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Entomology

Department of Entomology

CFAES

Entomology Stridulations: Spring 2023

  1. From the Chair, Jamie Strange, and Associate Chair, Pete Piermarini

    We are delighted to announce the Faustini Entomology Scholarship, that will provide one or more scholarships to undergrad students in the Department of Entomology. These funds will immediately be used to support our students!

    With Andy Michel’s promotion to associate dean and director of the CFAES Wooster campus in January, Pete Piermarini started serving as associate chair of CFAES Entomology in February. We are excited to welcome our new and soon-to-be new colleagues:

    Billy Kennedy, instructional design specialist in Columbus (March)
    Carrie Elvey, community outreach specialist in Wooster (March)
    Zach Wilson, fiscal officer in Columbus (April)
    Shaohui Wu, assistant professor, turfgrass health specialist in Columbus (June)
    Sam Ward, assistant professor, forest entomologist in Columbus, (July)
    We want to congratulate and wish the best of luck to Steve Baker, who was recently promoted from Entomology fiscal officer to the CFAES Finance Office as a financial operations advisor.

    In other news, the Wooster Science Building continues to expand its capacity for conducting research with some recent construction that started in April to build out third floor shell lab space and additional office spaces for the USDA labs of our adjunct Entomology faculty Chris Ranger and Mike Redding. We wish all a productive field research season and look forward to welcoming a new crop of Entomology undergraduates and graduate students!

    Jump to Newsletter Section
    Graduating Student Projects and Next Steps
    Awards and Honors 
    Insectary & BUGmobile Outreach Highlights
    Pollinator Education Program Outreach Highlights 
    Wooster United Titanium Bug Zoo Outreach Highlights
    Publications, Extension Products & Courses 
    Chrysalis Undergraduate Student Association 
    Entomology Graduate Student Association 

  2. Spring 2023 Honors and Awards

    EGSA Student Organization Awards

    Graduate Students

    CFAES Student Organization Excellence Awards
    EGSA, Community Engagement Award
    EGSA, Outstanding New Activity Award

    Entomology Department Graduate Student AwardsLydia Fyie - Teaching Award
    Lydia Fyie, Advisors: Meuti and Gardiner, Susan W. Fisher Teaching Award 
    Matthew Wolkoff, Advisor: Meuti, Lowell R. (“Skip”) Nault Research Award
    Olivia Lang, Advisors: Cañas, Michel, and Leach, James E. Tew Extension Award
    Erick Martinez-Rodriguez, Advisor: Piermarini, David J. Horn Service Award
    Erick Martinez Rodriguez - Service Award

    Brandon Shannon - DeLong Award

    DeLong Award for Best Overall Student Presentation
    Brandon Shannon, Advisor: R. Johnson, Poster

    Root Award for Excellence in Agricultural and Urban Entomology
    Olivia Lang, Advisors: Cañas, Leach, Michel, Agricultural Research Talk
    Olivia Lang - Root Award

    CFAES Annual Research Poster CompetitionValerie Anderson Presents Poster
    Valerie Anderson, Advisor: Cañas, 1st place Master's level, Attraction of Female Fungus Gnats (Lycoriella spp.) to Oyster Mushrooms (P. ostreatus) and Oyster Mushroom Growing Media
    Ellen Danford, Advisor: Gardiner, 2nd place Master's level,     Are there barriers to urban lady beetle conservation?
    Grace Sward, Advisor: Cañas, 1st place PhD level, A peek at how different oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) hunting strategies impact fungus gnat (Lycoriella spp.) management

    Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum
    Brandon Shannon,     Advisor: R. Johnson, 3rd Place Biological Sciences Talk, $200

    North Central Branch, Entomological Society of America Annual Research Competition
    Yamikani Ng’ono, Advisor: Michel and Cañas, 1st place Poster, Surveying Cry1F resistance in European Corn Borer
    Olivia Lang, Advisors: Cañas, Leach, Michel, 2nd place Master's level, Using a 3D Printed Tool to Encourage Accurate Decision Making
    Grace Sward, Advisor: Cañas, 2nd place PhD level, Follow the curve, an analysis of organic insecticide efficacy against fungus gnat (Lycoriella spp.) larvae across three species of oyster mushrooms

    Grant & Fellowship Awards
    Lucy Guarnieri, Advisor: Gardiner, Constructing a framework for moth conservation in urban greenspace, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, $147,000
    Dominique Magistrado, Advisor: Short, Investigating the Role of the Unfolded Protein Response in Tolerance to Bacterial Infection in the Mosquito Aedes Aegypti, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Program, $4,914
    Erick Martinez-Rodriguez, Advisor: Piermarini, Killer Bud: Toxic and Repellent Effects of Cannabis Extracts on the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes Aegypti, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Graduate Program, $5000
    Erick Martinez-Rodriguez, Advisor: Piermarini, EGSA Retreat, Council of Graduate Students Career Development Grant, $500
    Yamikani Ng’ona, Advisor: Michel, Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research Fellowship Program, $ 195,000
    Ellen Danford, Advisor: Gardiner, ESGP: Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research in Chile focused on habitat management to improve top-down regulation of the codling moth by parasitoids, as an ambassador for our newly established dual degree program with the Pontifica Universidad Catholica de Chile.

    Travel Awards
    Erick Martinez-Rodriguez,     Edward J. Ray Travel Award, $1000

    UndergraduatesMatthew Semler with Dean Kress

    CFAES Distinguished Senior Award
    Matthew Semler    , Advisor: Raczkowski, Entomology News Article

    Undergraduate Entomology Scholarship Recipients
    Allison Davis and Laney Blagrave: Loren F. Steiner Entomology Memorial
    Miabella Centuori, Mila Collete, Stephen Shemo, and Mathilda Daigle: Osborn Scholarship
    Wanghao Shen, Abbie Korn, and Elliot Ross: Ralph Davidson Scholarship
    Liam Richards, Hunter Parks, and Rachel Green: Dorothy Kuder Smith and Floyd F. Smith Scholarship
    Rex Harvey-Thurston and Michaela Liptak: Hambleton Apiculture Scholarship

    CFAES Annual Research Poster Competition
    Sydney Robare, Advisor: Meuti, 1st place, Evaluating Geospatial, Human Behavioral, and Social Drivers of Mosquito Abundance and West Nile Virus Disease Risk

    Denman Undergraduate Research Forum
    Maria Fiorta, Advisor: Meuti. 3rd place, Understanding how light pollution affects mosquito blood-feeding and molecular biology

    FacultySarah Short Extension Award

    Honors
    Sarah Short, CFAES Distinguished Early Career Extension Faculty Award

    Grant Awards
    Mary Gardiner, Megan Meuti and James Strange, Aligning Investments in Greening and Mosquito Management to Support Bee and Human Health in Cities, USDA AFRI, $749,991
    Ashley Leach, Bees & the bottom line: uncovering the effects of insecticides on crop pollination and yield, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, $736,956
    Ashley Leach, Pollinators, Pests and Pathogens: Limiting agrichemical synergies to improve pollinator health, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Program, New Researcher Incentive Program, $54,775
    Andy Michel, Bottom-up trophic cascades: How a changing climate can shift plant-pest-natural enemy dynamics, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, $552,890
    Kayla Perry, Characterizing the legacy of emerald ash borer on ash populations near the epicenter of invasion in North America, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Program, New Researcher Incentive Program, $55,000
    Kayla Perry, Novel monitoring strategies to assess forest recovery processes, Greenacres Foundation, $48,627
    Sarah Short, Effects of a microsporidian parasite on the immune defense of the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Program, New Researcher Incentive Program, $54,266Sarah DeVilbiss Staff Award

    Staff

    CFAES Staff Advisory Council Award
    Sarah DeVilbiss, Administrative Assistant and Grad Studies Coordinator, Shirley Jones-Brooks Citizen Award

    CFAES Annual Research Poster Competition
    Nuris Acosta, Cañas and Piermarini Lab: 1st place Research Scientists, Evaluation of insecticidal activity of hemp extracts on Myzus persicae (Aphididae: Hemiptera)
    Nuris Acosta Presents Poster

    Grant Awards
    Chia-Hua Lin, R. Johnson Lab: Time to spray, the clever way: Identifying the optimal timing for pesticide application during soybean bloom while minimizing impact on pollinators, OSU CFAES Internal Grants Program, New Researcher Incentive Program, $54,980
    Chia-Hua Lin, R. Johnson Lab: The golden forage: Mustard cover crop as a floral resource and potential control for Vairimorpha (Nosema) infection in honey bees, Project Apis m. Healthy Hives Research Initiative, $93,435
    Morgan Christman, Strange Lab: Investigating imperiled bumble bee species distributions and habitat associations. USDA-NIFA-AFRI-EWD Post-Doctoral Fellowship. $223,000

  3. Student Theses | Final Projects | Next Steps

    Shannon MS Defense

    Graduate Student Defenses and Next Steps

    Master of Science, Entomology
    Johanna Schwartz, Advisor: N. Johnson, Explorations in Scelionid Evolution and Diversity
    Next Steps: PhD program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    Schwartz

    Liam Whiteman, Advisor: Jamie Strange, Bumble Bee Pathogen Prevalence Determined by Host Species and Vary Across Land Covers
    Next Steps:     Liam will be continuing his education in the CFAES Entomology PhD program at with Jamie’s lab.

    Whiteman

    Jonathan Lee-Rodriguez, Advisor: Luis Cañas, Transition Seminar: Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweet Potato Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in Greenhouse Grown Tomato Plants
    Next Steps:     Transition to CFAES Entomology PhD program with Luis’s lab (no master’s granted)

    Doctor of Philosophy, Entomology
    Kendall King, Advisor: N. Johnson, A Comprehensive Study of Trissolcus basalis Odorant Binding Proteins

    king

    Master in Plant Health Management (MPHM, a professional science master’s program)
    Rachel Cochran, Advisor: Tilmon, Controlling slugs using cover crops - can it be done?

    Olivia Lang, Advisors: Cañas, Leach, and Michel, 3D Printing: Engaging Stakeholders and Enhancing Extension
    Next Steps: Olivia is pursuing a career in OSU Extension or CropKing.

    Master of Science, Environmental Studies Graduate Program (ESGP)
    Brandon Shannon, Advisor: Reed Johnson, Toxicity of Spray Adjuvants and Tank Mix Combinations to Honey Bees
    Next Steps:     Brandon will be transitioning to the CFAES environmental sciences graduate PhD program with Reed in Wooster.

    Shannon

    Undergraduate Research Theses and Next Steps

    Maria Fiorta, Advisor: Meuti, Understanding how light pollution affects mosquito blood-feeding and molecular biology
    Next Steps: Gap year before applying to graduate school in marine biology

    Taylor Lowmiller, Advisor: Meuti, Effects of Photoperiod on the Daily Activity of the Northern House Mosquito, Culex pipiens
    Next Steps: Master of nursing program to become a nurse practitioner

    Sydney Robare, Advisor: Meuti, Evaluating Geospatial, Human Behavioral, and Social Drivers of Mosquito Abundance and West Nile Virus Disease Risk
    Next Steps: Master’s in public health from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

    Lizzy Sakulich, Advisor: Strange, Landscape heterogeneity drives population structure in four western bumble bee species
    Next Steps: Lizzy is an SENR forestry, fisheries, and wildlife major minoring in entomology. She will graduate with her BS in May and will be joining Karen Goodell’s lab for an MS this fall.

  4. Insectary and BUGmobile

    Orange Lubber Grasshopper

    Contributed by Jeni Ruisch, program director, Insectary and BUGmobile

    The Columbus Insectary created many bug boxes and helped with research and classes this semester as we bolstered the collection in preparation for a busy outreach season. It’s been a bustling spring in Columbus as we get ready for the second-ever summer with the BUGmobile! There are some big changes coming to the BUGmobile that debuted at Waterman Lab the first week of May, and we can’t wait for you to see them!

    Featured Arthropod

    lubber

    Eastern lubber grasshopper| Romalea microptera| entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/lubber.htm

    Habitat/Range: Southeastern United States
    Diet: Foliage, especially commercial salad crops (They are a common and formidable agricultural pest due to their huge appetites and lack of predators)
    Lifespan: Around nine months on average, up to a year
    Fun Fact: The beautiful colors on a lubber grasshopper serve as a warning of their terrible taste! Most normal predators of large arthropods, such as birds and toads, won’t touch a lubber because of their taste and toxicity. This means it’s up to humans to protect their crops from these hungry herbivores.

  5. Pollinator Education Programs

    Contributed by Denise Ellsworth, program director, Pollinator Education

    Thanks to a USDA IPM grant, the pollinator health team (Denise and Mary Gardiner) launched the Plant by Numbers program in Ohio to educate gardeners about the use and importance of native perennials to pollinators. Three garden themes were unveiled this spring: Specialist Bees, Bumble Bees, and Butterflies and Moths. Each theme includes a garden design, a plant list, and growing instructions, all detailed in a full-color handout. In May, planting kits (plants, handouts, and signage) will be distributed to 80 education/demonstration sites across the state, many coordinated by or in cooperation with county offices of OSU Extension. Three additional themes will be launched in spring 2024.

    Handouts and resources can be found at u.osu.edu/plantbynumbers.

    Specialist BeesButterfly Moth HandoutBumble Bees


     

  6. Wooster United Titanium Bug Zoo

    Contributed by Jeni Filbrun, program manager, United Titanium Bug Zoo

    The United Titanium Bug Zoo has teamed up with the Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA) to host open houses throughout the spring semester. On the second Saturday of the month, we open the United Titanium Bug Zoo to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The March open house was an enormous success with around 500 people in attendance! Family-friendly activities included a photo shoot table with the Australian walkingsticks cleverly set up to offer a fun, family photo. EGSA members were strategically placed around the classroom to offer fun facts and provide more opportunities to handle our friendly United Titanium Bug Zoo insects. We also had entomology-themed merchandise handmade by our graduate students available for purchase! We are looking forward to the next open house on May 13, when we will again coordinate with the CFAES Café in the Wooster Science Building to be open for snacks, smoothies, and coffee.

    Featured Arthropod

    ferocious water bugFWB

    Ferocious water bug | Lethocerus americanus | www.nps.gov/articles/giant-water-bug.htm

    Habitat/Range: Freshwater ponds, marshes, and slow-moving pools in streams worldwide. They are typically hidden in mats of vegetation, just under the surface of the water.
    Diet: Aquatic life, including tadpoles, small fishes, insects, and other arthropods. Known to kill prey many times their own size. Grasping victims by “raptorial” front legs, they inject venomous digestive saliva into their prey. This allows them to then suck out the liquefied remains.
    Lifespan: 1–3 years.
    un Fact: Females lay their eggs on the backs of the males where the males will tend to them, incubating and aerating the eggs until they hatch.

  7. Publications, Extension Products, and Courses

    Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

    Bold indicates current dept member or student. *indicates recently graduated PhD/MS student, post-doc, visiting scholar, or undergraduate, advised by CFAES Entomology faculty.

    1. Arnold, M.B., Back, M., Crowell, M.D. Farooq, N., Ghimire, P., Obarein, O.A., Smart, K.E., Taucher, T., VanderJeugdt, E., Perry, K.I., Landis, D.A., Bahlai C.A. Coexistence between similar invaders: The case of two cosmopolitan exotic species. Ecology, 104(4): e3979. 2023.
    2. Martinez Villegas, L.E.; Radl, J.; Dimopoulos, G.; Short, S.M. Bacterial communities of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes differ between crop and midgut tissues. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. In press.
    3. Pekarcik, A.J.*, Lorentz, M.O*, Clem, C.S, Raudenbush, A.L., Held, D.W., Tilmon, K.J. Preliminary Feeding Assessments for Asiatic Garden Beetle, Maladera formosae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Grubs and Adults. The Great Lakes Entomologist, 55 (2). 2022.
    4. Meuti, M.E., Siperstein, A., Wolkoff, M. Points to consider when establishing and rearing Culex mosquitoes in the laboratory. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2023.
    5. Meuti, M.E., Siperstein, A., Wolkoff, M. Rearing and maintaining a Culex colony in the laboratory. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2023.
    6. Meuti, M.E., Siperstein, A., Wolkoff, M. Establishing a Culex Colony from Field-Collected Eggs. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2023.
    7. Tomich, T.P., Hoy, C., Dimock, M.R., Hollander, A.D., Huber, P.R., Hyder, A., Lange, M.C., Riggle, C.M., Roberts, M.T., Quinn, J.F. Why Do We Need Food Systems Informatics? Introduction to This Special Collection on Smart and Connected Regional Food Systems. Sustainability, 15, 2023.
    8. Wolkoff, M., Fyie, L., Meuti, M. Light pollution disrupts seasonal differences in the daily activity and metabolic profiles of the Northern House mosquito, Culex pipiens. Insects, 14 (1), 64.3D Printed Worm Key Tag

    Extension Products

    1. 3D Printed Asian and European Jumping Worm Key Tag, Basnagala, Perry, 2023.SLF Life Cycle Models
    2. 3D Printed Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle, Basnagala, Leach, 2023.
    3. 3D Printed Aphid Aspirator, Haller, Lewis, Michel, 2023.
    4. 3D Printed Soybean Frog Eye Leaf Spot Model, Lang, Basnagala, Michel, 2023. 
    5. 3D Printed Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Keychain and Extension Scavenger Hunt, Lang, Basnagala, Leach, Michel, 2023.
    6. 3D Printed Soybean Leaf Defoliation Keychain Guide and Extension Defoliation Activity, Lang, Basnagala, Tilmon, Raudenbush, Michel, 2023.Cereal Leaf Beetle Larva Model
    7. 3D Printed Cereal Leaf Beetle Larva, Basnagala, Michel, Raudenbush, 2022.
    8. 3D Printed European Corn Borer Pupae Hibernation Cage, Basnagala, Michel, 2022.
    9. 3D Printed European Corn Borer Pupae Hibernation Chambers, Basnagala, Michel, 2022. 
    10. 3D Printed Larval Sizing Key Tag, Basnagala, Michel, Raudenbush, 2022.
    11. 3D Printed Soybean Gall Midge Key Tag, Basnagala, Michel, Raudenbush, 2022.Soybean Gall Midge Key Tag
    12. 3D Printed Stink Bug Trapping Cage, Basnagala, 2022.
    13. 3D Printed Aphid Rearing Cages, Lewis, Haller, 2022.
    14. 3D Printed European Corn Borer Egg Masses, Michel, Basnagala, 2022.

    Courses Taught by CFAES Entomology Faculty

    Carol Anelli
    ENTMLGY 3797.01E Evolution in Darwin's World and Ours: Context, 2 units (7 students), co-taught with Jamie Strange
    Associated course ENTMLGY 3797.02 will travel to England in May 2023
    ENTMLGY 6193 Individual Studies, Graduate, 1–6 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 7910 Nature and Practice of Science, 2 units (10 students)

    Luis Cañas
    ENTMLGY 5500 Biological Control of Arthropod Pests, 3 units (22 students)
    ENTMLGY 5600 Principles and Applications of Integrated Pest Management, 3 units (29 students)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 8998 Research in Entomology, PhD Pre-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 8999 Research in Entomology, PhD Post-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Mary Gardiner
    ENTMLGY 4998 Research in Entomology, Undergraduate, 1–3 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 7920 Presentation Skills, 2 units (11 students), co-taught with Kelley Tilmon
    ENTMLGY 8998 Research in Entomology, PhD Pre-Candidacy, 1–16 units (3 students)
    ENTMLGY 8999 Research in Entomology, PhD Post-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Norman Johnson
    ENTMLGY 6210 Evolution and Diversity of Insects, lecture and lab, 4 units, (11 students)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 8999 Research in Entomology, PhD Post-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Reed Johnson
    ENTMLGY 2200 Beekeeping, lecture and lab, 3 units (46 students)
    ENTMLGY 5800 Pesticide Science, 3 units (8 students)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Ellen Klinger
    ENTMLGY 1101 Insect Biology, lecture and lab, 4 units (37 students)
    ENTMLGY 2101 Insects and Human Affairs: Pests, Plagues, Poisons and Politics, lecture, 3 units (62 students)
    ENTMLGY 2102 Insects and Human Affairs: Pests, Plagues, Poisons and Politics, lab, 1 unit (16 students)
    ENTMLGY 5121 Insect Pathology, 3 units (6 students), co-taught with Sarah Short

    Ashley Leach
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Bruce McPheron
    ENTMLGY 2400H Evaluating Evidence in Biology and Medicine, 3 units (8 students)

    Megan Meuti
    ENTMLGY 1350 The Biology of Hope and Belief, 3 units (58 distance learning; 8 in-person students)
    ENTMLGY 4999H Honors Research with Distinction, 1–5 units (3 students)
    ENTMLGY 4999 Research with Distinction, 1–5 units (2 students)
    ENTMLGY 8998 Research in Entomology, PhD Pre-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 8999 Research in Entomology, PhD Post-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Andy Michel
    ENTMLGY 6502 Mentored Extension Entomology, 1–3 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (2 students)

    Pete Piermarini
    ENTMLGY 4607 Veterinary Entomology, online, 2 units (325 students)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Larry Phelan
    ENTMLGY/EEOB 5490 Insect Behavior, 3 units (13 students)

    Ben Philip
    ENTMLGY 2400H Evaluating Evidence in Biology and Medicine, 3 units (3 students)
    ENTMLGY 5604 Capstone Course: Problem-Based Studies in Plant Health, 2 units (2 students)
    ENTMLGY 5608 Turfgrass Insect and Mite Pests: Identification, Biology, and Management, 2 units (7 students)
    ENTMLGY 5609 Landscape Ornamental Plant Insect and Mite Pests: Identification, Biology and Management, 3 units (9 students)

    Joe Raczkowski
    ENTMLGY 3100 Insect Symbioses, 3 units (5 students)
    ENTMLGY 4000 General Entomology, 3 units (64 students)
    ENTMLGY 4191 Internship Experiences in Entomology, 1–2 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 4440H Honors Social Insects, 3 units (10 students)
    ENTMLGY 4600 Introduction to Insect Science, 1 unit (first session: 181 students, second session: 95 students)

    Sarah Short
    ENTMLGY 5121 Insect Pathology, 3 units (6 students), co-taught with Ellen Klinger
    ENTMLGY 8998 Research in Entomology, PhD Pre-Candidacy, 1–16 units (2 students)
    ENTMLGY 8999 Research in Entomology, PhD Post-Candidacy, 1–16 units (1 student)

    Jamie Strange
    ENTMLGY 3797.01E Evolution in Darwin’s World and Ours: Context, 2 units (7 students), co-taught with Carol Anelli
    Associated course ENTMLGY 3797.02 will travel to England in summer 2023
    ENTMLGY 4999H Honors Research with Distinction, 1–5 units (1 student)
    ENTMLGY 7999 Research in Entomology, MS, 1–16 units (2 students)
    ENTMLGY 8998 Research in Entomology, PhD Pre-Candidacy, 1–16 units (2 students)

    Kelley Tilmon
    ENTMLGY 7920 Presentation Skills, 2 units (11 students), co-taught with Mary Gardiner
    ENTMLGY 8000 Entomology Seminar, 1 unit (4 students)

    Additional Offering for Entomology
    ENTMLGY 5110 Ecology and Management of Insects and Pathogens Affecting Trees in Forest and Urban Environments, 3 units, with Bonello and Klooster (26 students)

  8. Chrysalis Undergraduate Student Association

    Contributed by Matthew Semler, Chrysalis president

    Chrysalis had multiple meetings throughout the early spring semester focusing on game/entertainment events. We played Jeopardy and watched entomology-related shows and movies. In February, we visited the Triplehorn Collection as well as the Acarology Collection. We also went to the Franklin Conservatory on April 2 and went to the Adams Lab on April 11 for a tour. Chrysalis ended the semester strong with trips to the Cincinnati Zoo on April 22. We met with CFAES Entomology honey bee expert Reed Johnson, PhD, on Monday April 24, and we went to the deep woods for a weekend day-collecting trip to wrap up the academic year!

    To join Chrysalis, contact CFAES Entomology undergraduate advisor Joe Raczkowski.2@osu.edu.
    Chrysalis at the Franklin Conservatory

  9. Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA)

    EGSA members at Blue Jackets Game

    Contributed by Erick Martinez Rodriguez, EGSA president

    United Titanium Bug Zoo Open HousesUTBZ

    This free monthly event partners with the United Titanium Bug Zoo to host hundreds of people every second Saturday of the month in the Wooster Science Building on the CFAES Wooster campus. This is a unique opportunity for children and family members to interact with a wide variety of insects, handled and supervised by graduate students able to answer questions. For more information on our monthly Open Houses, please visit the United Titanium Bug Zoo website! 

    Ohio State Student Involvement Fair

    On January 18th and 19th EGSA was present alongside the undergraduate entomology student organization, Chrysalis, at the Ohio State Spring Student Involvement Fair in the Ohio Union. The Spring Student Involvement Fair provided new and returning students an opportunity to explore more options for their involvement. Student organizations hosted booths to inform and motivate students to join in the diversity of extracurricular options available to them.

    Educational Workshops

    On January 25th, the EGSA Graduate Studies Committee organized an “Intro to Github” workshop hosted by Kayla Perry, Ph.D. Kayla is assistant professor of Forest Entomology and has wide experience in the field of statistics. The purpose of this workshop was to get students introduced to the Github tool, a code hosting platform that is very user-friendly, and allows you to collaborate and work on projects from anywhere. The 1-hour workshop was well attended and received amongst the EGSA members who had the opportunity to participate. EGSA plans to continue with the delivery of workshops on statistics and other topics this fall. We will keep you posted!

    EGSA Hosts DeLong SeminarSeminar announcement

    On February 16th, the EGSA and Department seminar committees on the Columbus campus organized a seminar featuring Allison Gardner Ph.D. Gardner is Associate Professor of Arthropod Vector Biology in the School of Biology and Ecology at the University of Maine. Gardner's presentation centered on the ecological and social factors that contribute to the proliferation of vector-borne diseases, as part of the department's weekly seminar series. For additional details on the Entomology Department's seminar program, please visit their website! Entomology Department Seminar Series.

    Insectary TourInsectary Tarantula

    On Friday March 17th, the Columbus Social Events and Outreach Committee organized a tour through our Entomology insectary, supervised by Jeni Ruisch. EGSA members had the opportunity to learn about the various critters that are usually displayed in the BUGmobile for Entomology outreach events. This tour serves as an opportunity for students to understand the importance of outreach events and the ways to get involved as a volunteer. For more information on the Insectary and the BUGmobile, please visit the department's website, Columbus Insectary and BUGmobile.

    Earring WorkshopEGSA earrings

    On Sunday March 19th, EGSA member Iliana Moore hosted the second earring workshop in Wooster to craft jewelry for EGSA fundraising events. Hand-made jewelry of insects, made by our very own entomologists. For more pictures of this event, check out our website! EGSA Earring Workshop

    Blue Jackets Night

    On April 1st, EGSA members gathered at the Nationwide Arena to watch the Blue Jackets take on the Florida Panthers! Although in the end we didn’t hear the famous cannons that are fired when the jackets score (we lost 7-0), it was a great opportunity to interact with members of both Columbus and Wooster campuses.

    EGSA RetreatEGSA Retreat

    On April 8th – 9th, the first EGSA Student Retreat took place in Killbuck, Ohio. The students had an opportunity to spend some quality time amongst colleagues from both campuses. In addition, four Entomology alumni were invited as guest panelist speakers to talk about different important topics that pertain graduate students, including topics like developing strategies and timelines for optimizing job hunts pre- and post-graduation, work-life balance as a graduate student in entomology, and the pros and cons of industry and academia. All attendees shared a great time amongst each other accompanied with a delicious meal. We are looking forward for next year’s retreat! For more, visit our website blog. EGSA Student Retreat

    CFAES OlympicsOlympic Building Challenge

    On Friday April 14th, EGSA participated in the CFAES Olympics. This is a fun event organized by the CFAES Student Council that took place at the Animal Science Building Arena. EGSA members had the opportunity to compete in the different activities that made up the Olympics, which included a Taste Test challenge, a Team Rally Competition, a Cornhole Tournament, a Building Challenge, and a Tug of War competition. Although the trophy was not won, EGSA learned a few tricks and will come stronger next year!

    CFAES Student Organization Awards

    EGSA was recognized by CFAES for their continuous involvement with the college, university, and the community. EGSA received both CFAES Student Organization Awards for which they applied: The Community Engagement Award, and the Outstanding New Activity Award. EGSA will work hard to continue our involvement with the community. Checkout the news article published by the department! EGSA wins CFAES Awards

    Girls in STEM Day Camp

    On the 15th of April, EGSA participated in the Girls in STEM Day Camp held at the College of Wooster, where they shared knowledge on the various career paths in entomology and the significant roles these tiny creatures play in our ecosystem. The participants also had the exciting chance to engage with the insects from the Wooster Bug Zoo that were brought in for the event.

    Earth Day Festival

    On April 22nd, the United Titanium Bug Zoo staff led by Jeni Filbrun and EGSA members attended the Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC), in Gambier, Ohio, for their annual Earth Day Festival. This free event gives children and families the opportunity to learn and interact through up-close encounters with amazing wildlife, including animals from the Ohio Nature Education, the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, and the Wooster Bug Zoo insects. For more information on the BFEC, check out their Facebook page! The Brown Family Environmental Center

    Tae Lee Phd, and EGSA visit the 4-h Forestry and Wildlife Conservation CampTae Lee with Light Trap

    On April 29th, the entomology department was present at the Ohio 4-H Forestry Wildlife Conservation Camp, in Jackson County, to talk about insects and their crucial importance in nature. This camp was organized by CFAES and is designed for campers from all over the state, ages of 14 through 18, to get together for a weekend and learn about forestry and wildlife education, fishing, tree climbing, hiking, Ohio Department of Natural Resources careers and college opportunities. This event takes place in the beautiful Canters Cave 4-H Camp. Visit the Ohio 4-H Youth Development website for more information about upcoming camps and the Canter’s cave 4-H Camp website for pictures and updates! Ohio 4-H Youth Development website | Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp

    EGSA Monthly Student Spotlight

    EGSA has continued to feature 3 current members in our monthly EGSA Student Spotlight! Get to know more about our members by checking out our website!