How Insects Inspire the Look of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Films
Some insects look like science-fiction stars precisely because the creative minds behind popular entertainment look to insects to spark their imagination.
How to Make Your Bug Info Invasive (on Social Media)
A few simple changes behind the scenes of your website can help your entomological info perform better on Google and social media.
A Crash Course in Science Communication for Entomologists
Entomology 2018 keynoter Randy Olson helps entomologists get past a fundamental challenge: "The more information we’re gathering, the worse we’re getting at communicating."
A Gathering of Minds on Managing Invasive Insects and Arthropods
Part of the Grand Challenge Agenda for Entomology, the summit “Addressing the North American and Pacific Rim Invasive Insect and Arthropod Species Challenge,” drew more than 150 experts in invasive species from academia, industry, government, and entomological societies, hailing from Canada, the United States, and beyond.
Putting Research and Policy Into Practice: Lessons From Science Policy Field Tours
If you've seen the highlights from recent entomology science policy field tours, a symposium at Entomology 2018 will gather perspectives on the success and challenges of the model for getting a diverse crowd of scientists and stakeholders up close and personal with entomology issues in real-world settings.
Need to Mail Mosquitoes? Pack Them Up Nice and Snug
Several emerging mosquito-management methods require the transport of mosquitoes to precise locations. There, lab-reared mosquitoes—for instance, sterilized males—mix with wild mosquitoes and hinder the population's ability to reproduce or transmit disease. But, getting mosquitoes from lab to wild presents logistical challenges. A team led by researchers at New Mexico State University are tackling this problem and have made a surprising discovery about just how tightly live mosquitoes can be packed up.
Beer Brewers’ Spent Yeast Could Be Next Bait for Fruit Fly Pest
Researchers in China say a protein bait derived from leftover brewer's yeast attracted more spotted-wing drosophila flies than existing attractants in a lab test.
Tabloid Sensationalism Aside, Lady Bugs Are Still Fascinating
Despite headlines to the contrary in British tabloids this fall, harlequin ladybird beetles are not killing off native species by giving them a sexually transmitted fungal infection. "There have been stories mixing up various research findings into quite sensational headlines, which is a shame because these fungi and the ladybirds are fascinating in their own right," says ecological entomologist Helen Roy, Ph.D., of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in Wallingford, England.
Entomologists and Collaborators Visit North Dakota for Hands-On Exploration of Pollinator Health
Participants in the 2018 Pollinator Field Tour, organized by the Honey Bee Health Coalition and the Entomological Society of America's Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section, say the field tour inspired action, broadened understanding, and promoted collaboration toward protecting pollinators.
Whatever Happened to People in Integrated Pest Management?
As integrated pest management continues to grow and evolve, one practitioner urges us not to forget the people side of IPM. However well-crafted an IPM plan may be, it can only be effective when the various individuals asked to carry it out are fully committed.
One Year Later: An Update From Insect Systematics and Diversity
Launching a new entomology journal is a learning experience, say the co-editors-in-chief of Insect Systematics and Diversity. On its first anniversary, the duo share their experience in working with volunteers and authors and their vision for the journal as it continues to grow.
So, You Want to Study Termite Control? Step 1: Raise a Few Million Termites
Subterranean termite colonies can be as large as 1 million individuals with a foraging territory and underground galleries stretching up to 100 meters long. How does an entomologist study something that large? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers at the University of Florida have raised entire termite colonies from scratch and devised experimental setups that mimic large foraging and nesting areas while still fitting inside a lab.
Cuckoo Bumble Bees: What We Can Learn From Their Cheating Ways (If They Don’t Go Extinct First)
Learning how cuckoo bumble bees cheat the eusocial system can tell scientists a lot about how insect sociality evolves and how hosts and parasites coevolve. But, as other bees face declines, cuckoo bees will only get more difficult to study.
Why Both Teaching and Learning Drew One Entomologist Back to Academia
Meet Scott O'Neal, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher and instructor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, specialist in insect physiology and immune function, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
The Problems Driving Resistance to Bt Crops—and Some Proposed Solutions
Cotton and corn are threatened by growing resistance in the pest Helicoverpa zea (a.k.a. bollworm or corn earworm) to the insecticidal properties of Bt crops. Two researchers identify contributing factors and identify insecticide resistance management practices that could help slow the problem.
How Pokémon Opens the Door for Entomology Education
An article in the latest issue of American Entomologist explores the long-running Pokémon game and its implications for engaging kids and adults in entomology. Plus, an analysis of Bug-type Pokémon characters by their suitable real-life arthropod orders.
Amazing Insects ›
Need to Mail Mosquitoes? Pack Them Up Nice and Snug
Several emerging mosquito-management methods require the transport of mosquitoes to precise locations. There, lab-reared mosquitoes—for instance, sterilized males—mix with wild mosquitoes and hinder the population's ability to reproduce or transmit disease. But, getting mosquitoes from lab to wild presents logistical challenges. A team led by researchers at New Mexico State University are tackling this problem and have made a surprising discovery about just how tightly live mosquitoes can be packed up.
Tabloid Sensationalism Aside, Lady Bugs Are Still Fascinating
Despite headlines to the contrary in British tabloids this fall, harlequin ladybird beetles are not killing off native species by giving them a sexually transmitted fungal infection. "There have been stories mixing up various research findings into quite sensational headlines, which is a shame because these fungi and the ladybirds are fascinating in their own right," says ecological entomologist Helen Roy, Ph.D., of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in Wallingford, England.
Cuckoo Bumble Bees: What We Can Learn From Their Cheating Ways (If They Don’t Go Extinct First)
Learning how cuckoo bumble bees cheat the eusocial system can tell scientists a lot about how insect sociality evolves and how hosts and parasites coevolve. But, as other bees face declines, cuckoo bees will only get more difficult to study.
The Best Look Yet at the Tiny Fungus Storage Units Inside Ambrosia Beetles
Advances in microscopic imaging techniques are revealing, in unprecedented detail, the structure of mycangia—the internal organs that ambrosia beetles use to store and transport the symbiotic fungi they farm.
Science Policy and Outreach ›
A Gathering of Minds on Managing Invasive Insects and Arthropods
Part of the Grand Challenge Agenda for Entomology, the summit “Addressing the North American and Pacific Rim Invasive Insect and Arthropod Species Challenge,” drew more than 150 experts in invasive species from academia, industry, government, and entomological societies, hailing from Canada, the United States, and beyond.
Putting Research and Policy Into Practice: Lessons From Science Policy Field Tours
If you've seen the highlights from recent entomology science policy field tours, a symposium at Entomology 2018 will gather perspectives on the success and challenges of the model for getting a diverse crowd of scientists and stakeholders up close and personal with entomology issues in real-world settings.
Entomologists and Collaborators Visit North Dakota for Hands-On Exploration of Pollinator Health
Participants in the 2018 Pollinator Field Tour, organized by the Honey Bee Health Coalition and the Entomological Society of America's Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section, say the field tour inspired action, broadened understanding, and promoted collaboration toward protecting pollinators.
How Pokémon Opens the Door for Entomology Education
An article in the latest issue of American Entomologist explores the long-running Pokémon game and its implications for engaging kids and adults in entomology. Plus, an analysis of Bug-type Pokémon characters by their suitable real-life arthropod orders.
Research News ›
Need to Mail Mosquitoes? Pack Them Up Nice and Snug
Several emerging mosquito-management methods require the transport of mosquitoes to precise locations. There, lab-reared mosquitoes—for instance, sterilized males—mix with wild mosquitoes and hinder the population's ability to reproduce or transmit disease. But, getting mosquitoes from lab to wild presents logistical challenges. A team led by researchers at New Mexico State University are tackling this problem and have made a surprising discovery about just how tightly live mosquitoes can be packed up.
Beer Brewers’ Spent Yeast Could Be Next Bait for Fruit Fly Pest
Researchers in China say a protein bait derived from leftover brewer's yeast attracted more spotted-wing drosophila flies than existing attractants in a lab test.
Tabloid Sensationalism Aside, Lady Bugs Are Still Fascinating
Despite headlines to the contrary in British tabloids this fall, harlequin ladybird beetles are not killing off native species by giving them a sexually transmitted fungal infection. "There have been stories mixing up various research findings into quite sensational headlines, which is a shame because these fungi and the ladybirds are fascinating in their own right," says ecological entomologist Helen Roy, Ph.D., of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in Wallingford, England.
So, You Want to Study Termite Control? Step 1: Raise a Few Million Termites
Subterranean termite colonies can be as large as 1 million individuals with a foraging territory and underground galleries stretching up to 100 meters long. How does an entomologist study something that large? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers at the University of Florida have raised entire termite colonies from scratch and devised experimental setups that mimic large foraging and nesting areas while still fitting inside a lab.
The Entomology Profession ›
A Crash Course in Science Communication for Entomologists
Entomology 2018 keynoter Randy Olson helps entomologists get past a fundamental challenge: "The more information we’re gathering, the worse we’re getting at communicating."
A Gathering of Minds on Managing Invasive Insects and Arthropods
Part of the Grand Challenge Agenda for Entomology, the summit “Addressing the North American and Pacific Rim Invasive Insect and Arthropod Species Challenge,” drew more than 150 experts in invasive species from academia, industry, government, and entomological societies, hailing from Canada, the United States, and beyond.
Putting Research and Policy Into Practice: Lessons From Science Policy Field Tours
If you've seen the highlights from recent entomology science policy field tours, a symposium at Entomology 2018 will gather perspectives on the success and challenges of the model for getting a diverse crowd of scientists and stakeholders up close and personal with entomology issues in real-world settings.
Whatever Happened to People in Integrated Pest Management?
As integrated pest management continues to grow and evolve, one practitioner urges us not to forget the people side of IPM. However well-crafted an IPM plan may be, it can only be effective when the various individuals asked to carry it out are fully committed.
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Why Smoking Soothes the Stressed-Out Bee Hive
A new study that explores the effect of smoke on honey bee (Apis mellifera) behavior finds that it reduces the instance of bees releasing a venom droplet in their signaling of danger to other bees, which researchers speculate may thereby reduce the amount of alarm pheromone released.
Could Insecticide Netting Help Manage Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Infestations in Homes?
New research on brown marmorated stink bug behavior indicates they prefer darker surfaces, doorways, and the north and east sides of homes—and that insecticide-treated netting offers potential as a means of nuisance control.
Boric Acid Kills Bed Bugs, But Only When They Eat It
Boric acid dust is a common tool in urban pest management, but a new study shows external exposure is minimally effective against bed bugs. When bed bugs ingest boric acid, though, few survive.
Entomological Storytelling: Why We Wrote an Opera About Locusts (Really!)
Entomologist-turned-author Jeffrey Lockwood shares the experience of his latest science-communication effort, adapting the story of the Rocky Mountain locust to the lyrical stage.
In the Southern U.S., Young Blacklegged Ticks’ Habitat is a Mystery
In the southern U.S., blacklegged tick larvae and nymphs can be found on hosts, but they don't otherwise show up in vegetation or—as a new study finds—in leaf litter or soil either. So where are they hiding?
Butterfly Pupae Make Sounds In Never-Before-Known Ways
New research explores how pupae of certain butterfly species make a "twittering" noise—via a wiggling movement that triggers sound from tiny structures in the membranes between their abdominal segments.
Bees Stopped Buzzing During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
A study conducted during the 2017 total solar eclipse in North America found that bees remained active during partial-eclipse phases, but they essentially ceased flying during totality.
A Year Older, A Year Wiser: 5 More Things I’ve Learned About a Career in Extension
Extension entomologist David R. Coyle, Ph.D. shares another round of advice for success in the extension career, a role that requires efficiency, flexibility, and customer service.
Array of Management Methods Needed to Curb the Pesky Squash Vine Borer
The larva of the squash vine borer burrows into the stems and crowns of squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plants, causing wilting damage. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines a variety of management methods to combat the squash vine borer.