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David James

David James
Associate Professor, Entomology 509-786-9280 Hamilton Hall  24106 N Bunn Rd.

David became a lepidopterist at 8 years old by rearing caterpillars in his English bedroom.  A science degree in the UK was followed by a PhD on Monarch butterfly winter biology in Sydney, Australia and a lifetime of applied entomological research (biological control, chemical ecology, pest management) in Australia and the US, punctuated with biological studies on butterflies. In 2011, he co-authored an acclaimed book on the Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies, that David Attenborough called magisterial. He followed that in 2017 with “The Book of Caterpillars” and his most recent book “The Lives of Butterflies” was published in January 2024. Since 1999, as a faculty member of the Department of Entomology at WSU, he has researched the breeding ecology and migration of monarchs in the western US, and is acknowledged as an expert on Pacific Northwest butterflies.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science (Joint Honors, Zoology, Geography), University of Salford, UK 1975
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, 1984

Specialization and Areas of Particular Interest

  • Biological control and integrated pest management in irrigated horticultural cropping systems. Current studies focus on understanding and using assemblages of endemic natural enemies to provide biological control and reduce pesticide use in hops and grapes.
  • Research is also being conducted on mite biology and ecology and the use of pheromones in insect management.

Selected Recent Publications

  • James, D.G. (2017). The Book of Caterpillars. A life-size guide to six hundred species from around the world. Ivy Press, Lewes, UK 656 pp. (In prep/press)
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L., Lauby, G. and Buckley, K. (2016). Beneficial Insect Attraction to Milkweeds (Asclepias speciosa, Asclepias fascicularis) in Washington State, USA. Insects 2016: 7, 30.
  • James, D.G. (2016).  Population biology of Monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) at a Milkweed-rich summer breeding site in central Washington. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society: 70: 182-193.
  • James, D.G. (2016). Murderers touched by the magic of Monarchs. News of the Lepidopterists’ Society 58 (3): 127-129 .
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L., Lauby, G. and Buckley, K. (2015). Beauty with benefits: Butterfly conservation in Washington State, USA, wine grape vineyards. Journal of Insect Conservation 19: 341-348.
  • Maeda, T., Kishimoto, H., Wright, L. C. and James, D.G. (2015). Mixture of synthetic herbivore-induced plant volatiles attracts more Stethorus punctum picipes (Casey) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) than a single volatilen. Journal of Insect Behavior 28: 126-137.
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L., Lauby, G. and Buckley, K. (2015). Beneficial insects associated with stinging nettle (Urtica dioica Linnaeus) in central Washington State. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 91: 1-9.
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L. and James, T.S. (2014). Population biology and behavior of the imperiled Philotiella leona (Lycaenidae) in south central Oregon. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 68: 264-273.
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L.S., Lauby, G. and Buckley, K. (2014). Beneficial insects attracted to native flowering buckwheats (Eriogonum Michx.) in central Washington. Environmental Entomology 43: 942-948.
  • L. Woods, A. J. Dreves, D. G. James, J. C. Lee, D. B. Walsh, and D. H. Gent (2014). Development of Biological Control of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Phorodon humuli (Schrank) in Oregon Hop Yards. Journal of Economic Entomology 107: 570-581.
  • James, D.G. (2014). Pest management in Washington State vineyards: Case study. Pp. 26-27 In Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological pest control solutions. The Xerces Society Guide. Storey Publishing MA.
  • James, D.G. (2014). Beneficial insects, spiders and other mini-creatures in your garden: Who they are and how to get them to stay. Home Garden Extension Publication, WSU Extension Home Garden Series EM067E. 21 pp.
  • Woods, J. L., Dreves, A. J., Fisher, G. C., James, D.G., Wright, L. C. and D. H. Gent  (2013). Sulfur-induced outbreaks of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae): Key players and potential mechanisms. Environmental Entomology 41: 621-635.
  • James, D.G., Seymour, L., Lauby, G. and Buckley, K. (2013). Beauty with Benefits: Naturescaping Washington vineyards to sustain biological control and provide butterfly habitat. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods, Pucon, Chile pp 195-197.
  • James, D.G. (2012). Immature stages of Argynnis mormonia artonis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) compared to Argynnis mormonia erinna and Argynnis mormonia washingtonia in the Pacific Northwest, with evidence for high elevation-mediated melanism. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 66: 199-204.
  • James, D.G. (2012). Life history and biology of an imperiled butterfly, Philotiella leona (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from south central Oregon. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 45:93-99.
  • James, D.G., Hebert, V. and LePage, J. (2012). The prosternal gland in Pacific Northwest butterfly larvae with preliminary chemical analyses of emissions. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 66: 137-142.
  • James, D.G., Orre-Gordon, S., Reynolds, O.L. and Simpson, M. (2012). Employing chemical ecology to understand and exploit biodiversity for pest management. (Chapter in Biodiversity and Insect Pests: Key Issues for Sustainable Management by Geoff M. Gurr, Stephen D. Wratten, William E. Snyder & Donna M. Y. Read (Editors). John Wiley and Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK. pages 185-195.
  • Simpson, M., Gurr, G.M., Simmons, A.T., Wratten, S.D., James, D.G., Leeson, G. and Nicol, H. (2011). Insect attraction to synthetic herbivore-induced plant volatile-treated field crops. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 13: 45-57.
  • Simpson, M., Gurr, G.M, Simmons, A.T., Wratten, S.D., James, D.G.,Leeson, G. and Nicol, H. (2011). Attract and reward: Combining chemi cal ecology and habitat manipulation to enhance biological control in field crops. Journal of Applied Ecology 48: 580-590.
  • Simpson, M., Gurr, G.M., Simmons, A.T., Wratten, S.D., James, D.G., Leeson, G., Nicol, H. and Orre, G.U.S. (2011). Field evaluation of the ‘attract and reward’ approach in vineyards. Annals of Applied Biology 159: 69-78.
  • Woods, J.L., James, D.G., Lee, J.C. and Gent, D.H. (2011). Validation of Airborne Methyl Salicylate as a Means to Improve Conservation Biological Control of Spider Mites in Oregon Hop Yards. Experimental and Applied Acarology 55: 401-416.
  • James, D.G. and Pelham, J. P. (2011). Notes on the seasonal biology of Argynnis coronis Behr (Lepdidoptera: Argynnidae) in central Washington. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 65: .
  • Grasswitz, T.R. and James, D.G. (2011). Phenology and impact of natural enemies associated with the hop looper (Hypena humuli) in Washington State, USA. International Journal of Pest Management 57: 329-339.
  • Wright, L.C., James, D.G., Reyna, V., Castle del Conte, S., Gingras, S., Landolt, P. and Brooks, T. (2010). Species Composition of Cutworm Larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in South Central Washington Vineyards. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 103: 592-596.
  • Gent, D.H., James, D.G., Wright, L.C., Barbour, J.D., Dreves, A.J., Fisher, G.C. and Walton, V. N. (2009). Effects of powdery mildew fungicide programs on twospotted spider mite (Acrai: Tetranychidae), hop aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) and their natural enemies. Journal of Economic Entomology 102:274-286.
  • James, D.G. (2009). Comparative studies on the immature stages and developmental biology of Hesperia colorado idaho and Hesperia juba (Hesperiidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 63: 129-136.
  • Grasswitz, T.R. and James, D.G. (2009). Influence of hop yard ground flora on invertebrate pests of hops and their natural enemies. Journal of Applied Entomology 133: 210-221.
  • Grasswitz, T.R. and James, D.G. (2008). Biology, phenology and control of Hypena humuli (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an emerging pest of US hops (Humulus lupulus (Cannabaceae)). International Journal of Pest Management 54: 333-338.
  • James, D.G. (2008). Comparative studies on the immature stages and developmental biology of five Argynnis spp. (Nymphalidae) from Washington. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 62: 61-70.
  • Khan, Z.R., James, D.G., Midega, C.A.O. and Pickett, J.A (2008). Chemical ecology and conservation biological control (invited review). Biological Control 45: 210-224.
  • James, D.G. and Grasswitz, T. R. (2005). Field attraction of parasitic wasps, Metaphycus sp. and Anagrus spp. using synthetic herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Biocontrol 50, 871-880.
  • James, D.G. (2005). Further evaluation of synthetic herbivore-induced plant volatiles as attractants for beneficial insects. Journal of Chemical Ecology 31, 493-507.
  • James, D.G. and Price, T.S. (2004). Field-testing of methyl salicylate for recruitment and retention of beneficial insects in grapes and hops. Journal of Chemical Ecology 30, 1613-1628.