written by: Benjamin P Gregory

​Over the past few years, a number of reports have shaken the entomology world by indicating that insect populations are declining globally at an unprecedented rate. Dubbed the “insect apocalypse” by the media, this decline in insect population raises a number of serious concerns for the biosphere. Insects make up the foundation of many food chains, and are fundamental to ecosystems all over the world.
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So why is this decline happening? Among many drivers, pesticide use is very significant. Pesticides can be helpful tools for reducing populations of harmful insects, like those that feed on our crops or spread diseases. But for all of their strengths, pesticides often lack precision, and their broad application kills all insects, including beneficial species that provide important ecosystem services.

written by: Makayla Harrison

​​We often forget about the vibrant and essential world that lives beneath our feet, which includes microorganisms and soil arthropods. While farms often use machines and chemicals, the benefit of working with the world underground often goes unnoticed. Robert Salerno – a graduating master’s student and member of the Lamp lab– discussed his thesis work exploring the response of soil arthropods to ecological intensification in agricultural forage systems during a recent colloquium with the Entomology department. Forage systems are used to feed livestock, and they are managed in many different ways. While some systems are managed in a conventional manner, using heavy machinery and chemical inputs, other systems use the ecosystem's natural functions to support and regulate the land. The method of using the natural functions of the ecosystem to sustainably produce agricultural goods is called ecological intensification. 

written by: Maggie Schaefer

When you drive through the suburbs, you often see nothing more than barren, empty lawns. These yards are voids for senses, both for us and for other life. Nancy Lawson’s yard is the exact opposite. With an explosion of signals between the native plants she has cultivated and the animals they have brought, she observes every day just how important a conservation garden can be.
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Lawson, a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, master naturalist, and University of Maryland journalism alumna, recently presented her talk “A World of Discovery: Blending Science and Heart in the Sensory Wildscape.” Starting with journalism work for an animal protection organization, she felt most drawn to stories on urban wildlife. Now, she pursues that passion for wildlife writing as a full-time career, giving talks, writing books, and compiling her writings and photographs at The Humane Gardener. 

written by: Ben Burgunder 
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​Many of us are fascinated by insects and their stories. We are amazed by the transformation of the earth-bound caterpillar to the glorious butterfly. But before a caterpillar can become a butterfly, it first must hatch from the egg. How much do we know about the building blocks that allow a tiny egg to become a caterpillar in the first place? A largely unexplored world of genetic machinery tirelessly works to form the developing embryo beneath the egg’s shell. With advanced genetic tools, researchers can tinker with the embryological building blocks that shape caterpillars and begin to reveal this hidden world.

written by: Allison Elizabeth Huysman
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​Mosquitoes are well known as both irritating and as vectors of dangerous diseases. In parts of the world like Africa, southeast Asia, and South America, mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles spread the life-threatening disease malaria. Public health measures to control disease transmission by mosquitoes include physical prevention with bed nets and chemical prevention using insect repellents. However, the effectiveness of chemical measures depends on the mosquitoes not developing a resistance to them.