Managing Fall Armyworm: The (Suspected) Stowaway That Won’t Go Away
A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines the key strategies for managing the invasive fall armyworm in Africa.
Lab Test Rapidly IDs Potential Mite Pest of Honey Bees
Mites in the genus Tropilaelaps could follow in the footsteps of Varroa mites as significant threats to honey bees if they were to expand their range. A new test using analysis of the "melt curves" of DNA samples can discern the four known Tropilaelaps species and could be an important tool in surveillance for the mite pests in apicultural settings.
Flexible Reproduction ‘Mite’ Explain Invasion Success
Spider mites may adapt to uncertain environments by successfully inbreeding and by adjusting reproductive resources, a new study shows. The findings may help entomologists better understand and manage invasions by other haplodiploid arthropods.
Drought-Tolerant, Aphid-Hungry Lacewing Species Arrives in Americas
Sometimes, an invasive species is a good thing. The discovery of a species of lacewing, Chrysoperla zastrowi, established in arid regions of the U.S. and Central America offers potential for biological control of aphids, mites, and other crop pests in those locales.
Amazing Insects ›
Funeral or Feast: How Termites Manage Their Dead
In a colony of eastern subterranean termites, as many as 70,000 termites may die every day. Dealing with all those corpses is critical to colony health, and a new study reveals how the primary methods for termite undertakers—burying corpses or eating them—vary by caste.
The Lepidopteran Life Aquatic
Most people expect to find caterpillars in plants and trees or on the ground, but did you know some moth and butterfly larvae spend their time in aquatic habitats? Here's a look at the lesser-known, water-dwelling contingent of order Lepidoptera.
Quiz Yourself: 2020 Entomology Games Questions
Test your entomological expertise with questions from the 2020 Entomology Games, the Entomological Society of America’s student quiz competition.
How a Hydrogen Isotope Reveals a Dragonfly’s Long-Distance Journey
A new study shows the dragonfly Pantala flavescens migrates as much as 8,000 miles round-trip between India and Japan. Researchers say the findings show the potential of using stable isotopes to track insect migrations.
Science Policy and Outreach ›
Frantic About Residential Tick Management? This Film Series is Just for You
Tick researchers in Connecticut turn their eye toward their local community with an educational film series about backyard tick management. Learn how the project came together and why it could be a useful model for other entomology-outreach efforts.
Vector-Borne Disease: CDC Report Outlines Key Steps for Prevention and Control in U.S.
Perhaps overlooked in the public eye upon its release in September, a new "framework" report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is none the less a vital step forward in the nation's efforts to better support and coordinate the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. Here's a closer look at the report and what's next in this critical public-health pursuit.
Watch the Four Finalist Videos in the 2020 YouTube Your Entomology Contest
Check out the four finalist videos in the Entomological Society of America's 2020 YouTube Your Entomology Contest. Final results will be announced in October and acknowledged during Entomology 2020.
Tick Surveillance and Control Lagging in U.S., Study Shows
The first-ever survey of the nation's tick-management programs reveals an inconsistent and often under-supported patchwork of programs across the country.
Research News ›
Lab Test Rapidly IDs Potential Mite Pest of Honey Bees
Mites in the genus Tropilaelaps could follow in the footsteps of Varroa mites as significant threats to honey bees if they were to expand their range. A new test using analysis of the "melt curves" of DNA samples can discern the four known Tropilaelaps species and could be an important tool in surveillance for the mite pests in apicultural settings.
Flexible Reproduction ‘Mite’ Explain Invasion Success
Spider mites may adapt to uncertain environments by successfully inbreeding and by adjusting reproductive resources, a new study shows. The findings may help entomologists better understand and manage invasions by other haplodiploid arthropods.
Drought-Tolerant, Aphid-Hungry Lacewing Species Arrives in Americas
Sometimes, an invasive species is a good thing. The discovery of a species of lacewing, Chrysoperla zastrowi, established in arid regions of the U.S. and Central America offers potential for biological control of aphids, mites, and other crop pests in those locales.
Funeral or Feast: How Termites Manage Their Dead
In a colony of eastern subterranean termites, as many as 70,000 termites may die every day. Dealing with all those corpses is critical to colony health, and a new study reveals how the primary methods for termite undertakers—burying corpses or eating them—vary by caste.
The Entomology Profession ›
From Forests to Cities: One Entomologist’s Journey to Understand What’s Disturbing Insects
Meet Kayla Perry, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at the Ohio State University, ground-beetle enthusiast, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
From the Bench to a Broader Impact: Traveling a Non-Traditional Path for Science to Benefit the World
Meet entomologist Shavonn R. Whiten, Ph.D., who translated her academic experience in vector-borne disease management into a career in public policy and international development. Learn what it takes to turn scientific training into real-world capacity building—and how Whiten made the leap.
Let’s Get Together: How Invasion Ecology and Biological Control Can Improve Collaboration
A new research review finds communication between invasion ecologists and biological control experts tends to go one way, highlighting opportunities for invasion ecologists to benefit more from biocontrol publications and datasets.
One Entomologist’s Quest to Develop IPM Approaches for Beekeepers in Florida
Meet Cameron Jack, Ph.D., entomologist and lecturer at the University of Florida, beekeeping expert, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
Get Certified!
Find ESA on Facebook
Follow ESA on Twitter
Bed Bug Repellent Tests Should Reflect Type of Bug Behavior, Researchers Find
A new study digs into the pros and cons of two different methods for testing potential bed bug repellents: a harborage test and a barrier test. Repellency results can differ when bed bugs are searching for shelter versus when they are searching for a bloodmeal.
Mapping Lyme: CDC Reveals Distribution of Lyme Disease-Causing Bacteria by County
A new study by CDC researchers provides a county-level map of the presence of ticks confirmed to be carrying the bacteria that cause Lyme disease—though the distribution of ticks that are capable of carrying it is much wider.
Flexible Reproduction ‘Mite’ Explain Invasion Success
Spider mites may adapt to uncertain environments by successfully inbreeding and by adjusting reproductive resources, a new study shows. The findings may help entomologists better understand and manage invasions by other haplodiploid arthropods.
Gut Check: How Stink Bugs’ Insides Illuminate Their Eating Habits
Brown marmorated stink bugs are generalist eaters, and finding them on one plant doesn't mean they haven't also been feeding on another. New research explores the potential of DNA analysis of stink bugs' gut contents to identify the plants they've eaten in the preceding two weeks.
New Species of Recluse Spider Named for Leonard Cohen
A study of Loxosceles spiders in Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan documents two new species, one of which the researchers have named for Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.
Hitchin’ a Ride: A Review of Firewood as a Vector of Forest Pests in North America
Human-mediated movement is a major way in which forest pests get from one place to another. Many pests that live in or on wood can be unknowingly moved in firewood. A new review in the Journal of Economic Entomology looks at what we know about forest pest movement in firewood, and what we can do about it.
Pheromone Treatment Puts Up the “No Vacancy” Sign for Douglas-Fir Beetles
A new review article looks at the research and development of a leading method for protecting Douglas-fir trees from bark-beetle infestations, using the pests' antiaggregation pheromone against them—essentially putting up a "no vacancy" sign that sends the beetles elsewhere.
Drought-Tolerant, Aphid-Hungry Lacewing Species Arrives in Americas
Sometimes, an invasive species is a good thing. The discovery of a species of lacewing, Chrysoperla zastrowi, established in arid regions of the U.S. and Central America offers potential for biological control of aphids, mites, and other crop pests in those locales.
Another Invasive Mosquito Species Arrives in Florida
The mosquito species Aedes scapularis had been previously detected in Florida just once, in 1945, but a new study of mosquitoes collected in 2020 has discovered that Aedes scapularis is now established on mainland Florida in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.