Blog Archives

[Seminar Blog] All for one and one for all, Dietary specialization in neotropical army ants

3/28/2022

Figure 1. Myrmecologist Dr. Aidan Manubay searching for colonies of army ants in Central America

written by Maggie Hartman and Alireza Shokoohi

During graduate school, a typical evening for Dr. Aidan Manubay (Fig. 1) included stalking colonies of hungry insects with disproportionately large mandibles in the tropical forests of Costa Rica and Panama. If this sounds like your ideal day, then you may want to consider studying the diverse and ever-fascinating army ant. Dr. Manubay, Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at The George Washington University (jmanubay@gwu.edu), has been fervently asking questions about his favorite group of organisms, army ants, since his years as an undergraduate right here at the University of Maryland.

Raupp Talks Joro Spider with CBS Baltimore and 88.5

3/15/2022

Photo Credit: Alex Sanz / AP Photo

A new arthropod may be moving in– The Joro Spider. This spider is as big as a hand and carries with it even bigger benefits. According to University of Maryland Professor Emeritus Mike Raupp, these spiders can consume invasive pests like the brown marmorated stink bug & the spotted lantern fly and become a food source for birds. Not to mention the joro spider will be arriving in style, sporting a stunning pattern of MD colors. Watch Raupp explain more on WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/.../6209710-whats-the.../

Listen in to WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio for another interview with Prof Emeritus Raupp on the Joro spiders possible arrival in the D.C. area, and what it could mean to residents and local ecosystems.

[Seminar Blog] “One should make one’s life a mosaic. Let the general design be good, the colors lively, and the materials diversified.” – Marthe Bibesco

3/15/2022

written by: Eva Perry and Jonna Sanders

Dr. Joe Hanly’s research on speciation genomics in Colias Butterflies (sulphurs) of North America is the very embodiment of this phrase, through his investigation of wing patterns in the evolution and diversity of these butterflies. A post-doctoral researcher at George Washington University, Dr. Hanly’s research for the past several years has focused on understanding the relationship between genotypes to phenotypes, or rather, how specific genomes, through the processes of development and evolutionary selection, lead to specific phenotype expressions in wing patterns in Colias butterflies.

Christmon featured in AGNR's Momentum Magazine_Preventing Plasticulture Pollution

3/9/2022

When Krisztina Christmon, PhD Student, vanEngelsdorp Lab, finds time away from studying host-parasite-pathogen interaction of honeybees she can be found working out ways to clean up and recycle agricultural plastics.

Quote:
“Plastic films and tubing are essential for farming but at the end of the season most of these materials end up in landfills, burnt in the field, or buried in the soil,” explained Christmon. “The safer alternative would be to recycle them; however the recycling infrastructure of the U.S. is not equipped to handle many farm plastics.”

Read more in Momentum Winter 2022 edition

The role of indigenous knowledge and land management practices in conservation

3/4/2022

written by: Kathleen Ciola Evans & Eva Perry

UMD Department of Entomology Land Acknowledgement:

The United Kingdom hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31st through November 13th. Although some were hopeful that the world could come together on an agreement to mitigate climate change, many voices were left unheard during the symposium, including those of Indigenous groups. Their inclusion is particularly important because of the vulnerability of Indigenous lands to climate change and the potential model of sustainable land management that Indigenous groups could provide. Additionally, a significant amount of global biodiversity is concentrated in territories Indigenous Peoples managel. Ancestral and indigenous communities contribute next to zero toward carbon emissions, yet they are the most vulnerable communities to climate change2. Despite this, Indigenous perspectives on sustainable land and water management were mostly sidelined at the conference.

Figure 1: Farrell et al., 20213. Map overlay representing aggregate reduction of Indigenous Peoples’ land tenure in the US.

MSU's Bug Talk Interviews Dr. Fritz about career and family

3/4/2022

Tune into Bug Talk for honest reflections from scientist Dr. Megan Fritz on starting a family while pursuing a #STEM career. This semester Megan connected with her alma mater Michigan State University, Department of Entomology. While there she chatted with Bug Talk's Zsofia about her path to entomology, her choice to start a family in graduate school, raising children while completing her Ph.D. and the supportive environment that MSU cultivated for female students with children.

Check out Bug Talk's podcast to listen to full Fritz episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/911479/10162569

Share on facebook and twitter.

11 Insect Terps make it on Fall 21 Dean's list

3/4/2022

Big round of applause to the 11 undergrad minors and researchers who made it on the Fall 2021 CMNS Dean's List! Congrats Sejal Sinha, Jenan El-Hifnawi, Aaron Chan, Sankara Ganesh, Jane Quackenbush, Helen Craig, Shane Windsor, Colette Lord, Matthew Nikzad, Jenica Liu and Arthur Young on completing your classes with flying colors !

(& apologies if we missed anyone)

Share on facebook and twitter.

[Seminar Blog] All for one and one for all, Dietary specialization in neotropical army ants

Raupp Talks Joro Spider with CBS Baltimore and 88.5

[Seminar Blog] “One should make one’s life a mosaic. Let the general design be good, the colors lively, and the materials diversified.” – Marthe Bibesco

Christmon featured in AGNR's Momentum Magazine_Preventing Plasticulture Pollution

The role of indigenous knowledge and land management practices in conservation

MSU's Bug Talk Interviews Dr. Fritz about career and family

11 Insect Terps make it on Fall 21 Dean's list

Categories

Archives