Entomology Commons^™

Imaging The Oocysts In The Midgut Of The Mosquito, Hillary Guzik

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

● Learn how to dissect the midgut from the mosquito ○ Protocol on how to conduct the dissection ● Produce a portfolio of high end microscopy images of the oocysts inside of the midgut ○ Using Leica SP5 Point Scanning Confocal (Analytical Imaging Facility at Einstein College of Medicine) ○ Reconstruct the oocyst in 3D ○ To further be used in Dr. Kami Kim’s research ● Develop an image analysis protocol to automatically count each individual oocyst ○ Using Volocity analysis software (PerkinElmer) ○ Gather total counts and area measurements of individual oocysts ○ Written for future use ○ To …

A Survey Of The Insect Orders Present In The Gypsum Dunes Of The White Sands National Monument, Zell Zanarkand

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

•Introduction Video to White Sands National Monument (WSNM) •Facts and History •Insects Orders and Families Found in WSNM •Introduction Video to Theories Regarding Lighter Coloration •Three Theories on Color Change •Insects in WSNM depicting lighter coloration •Conclusion Video

Insect Pest Introduction Into Florida: Surveillance And Detection Efforts By Government Agencies, Gangadai Azore

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Today, Florida’s most important crops such as corn, peppers, and snow beans owe their existence to constant vigilance by the Florida Department of Agriculture (FDACS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Customs & Border Protection Agricultural Specialists (CBP); all three agencies work together to keep many dangerous pests out of the state. Diligent inspectors working alongside the Customs officers, meet all arriving vessels that arrive by land, sea, or air. The officers inspect cargo and passengers’ baggage, the holds of vessels, cabins, crew’s quarters, and storerooms of vessels themselves to keep out potential insects hitch-hiking on commodities or on …

Technique For: Determination Of Insect Prey Selection By Insectivorous Bats, Merrill Tawse

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Utilizing Fecal Pellet Analysis to Determine Prey Selection by Insectivorous Bats: For my Graduate Project I examined culled exoskeleton parts from bat fecal pellets (guano) to determine identifications of the insects preyed upon by a group of bats to their order and often family levels. Culled insect parts were permanently fixed on microscope slides and viewed under a dissection microscope to determine identifications and to quantify the percentage composition that they represented in the bat’s diet. Comparisons were made of prey selected by the different bat species that were foraging at the same location and at the same time. Comparisons …

Defensible Space And Mitigating Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus Ponderosae Hopkins) Damage, Natalie L. Greynolds

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) are an endemic insect of western North American forests. The beetle’s range extends north to British Columbia in western Canada, south along the western United States and into northern Mexico. It has moved east into the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Live specimens of lodgepole (Pinus contorta var. latifolia), ponderosa (Pinus ponderosae), and white bark (Pinus albicaulis) Pines are preferred hosts. Climate conditions such as drought create outbreak conditions that last for only a few growing seasons or several years if these drought conditions continue. Mountain pine …

Biodiversity Of Insect Populations In The Springfield Bog Metropark In Summit County, Ohio: A Secondary Succession Site, Cynthia Perkovich

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

An initiative has been taken up by many environmental agencies for the conservation and restoration of endangered wetland habitats. These unique ecosystems are being depleted of resources and acreage due to industrialization and extensive anthropogenic activities. Bogs are a unique subgroup that are diminishing worldwide. The Springfield Metropark Bog is a newly established conservation area in Summit County, Ohio, in the United States. Insect populations were recorded over four seasons, starting in March 2015 and concluding in February 2016. Samples were taken from 3 different sites within the conserved habitat including field site, forested area, and a manufactured pond. Using …

Beginning Beekeeping Handbook, Paul Timm, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Why Honey Bees?

Where Do I Begin?

Honey Bee Biology and Behavior

Key Seasonal Hive Activities and Responsibilities

Developing and Adding Value to a Product

Marketing Your Product

Writing a Business Plan

Additional Resources

WHY HONEY BEES? It is a question that many people ask me. I ponder this question from time to time, reflecting back upon my own decision to enroll in a beekeeping course during my last undergraduate semester of college. I had no previous experience with honey bees nor did I know anyone that kept bees. Other than divine providence and a desire to learn about an …

The Ins And Outs Of The Pesticide Registration Process And Why It's Important To The End-User, Linda Johns

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The US EPA registration process evaluates pesticides through legal, administrative and scientific procedures that encompass the pesticide ingredients (inert and active); the crop or site pertaining to where the pesticide will be used; the amount, timing and frequency of the pesticide to be used; the disposal and storage practices for the pesticide; and the potential human health and environmental effects that could be associated with the pesticide. The US EPA evaluates and approves all label language that appears on a pesticide label, thus ensuring proper use patterns and that safety measures have been met to reduce any potential risks. All …

Entomology 101: Introduction To Entomology, Brian Kelly

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The goal of this particular project is to create an entry-level curriculum for Entomology to present to the local university / community college. My Bachelor’s Degree was obtained from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). The higher institutions of learning in the city of Colorado Springs (to include Pikes Peak Community College, or PPCC, as well) lack any courses relating to Entomology. UCCS has a strong presence in the city and is growing by leaps and bounds, currently enrolling about 13,000 students and expanding its degree programs. PPCC has several campuses around town, and offers many elective courses …

An Introduction To Insects Of Regulatory Concern, Robert Phillips

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

No abstract provided.

Mexican Red Kneed Tarantula (Brachypelma Smithi) Care Manual, Jamie Sincage, Trace Hardin

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Caring for any animal is more of an art than a science. What works for one keeper may not necessarily work for another. This may be based on unnoticed nuances, local climate or weather patterns, the personalities of the individual animals, or other minute details. This is a basic husbandry and breeding guide to the Mexican red knee tarantula (Brachypelma smithi). Any more specifics will have to be discovered personally or discussed with colleagues. Where many vertebrates have been kept in captivity for centuries a lot of invertebrates are relatively new to the husbandry world. Even though humans …

Effects Of Minimum Winter Temperatures On Southern Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus Frontalis) Mortality On Long Island, N.Y., Jessica Cancelliere

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Dendroctonus frontalis (the southern pine beetle) was discovered on Long Island, New York in 2014. Additional infestations have since been located in upstate New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Previously found as far north as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, this range expansion now represents the current northern distribution limits of D. frontalis. Minimum winter temperatures are a meaningful driver of population dynamics and mortality in D. frontalis, and understanding this relationship at the northern range limits can help forest managers better predict and prepare for outbreaks. Studies addressing the relationship between temperature and beetle mortality, and the …

Internship In The Entomological Collections In The Smithsonian Institution (Si), National Museum Of Natural History (Nmnh): A Species-Level Inventory Of The Superfamily Gelechioidea (Insecta: Lepidoptera)., Sherry V. Spriggs

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The internship was completed in the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History located in Washington, DC. The internship started November 2014 and ended April 2015 and consisted of working in the collection room one day per week, usually on Tuesdays. One of the goals of the Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution is to compile a comprehensive inventory all of the species in its collections. As a component of this over-arching goal, the primary project of the internship was to compile a species-level inventory of the superfamily Gelechioidea (Insecta: Lepidoptera).

Development Of A Screening Program For Identification Of The Neoplastic Pod Gene (Np) In Syngenta Snap Peas, Emily Kniep

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Project Objective The purpose of this project was to design a method for screening Syngenta snap pea varieties for the neoplastic podded gene (np). Pea varieties will be characterized phenotypically using weevil extracts to produce a neoplasm response of the np gene. Screening for neoplasms will enable the breeding team to understand if the gene is present how it might or might not be affecting pod quality reductions.

Project Outcomes and Significance The most important outcome was discovered during the proof of concept phase of protocol creation when it was established that the np gene is likely not …

Mosquito-Borne Diseases In Mississippi, Ryan J. Rodriguez

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Life Cycle:
Egg Must be exposed to water to hatch
Larvae Live in aquatic habitats
Pupa Stay near the surface of water to breath
Adults: Only females feed on blood; Males feed on nectar

Public Health •Besides being a nuisance, they cause numerous health hazards to humans (and other animals) •In some cases, they may cause severe allergic reactions •Diseases they transmit: •Eastern Equine Encephalitis •Japanese Encephalitis •La Crosse Encephalitis •St. Louis Encephalitis •West Nile Virus •Western Equine Encephalitis •Dengue Fever •Malaria •Rift Valley Fever •Yellow Fever

Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Mississippi and its Vectors •Chikungunya Virus •Aedes species •Eastern Equine …

Piophilidae Distribution In Consideration Of Forensic Applications, Electra Ragan

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Notes on Decomposition

Decomposition as understood by our ancestors has mystical overtones with foggy roots; the reasons behind the beliefs are not readily understood from a twenty-first-century westerner’s perspective. Gases that built up inside the deceased and oozing fluids from the membranes were explained away as flesh-eating vampires after a night’s feasting (they were bloated and full). Freshly culled meat became a source to maggots and flies as it aged, transferring its “life force” from one being into another (Sachs 2001). A mere century or two ago, Louis Pasteur would be the first westerner to directly link “moulds, mucors and …

Household Insect Pest Guide, Brandon Frederick

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Cockroaches 2-8
Termites 9
Ants 10-13
Flies 14-23
Beetles 24
Silverfish 25-26
Bedbugs 27
Head lice 28

Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Control By Rnai As A Plausible Component To Integrated Pest Management Practices, Jonathan W. Robeson

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) control through RNAi machinery as a novel mode of action is a weapon sought after by the agricultural community to squelch the growing problem of S. frugiperda resistance to pesticides and transgenic crops. Significant gains in the understanding of RNAi cellular interactions and insect gene silencing are represented to provide opportunities to influence further research of S. frugiperda RNAi. This composition highlights the intracellular action of dsRNA, successful RNAi attempts on insect pests, the biological difficulty of S. frugiperda and how RNAi success against S. frugiperda would be highly advantageous in the quest to …

Butterflies Of The Suusamyr Valley, Kyrgyzstan (Lepidoptera, Diurna), Amadeus Dekastle

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Abstract: This list of butterflies of the Suusamyr Valley contains 20 species. Each species is listed with the scientific name, common name (if applicable), flight times, elevation, habitat, food plants, and life cycle. In addition to their natural history, each species has an included distribution map.

Introduction: Although the Suusamyr Valley is only 7-8 hours away by car from Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, this region is very poorly studied in regards to its ecology. Information on butterfly distributions in this region is lacking in most currently available resources. As a result, the data presented within provides new information …

Using Insects To Teach Stats: Creating Flipped Classroom Materials That Support Student Learning Of The Statistical Analysis Skills Requisite Within The International Baccalaureate Higher Level Biology Course Syllabus, John C. Gasparini

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

I work as a science teacher at a school in Germany. While I have enjoyed taking all of my classes within the UNL Masters in Entomology Program, I am not, and will not be a practicing entomologist in my career. That is why I would like my thesis project to focus on using the lessons that I have learned in completing this distance education program to improve my teaching.

I feel as if I learned a great deal about insects in this program, but in addition I also learned quite a bit about what works and what does not work …

Cerambycidae In The Hawk Rise Sanctuary, Linden, Nj, Tiffany R. Mauro

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The family Cerambycidae is a diverse group. These wood borers greatly impact the flora and fauna of the habitat in which they reside. One of the most destructive invasive cerambycids is the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Anoplophora glabripennis. It has devastated both the urban and forested landscapes in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio. It threatens the maple syrup industry, logging, and tourism tied to the fall foliage in New England. In New Jersey thousands of trees were removed and chemically treated due to the ALB infestation. The communities where this infestation occurred were greatly impacted as …

Bean Leaf Beetle And Soybean Aphid Control Using Foliar Treatments In A Certified-Organic Operation—Neely-Kinyon Trial, 2010-2011, Andrea Mckern

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Summary of Project

Goal: The goal of this project is to find effective management treatments for the bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) and soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) for use in certified-organic soybeans. The bean leaf beetle is one of the major vectors of bean pod mottle virus, which causes seed staining and can cause a downgrading of the soybeans at market from food grade to feed grade. Feeding from the soybean aphid causes stunted plants, reduced pods and seeds, and can transmit viruses that cause mottling and distortion of the leaves and a reduced seed set. …

The World Of Bees, Louise I. Lynch

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The World of Bees is an interactive children’s museum exhibit created to convey the diversity of bees, the significant role of bees in nature and to humans and the need for their conservation. It presents aspects of bee evolution, anatomy, species diversity, life history, ecology, agricultural significance, and pollination role. The World of Bees promotes preservation of bees through beekeeping, gardening and environmental stewardship.

Virtual tour of the exhibit at: http://vimeo.com/34493111 or attached below.

Illustrated Beetles Of Quail Ridge Reserve, Ann Donohue

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Introduction

The Quail Ridge Reserve is part of the University of California Natural Reserve System and is located in Napa County on a peninsula at the southern end of Lake Berryessa. The reserve is composed of land owned by the US Bureau of Land Management, US Bureau of Reclamation, Quail Ridge Wilderness Conservation, California Department of Fish and Game, and UC Regents. The University NRS continues to expand on the reserve as private property owners become willing to sell parcels, thereby increasing the size of this amazing protected wildlife and ecological study site.

Vegetation on Quail Ridge consists primarily of …

Insectigator: Bug Or Insect – Do You Know The Difference?, Kerry Elsen

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The Insectigator encourages families to go outside and investigate wildlife around them. It provides an opportunity for youth to explore and investigate the natural world we live in. It was created for beginning entomologists, especially those between 8 and 11 years old. It can also be used with younger youth with an adult. Anyone who has an interest in insects is encouraged to use this manual, regardless of age. Clubs can use the manual and contents for club activities or project demonstrations. Youth are encouraged to do their investigation in groups and share their findings with other club members. Fair …

Validity Of Western Bean Cutworm Growing Degree Day Model In Iowa, Bryon Van Ballegooyen

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Objective The goal of this project was to determine the validity of the western bean cutworm, Richia albicosta (Noctuidae), growing degree day (GDD) model developed at the University of Nebraska with western bean cutworm flight and weather data collected in Iowa. The completed project will show if the current GDD model holds up when compared with data collected in Iowa from 2003 to 2005. The project will also show if more data needs to be collected and analyzed to further test the current GDD model.

Outcomes The outcomes of the project show that the previously developed GDD model for western …