I am interested in the use of molecular techniques and behavioural methods in answering questions related to invertebrate ecology, focusing on species interactions, spatial distribution, dispersal and movement, species identification and taxonomy, and phylogeography.

Current projects include DNA barcoding of Collembola (springtail) species, developing qPCR based methods to detect avian/invertebrate nematode parasites, and development of a PCR-based technique to investigate parasitoid control of pod midge in oilseed rape. I have a particular interest in agriculturally important insects (pests/natural enemies) and soil invertebrates.

Bearup, D., Benefer, C.M., Petrovskii,S., Blackshaw, R.P. (2016) Revisiting Brownian motion as adescription of animal movement: a comparison to experimental movementdata. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, in press, DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.12615 Johnson, S.N., Benefer, C.M., Frew, A, Griffiths,B.S., Hartley, S.E., Karley, A.J., Rasmann, S, Schumann, M, Sonnemann, I, Robert,C.A.M. (2016) New frontiers in belowground ecology for plant protection fromroot-feeding insects. Applied Soil Ecology, 108, 96-107. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.07.017 Crotty, F.V., Fychan, R., Benefer, C.M., Allen,D., Shaw, P., Marley, C.L. (2016) First documented pest outbreak of theherbivorous springtail Sminthurus viridis (Collembola) inEurope. Grass and Forage Science, 71(4), 699-704. DOI: 10.1111/gfs.12235 Benefer, C.M., D'Ahmed, K.S., Blackshaw, R.P., Sint, H.M., Murray, P.J. (2016)The distribution of soil insects across three spatial scales ingrassland. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 4 (41), DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00041 Shaw, P., Benefer, C.M. (2015) Developmentof a barcoding database for the UK Collembola: early results. SoilOrganisms, 87 (3), 197-202 Traugott, M., Benefer, C.M., vanHerk, W.G., Blackshaw, R.P., Vernon, R.S. (2014) Biology, ecology and controlof Elaterid beetles in agricultural land. Annual Review of Entomology, 60,313-334 Benefer, C.M., Blackshaw, R.P. (2013) Molecular approaches for studying rootherbivores. Advances in Insect Physiology, 45, 219-255 Benefer, C.M., van Herk, W.G., Ellis, J.S., Blackshaw, R.P., Vernon, R.S.,Knight, M.E. (2013) Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships ofeconomically important Elaterid species. Journal of Pest Science, 86 (1),19-27 Benefer, C.M., Knight, M.E., Ellis, J.S., Hicks, H., Blackshaw, R.P. (2012)Understanding the relationship between adult and larval Agriotes distributions:the effect of sampling method, species identification and abioticvariables. Applied Soil Ecology, 53, 39-48