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Back in 2021, an exciting entomological event happened in the DMV area. As part of Brood X, millions of periodical cicadas emerged in tandem, providing a unique opportunity for researchers to study these charismatic insects. Mary Salcedo from the Socha Lab of Virginia Tech contacted the UMD Cicada Crew, an Extension and Outreach group led by Dr. Raupp and Dr. Shrewsbury, with the intention of finding cicada emergence hubs to research insect wing expansion, and grad student Angela Saenz, a former member of the Cicada Crew, led the way and helped with their research. As stated in Salcedo et al. (2023), they found that during ecdysis, cicadas pump hemolymph through wing veins to expand their folded wing pads, and after pumping ~16% of their body mass, their fully expanded wings become even lighter than the wing pads. These findings provide new insights into the role of insects' circulatory system in wing expansion.
Post-Doctoral Associate Position in Shrewsbury Lab - Biological Control / IPM
Position Summary: This position addresses the use of natural enemies (including pathogens) in the biological control of the invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF, Lycorma delicatula) in urban environments. The project is part of a collaborative effort with USDA and other university researchers with opportunities for networking and Extension. The incumbent will also participate in the statistical analysis and publication of existing data sets. Click here for more information. The Dept of Entomology is buzzing with excitement as University of Maryland moves closer to bee campus certification. Dr. Hawthorne shares with The Diamondback that obtaining this certification could be beneficial to the well-being of the campus. Not only by enhancing pollinator habitat but by expanding courses on plants, pollinators and their interactions.
https://www.facebook.com/UMDEntomology/posts/pfbid0v6SSeu6pYryeUT6dgT9MMjp6BV57A6jMKVRQM4rfPXJwJUunJq2QL1hzL6r8Hojl https://twitter.com/UMDEntomology/status/1642887187057221635?s=20 written by: Amanda Rae Brucchieri and Robert Joseph Salerno
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” -Neil deGrasse Tyson. Can this quote be contested? To answer this question, one must consider the way scientific knowledge is continually evolving. The scientific process is self-correcting, meaning the acceptance of ideas should be based on available data. What is often overlooked are the influences of politics, policy, culture, and community in the process of science and the acceptance of scientific data. Dr. Fred Gould, a distinguished professor of Entomology at North Carolina State University whose relationship with the University of Maryland extends back over 30 years, addressed a full hall about this shadowed intersection of science and society. In his talk, Gould dove into the 16-year ban of Mendelian genetics in the Soviet Union and the history that resulted in the ban’s conception. |
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