Curriculum Vita

Publications, Awards, & Education


student on campus

Selected Publications

Amarasekare, K. G., P. W. Shearer and N. J. Mills. 2016. Testing the selectivity of pesticide effects on natural enemies in laboratory bioassays. (for a special issue of Biological Control) (review).

Beers, E. H., Mills, N. J., Shearer, P. W.,  Horton, D.R., Milickzy, E., Amarasekare, K. G., 2016. Nontarget effects of orchard pesticides on natural enemies: lessons from the field and laboratory. (for a special issue of Biological Control) (submitted).

Shearer, P. W.,  Amarasekare, K. G., Mills, N. J., Castagnoli S., Beers, E. Hand Jones, V. P. 2016. Large-plot field studies to assess impacts of newer insecticides on non-target arthropods in western orchards. (for a special issue of Biological Control) (submitted).

Mills, N. J., Beers, E. H., Shearer, P. W., Unruh, T., and Amarasekare, K. G., 2016. Comparative analysis of pesticide effects on natural enemies in western orchards: a synthesis of laboratory bioassay data. (for a special issue of Biological Control). (accepted).

Jones, V., Horton, D.R., Mills, N. J., Unruh, T., Baker, C., Melton, T., Milickzy, E., Steffan, S., Shearer, P. W., and 
Amarasekare, K. G., 2015. Evaluating plant volatiles for monitoring natural enemies in apple, pear and walnut orchards. (for a special issue of Biological Control). (in press).

Jones, V., Horton, D.R., Mills, N. J., Unruh, T., Milickzy, E., Shearer, P. W., Amarasekare, K. G., Baker, C., and Melton, T., 2015. Using plant volatile traps to develop phenology models for natural enemies: An example using Chrysopa nigricornis (Burmeister) Neuroptera: Chrysopidae. (for a special issue of Biological Control). (in press).

Mills, N. J., Jones, V., Baker, C., Melton, T., Steffan, S., Unruh, T., Horton, D.R., Shearer, P. W., Amarasekare, K. G., and Milickzy, E. 2016. Using herbivore-induced plant volatiles and floral volatiles to attract natural enemies for studies of ecosystem structure and function. (for a special issue of Biological Control). (submitted).

Jones, V., Mills, N. J., Brunner, J.F., Horton, D.R., Beers, E. H., Unruh, T., Shearer, P. W., Goldberger, J., Gallardo, K., Castagnoli, S., Lehrer, N., Steffan, S., Amarasekare, K. G., Chambers, U., and Gadino, A.N. 2015. From planning to execution to the future: an overview of a concerted effort to enhance biological control in western apple, pear and walnut orchards. (for a special issue of Biological Control). (submitted).

Amarasekare, K. G. and P. W. Shearer. 2013c. Life history comparison of two green lacewings species, Chrysoperla johnsoni and Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Environmental Entomology. 42:1079-1084.

Amarasekare, K. G. and P. W. Shearer. 2013b. Comparing Effects of insecticides on two green lacewings species, Chrysoperla johnsoni andChrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 106: 1126-1133.

Amarasekare, K. G. and P. W. Shearer. 2013a. Laboratory bioassays to estimate the lethal and sublethal effects of various insecticides and fungicides on Deraeocoris brevis (Hemiptera: Miridae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 106: 776-785.

Amarasekare, K. G., C. M. Mannion and N. D. Epsky. 2012. Developmental time, longevity and lifetime fertility of three introduced parasitoids of the mealybug Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Environmental Entomology 41: 1184-1189.

Amarasekare, K. G. and Mannion C. M. 2011. Life history of a new-to-science exotic soft scale insect Phalacrococcus howertoni (Hemiptera: Coccidae) found in Florida. Florida Entomologist. 94(3): 588-593.

Amarasekare, K. G., C. M. Mannion, and N. D. Epsky. 2010. Host instar susceptibility and selection and interspecific competition of three introduced parasitoids of the mealybug Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Environmental Entomology. 39(5): 1506-1512.

Amarasekare, K. G., C. M. Mannion and N. D. Epsky. 2009. Efficiency and establishment of the three introduced parasitoids of the mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Biological Control. 51, 91-95.

Amarasekare, K. G., J.C. Chong, N. D. Epsky, and C. M. Mannion. 2008b. Effect of temperature on the life history of the mealybug,Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Journal of Economic Entomology. 101(6):1798-1804.

Amarasekare, K. G., C. M. Mannion, L. S. Osborne and N. D. Epsky. 2008a. Life history of Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on four host plant species under laboratory conditions. Environmental Entomology. 37(3): 630-635.

Amarasekare, K. G. and J. V. Edelson. 2004. Effect of temperature on efficacy of insecticides to differential grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 97(5): 1595-1602.

Grants

Shearer, P.W., K. G. Amarasekare. Conservation biological control of pear psylla in Pacific Northwest pears. Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.  ($71,571).

Shearer, P.W., K. G. Amarasekare, V.P. Jones, S.A. Steffan. Improving biological control of insect pests of cherry. Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.  ($79,485).

Honors and Awards

Entomological Society of America - Student and Young Professional Participation Award 2011
Entomological Society of America - Student and Young Professional Participation Award 2010
Entomological Society of America - Student and Young Professional Participation Award 2009
L. Russell Norton Memorial Fellowship–Miami-Dade County Agri-Council, Inc. 2007
Entomological Society of America - Student and Young Professional Participation Award 2007
Gamma Sigma Delta National College Honor Scholarship Society 2007
Alpha Zeta National College Honor Scholarship Society 2004 
Phi Kappa Phi National College Honor Scholarship Society 2002

Professional Affiliations

Entomological Society of America
International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) – NRS Pacific Branch 
Entomological Society of America  Southeastern Branch 
Entomological Society of America Florida Entomological Society
Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America

Education

Ph.D. (Entomology)    University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
M.S. (Entomology)    Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
B.S.    (Honors) (Agriculture)    University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka


Full Resume

Date joined staff: November 2015