Position: PhD Student

Project:  Understanding generalism and specialism in parasitoid wasp: an evolutionary, genetic and behavioural perspective.

Research Interests:  I am interested in understanding the evolution of generalism and specialism in parasitoid wasps, as well as the evolution of host range (i.e. parasitoid prey) and how this impacts speciation. I am also interested in understanding the difference between generalists and specialists at a genomic and behavioural level.

I completed my MSci at UCL under the supervision of Seirian Sumner and Jinliang Wang (ZSL), looking at the population genetic structure of the Common Yellowjacket, Vespula vulgaris, using citizen science samples from the Big Wasp Survey collected from across the UK.

Background: 

2021 – Present: PhD Candidate, Natural History Museum & University College London, London NERC DTP Cohort 8

2016 – 2020: MSci Zoology, University College London

Contact:

E-mail:

iona.cunningham-eurich.16@ucl.ac.uk

iona.cunningham-eurich@nhm.ac.uk

Twitter: @ionace

Instagram: @ionacunninghameurich

Publications:

Hasenjager, M. J., Hoppitt, W., Cunningham-Eurich, I., Franks, V. R., & Leadbeater, E. (2024). Coupled information networks drive honeybee (Apis mellifera) collective foraging. Journal of Animal Ecology, 93, 71–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14029

Cunningham-Eurich, I., Kontou, D., Yordanova, M., Maeda-Obregon, A., Favreau, E., Wang, J. et al. (2023) Using citizen science data to assess the population genetic structure of the common yellowjacket wasp, Vespula vulgaris. Insect Molecular Biology, 32(6), 634–647. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.12862