The Mothers of Entomological History: Reflecting on Who We Honor and How We Do It
Numerous entomologists of the past are dubbed "fathers" of particular subfields, but where are all the "mothers" in our insect science textbooks? It's time to address this historical bias with a look at several founding women in entomology—and a conversation about how we choose to honor leaders in our field.
Killing It In The Egg: A Termite Bait Story
Termite baits can wipe out a colony in about 90 days, but the colony's eggs are gone by day 30. Why? A new study investigates and fills in a missing piece of the puzzle in understanding how termite colonies collapse when exposed to a chitin synthesis inhibitor.
What’s That Termite? Artificial Intelligence Might Have the Answer
A team of researchers in Taiwan has developed software driven by machine learning to accurately identify specimens—both soldiers and workers—of four different termite species. Their goal is to enable smartphone app termite ID for pest management pros and adapt the software's use to additional species.
Mystery Growths on Termites Lead to Major Review of Ectoparasitic Fungi
A new report in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America details 34 species of fungi that specialize in parasitizing termites—an effort spurred by researchers puzzling over mysterious growths on the underside of termites collected in South America.