Plant-Insect Ecology Lab

Led by Dr. Paul Ode, our lab explores the intricate ecological relationships among plants, the insects that feed on them, and the natural enemies that keep those insects in check. Our research spans the behavior and ecology of parasitoid wasps and the multitrophic interactions that link plant defenses, herbivores, and their parasitoids. By understanding these connections — from the chemistry of plant defense to the foraging decisions of individual wasps — we shed light on both fundamental evolutionary questions and the practical biological control of agricultural pests.

Parasitoids, Plants, and Multitrophic Interactions

Our laboratory studies the behavior and ecology of parasitoid wasps — insects whose lives are intimately tied to the hosts they attack — and the broader multitrophic interactions that connect plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. We investigate how plant defenses, often chemical, ripple upward to shape the success of herbivores and the parasitoids that attack them, and we explore fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology such as clutch size and sex allocation. Together, this work bridges pure ecological science and its applied use in the biological control of crop pests.

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From Basic Ecology to Pest Control

The questions we ask about parasitoid behavior and plant–insect interactions are fundamental — but they also have real-world payoff. Understanding how natural enemies find and use their hosts helps improve biological control, offering more sustainable ways to manage the insect pests that threaten crops.

Publications

Learn more about how the Ode Lab is advancing our understanding of parasitoid ecology and plant–insect interactions — from fundamental evolutionary questions to the sustainable biological control of agricultural pests.

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News & Updates

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Contact Information

mailing address

301 University Ave, Room 110
Fort Collins, CO 80523

phone

(970) 491-4127

e-mail paul.ode@colostate.edu