About

Anjel Helms, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University and a core faculty member of the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ph.D. program. Her research and teaching interests lie in the fields of chemical ecology and plant-insect interactions. Her research has made significant contributions to the fields of entomology and chemical ecology by characterizing novel, chemically mediated interactions among plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms and applying these findings to develop sustainable agriculture solutions. Her lab combines analytical chemistry and behavioral studies to investigate how organisms use chemicals to communicate, locate resources, form associations with other organisms, and defend themselves against threats. Dr. Helms teaches courses in insect ecology and chemical ecology and currently serves as the faculty advisor for the Aggie Women in Entomology organization.

Research topics

• Biology
• Botany
• Ecology
• Geography
• Demography
• Biochemistry

Selected publications

• Editorial overview: Chemical ecology of multitrophic interactions: Current research and potential applications

  Current Opinion in Insect Science · 2026-01-16

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• A Slice of P-IE

  American Entomologist · 2025-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Soybean aphids exploit abscisic acid signaling to suppress jasmonate defense responses

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-09-21

  preprintOpen access

  Summary Soybean aphids ( Aphis glycines ) can induce susceptibility on soybean ( Glycine max ) during colonization. However, the mechanism for this process is not known. Based on previous transcriptome analyses, we hypothesized that aphids block effective jasmonate (JA) defenses by inducing an antagonistic abscisic acid (ABA) signal. To test this hypothesis, we used a combination of gene expression analyses, measurements of hormone levels, and aphid bioassays on plants with reduced expression of ABA-related genes. Aphid feeding attenuated JA responses in soybean plants and facilitated the growth of a chewing herbivore. Aphid-treated plants had increased levels of cis -JA but not biologically active JA-isoleucine, and aphid feeding induced expression of genes associated with JA-Ile catabolism. In parallel, aphid-feeding induced higher levels of ABA. ABA treatment and knockdown lines impaired in ABA biosynthesis ( aba2 -RNAi) or signaling ( scof-1 -RNAi), showed that ABA suppressed wound-induced JA responses. Aphid populations were significantly reduced on ABA-deficient plants and aphid-regulated attenuation of JA signaling was abolished in these lines. Remarkably, plants defective in ABA signaling had increased JA signaling in the absence of stressors. Our results indicate that, in soybean, the ABA pathway is necessary to control basal levels of JA and soybean aphids exploit this ABA-JA antagonism to suppress plant defenses.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Response of cotton cultivars with varying maturity traits to cotton fleahopper (Hemiptera: Miridae) feeding

  Journal of Economic Entomology · 2025-05-07 · 1 citations

  article

  Cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae), is an early season pest of upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. Feeding damage from this pest causes square abscission. The response of commercial cotton cultivars with varying maturity traits to cotton fleahopper feeding was assessed. The hypothesis was that feeding affects early and late-maturing cultivars differently in maturity delays and yield. Field experiments with natural and artificial infestations were conducted in Corpus Christi, TX. For the natural infestation experiment, 4 cultivars (DP 2020 B3XF, DP 2012 B3XF, PHY 332 W3FE, and PHY 545 W3FE) were assigned to main plots, with subplots either sprayed or not sprayed with thiamethoxam insecticide to control cotton fleahopper early in the season. The artificial infestation experiment used 2 cultivars (DP 2020 B3XF and PHY 545 W3FE) as main plots, with subplots infested to or not infested with cotton fleahopper using single square caging. In the no-spray subplots of the natural infestation experiment, cotton fleahopper feeding increased square abscission, leading to yield loss and delayed boll maturity, especially in cultivars classified as late-maturing. Early maturing cultivars consistently showed faster boll opening regardless of cotton fleahopper. Artificial infestation experiments further confirmed increased square abscission, reduced boll numbers, and lower lint weights when infested with cotton fleahopper. Early maturing cultivars are more resilient and may be particularly useful in areas with high cotton fleahopper pressure, especially when scheduling an early harvest is desirable.

  PublisherDOI

• Colony and population genetic structure of the newly invasive white‐footed ant ( <i>Technomyrmex difficilis</i> ) in the United States

  Insect Science · 2025-11-12

  articleOpen access

  The invasive white-footed ant Technomyrmex difficilis has emerged as a rising pest in several regions, yet its invasion dynamics remain underexplored. This species outcompetes native ants and causes agricultural losses by tending pest insects, including aphids and mealybugs. This study provides the first integrated analysis of the species' behavioral, chemical, and genetic variation across Texas and Florida populations. Observations suggest that the recently discovered Texas population of white-footed ants originated from Florida. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed low genetic diversity in both populations, with a shared haplotype consistent with the Texas population originating from Florida. STRUCTURE analysis further supported genetic clustering between the two regions. Despite similar within-colony coefficients of relatedness for workers, the populations differed in reproductive strategy: Florida colonies showed signs of inbreeding and high inter-colony aggression, whereas Texas colonies exhibited potential localized outbreeding, low aggression, and more uniform cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Aggression was positively correlated with chemical divergence but not with genetic differentiation. This study establishes a foundational understanding and highlights the importance of integrating multiple types of data to understand the invasion biology of Technomyrmex difficilis.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leaffooted Bugs, Leptoglossus phyllopus (Hemiptera: Coreidae), Are Attracted to Volatile Emissions from Herbivore-Damaged Cotton Bolls

  Insects · 2025-04-17

  articleOpen access

  The leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus (L.) (Hemiptera: Coreidae), probes and feeds on tissues of many plant species, including developing cotton bolls, causing seed damage and abscission. Insecticides are the primary tool for managing leaffooted bugs, but concerns about resistance and environmental harm highlight the need for alternative management strategies. One promising approach is using semiochemicals, such as plant- and insect-produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to trap or repel pests. Insect herbivores often use plant-produced VOCs to select suitable host plants for feeding and oviposition. Field observations of abundant adult leaffooted bugs on cotton bolls suggest that bugs aggregate at feeding sites. The goal of this study was to characterize VOCs from developing cotton bolls with and without leaffooted bug herbivory and evaluate how these VOCs affect adult bug foraging behavior. A portable dynamic headspace sampling method was used to collect VOCs from developing cotton bolls in the field, and VOC samples were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Leaffooted bug herbivory induced volatile emissions from cotton bolls, with significant increases in the emissions of six compounds (benzaldehyde, α-pinene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, p-xylene, and (E)-β-caryophyllene). Dual-choice olfactometer assays revealed that adult leaffooted bugs were attracted to VOCs from damaged cotton bolls, as well as being attracted to synthetic benzaldehyde or α-pinene individually. In contrast, leaffooted bugs were repelled by the combination of synthetic benzaldehyde and α-pinene. These findings suggest that VOCs from cotton bolls are attractive to leaffooted bugs and could contribute to the development of attractive lures for integrated pest management.

  PublisherDOI

• Reduced Cuticular Hydrocarbon Production in a Unicolonial Population of the Ant, Nylanderia fulva, Is Associated with Low Desiccation Resistance in its Invasive Range

  Journal of Chemical Ecology · 2025-08-01 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Digestion of fruit wastes by black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae alters moisture content and emission of greenhouse gases, noxious gases, and odors

  Environmental Entomology · 2025-07-14

  article

  Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), larvae convert organic wastes into insect biomass that can be used as livestock feed. Recent evidence also suggests larvae can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and noxious odors. However, these benefits are substrate and scale dependent. The current study examined the impact of black soldier fly larval digestion on resulting moisture level, greenhouse gas (i.e., carbon dioxide), noxious gases (i.e., ammonia, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide), and volatile organic compound production for coconut, honeydew, orange, and control (Gainesville diet) substrates at an industrial scale. Overall, the moisture content for some substrates digested by larvae was significantly (P < 0.05) lower (>20%) than those without larvae. However, differences were substrate dependent with final moisture content ranging from 35% (coconut) to 52% (oranges). The presence of black soldier fly larvae did not significantly (P > 0.05) impact overall GHG emissions. However, significant differences were detected at select days of the experiment. From an industrial perspective, recycling waste with larvae (7-d process) would potentially result in reduced duration for producing GHG versus placing substrates in a landfill (i.e., weeks to months to compost). The presence of black soldier fly larvae significantly (P < 0.05) impacted overall volatile organic compound profiles of the substrates. Larval impact on volatile abundance, richness, and evenness was substrate dependent. These results demonstrate the need to formulate diets and engineer systems that maximize benefits associated with black soldier fly larvae, while minimizing greenhouse gas and volatile organic compound emissions.

  PublisherDOI

• Cotton Fleahopper Herbivory on Cotton Squares Induces Plant Volatile Emissions that Repel Conspecifics

  Journal of Chemical Ecology · 2025-05-24 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Cucurbit plant defenses against aboveground or belowground insect herbivores are distinct and shaped by eco-evolutionary factors

  Basic and Applied Ecology · 2025-04-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  • Understanding plant defense strategies against foliar or root insects is critical. • Resistance varied across plant species, but most species tolerated root herbivory. • Plant domestication and herbivore coexistence history shaped foliar resistance. • Tolerance to longer-term herbivory in the field was plant species-specific. • Discerning drivers and patterns of resistance and tolerance improves crop breeding. Plant defense strategies against insect herbivores are classified broadly as resistance or tolerance. Resistance deters insect growth or feeding, while tolerance mitigates negative effects of herbivory on plant fitness. Plant investment into resistance or tolerance strategies likely falls along a continuum that has been shaped by eco-evolutionary factors, such as plant domestication or coexistence histories with herbivores. Relatively little is known about how general defense strategies differ against aboveground foliar herbivores and belowground root herbivores. In the current study, we investigated defense strategies of plant species in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) against aboveground squash bug ( Anasa tristis ) or belowground striped cucumber beetle ( Acalymma vittatum ) herbivory. We selected six cucurbit plant species that differed in domestication status and coexistence history with herbivores: zucchini squash ( Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo ); Texas gourd ( Cucurbita pepo subsp. texana ); pumpkin ( Cucurbita maxima ); buffalo gourd ( Cucurbita foetidissima ); cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ); and watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus ). For each plant species and herbivore combination, we conducted separate resistance and tolerance assays. We also carried out a field experiment to examine how longer-term herbivory influences plant reproductive and vegetative growth. We observed variation in resistance among cucurbit plant species against aboveground and belowground herbivory. Across species, plants were generally more tolerant of herbivory belowground than aboveground. We determined that wild plants were more resistant than domesticated counterparts to herbivory aboveground but not belowground. Further, plants with an herbivore coexistence history were less resistant to herbivory aboveground and belowground compared to those without. With longer-term herbivory in the field, zucchini plants were more tolerant of either aboveground or belowground herbivory than watermelon plants. Collectively, our findings highlight differences in plant defense against aboveground and belowground herbivores, advancing understanding of the eco-evolutionary factors shaping plant defense strategies and providing new insights for agricultural pest management in cucurbits.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• John M. Grunseich

  Texas A&M University

  15 shared

• Edward L. Vargo

  Texas A&M University

  14 shared

• John F. Tooker

  13 shared

• Morgan N. Thompson

  Texas A&M University

  10 shared

• Natalie M. Aguirre

  Texas A&M University

  9 shared

• Pierre‐André Eyer

  Texas A&M University System

  8 shared

• Mark C. Mescher

  7 shared

• Jared G. Ali

  Pennsylvania State University

  7 shared