A Coast-to-Coast Tour Lands One Entomologist on the Home Team
Meet Hamilton Allen, Ph.D., BCE, the Florida Regional Technical Director for HomeTeam Pest Defense, a national specialty brand of Rollins, Inc. Within his role, Allen provides technical and operational expertise, implements training programs, and ensures that each of the 10 branches within his region adhere to federal, state, and local pesticide application guidelines. Allen is the subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s an Ecological Field Study!
In a recent study in Germany, targeted delivery of insecticides by unmanned aerial vehicles was effective against oak processionary moths. Researchers say such drones are suitable for aerial spraying during field studies and may open new doors for "precision forestry."
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.
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.