(KNOXVILLE, TN) Take a stroll along one of the beaches on Hawaii Island in late summer, and you’ll likely stumble upon almond-shaped fruits lying in the sand. Known as false kamani nuts, or tropical almonds , they fall from tall, shady Terminalia catappa trees that line the many picturesque ocean views on the island.
But what may not be clear to the casual beachgoer is that there’s a fight for survival occurring within the flesh of these unassuming fruits. Tropical almonds are one of many active battlegrounds in a war between a global agricultural pest, a parasitic wasp and a beneficial virus.
As an entomologist who studies insect viruses, I want to untangle the complex interactions that insects have evolved with microbes. The findings might help researchers tackle global food security issues.
A global pest challenge
At the center of this conflict are invasive fruit flies in the family Tephritidae, many of which have spread across the globe and wreak havoc on hundreds of commercial fruits and vegetables .