Expertise in areas of plant health and reproduction (pollination), using thrips as model insects to answer questions on host selection among diverse botanical collections, host-plant tolerance/resistance to invasive species and host-plant interplay with natural enemy predation levels. Techniques include microscopy and analytical chemistry to define plant trait variations between and within species, developing insect bioassay techniques for studying host-selection behaviour, preference and performance of flower and leaf-feeding insects. Additional research interests in ecosystem sustainability in semi-natural and agricultural landscapes; through investigating floral traits which underpin beneficial interactions between thrips-pollinators and their hosts and identifying anthropogenic drivers of behavioural change.