News
The U.S. Postal Service on August 3, 2017 issued Protect Pollinator stamps to “pay tribute to the beauty and importance of pollinators.” “Two of our continents most iconic” insects are featured: the monarch butterfly and the western honey bee. The insects are pictured pollinating five plants native to North America: coneflower, golden ragwort, zinnia, New England aster, and goldenrod. The Protect Pollinators stamps are Forever® stamps for $0.49 each.
Congratulations to Betsy Buffington on receiving the American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators (AAPSE) Distinguished Achievement in Pesticide Safety Education Award. Betsy has been instrumental in the development of Worker Protection Standards training materials, online educational resources, and manual development at the national level and received the award...
Dr. Ryan Smith, entomology, is encouraging Iowans to take precautions this summer when spending time outdoors in areas commonly populated by mosquitoes and ticks, which can transmit West Nile virus and other diseases that can have serious or potentially fatal outcomes. More
Congratulations to Dr. Erin Hodgson on completing the 2016-2017 Emerging Leaders Academy
Since the first Iowa detection in 2010, emerald ash borer (EAB) continues to expand its range across the Iowa landscape. With confirmed detections now in 50 counties, EAB has now reached more than half of Iowa counties. “This is traditionally the time of year we experience an increase in calls from Iowan suspecting EAB infested trees,” said Mike Kintner, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship EAB and gypsy moth coordinator.
Ge Zhang and Teresa Blader each placed third in their respective highly-competitive student competitions at the Entomological Society of America - North Central Branch meeting held in Indianapolis, IN, June 4-6, 2017.
Teresa Blader and Erika Rodbell co-presented a paper at the Entomological Society of America - North Central Branch meetings held recently in Indianapolis, IN.
Erika Rodbell and Teresa Blader competed in the Triplehorn Pinning Challenge.
Dr. Ken Holscher had a total of 112 students enrolled in ENT 283 in spring semester 2017. Usually about half of the students opt to take the IDALS State Pesticide Certification Exam; its voluntary. This semester 83 students took the exam. About 2/3 of the students took the exams required to be a Commercial Applicator (Core Manual Exam and at least one Category Exam). The remaining 1/3 took the exams required to be a Private Applicator (either the Core Manual Exam or the Private Applicator Exam). There were also a few that did both.
Dr. Aaron Gassmann received the 2017 University Mission Award in Research from the Iowa State University chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta. Gamma Sigma Delta is the Honor Society of Agriculture.
Congratulations to Rebekah Reynolds, Entomology Graduate Assistant, on recently being awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
To read more about the award, visit the NSF Website.
Happy 40th Anniversary to Dr. Donald Lewis, Extension Entomologist, who started at ISU on March 21, 1977. Photo is from the summer of 1977; Dr. Jerry DeWitt (right) and Lewis.
View the recent Des Moines Register article.
Ginny Mitchell has a fondness for something that may make other people’s skin crawl. She loves insects, and has made a career out of it.
Bob was the Entomology Department's Systematist and Taxonomist from 1967 until his retirement in 1996. He passed away on Jan. 18, 2017, at Green Hills Heath Care Center in Ames. Burial of the cremains will take place in the ISU cemetery.
The 2017 Department of Entomology Newsletter is now available
AMES, Iowa – Systematic mosquito surveillance conducted by Iowa State University entomologists last year found no evidence that the two species most associated with Zika virus have established themselves in the state.
Dean Wendy Wintersteen is the 2016 recipient of the Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
Congratulations to Bryony Bonning, Professor, who received the Iowa State University Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research at the University Awards Ceremony held Monday, September 26, 2016.
New County Record. The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, has been confirmed in Iowa County. This finding brings the total to 35 counties in Iowa where EAB is confirmed.
Dr. William Showers received the Plant-Insect Ecosystems Lifetime Achievement Award from the Entomological Society of America. Only five of these have been awarded and two were made to faculty from Iowa State (the other was Larry Pedigo).
Soybean aphid research in the ISU Department of Entomology seeks to use biological control to control this common pest. http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2016/06/13/biocontrol
The Iowa Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) team today announced that EAB has been found in 2 additional counties, bringing the total count to 34 counties with confirmed infestations of this exotic pest that kills ash trees.
AMES, Iowa – Mosquitoes are taking flight across Iowa, and it’s likely only a matter of time before they appear in a backyard near you.
The impending mosquito season has already begun for medical entomologists at Iowa State University, who will continue longstanding efforts to monitor West Nile Virus and expand surveillance of mosquito species with the potential to carry Zika virus.
Joel Coats (left) and 2016 Paul Dahm memorial lecturer Ke Dong (right).
Ke Dong of Michigan State University delivered the 2016 Paul Dahm Memorial Lecture titled Can Mosquitoes and Flies Smell Pyrethroid Insecticides?
...
Although the number of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico has rebounded, leaders of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, say that sustained efforts of Iowa crop and livestock farmers, landowners and conservationists are critical to monarch conservation.
The 2016 Department of Entomology Newsletter is now available
Pages
