Entomology isn’t the only unit focused on insects

Turns out FM has its eye on insects, too. Members of the Facility Maintenance Pest Management team, Jorge and Joe, prioritize sustainable, safe pest control strategies that protect both the campus environment and its community. Their integrated approach includes installing physical barriers, using traps, limiting pesticides, and consulting experts, like entomologists, for guidance.

When a swarm of honey bees settled near the SECU Stadium just before a major field hockey match, Jorge and Joe partnered with Eric Malcolm from the Bee Lab to safely capture and relocate the bees. Swarming is a natural process. As temperatures rise, the queen along with thousands of bees leave the hive to start a new colony.  If you encounter a swarm, don't kill the bees! Follow Jorge and Joe’s lead; contact a beekeeper to relocate bees to a more suitable environment where they can continue to thrive and pollinate. 

In another case this semester, there was a sudden boom in ant activity outside a well-known campus building, prompting concern. Uncertain about the species, Jorge brought the sticky trap loaded with specimens to Dr. Jeff Shultz’s lab for identification. Dr. Shultz confirmed the ants were Prenolepis imparis, aka false honey ant, writing to Jorge, “It is common in Maryland and most active this time of year (cool). Can be a nuisance but rarely, if ever, a pest.”

The Department of Entomology is proud to be a resource for FM’s Pest Management Team. Jorge and Joe's thoughtful, science-based responses to insect issues on campus shows their commitment to meeting human needs while still being considerate of environmental impacts.

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