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Training program in Entomology (special. Hymenoptera Symphyta), emphasis on collection management and geospatial related data

 Description of project: 

Symphyta is considered to be the most primitive of the two suborder of Hymenoptera. They do not show the sharp distinction (“waist”) between thorax and abdomen which is present in the other suborder, Apocrita. There are about 8000 species in the world. The females bear an ovipositor used to saw or drill the stems of many different species of plants and put the eggs inside the plant tissues, where the larvae, quite similar to caterpillars, develop. One family (Orussidae) are parasitic wasps attacking the larvae of Coleoptera Buprestidae in the wood, all the other species are phytophagous that may cause severe damage to timber and crops
Duration of training: 
2 weeks
Training period: 
April-May 2010 Exact dates to be discussed with mentor
Target Audience: 
MSc students, PhD students as well as early career researchers
Practical experiences: 
- Sorting of specimens collected with Malaise’s trap down to suborder, families, genera, species - Sampling and preserving techniques - Collection management - Geospatial management of data with software ESRI  ArcView
Lectures: 
- Morphology of Hymenoptera, biogeography of Symphyta, and informal lectures given by the mentors to the trainee on the above mentioned topics
Notes: 
Maximum number of trainees: 2
Name of mentor / supervisor: 
Fausto Pesarini – Carla Corazza
Institution/Organisation: 
Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Ferrara
Unit/Department/Laboratory: 
Stazione di Ricerca Ecologica
Address: 
Via De Pisis, 24 – I-44100 Ferrara - Italy