The research group works on biology, ecology and distribution of insect pests, including invasive alien species, and of their natural enemies, aimed at implementing environmentally friendly control strategies (i.e., integrated pest management and control measures alternative to chemical treatments).

Know-how:
morphological and molecular identification of insects; laboratory mass-rearing, field sampling, immunomarking and spatial distribution analysis of insects; laboratory, semi-field and field experiments to evaluate lethal and sublethal effects of pesticides; physiological and behavioural bioassays; rearing and use of natural enemies in biological control programmes; management of natural enemies and evaluation of their impact on the agroecosystem (risk assessment).

Available resources:
microscopes and stereomicroscopes; laboratories equipped for olfactometry and elettroantennography, and for molecular analysis and ELISA; climatic chambers; experimental greenhouse; rearing and monitoring tools and facilities.

Recent results:
biology and harmfulness of emerging crop pests; bioethology, distribution and impact in Italy of exotic pests (e.g., Tuta absoluta, Drosophila suzukii, Halyomorpha halys, Popillia japonica); distribution and impact on exotic pests of natural enemies, both indigenous and exotic introduced fortuitously and/or deliberately; biology and behaviour of natural enemies; evaluation of toxicity of pesticides; implementation of biological control and integrated pest management (e.g., use of insect exclusion nets); application and effectiveness of symbiotic control against H. halys and other stink bugs.

• Centro Nazionale Agritech, finanziato dall'Unione Europea – NextGenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.4 - D.D. 1032 17/06/2022, CN00000022), Spoke 2 “Crop Health: a multidisciplinary sytem approach to reduce the use of agrochemicals” (2022-2024)
  
• MUR PRIN 2022: Multilevel analysis of Insect-Bacteria Interaction for Symbiotic COntrol implementation (IBISCO) (2023-2025)
• MUR PRIN 2022: SUccess of Specialist versus generalist parasitoid in Hampering the spread of an Invasive pest (SUSHI) (2023-2025)
• MASAF: SviluppO di Strategie di controllo sostenibili di Philaenus spumarius ed interferenza con la trasmissione di Xylella fastidiosa (SoS) (2023-2026)
• Regione Piemonte: Moltiplicazione e rilascio in campo dell’ooparassitoide Ganaspis brasiliensis ai fini della lotta biologica contro Drosophila suzukii in Piemonte (2022-2023)
• Regione Piemonte: Moltiplicazione e rilascio in campo dell’ooparassitoide Trissolcus japonicus ai fini della lotta biologica contro la cimice asiatica in Piemonte (2020-2025)
• Regione Piemonte: Quality hazelnut - subproject Brown marmorated stink bug: monitoring, management and biological control (2021-2024)
• Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca - PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020: Enhancement of high value-added nut and fresh processed fruit supply chains (VALTIFRU 4.0) (2020-2023)
• EIT FOOD: Standardisation of innovative pest control strategies to produce zero residue fruit for baby food and other fruit produce (CleanFruit) (2020-2021) 
• Regione Emilia-Romagna, Programma regionale di sviluppo rurale 2014-2020: Innovazioni agroecologiche finalizzate a contenere e a contrastare Halyomorpha halys su colture ad uso zootecnico (Stop-Haly) (2020-2022) 
• Regione Lombardia: Il controllo Simbiotico, un’Efficace strategia per la gestioNE della Cimice Asiatica Halyomorpha halys (SENECA) (2020-2023)
• Fondazione CRT: Dal VIgneto al VIno: BIO-protezione tramite l’utilizzo di MIcrorganismi selezionati (VIVIBIOMI) (2020-2022)
• Association Nationale des Producteurs de Noisettes et Noix (France): REcherche sur les Punaises par la Lutte Intégrée KOKI (REPLIK) (2020-2022); Recherche et Innovation pour la Production de Parasitoïdes Oophages comme Solution vers la Transition Ecologique (RIPPOSTE) (2023-2024)
• Bando Alimentare 4.0 2018 - Fondazione CRC: Strategie di difesa a basso impatto ambientale per la filiera orticola (SFIDA) (2019-2021)
• Bando Alimentare 4.0 2018 - Fondazione CRC: Tecnologie innovative e smart per la produzione sostenibile di mele (SMART APPLE) (2019-2021)
• Bando Alimentare 4.0 2018 - Fondazione CRC: Innovazioni nella difesa fitosanitaria per la riduzione dell'impatto ambientale della viticoltura (VITE 4.0.) (2019-2021)
• Regione Lombardia: Prevenzione e controllo di nuove emergenze fitosanitarie in Lombardia: Popillia japonica e Xylella fastidiosa (PRECONFITOLOMB) (2018-2021)
• Fondazione CRC: Monitoraggio della cimice asiatica (Halyomorpha halys) nel vigneto piemontese (2018-2020)
• Fondazione CRC: Eco-friendly control strategies against Halyomorpha halys (HALYENd) (2017-2019)
• Life+ 2013: Low pesticide IPM in sustainable and safe production (SU.SA.FRUIT) (2014-2017)

• Bocca F.M., Picciau L., Rosa P., Wood T.J., Caprio E., Niehuis O., Alma A. (2023). New host-parasitoid association and the Trojan horse strategy adopted by the cuckoo wasp Elampus bidens with two vectors of Flavescence Dorée: Scaphoideus titanus and Orientus ishidae. Entomologia Generalis 4: 849–860
• Haye T., Moraglio S.T., Tortorici F., Marazzi C., Gariepy T.D., Tavella L. (2023). Does the fundamental host range of Trissolcus japonicus match its realized host range in Europe? Journal of Pest Science doi:10.1007/s10340-023-01638-0
• Orrù B., Moraglio S.T., Tortorici, F., Gonella E., Tavella, L., Alma, A. 2023. No adverse effects of symbiotic control on the parasitism of Halyomorpha halys by egg parasitoids. Journal of Pest Science 96: 1091–1102
• Ingegno B.L., Messelink G.J., Leman A., Sacco D., Tavella L. (2021). Development and thermal activity thresholds of European mirid predatory bugs. Biological Control 152: 104423
• Candian V., Pansa M.G., Santoro K., Spadaro D., Tavella L., Tedeschi R. (2020). Photoselective exclusion netting in apple orchards: Effectiveness against pests and impact on beneficial arthropods, fungal diseases and fruit quality. Pest Management Science 76: 179-187

Dr. Gonzalo Avila, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (New Zealand)
Dr. Tim Haye, Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), Delémont (Switzerland)
Prof. Tomislav Jemrić, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture (FAZ), Zagreb (Croatia)
Dr. Wayne B. Hunter, USDA, ARS, Ft. Pierce, Florida (USA)
Prof. Aleksandra Konjevic, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad (Serbia)
Dr. Laura Loru, Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri (IRET), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Sassari (Italy)
Dr. Ir. Gerben Messelink, Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture (Netherlands)
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Özdemir, Faculty of Agriculture, Sakarya Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi, Sakarya (Turkey)
Dr. Elijah J Talamas, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Government industry, Florida (USA)