Anh graduated with her Ph.D. in entomology in the winter of 2021. Her research focused on determining whether the spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive fly pest survives the harsh Minnesota winters by overwintering or migrating to the state each spring from warmer regions. Anh tackled this question by evaluating SWD’s flight behaviors in laboratory and field settings. She utilized fixed-wing planes, passive traps, and validated degree-days models to understand SWD winter survival strategies. Results from her studies documents that the pest may be capable of both behaviors. These results are significant for developing tactics for suppressing the pest in its overwintering habitats or aligning management strategies to spring migrations.
