directions, actively pursue additional funding sources, and teach themselves new methodologies and approaches.

Finally, lab alumni have been highly successful in their post graduate placement. Some hold now academic (Tel Hai College, Hebrew University) or research positions in Israel (Agriculture Research Organization, Tel Aviv University) and abroad (Ethiopia, Nepal, New Zealand); others work with International NGO's, serve as research technicians in the public and private sectors (Agriculture Research Organization, Bio-Bee), hold various positions in agribusiness (seed companies, pollination service providers, agricultural export, nurseries, more), and one even serves as a science reporter on Israel National Radio. I am very proud of them all. I believe that their experience working in basic and applied insect ecology made it all possible.

Work:

Insects:

International:

Social: