After attending the International Congress of Dipterology
in Oxford in September 1998, Mr. Winterton will visit various
museums throughout Europe and the United Kingdom to examine type
specimens.
Mr. Holston plans to spend one or two weeks with Dr. Leif
Lyneborg (PEET collaborator) in October 1998 to benefit from Dr.
Lyneborg's experience with Thereva and Acrosathe,
particularly with the Palearctic species. Following his stay at
the lab of BMW in the spring of 1999, Mr. Holston plans to visit
several European museums in Fall 1999 to complete his study of
the Thereva type specimens and examine other museum specimens.
Caribbean Islands [Winter 1999]. Mr. Metz
anticipates an expedition to the islands of the Caribbean to increase
his knowledge of island biogeography and the major radiation of
the genus Brachylinga. A month-long expedition would be
necessary for a comprehensive representation of both lesser and
greater Antillean island fauna. The few specimens of Therevidae
collected from these islands indicate the need to mine this wealth
of diversity.
Gobi Desert of China and Inner Mongolia [summer 1999?].
A month long expedition is planned for this under-collected xeric
zone. Very few taxa have been taken from this area but many are
anticipated. Graduate student Yang will begin organizing this
expedition in the near future. Several PIs and others associated
with the project will rotate in and out during this expedition.
Madagascar [November 1999]. The preliminary expedition
in May 1998 established essential contacts and determined that
the optimal timing for a future expedition to this island would
be in November 1999. It is expected that several PIs and others
associated with the project will rotate in and out during this
expedition.
