Erika Machtinger

Assistant Professor of Entomology

Erika Machtinger

Research Summary

Veterinary entomology, including vector-borne diseases. Focus is on ecology and behavior associated with host-parasite interactions to improve or develop new control methods.

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Links

Publication Tags

Muscidae Ticks Diptera Horses Musca Domestica Deer Stomoxys Calcitrans Animals Hymenoptera Parasitoids Biological Control Agents Parasitoid Oviposition Biological Control Manure Ixodidae Houseflies Animal Pteromalidae Hippoboscidae Pathogens Pupa Odocoileus Virginianus Mortality Cattle

Most Recent Papers

Patterns of deer ked (Diptera

Karen C. Poh, Jesse R. Evans, Michael J. Skvarla, Cody M. Kent, Pia U. Olafson, Graham J. Hickling, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Erika T. Machtinger, 2022, Parasites and Vectors

High Prevalence of Antibodies against Canine Parvovirus and Canine Distemper Virus among Coyotes and Foxes from Pennsylvania

Caellaigh N. Kimpston, Amanda L. Hatke, Benjamin Castelli, Nathan Otto, Hannah S. Tiffin, Erika T. Machtinger, Justin D. Brown, Kyle R. van Why, Richard T. Marconi, 2022, Microbiology spectrum

Pests and Parasites of Horses

Erika Machtinger, Emma Weeks, Christopher Geden, Erika Lacher, 2022,

An Exploratory Study on the Microbiome of Northern and Southern Populations of Ixodes scapularis Ticks Predicts Changes and Unique Bacterial Interactions

Deepak Kumar, Latoyia P. Downs, Abdulsalam Adegoke, Erika Machtinger, Kelly Oggenfuss, Richard S. Ostfeld, Monica Embers, Shahid Karim, 2022, Pathogens

Tick abundance and life-stage segregation on the American black bear (Ursus americanus)

Hannah S. Tiffin, Michael J. Skvarla, Erika T. Machtinger, 2021, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife on p. 208-216

Landscape distribution and abundance of animal-associated adult filth flies on commercial swine facilities in North Carolina, US

E. T. Machtinger, J. E. Brown, E. R. Burgess, 2021, Medical and Veterinary Entomology on p. 633-645

The Keds Are Alright

Jesse Ray Evans, Karen C. Poh, Michael Skvarla, Erika T. Machtinger, 2021, Annals of the Entomological Society of America on p. 686-693

Spatial Heterogeneity of Sympatric Tick Species and Tick-Borne Pathogens Emphasizes the Need for Surveillance for Effective Tick Control

Erika T. Machtinger, Robyn M. Nadolny, Bryan T. Vinyard, Lars Eisen, Andrias Hojgaard, Scott A. Haynes, Loretta Bowman, Cory Casal, Andrew Y. Li, 2021, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases on p. 843-853

Sudden Mortality in Captive White-Tailed Deer with Atypical Infestation of Winter Tick

Erika T. MacHtinger, Hayley R. Springer, Jessica E. Brown, Pia U. Olafson, 2021, Journal of Medical Entomology on p. 1962-1965

Surveillance of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Suburban Natural Habitats of Central Maryland

Matthew T. Milholland, Lars Eisen, Robyn M. Nadolny, Andrias Hojgaard, Erika T. Machtinger, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Andrew Y. Li, 2021, Journal of Medical Entomology on p. 1352-1362

Most-Cited Papers

Effects of four commercial fungal formulations on mortality and sporulation in house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans)

E. N.I. Weeks, E. T. Machtinger, S. A. Gezan, P. E. Kaufman, C. J. Geden, 2017, Medical and Veterinary Entomology on p. 15-22

Use of pupal parasitoids as biological control agents of filth flies on equine facilities

Erika T. Machtinger, Christopher J. Geden, Phillip E. Kaufman, Amanda M. House, 2015, Journal of Integrated Pest Management

Deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Lipoptena and Neolipoptena) in the United States and Canada: New state and county records, pathogen records, and an illustrated key to species

Michael J. Skvarla, Erika T. Machtinger, 2019, Journal of Medical Entomology on p. 744-760

Oviposition deterrence and immature survival of filth flies (Diptera

E. T. Machtinger, E. N.I. Weeks, C. J. Geden, 2016, Journal of Insect Science

Comparison of Host-Seeking Behavior of the Filth Fly Pupal Parasitoids, Spalangia cameroni and Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

E. T. Machtinger, C. J. Geden, P. E. Teal, N. C. Leppla, 2015, Environmental Entomology on p. 330-337

Linear dispersal of the filth fly parasitoid Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and parasitism of hosts at increasing distances

Erika T. Machtinger, Christopher J. Geden, Norman C. Leppla, 2015, PLoS One

House and Stable Fly Seasonal Abundance, Larval Development Substrates, and Natural Parasitism on Small Equine Farms in Florida

E. T. Machtinger, N. C. Leppla, J. A. Hogsette, 2016, Neotropical Entomology on p. 433-440

Development and oviposition preference of house flies and stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in six substrates from Florida equine facilities

E. T. Machtinger, C. J. Geden, J. A. Hogsette, N. C. Leppla, 2014, Journal of Medical Entomology on p. 1144-1150

Biological control with parasitoids

Erika T. Machtinger, Christopher J. Geden, 2018, on p. 299-336

Comparison of the Olfactory Preferences of Four of Filth Fly Pupal Parasitoid Species (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for Hosts in Equine and Bovine Manure

E. T. Machtinger, C. J. Geden, 2015, Environmental Entomology on p. 1417-1424

News Articles Featuring Erika Machtinger

Apr 29, 2022

It's tick season: Learn to protect yourself and your animals with free webinars

To educate the public about tick risk and tick bite prevention in these companion animals, Penn State Extension will offer the spring 2022 “Tick Webinar Series.” The vector-borne disease extension team will hold three webinars in May — Lyme Disease Awareness Month — at no cost to participants.

Full Article

Aug 08, 2020

Ticks and mosquitoes may await the pandemic-weary seeking outdoor exercise

Pandemic-weary Americans have begun walking and hiking in recent months to get out of the house while avoiding infection with the novel coronavirus. At the same time, resource-strapped local health departments have been forced to divert money and people to covid-related activities, unwillingly creating openings for outside exercisers to get sick in other ways.

Full Article

Aug 05, 2020

Ticks - biology, threats, protections - are focus of 10-week Penn State webinar series

Ticks, Lyme disease, other tick-borne diseases and Pennsylvania’s No. 1 position in all of that will be explained in detail in a free, 10-part webinar series from Penn State Extension that begins Thursday, July 9, with weekly installments scheduled through September 17.

Full Article

Jul 07, 2020

Ticks - biology, threats, protections - are focus of 10-week Penn State webinar series

Ticks, Lyme disease, other tick-borne diseases and Pennsylvania’s No. 1 position in all of that will be explained in detail in a free, 10-part webinar series from Penn State Extension that begins Thursday, July 9, with weekly installments scheduled through September 17.

Full Article

Jun 02, 2019

Parasitic Deer Fly Now Spreading Across US Says Study

Entomologists from Pennsylvania State University found that deer flies, which sometimes bite humans, are more prevalent in the United States than originally thought.

Full Article

May 30, 2019

New records show spread of parasitic deer flies across the US

With flattened bodies, grabbing forelegs and deciduous wings, deer keds do not look like your typical fly. These parasites of deer — which occasionally bite humans — are more widely distributed across the U.S. than previously thought.

Full Article

May 25, 2019

Pa. Lyme disease cases appear to hit plateau, but that shouldn’t change your outdoors routine

There’s good news about Lyme disease, Pennsylvanians. After a couple of years of leading the nation in “confirmed and probable” cases of the tick-borne disease, the experts expect the number of cases to level off.

Full Article

May 07, 2019

Institutes of Energy and the Environment announces seed grant recipients

Several Huck researchers are among the recipients of 2018-19 IEE seed grants.

Full Article

Mar 19, 2019

Tick Awareness and Prevention for Hunters

With an estimated 899 species of ticks world-wide—and over 90 different types within the U.S. —the odds of coming across one of these pesky parasites during a hunt are pretty high. While certain ticks are incredibly problematic for large ungulates—and have led to a massive decline in moose within New England and British Columbia—only a handful of tick species actually harm humans.

Full Article

Dec 13, 2018

Asian tick that clones itself could spread fast and far in the US, study says

The Asian longhorned tick most likely began invading the United States years ago. Now found in nine states, the tick may soon occupy a large swath of eastern North America as well as coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, according to research published Thursday in the Journal of Medical Entomology.

Full Article