Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis)
David Addison & Laboratory
David has been investigating the effects of a common insecticide on crayfish behavior. Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is a bacteria that invades the gut of invertebrate insects and can be found in the insecticide MosquitoDunks®. This insecticide has been shown to be very effective against mosquitos, but could potentially have an effect on our streams. David will look at crayfish movement, feeding behavior, and escape response in the presence of Bti. Crayfish are invasive in the Santa Monica Mountains and have been known to negatively impact our local amphibians, so we are interested in their response to an insecticide. However, there are also many fragile animals, such California Tree Frogs, in our streams for which Bti could potentially be harmful.