Research Interests

Research interests include:

1. Biology and Systematics = Coleoptera (Cybocephalidae, Cucujoidea), Acrididae, Tetrigidae (Florida grasshoppers).
2. Biological Control = arthropods, mollusks and weeds.
3. Surveillance, Control and Eradication = invasive insects and land snails.

Current Projects

• Exotic Whitefly Biological Control (2012-present)
• Air Potato Biological Control (2012-present)
• Giant African Land Snail Eradication Techniques (2011-present)
• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Biological Control (2011-present)
• Mediterranean Fruit Fly Control and Eradication Research (2006-present)
• Exotic Fruit Fly Methods Development (2010-present)
• Cactus Moth Biological Control (2007-present)
• Asian Citrus Psyllid Biological Control (2006-present)
• Imported Fire Ant Biological Control (2002-present)
• Mikania micrantha Survey and Eradication (2008-present)
• Red Bay Ambrosia Beetle Survey & Control (2008-present)
• Taxonomy and Systematics of the Cybocephalidae of the world (2004-present)
• Survey and Catalogue of the Coleoptera of the West Indies (2006-present)

Education

• Ph.D., University of Florida (Entomology), 2006.
• M.S., University of Florida (Entomology), 2003.
• B.S., University of Central Florida (Biology), 2000.

Relevant Employment History

• Bureau Chief, Methods Development and Biological Control, (2010-present), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry
• State Survey Coordinator, (2007-2010), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey
• Assistant Identifier (Coleoptera), (2006-2007), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry

Grants and Contracts (Total Value of Projects; $6,273,010)

• Principal Investigator – Value: $6,069,056
• Co-Principal Investigator – Value: $203,954

Professional Activities

• National Biological Control Technical Panel, National Plant Board (Committee Member, 2013-present)
• Division of Plant Industry Rules Committee (Board Member, 2010-present)
• Division of Plant Industry Publications Committee (Board Member, 2010-present)
• Florida Biological Control Initiative Advisory Committee (Board Member, 2011-present)
• Sweet Sorghum Technical Advisory Board (Board Member, 2011-present)
• Giant African Snail Technical Advisory Panel (Chairmen, 2011-present)
• Tropical Soda Apple Task Force (Committee Member, 2010-2012)
• Caribbean Fruit Fly Technical Committee (Technical Advisor, 2010-present)
• Center for Biological Control Technical Advisory Committee (Board Member, 2010-present)
• Greater Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative Committee (Board Member, 2009-2011)
• Mikania micrantha Working Group (Committee Member, 2009-present)
• Laurel Wilt Working Group (Committee Member, 2009-present)
• North Florida Pest Risk Committee (Board Member, 2008-2011)
• CAPS State Survey Committee (Co-Chairmen, 2006-2010; Committee Member, 2010-present)
• Center for Systematic Entomology (Board of Directors; Treasurer, 2007-2010; Gifts, -Grants and Endowments Committee, Co-Chairmen, 2007-present)
• Florida Entomological Society (2001-present)

Public Service Announcements

• Mikania micrantha: Help Stop It Now. 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh9hymPHhx4
• Laurel Wilt in Florida: Slowing the Spread. 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x7vgFWLHkY
• Florida Emerald Ash Borer Trapping Program. 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x7vgFWLHkY

Honors and Awards

• 2013 Regulatory Entomologist of the Year Award (Outstanding Contributions in Detection and Control of Invasive Arthropods in Florida), Florida Entomological Society
• 2013 Excellence Award (Sustained Exemplary Service), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• 2012 Outstanding Contributions to the Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Biological Control Program, United States Department of Agriculture
• 2011 USDA APHIS Administrator’s Award (Boca Raton Medfly Program), United States Department of Agriculture
• 2011 Citation of Special Recognition (Medfly Emergency Programs), State of Florida
• 2011 Plant Protection Program Award (Biomass Permitting), State of Florida
• 2010 Outstanding Service Award (Advisory Council for the Center for Biological Control), Florida A&M University
• 2008 Davis Productivity Eagle Award (Sustained Exemplary Performance), State of Florida
• 2008 Florida State Record Award, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• 2006 John A. Mulrennan, Sr. Outstanding Ph.D Award (Best Doctoral Research), UF-Entomology and Nematology Department
• 2006 John Henry Comstock Graduate Student Award – Nominee
• 2006 Florida State Record Award, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Selected Publications

Cline, A,T. R. Smith, K. Miller, M. Moulton and M. Whiting. 2014. Higher phylogenetics of Nitidulidae: assessment of subfamilial and tribal classifications, and formalization of the family Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Systematic Entomology (in press).

Boughton, A.J., M.A. Mendez, A.W. Francis, T.R. Smith, L.S. Osborne and C. M. Mannion. 2014. Host stage suitability and impacts of Encarsia noyesi (Hymenoptera: Aphilinidae) on the invasive rugose spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in Florida. Biological Control (in press).

Vargas, R.I., S. Souder, K. Hoffman, J. Mercogliano, T.R. Smith, J. Hammond, B.J. Davis, M. Brodie and J. Dripps. 2014. Attraction and mortality of Bactrocera dorsalis to STATIC™ spinosad ME weathered under operational conditions in California and Florida: a reduced-risk male annihilation treatment. Journal of Economic Entomology (in press).

Paraiso, O., T.R. Smith, S.D. Hight and B.J. Davis. 2014. Rearing native cactus moth [Melitara prodenialis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)] on artificial diet and opuntia cladodes: preliminary comparisons. Florida Entomologist (in press).

Stark J.D., R.I. Vargas, S. Souder, A.J. Fox, T.R. Smith and B. Mackey. 2013. A Comparison of the Bioinsecticide, Spinosad, the Semi-synthetic Insecticide, Spinetoram and Synthetic Insecticides as Soil Drenches for Control of Tephritid Fruit Flies. Biopesticides International 9: 120-126.

Leavengood, J.M. Jr. andT. R. Smith. 2013. The Siricidae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) of Florida. Insecta Mundi 0309: 1-16. http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/insectamundi/0309LeavengoodandSmith.pdf

Smith, T. R., J. White-McLean, K. Dickens, A. Howe and A. Fox. 2013. Efficacy of four molluscicides against the giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica Bowdich, (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Florida Entomologist 96: 396-402.

Teem, J.L., Y. Qvarnstrom, H.S. Bishop, A.J. da Silva, J. Carter, J. White-Mclean and T.R. Smith. 2013. The Occurrence of the Rat Lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, in Nonindigenous Snails in the Gulf of Mexico Region of the United States. Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health. 72[(6) Suppl 2]:11-14.

Medal. J, S. Halbert,T. R. Smith and A. Santa-Cruz. 2013. Suitability of selected plants to the bean plataspid, Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) in no-choice tests. Florida Entomologist 96: 631-633.

Medal, J.,T. R. Smith, A. Fox, A. Santa-Cruz, A. Poplin and A. Hodges. 2012. Rearing the brown marmorated stink bug, Haylomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Florida Entomologist 95: 800-802.

Longo, S, P. J. Anderson,T. R. Smith and J.D. Stanley. 2011. New palm hosts for the red palm weevil, Rynchophorus ferrugineus, in Sicily. Palms 55: 15-20.

Smith, T. R. and J. Brambila. 2008. A major pest of cotton, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Heteroptera: Oxycarenidae) in the Bahamas. Florida Entomologist 91: 479-482.

Smith, T. R. and A. Sylagyi. 2008. Crushed vehicles an unusual pathway for the introduction of Granodomus lima (Pulmonata: Pleurodontidae) and other exotic terrestrial snails. Florida Scientist 72: 22-27.

Smith, T. R. and R. D. Cave. 2007. The Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera) of Mexico. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 100: 839-849.

Smith, T. R. and R. D. Cave. 2007. The Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera) of the West Indies and Trinidad. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 100: 164-172.

Smith, T. R. and R. Bailey. 2007. A new species of Cybocephalus (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae) from Taiwan and a new distribution record for Cybocephalus nipponicus. Coleopterists Bulletin 61: 503-508.

Smith, T. R. and R. D. Cave. 2006. A revision of the Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera) of America north of Mexico. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99: 776-792.

Smith, T. R. and R. D. Cave. 2006. The life history of Cybocephalus nipponicus a predator of the cycad aulacaspis scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Homoptera: Diaspididae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 905-916.

Smith, T. R., R. D. Cave, and G. S. Hodges. 2006. A new North American record for Haliaspis nakaharai (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). Florida Entomologist 89: 414-415.

Smith, T. R. and R. D. Cave. 2006. Pesticide susceptibility of two predators of Cybocephalus nipponicus and Rhyzobius lophanthae (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae, Coccinellidae). Florida Entomologist 89: 502-507.

Smith, T. R. 2005. Observations on the habitat preference of Auperia denominate Chevrolat (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini). Coleopterists Bulletin 59: 256-257.

Smith, T. R. and J. L. Capinera. 2005. Mandibular morphology of some Floridian grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Florida Entomologist 88: 204-207.

Smith, T. R. and J. L. Capinera. 2005. Host preferences and habitat associations of some Florida grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Environmental Entomology 34: 210-224.

Smith, T. R., J. G. Froeba and J. L. Capinera. 2004. Key to the grasshoppers of Florida. Florida Entomologist 87: 537-550.