ESA Buzz of the Week
Each week or so, this page will feature an insect-related link to
another website that is fun, interesting, intriguing, humorous,
or all of the above.
Check this page every week for the latest buzz.
Posted February 1, 2010
The Quest for the Perfect Hive: A History of Innovation in Bee
Culture
This book by Gene Kritsky, editor-in-chief of American
Entomologist, offers a concise, beautifully illustrated
history of beekeeping and suggests that beekeeping's long
history may contain clues to help beekeepers fight the decline
in honey bee numbers.
Posted January 25, 2010
Brown
Marmorated Stink Bug Video
This humorous, educational video from Rutgers University
explains what a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is, where it lives,
why it is considered an invasive pest, and what to do about
them. Click
here for the video.
Posted January, 14, 2010
Interviews from the ESA Annual Meeting
We've recently added interviews with ESA Annual Meeting
participants, including E. O. Wilson, Mark Moffett, ESA Past
Presidents, award winners and others, to the ESA YouTube
Channel. There are 37 so far, and we'll be adding more in the
near future.
Click here for the interviews.
Posted January, 8, 2010
Videos from
the ESA Annual Meeting
Student volunteers conducted interviews and made videos at the
2009 ESA Annual Meeting, which were posted to the ESA YouTube
Channel. Here are a few to start with (more will be added later)
showing the
Welcome Reception, the
Student
Reception, and the
Linnaean
Games.
Posted December 22, 2009
News Articles from the ESA Annual
Meeting
Journalist Susan Milius, of Science News, attended the
ESA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis last week, and wrote two
articles on research presented there. The first,
"No One Villain Behind Honey Bee Colony Collapse" is
available
here. The second,
"DIY Bedbug Detector" is available
here.
Posted November 30, 2009
Insects from Asia Found on Georgia Kudzu Vines
ESA member Daniel Suiter, along with his colleagues at the
University of Georgia, reported the discovery of an invasive
insect that eats kudzu, an invasive weed. The lablab bug, also
known as the globular stink bug, could possibly be used to
control kudzu. However, it is also a possible agricultural
threat because it eats soybeans and other legume crops as well.
Posted November 24, 2009
Earwig Video
This video explores the origin of the myth of earwigs crawling
into people's ears, and provides other information about these
insects. The video is just over nine minutes long.
Posted November 10, 2009
Dirty Jobs: Dung Beetles to the Rescue
ESA members Tanja McKay and Justin G. Fiene, from Arkansas State
University, are featured on tonight's episode of the Discovery
Channel's Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe as they document how
many and what kinds of dung beetles inhabit area cow pastures.
An excerpt of the episode is available
here.
Posted November 3, 2009
Assassin Bugs vs. Bats
This two-minute National Geographic video shows assassin bug
nymphs and adults feeding on bats in a cave in southern Belize.
Other insect videos are available as well.
Posted October 27, 2009
Ancient Monster Insect Offers Halloween Inspirations
Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered a
new, real-world “monster” – what they are calling a “unicorn”
fly – that lived about 100 million years ago and is being
described as a new family, genus, and species of fly:
Cascoplecia insolitis, from the Latin “cascus” for old and
“insolates” for strange and unusual. Preserved in Burmese amber,
the fly has a small horn emerging from the top of its head,
topped by three eyes. Information and photos are available
here.
Posted October 19, 2009
Insights into Lifespan, Aging and Death from Insect Studies
Listen live to this webcast on Wednesday, October 21, from 12:10
to 1 p.m. featuring UC Davis entomologist James R. Carey, who
will offer his insights into lifespan, aging and death from his
insect studies, including research on Mediterranean fruit flies
in Hawaii, Mexico and Greece and on butterflies in Uganda.
Titled “Demography of the Finitude: Insights into Lifespan,
Aging and Death from Insect Studies,” the Webinar can be
accessed here live and later, will be permanently archived
on the the UC Davis Department of Entomology Web page.
Posted October 7, 2009
When
Bed Bugs Attack
This stylish, educational, seven-minute video features ESA
members Michael Potter and Alvaro Romero, as well as an
unidentified Associate Certified Entomologist, who show us a bed
bug infestation and explain what is being done to control them.
Posted September 29, 2009
UC Davis Launches
Bee Biology Website
The bee biology site from the Harry H. Laidlaw
Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility promises to be a one-stop site
for information about honey bees and native bees. The site will
include sections on research, outreach, publications, news,
events, faculty and researchers, honey bees, native bees,
pollination, instruction and the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. It
also includes a photo gallery, kids’ zone and links to bee
sources throughout the world. A special FAQ section is devoted
to commonly asked questions.
Posted September 22, 2009
Giant Burrowing Cockroach May Set Record for World's Largest
Insect
Meet Heathcliffe, the giant burrowing cockroach, and contender
for the title of world's heaviest insect. The Daily Telegraph
reports that Heathcliffe is is 85mm in length and 40mm in width.
Posted September 15, 2009
Honey Bees Selected by ARS Toss Out Varroa Mites
Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are
developing bees with a genetic trait that allows them to more
easily find the mites and toss them out of the broodnest. Varroa
mites attack honey bees and can weaken or kill colonies. An
article
is available here, along with a
video
and an
information kit.
Posted September 9, 2009
Interior Decorating with Insects
We won't spoil the surprise by describing this week's Buzz item.
Instead,
click here to see photos of ceiling art from the Royal
Palace in Brussels.
September 2, 2009
Life
Sciences Salary Survey
The Scientist’s annual Life Science Salary Survey is used by
organizations to gauge the health of the industry and by science
professionals who are thinking of moving or changing industry,
The Scientist's Salary Survey offers valuable insight on areas
of growth and decline within the sciences and the economic
factors contributing to industry trends.
August 24, 2009
Researchers Use Insects to Fight Invasive Plants
ESA member David Ragsdale, of the University of Minnesota, is
featured in this Minnesota Public Radio piece about biological
control—the use of insects to control invasive plants as well as
other insect pests. The audio clip, which is about four minutes
long, is accompanied by a text article.
August 18, 2009
Cricket-Rearing Video
This video features Ghann’s Cricket Farm Inc. in Martinez,
Georgia. Crickets and meal worms are raised for fish bait and
pet food, and the cricket manure is sold as organic fertilizer.
The farm will be featured on an upcoming episode of Dirty
Jobs with Mike Rowe.
August 10, 2009
Meet the Entomologists at the Cockrell Butterfly Center
Two entomologists from the Houston Museum of Natural Science
talk about their work at the the Cockrell Butterfly Center. The
first works with butterflies, and the second works with other
creatures in the insect zoo.
August 3, 2009
Electronic BeeSpace
Electronic BeeSpace is an Internet-based video curriculum
resulting from BeeSpace, an NSF-funded exploration of the
genetic basis of the complex honey bee social behaviors. This
customizable curriculum emphasizes species biology, cutting edge
molecular biology techniques, experimental design, data
collection, data analysis, and extrapolation of findings to
broader scientific generalizations. It includes eight hours of
video-based materials and downloadable background documents
drawn from the Summer, 2008 Experiencing BeeSpace workshop. A
planning guide, accessible from the home page, provides
recommendations for planning presentation to different audiences
(e.g. middle school science, high school science biology, high
school social science, 4-H, extension, and community nature
study/environmental awareness groups).
July 13, 2009
Video of a Bee in Ultra Slow Motion
This 90-second video shows a bee which launches itself from a
flower in ultra-slow motion, allowing the viewer to see the
wings moving.
July 7, 2009
Ant Mega-Colony Spans Separate Continents
According to the BBC, "Argentine ants living in vast numbers
across Europe, the US and Japan belong to the same inter-related
colony, and will refuse to fight one another." The full article
is available
here.
June 29, 2009
Crime Scene Insects at the Miami Science Museum
The Miami Science Museum is offering visitors a rare opportunity
to learn more about the mysterious world of crime scene
investigation with its new exhibit, CSI: Crime Scene Insects.
The exhibit dives into forensic entomology, the use of insects
such as flies, maggots and beetles to reveal critical details of
a crime scene, a fascinating practice that plays a vital role in
solving a variety of crimes.
CSI: Crime Scene Insects
runs through January 2010.
June 22, 2009
ESA YouTube
Channel
This week, we launched the
ESA YouTube Channel
with two videos featuring ESA President Marlin Rice. In
the first video, Dr. Rice talks about the Plenary speakers
at this year's Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. In the second
video, Dr. Rice talks about the
"YouTube Your Entomology Contest," where members are invited
to create entomology videos in four different categories. The
winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting, and prizes will
be awarded. More information on the contest is available
here.
Posted June 15, 2009
The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies
This NOVA documentary on the Monarch butterfly traces their
journey from Lake Huron to Mexico and back. It is divided into
six chapters, all of which may be
viewed online.
Posted June 8, 2009
E.O.
Wilson and NOVA Present "Lord of the Ants"
This week, NOVA will air "Lord of the Ants," featuring Dr. E.O
Wilson, an ESA Fellow, Pullitzer Prize winning author, and
Harvard professor. The website features an
interview with Dr. Wilson, an interactive
"Amazing Ants" game, an
overview of 12 of Dr. Wilson's books, a
preview of the TV show (which is narrated by Harrison Ford),
and a TV
schedule so you can find out when it will be broadcast in
your area.
You
can also view the show online.
Posted June 1, 2009
Farmers, Warriors,
Builders: The Hidden Life of Ants
A new exhibit, "Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of
Ants," opened recently at the National Museum of Natural History
in Washington, D.C. It includes a live leaf-cutter ant colony
from ESA member Ted Schultz, the museum's ant curator, as well
as 6-foot-tall cast of an underground ant colony that was
collected by Walter Tschinkel, an ESA member from Florida State
University. In addition, the museum will display 39 close-up
photos of ants taken by
Mark Moffett, who will be speaking at the 2009 ESA Annual
Meeting. For photos, videos and more,
click here.
Posted May 26, 2009
Zombie Fire Ants
This two-minute news clip
featuring scientists from the University of Texas shows how
parasitic flies turn fire ants into "zombies." ESA member
Lawrence Gilbert explains how the wasps inject eggs into the
ants, which changes their behavior and eventually causes their
heads to fall off.
Click here
for the news clip.
Posted May 15, 2009
Senekerim Dohanian: Uncle Sam's Ace Insect Hunter
This
ten-minute documentary explores the life of Senekerim Dohanian,
a USDA entomologist from 1915-1959 who was instrumental in
developing biological control methods against the gypsy moth,
the European corn borer, the filbert worm, and other insects.
The film, which won the 2009 Wyoming History Day award for
individual documentary in the junior division, was written and
produced by Dohanian’s 12-year-old, great-great nephew Robert Coulter. ESA
member Mary Louise Flint (UC Davis) is featured briefly.
Click here
for the documentary.
Posted May 11, 2009
Penn State Entomologists on Mosquito Control
Andrew
Read and Matthew Thomas, Penn State entomologists, appear in
this
video, explaining methods of mosquito control, including one
using a biological pesticide. Read and Thomas, along with ESA
member Thomas Baker (Penn State) recently received a $100,000
grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Grand
Challenges Explorations Initiative, which focuses on novel
approaches to prevent and treat infectious diseases, such as
HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases.
The Penn State researchers plan to test a variety of
naturally-occurring, insect-pathogenic fungi in order to find
one which will impair the smelling ability of mosquitoes so that
they can no longer find and attack humans.
Posted May 4, 2009
Cool Jobs - Forensic Entomologist
ESA member Richard
W. Merritt, Michigan State University, is featured in this short
Discovery News video about forensic entomology.
Posted April 27, 2009
Part
Insect, Part Timepiece
Portland, Maine, artist Mike Libby
customizes real insect specimens with antique watch parts and
other technological components.
Click here for photos.
Posted April 15, 2009
First
Ever Bed Bug Summit
The Environmental Protection
Agency held its first ever Bud Bug Summit this week in
Washington, D.C., and local and national media sources are
reporting on it. This
video
from News Channel 8 features ESA members Dini Miller
(Virginia Tech University). Dr. Miller also appeared in an
Associated
Press news video, along with ESA member and bed bug expert
Harold Harlan.
Posted April 13, 2009
Praying Mantis vs. Corn Snake
A short clip on Youtube
shows a praying mantis ambushing a corn snake.
Posted April 6, 2009
Fighting Malaria with the ProVector Bt
ESA Member Tom
Kollars, a professor at Georgia Southern University, invented a
device to reduce deaths from mosquito-borne illnesses like
malaria.
The ProVector is unique in its environmentally-friendly
manner of killing mosquitoes.
Posted March 30, 2009
Free Subscription
ESA members living inside the U.S. who are involved in or
interested in forensic entomology may request a
free subscription to Evidence Technology Magazine
by completing the subscription form on the ETM website,
www.evidencemagazine.com. The March/April issue of
Evidence Technology Magazine includes an interview with Dr.
Neal Haskell, an ESA member who specializes is forensic
entomology.
Click here for your free subscription.
Posted March 23, 2009
Most Painful Insect Stings
This is a video made by someone who obviously admires
the "Schmidt Pain Index," which rates the stings of insects
on a scale of 1-4. Justin O. Schmidt, an ESA emeritus member at the
Southwestern
Biological Institute in Tucson, Arizona, created the
index. This video
shows the amount of pain caused by different insect stings.
NOTE: It has been pointed out that there are a few
misidentifications of insects in this video, but Dr. Schmidt
wrote, "I noted the small errors, but overall thought it was a
nice job." Click here
for the video.
Posted March 18, 2009
World Malaria Day
April 25 is World Malaria Day. Worldwide,
malaria causes around 350 to 500 million illnesses and more than
one million deaths annually. Malaria is particularly devastating
in Africa, where it kills an African child every 30 seconds.
Annual economic loss in Africa due to malaria is estimated to be
$12 billion, representing a crippling 1.3 percent annual loss in
GDP growth in endemic countries. To learn more about World
Malaria Day, visit
http://malarianomore.org or
http://www.rollbackmalaria.org/worldmalariaday.
Posted March 9, 2009
Colony Collapse Disorder
A
BBC article about Colony Collapse Disorder features ESA
members Frank Eischen and Jeff Pettis. The article also links to
a
video with Eric Mussen showing the varroa mite under a
microscope and explaining why these mites are dangerous to bees.
