What a Community in the Heartland Can Teach Us About Resistance Management
At the 2019 Science Policy Tour on collaborative approaches to resistance management, the Weed Science Society of America partnered with Entomological Society of America to share learnings from an Iowa demonstration project.
How a Childhood Project Inspired a Life-Long Career
Meet Michael Skvarla, Ph.D., extension entomologist and director of the Insect Identification Laboratory at Penn State University, whose career path began with a Cub Scout insect-collection project. Skvarla is the subject of the next edition of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
Millet Production Is On the Rise, and So Are the Pests That Eat It
Millet is a staple crop in Africa and Asia and increasingly common elsewhere, as demand for whole-grain products continues to rise. At least 150 insect species are known to feed on millet, and a new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management highlights the biology and management options for several of the most significant ones.
Impact of Invasive Japanese Barberry Cascades Through Local Food Webs
Dense thickets of invasive Japanese barberry significantly reduce the diversity and numbers of insects and arthropods in forests, according to new research. The ripple effects can extend upward throughout local ecosystems, even affecting human health via an increased presence of Lyme disease.
The Power of Infographics to Illuminate Insect Science
Done well, infographics are a useful tool for engaging audiences that the entomological community doesn't usually reach. Here are a few great examples of entomology infographics and some inspiration for creating your own.
Fatal Attraction: A Novel Solution to the Problem of Asian Citrus Psyllid on Residential Citrus
In many areas where the Asian citrus psyllid spreads citrus greening disease to commercial groves, it can evade control efforts by infesting residential citrus trees. A new attract-and-kill device, however, is being evaluated for managing psyllids on citrus in residential areas.
IPM in Hemp: Managing Pests in a “New” Crop
With hemp recently legalized for commercial production in the United States, growers are in need of integrated pest management (IPM) guidance. A new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management offers a current synopsis of existing research on insect and arthropod pests of hemp and notes where future research is needed.
Swarm Shift: How Locusts Switch Phases When Numbers Swell
After swarms of the South American locust Schistocerca cancellata reappeared in 2015 for the first time in 60 years, a study on what drives their swarm behavior finds the insects' population density acts as a trigger for a slew of biological and behavioral changes at the individual level.
Watch the Four Finalist Videos in the 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest
Check out the four finalist videos in the Entomological Society of America's 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest. Winner, runner-up, and honorable mentions will be announced at Entomology 2019.
Soil Ecology: Critical But Understudied in the Fight Against Ticks
In many tick species, more than three-quarters of their lives are spent off-host in the soil or among the leaf litter. A research team at Cornell University highlights an important opportunity for tick researchers and soil ecologists to collaborate to better understand what happens when the ticks aren't in contact with hosts.
How One Entomologist Looks to Fossil Ants to Answer Big Biology Questions
Meet Phillip Barden, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, an expert in fossil ant species and the evolutionary lessons they teach us, and subject of the next edition of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
Study Shines Light on ID’ing Males, Females of Endangered Beetles
In two endangered beetle species that live in the Edwards Aquifer in Texas, males and females are nearly indiscernible. A new study suggests the quickest way to ID males versus females is to shine a light through them, illuminating internal organs that reveal the difference.
Bad Roommates: Study Tracks Mice to Nests, Finds Ticks Aplenty
In the first field study of its kind, researchers confirmed Peromyscus mouse nests as understudied habitats for ticks, including blacklegged ticks and American dog ticks. Researchers are hoping to better understand the role of mouse-tick interactions within nests in the spread of tick-borne disease.
For Mass-Rearing Sterile Fruit Flies, Fewer Males Means More Efficient Mating
Sometimes, less is more. Case in point: the mass-rearing program that produces millions of sterile Mexican fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens) for managing wild populations. Scientists refining the effort find that a lower ratio of males to females in mating cages leads to higher fecundity and fertility in the females—and higher cost-effectiveness for the operation.
Wildflower Strips Bring Farmers Extra Money While Helping Native Bees
Planting strips of wildflowers next to crops is a boon for native bees, but few farms adopt the practice. A new study, however, shows farmers can turn an immediate profit by selling wildflower seeds retail, while the long-term benefits of increased pollination and crop yields materialize over time.
As a Watershed is Urbanized, Damselflies Show Declines
A study along a river in Central Mexico finds Hetaerina americana damselflies in reduced numbers after a decline in vegetation the addition of wastewater outlets. Researchers say the decline illustrates the impact of human land use on natural ecosystems.
Amazing Insects ›
You Can Thank Insects for Many Human Inventions
Even in this digital age, we continue to extract ideas and materials from insects and their relatives. However, the challenge of today may be to avoid a strictly utilitarian view of other organisms, whereby a species is expendable if it cannot demonstrate economic value that can be measured in dollars.
How a Honey Bee’s Waggle is Inspiring Aerospace Design
Engineers may recognize the internal muscle structure of a honey bee abdomen for its resemblance to a Stewart platform, a mechanical device that enables six degrees of freedom in movement. Researchers who have found its natural equivalent in bees say the discovery is already informing their work in designing articulating nose cones for rockets.
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.
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.
Science Policy and Outreach ›
The Power of Infographics to Illuminate Insect Science
Done well, infographics are a useful tool for engaging audiences that the entomological community doesn't usually reach. Here are a few great examples of entomology infographics and some inspiration for creating your own.
Watch the Four Finalist Videos in the 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest
Check out the four finalist videos in the Entomological Society of America's 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest. Winner, runner-up, and honorable mentions will be announced at Entomology 2019.
How to Host a Congressional Visit at Your Entomological Research Facility
Seeing is believing, and showing your legislators your science in an interactive, hands-on setting can inform them about how their decisions affect the systems and organisms entomologists care so much about.
15 Ways to Advocate for Entomology at the Local and State Level
National issues get the lion's share of attention, but local and state policy is just as important to citizens within any given community. Here are 15 tips for entomologists looking to advocate for their science in their own communities.
Research News ›
Millet Production Is On the Rise, and So Are the Pests That Eat It
Millet is a staple crop in Africa and Asia and increasingly common elsewhere, as demand for whole-grain products continues to rise. At least 150 insect species are known to feed on millet, and a new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management highlights the biology and management options for several of the most significant ones.
Impact of Invasive Japanese Barberry Cascades Through Local Food Webs
Dense thickets of invasive Japanese barberry significantly reduce the diversity and numbers of insects and arthropods in forests, according to new research. The ripple effects can extend upward throughout local ecosystems, even affecting human health via an increased presence of Lyme disease.
Fatal Attraction: A Novel Solution to the Problem of Asian Citrus Psyllid on Residential Citrus
In many areas where the Asian citrus psyllid spreads citrus greening disease to commercial groves, it can evade control efforts by infesting residential citrus trees. A new attract-and-kill device, however, is being evaluated for managing psyllids on citrus in residential areas.
IPM in Hemp: Managing Pests in a “New” Crop
With hemp recently legalized for commercial production in the United States, growers are in need of integrated pest management (IPM) guidance. A new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management offers a current synopsis of existing research on insect and arthropod pests of hemp and notes where future research is needed.
The Entomology Profession ›
The Power of Infographics to Illuminate Insect Science
Done well, infographics are a useful tool for engaging audiences that the entomological community doesn't usually reach. Here are a few great examples of entomology infographics and some inspiration for creating your own.
Watch the Four Finalist Videos in the 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest
Check out the four finalist videos in the Entomological Society of America's 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest. Winner, runner-up, and honorable mentions will be announced at Entomology 2019.
How One Entomologist Looks to Fossil Ants to Answer Big Biology Questions
Meet Phillip Barden, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, an expert in fossil ant species and the evolutionary lessons they teach us, and subject of the next edition of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
How a Team of Grad Students Built a Mobile App for Entomologists
LeafByte is a free, open-source mobile app for quickly measuring leaf damage caused by herbivorous insect pests. If you've ever considered building a mobile app to aid in your research, here's a first-hand account from the Cornell entomology student who took LeafByte from idea to action.
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As a Watershed is Urbanized, Damselflies Show Declines
A study along a river in Central Mexico finds Hetaerina americana damselflies in reduced numbers after a decline in vegetation the addition of wastewater outlets. Researchers say the decline illustrates the impact of human land use on natural ecosystems.
Watch the Four Finalist Videos in the 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest
Check out the four finalist videos in the Entomological Society of America's 2019 YouTube Your Entomology Contest. Winner, runner-up, and honorable mentions will be announced at Entomology 2019.
Soil Ecology: Critical But Understudied in the Fight Against Ticks
In many tick species, more than three-quarters of their lives are spent off-host in the soil or among the leaf litter. A research team at Cornell University highlights an important opportunity for tick researchers and soil ecologists to collaborate to better understand what happens when the ticks aren't in contact with hosts.
15 Ways to Advocate for Entomology at the Local and State Level
National issues get the lion's share of attention, but local and state policy is just as important to citizens within any given community. Here are 15 tips for entomologists looking to advocate for their science in their own communities.
Impact of Invasive Japanese Barberry Cascades Through Local Food Webs
Dense thickets of invasive Japanese barberry significantly reduce the diversity and numbers of insects and arthropods in forests, according to new research. The ripple effects can extend upward throughout local ecosystems, even affecting human health via an increased presence of Lyme disease.
How to Advocate for Entomology by Writing an Op-Ed
The op-ed traces its roots to the guest columns opposite the editorial page, but such opinion essays are still important advocacy tools in the post-newspaper era. For entomologists who want to speak up for their science, here's a quick guide to writing an op-ed and getting it published.
Not a Kissing Bug: Invasive Western Conifer-Seed Bug Causes Undue Alarm
As the western conifer-seed bug has arrived in South America, its resemblance to kissing bugs has caused a stir, as members of the public have readily mistaken the two. Researchers in Chile recommend accessible identification keys and educational materials to better inform both health professionals and the public.
When Forest Fires Flare, Woodboring Beetles Rush In
Woodboring beetles make good food for woodpeckers, and researchers studying how forest fires affect bird populations have studied the patterns of woodboring-beetle colonization of forests after fires. Their findings offer clues and raise new questions about the impact of fires on forest ecosystems, in a time of increased fire activity and longer fire seasons.
Entomology Students: Do You Maintain Healthy Work-Life Balance?
Our own well-being is not something that many entomology graduate students sit and think about, but it goes hand-in-hand with our scientific careers. Promoting our own well-being is an element of self-care. When we care for ourselves, we make time for activities that are necessary for complete health and wellness—emotionally, mentally, intellectually, and physically.