Why Empathy, Connection, and Confidence are Critical for Science Communication
Patricia Raun, director of The Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech, traces her path from professional actor to science communicator and offers entomologists advice on engaging with their communities.
New Guide Offers Latest in Carrot Weevil Management
Carrot weevil (Listronotus oregonensis) is a pest of carrots as well as parsley and celery. A new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management gathers a variety of IPM methods for fending off carrot weevil and highlights where research is needed to better understand its biology and behavior.
Edible Plant Oils Show Potential for Management of Aedes aegypti
A new study finds several edible plant oils—such as hempseed, sesame, and pumpkinseed oils—have potential utility as eco-friendly larvicides or egg-laying deterrents against the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Mosquito Management is Key in Creating Popular Urban Wetlands
A study that shows mosquitoes might benefit from wetland-management tactics aimed at protecting frogs illustrates the complicated ecological dynamics present in urban wetlands. Understanding the habitat requirements and ecological interactions of local mosquito species is critical to balancing such wetlands' risks and benefits.
Mesh to Reduce Bycatch: A Simple Solution to a Sticky Problem
Sticky traps used to monitor orchards for the Asian citrus psyllid often catch an array of larger non-target organisms. But a thin layer of mesh fabric—the same kind used in bridal veils and ballet tutus—makes an effective screen to eliminate most bycatch while still catching the target pests.
Assay Array: Entomologists’ Lab Tests Expose Insect Secrets
Entomologists can find out a lot about an insect through some simple chemical reactions in a lab. A new review offers a guide to the wide variety of tests, or assays, that can be conducted to measure the fats, sugars, and other compounds in an insect's body—thereby revealing useful clues about how it stores and uses energy.
Climate Change Could Open Doors, Closes Others for Spread of Japanese Beetle
A new study modeling potential future climate-change scenarios finds the potential for the invasive Japanese beetle to expand its range northward into new regions in North America, though some parts of it southern range could become too warm for it.
Road Trip: How Hive Transportation Puts Stress on Honey Bees
Honey bees are in high demand for pollinating crops, and hives are often trucked thousands of miles a year to serve different crops in different regions and seasons. But researchers say honey bees show signs of stress from all that travel.
Citywide Mosquito Management Effort in Puerto Rico During Zika Outbreak Offers Lessons for Future
An integrated vector management program is no small undertaking, but a program run in Caguas City, Puerto Rico, during the Zika outbreak of 2016 shows such an effort can be successful at the scale of a city of more than 140,000 people.
Black-Orange-Black Color Pattern Found in 23 Families of Wasps, Bees, and Ants
Well-known in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, the distinct black-orange-black color pattern has never been fully documented in Hymenoptera—until now. A study of more than 1 million wasp, bee, and other hymenopteran specimens finds a wide range of variations of the pattern present in 23 families within the order Hymenoptera.
For Insect Ecologists, Some Rare Species Interactions Are a Sign of Things to Come
In an era of human-driven ecological change, crucial interactions between and among insect species and plants can disappear before their participating species do. A new special collection in Annals of the Entomological Society of America looks at how insect ecologists are studying these rare interactions and what they mean for our efforts to conserve even the rarest links in the rich web of interactions all around us.
Meet the Mosquito With a Big Appetite—for Other Mosquitoes
The mosquito species Toxorhynchites rutilus is harmless to humans but is a voracious predator of other mosquitoes. Researchers in Houston, Texas, are hoping the "mosquito assassin" could be put into action as a tool for controlling mosquitoes that carry human pathogens—if they can find an efficient way to raise the predator mosquitoes in the lab.
Why One Insect Toxicologist Aims to Explore the Unexplored
Meet Daniel Swale, Ph.D., assistant professor of entomology at Louisiana State University, whose research works to uncover novel biochemical targets in insects for potential application in pesticides. Swale is the subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
Gender Research in IPM: Women’s Empowerment as a Key to Unlocking Food Security
In developing countries, women make up 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, so incorporating women's input into the application of integrated pest management activities has major implications for IPM success. Ongoing research is aimed at improving equity and access in designing IPM programs.
New Study Aims to Protect Parasitoids of Spotted-Wing Drosophila
Use of an insecticide can be counterproductive if it also harms natural enemies of a target pest. A new study puts several insecticides currently in use to manage spotted-wing drosophila to the test to see how they do or don't affect parasitoids of the invasive fruit fly.
To Boost IPM Adoption, Treat It as a Complex Social System
Pest management is more than just matching pests with control methods. A tangled web of societal influences also play a role in growers' decisions and their uptake of integrated pest management, and researchers say the science of "social ecological systems" can inform efforts to increase IPM adoption.
Amazing Insects ›
Meet the Mosquito With a Big Appetite—for Other Mosquitoes
The mosquito species Toxorhynchites rutilus is harmless to humans but is a voracious predator of other mosquitoes. Researchers in Houston, Texas, are hoping the "mosquito assassin" could be put into action as a tool for controlling mosquitoes that carry human pathogens—if they can find an efficient way to raise the predator mosquitoes in the lab.
Show or Tell? Testing Peacock Spiders’ Multi-Modal Mating Display
Famous for their flashy colors, peacock spiders also emit vibrational signals during their mating dance. But why both kinds of courtship cues? And which kind matters more? Researchers have been studying peacock spiders to find out.
When Cicada-Killer Wasps Become Cicada-Stealer Wasps
Hunting cicadas and lugging them back to a nest is hard work for a cicada-killer wasp. But sometimes all that hard work goes to waste, when a fellow wasp swoops in and lays her egg on the other wasp's prey. And that's if the cicada isn't stolen by a bird first.
Balance, Hearing, and More: Why Some Wasps Have Fat Lower Legs
The fat lower legs that dangle below flying wasps in the family Gasteruptiidae turn out to be filled with insect fat body, and they may play key roles in flight dynamics, detecting vibrations from prey, and even detoxification.
Science Policy and Outreach ›
Citywide Mosquito Management Effort in Puerto Rico During Zika Outbreak Offers Lessons for Future
An integrated vector management program is no small undertaking, but a program run in Caguas City, Puerto Rico, during the Zika outbreak of 2016 shows such an effort can be successful at the scale of a city of more than 140,000 people.
Gender Research in IPM: Women’s Empowerment as a Key to Unlocking Food Security
In developing countries, women make up 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, so incorporating women's input into the application of integrated pest management activities has major implications for IPM success. Ongoing research is aimed at improving equity and access in designing IPM programs.
An Invasive-Species Success Story: The Eradication of the European Grapevine Moth in California
The successful eradication of the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in northern California after it was found there in 2009 offers important lessons for invasive species response. Researchers are studying the dynamics of the invasion and eradication effort to prepare future response plans for other potential invasive species both in California and beyond.
7 Ideas for Entomologists to Get Engaged in Science Policy
So, you want to be an advocate for science? Get your energy flowing with these thoughts and perspectives from a new special collection of articles on science policy in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America.
Research News ›
Edible Plant Oils Show Potential for Management of Aedes aegypti
A new study finds several edible plant oils—such as hempseed, sesame, and pumpkinseed oils—have potential utility as eco-friendly larvicides or egg-laying deterrents against the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Mosquito Management is Key in Creating Popular Urban Wetlands
A study that shows mosquitoes might benefit from wetland-management tactics aimed at protecting frogs illustrates the complicated ecological dynamics present in urban wetlands. Understanding the habitat requirements and ecological interactions of local mosquito species is critical to balancing such wetlands' risks and benefits.
Mesh to Reduce Bycatch: A Simple Solution to a Sticky Problem
Sticky traps used to monitor orchards for the Asian citrus psyllid often catch an array of larger non-target organisms. But a thin layer of mesh fabric—the same kind used in bridal veils and ballet tutus—makes an effective screen to eliminate most bycatch while still catching the target pests.
Trap Modifications Collect Mosquito Waste for Virus Detection
Public health officials could soon be able to detect viruses in mosquitoes in the wild much more quickly and easily—thanks to the insect equivalent of a urine test. A new study in Australia shows that two kinds of commonly used mosquito traps can be readily modified to collect mosquito excreta, or liquid waste droplets, to be tested for signs of viruses.
The Entomology Profession ›
Why Empathy, Connection, and Confidence are Critical for Science Communication
Patricia Raun, director of The Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech, traces her path from professional actor to science communicator and offers entomologists advice on engaging with their communities.
Assay Array: Entomologists’ Lab Tests Expose Insect Secrets
Entomologists can find out a lot about an insect through some simple chemical reactions in a lab. A new review offers a guide to the wide variety of tests, or assays, that can be conducted to measure the fats, sugars, and other compounds in an insect's body—thereby revealing useful clues about how it stores and uses energy.
Why One Insect Toxicologist Aims to Explore the Unexplored
Meet Daniel Swale, Ph.D., assistant professor of entomology at Louisiana State University, whose research works to uncover novel biochemical targets in insects for potential application in pesticides. Swale is the subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
Gender Research in IPM: Women’s Empowerment as a Key to Unlocking Food Security
In developing countries, women make up 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, so incorporating women's input into the application of integrated pest management activities has major implications for IPM success. Ongoing research is aimed at improving equity and access in designing IPM programs.
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An Inside Look at How the Varroa Mite’s True Diet Was Discovered
Some researchers willing to question conventional wisdom, some crafty experimentation, and some high-tech microscopic imagery all add up to a discovery about the Varroa destructor mite that upends years of understanding about how it parasitizes honey bees.
Yellowjackets: A Look at Opportunistic Raiders of Honey Bee Hives
Yellowjackets are nuisance predators of honey bees, preying on them and pillaging their honey. But bees fight back, and healthy hives are rarely at risk. Learn more about yellowjackets, their interactions with bees, and what sets yellowjackets apart from hornets and other fellow wasps.
Putting Bumble Bees in a Box Might Help Scientists Study Their Nesting Ecology
Bumble bee nests can be hard to find and study, so researchers hope they can create artificial nest boxes for them to use and be observed more easily. But will bumble bees use such boxes? New research offers some clues about optimal design and placement of bumble bee "domiciles."
To Boost IPM Adoption, Treat It as a Complex Social System
Pest management is more than just matching pests with control methods. A tangled web of societal influences also play a role in growers' decisions and their uptake of integrated pest management, and researchers say the science of "social ecological systems" can inform efforts to increase IPM adoption.
Satyrization is No Laughing Matter for Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes, But Pickiness Has a Price
When their ranges overlap, two invasive mosquito species mate but produce no offspring, in an event known as satyrization. They can evolve quickly to learn to avoid each other, but that choosiness may cost the mosquitoes in other ways.
Show or Tell? Testing Peacock Spiders’ Multi-Modal Mating Display
Famous for their flashy colors, peacock spiders also emit vibrational signals during their mating dance. But why both kinds of courtship cues? And which kind matters more? Researchers have been studying peacock spiders to find out.
An Entomologist’s Ode to Everyday Youth Outreach
A visit with family and some young cousins reminds one entomologist about why he first became interested in insects and why it's so important for scientists be ambassadors for the knowledge they have about the natural world.
Road Trip: How Hive Transportation Puts Stress on Honey Bees
Honey bees are in high demand for pollinating crops, and hives are often trucked thousands of miles a year to serve different crops in different regions and seasons. But researchers say honey bees show signs of stress from all that travel.
Why Researchers are Re-Creating an Infamous Hitchhiker’s Month-Long Journey Around the Globe
New Zealand is working hard to keep the invasive brown marmorated stink bug from reaching its shores, and researchers there are working with colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to understand the dynamics of the pest's ocean voyage aboard cargo ships bound for the island nation, in hopes of finding new ways to detect and prevent its arrival.