News

Anthony Cognato is teaching an updated Ent 818 Adult Insect Taxonomy class this fall. Students will learn about the fascinating diversity – 25,000 insect species in Michigan – in this 4 credit course. Enroll to learn how to recognize insect families, how to use identification keys, and expand your knowledge of insect natural history. Send questions to cognato@msu.edu.

The 2013 Departmental Spring Picnic will be remembered as one for the dogs! Several students and staff brought their dogs along for a fun evening in the park and all were well behaved. More importantly, there was good weather, tasty food and worthy award winners. Congratulations to the following people:

Eugenia McDaniel Award - Awarded to outstanding graduate student for teaching
Rachel Olson

Gordon Guyer Award - Awarded to outstanding graduate student in extension
Mitchell Lettow

Dreisbach Award - Awarded to outstanding Ph.D. graduate student
Lingxin Wang

Paul Wooley Award - Awarded to outstanding M.S. graduate student
Amanda Lorenz
Emily Pochubay

James Bath Staff Award - Awarded for outstanding accomplishment and morale among Entomology Staff
Brooke Gallagher

Check out the rest of our pictures and learn who won the best dressed entomologist award.

Always good to hear from our former students. Chris DiFonzo recently received this image in an email from her former student Mike Kates. Mike is studying at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic medicine, but clearly remains loyal to his entomology roots.

MSU entomologist Howard Russell has written a new article on boxelder bugs, discussing tips for controlling and managing this harmless, yet bothersome pest. Read the full article.

Congratulates to George Bird who has been selected as the recipient of the 2012-2013 MSU Faculty Emeriti Associated Award for “Outstanding Contributions by an Individual.” He will be recognized and given a plaque for his continuing efforts on behalf of MSU at the Academic Retirement Luncheon on Tuesday, April 2, at noon in rooms Big 10 A&B of the Kellogg Center.

The Bug House saw nearly 100 visitors at the Spring Open House that took place Sunday, March 10. Bug House T-shirt adult sizes and larger child sizes are still available for sale if anyone is interested. Thank you to the members of our department for your continued support and a special thank you to the guides who volunteered their time on Sunday: Alex Bryant, Rob Morrison, Brendan Carson, Courtney Weatherbee and Gary Parsons.

Rufus Isaacs contributed to an international study revealing the importance of wild pollinators for production of fruits and vegetables in providing new insights that may help improve Michigan’s pollination-dependent crops. The research team found that fruit set – the proportion of flowers turning into nuts or fruits – was considerably lower in sites with few wild insects visiting the crop flowers. Read more.

People are asking about these insects. Here are our quick links to information about: brown marmorated stink bugs, bed bugs, spotted wing drosophila, emerald ash borer, multi-colored Asian lady beetles, and boxelder bugs.

View the Bug House website for more information.