The association between insects and their food has major evolutionary, ecological, and economic implications. This study is the first to bring a broad, comparative and genetic approach to the analysis of prey specificity in insect predators. In doing so, it broadens the basis for the evolutionary interpretation of food specialization, adaption, diversification and speciation, and it forms a paradigm for similar evolutionary work with other predators. A sound knowledge of insect-host associations is fundamental to both pest management and biological control. The essence of pest management is to disrupt the association between pests and their hosts (e.g.,) economically important crop plants). Whereas, the goal of biological control is to enhance the action of natural enemies on their hosts (e.g., arthropod pests or weeds). In this regard, this project is the first to concentrate on the genetic basis for the host association in an insect predator. Ultimately, the knowledge of the mechanisms involved will help enhance the use and manipulation of predaceous insects in biological control and integrated pest management. For example, the genetic analysis of host specificity could lead to the development of improved natural enemies, via genetic engineering, for use in biological control.
