Biologist
Collier Mosquito Control District, Florida, United States
Gabriella Steele is an entomologist at the Collier Mosquito Control District (CMCD) Research Department. After earning her B.S. in Entomology & Nematology from the University of Florida, she went on to complete an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) entomology internship at Disney World’s Epcot Park. There, she reared parasitoid wasps (Opius dissitus & Aphidius spp.) and incorporated additional IPM techniques to reduce pest populations in the “Living with the Land” greenhouses. She then earned her M.S. in Entomology & Nematology from the University of Florida, with her thesis project exploring sweetpotato whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) as vectors of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). During her time at UF, she worked in the Vegetable Entomology Lab, Nematology Lab, and Medical/Veterinary Entomology Lab.
Following graduation, her desire to contribute to public health inspired her to serve as a Medical/Veterinary Entomology Officer in the U.S. Army. There, she served as Executive Officer for the 61st Preventive Medicine Detachment at Ft. Campbell. In addition to traditional officer duties, she educated soldiers on preventive medicine, consulted veterinary detachments on arthropod-related canine health, and even contributed to forensic entomology cases. Now back in civilian life, she has found fulfillment at the CMCD research team. She greatly enjoys the opportunity to conduct mosquito research while also contributing to public health and comfort.
Disclosure information not submitted.
328 - A Cornucopia of Blood: Host Preference of Culex nigripalpus in Collier County
Thursday, March 6, 2025
4:25 PM – 4:35 PM AST