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Trending Topics: Research News•The Entomology Profession•Amazing Insects•Science Policy and Outreach

Category: Science Policy and Outreach

News and perspectives on the intersection of entomology, society, and public policy

A group of a few dozen people gather in a circle and with their attention centered on one person in the foreground near parking area at a fruit orchard on a bright sunny day.

A Fruitful Discussion: Field Tour Gathers Insect Biocontrol Community

The ESA Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section field tour series returned in May 2022, convening experts and practitioners from research, industry, and government focused on insect biological control, with in-person demonstrations and discussions featuring the Washington state tree fruit industry.

A woman sits at a desk in front of a computer screen on which is a video showing a woman speaking on the left and an overhead view of a tarantula spider on the right.

Virtual Outreach: How Students Bring an Insect Zoo to an Entire State

The Kansas State University Insect Zoo has long been an on-campus attraction, but a student entomology club's efforts to create virtual engagement opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic have built a new model for outreach that continues to spread the educational value of the Insect Zoo far and wide.

Overhead view of a table with various contents of a tick-collection kit neatly laid out. Items include a bottle of bug repellent spray, tall white socks, a white cloth, two white plastic tubes, a roll of masking tape, a black Sharpie marker, small plastic vials, an empty plastic zip-lock bag, a magnifying glass, a zip-lock bag with cotton balls and blue rubber gloves inside, two large nails, white string, a "tick blitz data collection sheet," a pamphlet titled "Insect Repellent Essentials: A Brief Guide," and a card titled "Life Cycle of the Blacklegged Tick."

Tick Blitz: How Community Science is Helping New York State Monitor Ticks

With a little bit of training, 59 citizen scientists in New York collected more than 3,700 ticks across 15 counties in a two-week period in the summer of 2021, greatly expanding the reach of professional tick researchers at the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases. The "New York State Tick Blitz" is now an annual project and a model that tick-surveillance programs elsewhere can follow.

Why Entomology Students Should Get Active in Education and Outreach

Getting people excited about insect science and inspiring the next generation of entomologists are worthy goals on their own, but leading education and outreach programs can be a valuable professional experience for any entomology student, as well. One entomology master's student shares her experience and advice on getting involved in community education and outreach.