Hunter laboratory at the University of Arizona
Encarsia females with whitefly nymphs. Photo credit Alex Wild
|
Leptoglossus zonatus. Photo credit Al Reina
|
Welcome
In the Hunter laboratory, we study the ecology and evolution of interactions between microbial symbionts and their insect hosts. We are currently studying the mechanisms of reproductive manipulation of Encarsia parasitoids by the symbiont Cardinium, and the transmission and fitness consequences of the environmentally-acquired Burkholderia on the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus.
In the Hunter laboratory, we study the ecology and evolution of interactions between microbial symbionts and their insect hosts. We are currently studying the mechanisms of reproductive manipulation of Encarsia parasitoids by the symbiont Cardinium, and the transmission and fitness consequences of the environmentally-acquired Burkholderia on the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus.
The Cardinium group met for our annual retreat in Raleigh in Dec. 2025, hosted by our NC State collaborators Manuel Kleiner and Olivia Mathieson. From L to R Olivia Mathieson, Matt Doremus, Stephan Schmitz-Esser, Dylan Schultz, Molly Hunter, Manuel Kleiner.
|
Lab News Spring 2026. PhD students Edwin Umanzor and Liam Sullivan near the finish line for their dissertations. 
We recently concluded a two year field study of bug acquisition of the symbiont Caballeronia in caged whole trees. In October of 2025, collaborator Alison Ravenscraft visited the field site and posed for a selfie with the Tucson field crew! Alison is holding the camera, and the back row is Liam Sullivan, Suzanne Kelly, Edwin Umanzor and Molly Hunter
|
