1. DEVON BRITS
9th Avenue, Boston Estate, Bellville West, Western Cape, South Africa 7530 |
+27 82 302 1286 | britsdevon@gmail.com
RESEARCH INTERESTS
 Organic waste management/Insect farming using Black soldier fly (Hemetia
illucens).
 Animal Entomophagy using Diptera.
 Forensic entomology focusing on thermal ecology of Diptera.
 Taxonomy & systematics of the orders Coleoptera & Diptera.
 Genetics and particular applied uses in taxonomy and ecology.
 Bacteriology with particular focus on pathogen/bacterial vectors.
EDUCATION
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, WC
M.Sc. in Entomology
Achievements:
 Publishing 3rd year research project (Zoology) 2015-present
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
B.Sc. with Honours in Entomology
Achievements:
 Publishing of 3rd year research project (Entomology)
 Presentations at two conferences for 3rd year research
project (Entomology)
 Average of 68% 2014
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
B.Sc. in Zoology & Entomology
Achievements:
 Distinction in 3rd year Research Project (Zoology)
 Average of 65% at third-year level 2011-2013
Rand Park High School, Randburg (Gauteng)
National Senior Certificate (NSC)
2006-2010
Subjects: English (1st HL), Afrikaans (1st AL), Mathematics (HG), Geography, Life Sciences,
Physical Sciences and Life Orientation.

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Average: 75% (Distinction in Geography with 80%)
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS
 Rhodes university merit scholarship
 THRIP Bursary 2015 (Stellenbosch University)
 2015 Departmental Bursary (Stellenbosch University)
 2016 NRF SCARCE SKILLS BURSARY (Stellenbosch University)
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Researcher, M.Sc. Entomology (Stellenbosch University)
AgriProtein Technologies, Philippi East, Western Cape
Supervisors: Dr Cameron S Richards, Dr James S Pryke & Prof. Martin H. Villet 2015-present
 Research on physiology of Hermetia illucens.
 Experimental design and setup.
 Maintenance of insect colonies.
 Assessing the effects of diet depth, particle size, population
size and density and larval mass effect on Hermetia illucens
larval life history traits.
 Practical application of upscaling mass rearing
ResearchAssistant, AgriProtein Technologies
AgriProtein Technologies, Philippi East, Western Cape
Supervisors: Dr Cameron S Richards & Dr. Ian Banks 2015-present
 Research on physiology of Hermetia illucens.
 Experimental design and setup.
 Maintenance of insect colonies.
 Data collection, analysis and report writing. Production of
insect based animal feeds.
 Creation and assessment of Quality Control Standard
Procedures.
Researcher, B.Sc. 3rd year Zoology Research Project
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
Supervisor: Prof. Martin Villet & Mrs. Margot Brooks 2013
 Assessed diversity of bacteria from Musca domestica and
Chrysomya megacephala
 Conducted microbiological inoculations and isolations as
well as other standard microbiological methods.

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 Conducted genetic manipulation and analysation of pure
strains of cultured bacteria
Researcher, B.Sc. 3rd year Entomology Research Project
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
Supervisor: Dr. Alicia Timm & Mr. Jaryd Ridgeway 2013
 Assessed the temperature efficacy of a baculovirus (CrleGV-SA) used in the biological
control of Thaumatotibia leucotreta
 Conducted water-based bioassays of individual larvae with the virus
 Analysed all statistics using Statistica 10.1
Researcher, B.Sc. Honours Research Project
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
Supervisor: Prof. Martin Villet & Dr. Cameron Richards 2014
 Assessed the thermal ecology of Hermetia illucens
 Conducted rearing and maintenance of H.illuscens colonies
Researcher, B.Sc. Honours Research Project
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, EC
Supervisor: Dr. Helen Barber-James & Dr. John Midgley 2014-present
 Reviewing all known literature on Elmidae in Southern
Africa
 Performing and analyzing the dissecting techniques for the
identification of species in the family Elmidae
 Creating a species morphological key and phylogenetic tree
for the Family Elmidae.
Key ResearchSkills
 Mass rearing and production of insects for commercial use.
 Rearing fly/insect colonies
 Physiological and Life History Assessment
 COI Genetic Sequencing and Analysis
 Phylogenetic & Parsimony Analysis
 Firm knowledge of key microbiological skills relevant to
bacteriological studies.
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
 Demonstrating practical classes and techniques for Cellular Biology and Zoology (1st
year) at Rhodes University (2014-present) for 30+ students for 3 hours at a time.

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 Teaching 20-40 high school learners about insect, nature conservation and sustainable
development during organized classes (Wildlife Clubs at Ntsika High School, Joza,
Eastern Cape) for 1-4 hours in both classroom and fieldtrip settings (2013-2014).
 Mentoring freshman students in the biological sciences at Rhodes University (Ncedana
Mentoring Program 2014) with regards to adjusting to university life and academic work
in the biological sciences.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Research assistant, SAIAB& Rhodes University 2012
Supervisor: Mr. Terrence Bellignan (Rhodes University PhD Candidate)
 Assisted in sorting of aquatic samples of freshwater invertebrates
 Identified and logged all groups of invertebrates
MEMBERSHIPS
 The Entomological Society of Southern Africa (2014-present)
 The Entomological Society of America (2015- Jan 2016)
REFERENCE
Prof. Martin H. Villet
Dept. of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes
University,
Artillery road, Grahamstown 6140
Tel: 046 603 8527
m.villet@ru.ac.za
Dr. Helen Barber-James
Dept. of Freshwater Invertebrates, Albany
Museum,
Somerset Street, Grahamstown 6140
Tel: 046 622 2312
h.james@ru.ac.za
Dr. Cameron S. Richards
Dept. of Entomology, AgriProtein
Technologies,
Philippi, Western Cape 7530.
Tel: 071 632 4839
Cameron@agriprotein.com
Dr. Ian J. Banks
Dept. of Entomology, AgriProtein
Technologies,

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Philippi, Western Cape 7530. Tel: 071 161 2930
ian@agriprotein.com

6. PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS
Forthcoming Papers
 BRITS, D, BROOKS, M and VILLET MH. [under review by African Entomology]. The
bacterial diversity of Musca domestica and Chrysomya megacephala with particular focus
on the pathogens they vector. Submitting to Journal of African Entomology 2015.
Popular Articles
BRITS, D. 2014 (submitted and accepted). Bacterial Busses of the Insect World. ESSA Rostrum:
Newsletter of ESSA 85.
Publications
 BRITS, D, RIDGEWAY, J and TIMM, AE. 2015. Laboratory evaluation of temperature
effects on the efficacy of Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulosis virus (CrleGV-SA) on
fourth-instar false codling moth larvae. African Entomology 23(1): 243-246.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
International Congress on Invertebrate Pathology and Microbial Control
47th Annual Meeting of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology August 2014
 A poster will be presented on the preliminary trials on the
efficacy of the false codling moth Granulovirus (CrleGV-SA)
used for biological control of false codling moth,
Thaumatotibia leucotreta
8th Citrus ResearchSymposium August 2014
 A poster will be presented on the preliminary trials on the
“Laboratory evaluation of temperature effects on the
efficacy of Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (CrleGV-
SA) on fourth-instar false codling moth larvae.”