Kilner's research looks at how social evolution can generate biodiversity and much of her work looks at
burying beetles (Silphidae) and
birds. Her earlier research looked at
birds that are
brood parasites, which take advantage of other species'
nests and
parental care. In particular, she found that
cuckoos are able to produce eggs that
mimic those of their host bird species. Kilner found that
cowbirds, which are also brood parasites, do not try to outcompete the host chicks that they hatch next to (as with cuckoos) and instead cowbirds do better when the host chicks remain. Parental care is common in burying beetles. Kilner's work on burying beetles has shown that beetle parents can produce a slime mixture that can influence
bacteria communities on the meat they provide for their
larval offspring; the bacteria aid digestion in the beetle stomach and prevent decomposition of the meat, so that beetle larvae grow larger and healthier. She also examined what happens when parents are prevented from caring for larvae over 30 successive generations. She found that the beetle larvae evolved larger jaws to help them feed from carcasses better without help. She also found that motherless beetle larvae were less competitive with each other and had higher survival rates than when mothered larvae had to cope alone. Her research with burying beetles has also shown that they can form
symbiotic relationships with
mites. Smaller beetles which lose out in fights with larger beetles can benefit from the
phoretic mite
Poecilochirus carabi, which helps them to warm up and enables them to win contests with other beetles for a carcass food source. In 2023 Kilner was interviewed by
Jim Al-Khalili on the BBC's
Life Scientific radio programme, talking about the relationship between social behaviours and evolution, including burying beetles. ==Awards==