Projects
Projects
The BITE Lab has several new projects underway, with more on the horizon! A few student-led projects are highlighted below.
What's Bugging You?
A look at parasitoid emergence on Central Kentucky horse farms and their use as effective biocontrol of filth flies.
Project Leader: Lily Tynan (Equine Science and Management Major, senior undergraduate)
During the summer of 2025, undergraduate Lily Tynan took on the challenge of digging through fly larvae (maggots) and pupae (cocoons) to see if there were natural parasitoid wasp populations present on KY horse farms. These parasitoids can be used to augment fly control programs as they target and kill developing flies.
With support from UK's Sustainability Research Fellowship, Tynan conducted this study across three farms in Central Kentucky: UK's Maine Chance Farm, UK's C. Oran Little Research Center, and Coolmore America's Ashford Stud. She found emergence of parasitoids on all three farms mainly composed of the species Muscidifurax raptor. She also recorded the abundance of fly species on each farm to create targeted approaches to fly control for the future.
This project established the presence of parasitoids and the composition of fly populations on Kentucky horse farms. Future directions will include presenting this information to stakeholders and constructing a management system with biocontrol and other preventatives to create a safer and more comfortable environment for Kentucky's horses.
Read Lily's blog post on the UK Sustainability site for more info!
Ticks in the Tropics
Tick burden of free-roaming and managed horses in Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques is a small island off of Puerto Rico but home to 2,000 - 7,000 horses. Many of these horses are owned but allowed to freely roam the island. The island is also home to equine piroplasmosis (EP) - a tick-transmitted pathogen that can cause longterm health issues or even death in affected horses. This project was a pilot to assess initial tick burdens of horses with different levels of owner management and identify the primary tick species on horses and the prevalence of EP parasites in collected ticks.
Project Leader: Chloe Young, Masters Student (Animal & Food Sciences Dept.)
Tick-ed Off Cattle
Kentucky cattle producers are dealing with competing pressures to raise healthy, economically sustainable cattle herds. Some of these are old foes - like bovine anaplasmosis and face fly transmitted pink eye - others, are becoming tough new contenders to manage. This project is evaluating the major pest-related concerns to KY cattle producers and developing novel surveillance strategies to contend with emerging threats.
Project Leader: Ashley Russo, Masters Student (Entomology Dept.)