News Archive
OCT 28, 2021
Join Dr. Linda Rayor of the CALS Department of Entomology as she discusses the social lives of spiders, in particular the social huntsman spiders, which live a dramatic life of cooperation and conflict. What do these social spiders get out of living with tens to hundreds of their closest of kin? Find out as Dr. Rayor discusses her research on large, gorgeous social huntsman spiders and different aspects of the behavior of spiders.
This is the oldest fossil evidence of spider moms taking care of their young
SEP 28, 2021
A 99-million-year-old spider trapped in amber sheds light on ancient arachnid parenting
Dr. Harrington's Vector Bio e-Cornell course
AUG 17, 2021
Interested in learning about the biology & behavior of mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods that affect human health? Enroll in a new certificate course from @ecornell_online! Next offering starts Sept 1. Enroll by August 31 with code INTRO50 to save. https://bit.ly/ArthroBioCourse
Ten Entomologists Honored as 2021 Fellows of the Entomological Society of America
AUG 6, 2021
Annapolis, MD; August 2, 2021—The Governing Board of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) has elected 10 new Fellows of the Society for 2021. Election as a Fellow of ESA acknowledges outstanding contributions to entomology in research, teaching, extension and outreach, administration, or the military. See more details on criteria for Fellow selection, as well as a full list of ESA Fellows.
Australian huntsman spiders: your friendly neighbourhood insect control
AUG 6, 2021
From their habitat and ecology to their unique social behaviour, this is everything you need to know about Australia’s huntsman spiders.
Gypsy moth caterpillars are ravaging upstate NY trees, raining down feces: 'It's biblical'
JUL 12, 2021
The historic infestation of gypsy moth caterpillars has now spread across large swaths of the Finger Lakes and North Country regions of New York, munching leaves and leaving behind countless acres of unseasonably barren trees.
Mark Buckner: Helping future generations understand and preserve native bees | CALS
JUN 23, 2021
Mark Buckner is a Ph.D. student working closely with Bryan Danforth, professor of entomology, to grow the public’s understanding of pollinators beyond managed honeybees — most notably on the lesser-known mason bees.
Pollen-sized technology protects bees from deadly insecticides
JUN 3, 2021
A Cornell-developed technology provides beekeepers, consumers and farmers with an antidote for deadly pesticides, which kill wild bees and cause beekeepers to lose around a third of their hives every year on average.
Two new beetles from summit forests in the Lesser Antilles
MAY 21, 2021
Two newly discovered species of beetles from the mountaintops of St. Kitts and Nevis have been named for a famous Nevisian scientist and a recently departed Kittitian civil servant. DuPorte’s Ground Beetle (Platynus duportei Liebherr and Ivie) and Racquel’s Ground Beetle (Platynus racquelae Liebherr and Ivie) were named to honor the McGill University (Montreal, Canada) insect morphologist Professor Ernest Melville DuPorte (1891–1981), born in Nevis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Melville_DuPorte), and Racquel Williams-Ezquea (1983–2018), recently of The Government of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis’ Forestry Unit. Professors James Liebherr of Cornell University and Michael Ivie of Montana State University described the new species in the March, 2021, issue of the international journal Coleopterists Bulletin (https://doi-org.proxy.library.cornell.edu/10.1649/0010-065X-75.1.59). The two species occupy the northernmost geographic limit of a species group of Carabidae that is distributed throughout the Lesser Antillean island chain, with their relatives in South America. They are both restricted to the uppermost remnant montane forests on their respective islands, and enhance our biological knowledge of this critically endangered habitat.
That Night 46 Million Grasshoppers Went to Vegas
APR 5, 2021
In a new study, ecologists document the impact that the world’s brightest city has on the insect population.
Ecology and Me: What Are Spider Webs Made Out Of?
MAR 30, 2021
What are spider webs made out of? Why don’t spiders get stuck in their own webs? How similar are spiders to Spiderman, really?
Spider study explores how body type affects running
MAR 22, 2021
Adult male, left, and female huntsman spiders, Delena cancerides. Adult male spiders are characterized by longer legs and narrower abdomens than the females.
Gut microbes in plant-eating ants help build tougher armor
MAR 12, 2021
Gut bacteria in a species of herbivorous ant play a major role in processing nutrients that allow the ants to build tough exoskeletons, an international team of researchers has found.
Moths: What we don’t know and what you can do about it.
MAR 8, 2021
What we don’t know can hurt us, and in this talk we will look at some of the biggest gaps in our knowledge of moths and why it is important to fill these gaps.
Looking for Tree Fruit Entomologist
FEB 26, 2021
We are hiring a tenure track Tree Fruit Entomologist! Join us at our @CornellAgriTech campus as a faculty member of @cornellento @CornellCALS @Cornell. Apply by 4/1/21
New course empowers students to address diversity in STEM
FEB 5, 2021
Corrie Moreau, the Martha N. & John C. Moser Professor of Arthropod Biosystematics and Biodiversity in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, along with graduate students Drea Darby and Amelia-Juliette Demery, seized the momentum from racial injustice demonstrations to design a new course on diversity, equity and inclusion in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Tony Shelton honored for pioneering integrated pest management practices
DEC 23, 2020
International professor of entomology Anthony Shelton has been named the winner of the 2021 Lifetime Achievement in Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Grant to fund study of acoustics in turfgrass pest control.
DEC 7, 2020
Kyle Wickings, associate professor of entomology, looks at white grubs in a greenhouse at Cornell AgriTech.
Come in, said the spider to the fly.
OCT 30, 2020
In celebration of all things creepy crawly at Halloween, Mann Library is pleased to announce Arachnophilia: A Passion for Spiders, a new online exhibit created with Dr. Linda Rayor of the Cornell Department of Entomology. Featuring photography that captures the great beauty to be found in the spider world, the exhibit spotlights the work of the Rayor Lab in documenting fascinating patterns of spider behavior. As viewers will learn, these amazing creatures may look fierce, but they are usually harmless to people and provide important benefits both to their ecosystems and to the humans who often fear them so. This online display reprises a gallery exhibit that opened at Mann Library in fall 2019. We invite you to take a good long browse—just be careful, we think even the arachnaphobes among us will find themselves developing a spider passion of their own!
Best Colleges and Universities for Agricultural Sciences
OCT 22, 2020
TV and movies often portray farming as a quiet and simple life: milking cows, feeding chickens, and tending to neat rows of vegetables planted by hand.
SEP 16, 2020
The purpose of this review is to provide information to both researchers and regulatory groups about the essential inclusion of humans in vector borne diseases research
USDA grants to fund studies of plant viruses, insecticides
SEP 10, 2020
Two Cornell research teams, studying crop viruses and insecticides’ physiological effects on insects, have received grants totaling nearly $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Congratulations Corrie Moreau!
SEP 3, 2020
We are happy to share that Corrie Moreau was elected a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America!
Artist Delicately Crafts Colorful Insects From Freshly Cut Flowers
JUN 26, 2020
In his series, Natura Insects, Montreal-based artist Raku Inoue uses an assortment of freshly-cut blooms to create colorful insect sculptures.
Vector-Borne Diseases Surveillance
JUN 25, 2020
The Vector-Borne Diseases Surveillance online course is now available! Take this 3-week instructor-led course with Dr. Laura Harrington and learn best practices to implement vector surveillance, data, and reporting methods.
A Survey of Tick Surveillance and Control Practices in the United States
JUN 17, 2020
Tickborne diseases are an increasing public health threat in the United States.
Why you shouldn't worry about eating the bugs that live on your strawberries
MAY 28, 2020
Bugs crawling on your strawberries?
Biocontrol nematodes thrive in manure
MAY 18, 2020
It’s a dirtier and smellier way of establishing nematodes, but applying in manure also saves money.
I evacuated my fieldwork site because of COVID-19.
MAY 11, 2020
What now?
Bee pollen reveals how multiple threats could contribute to bee decline
APR 30, 2020
Recent research from Centrella et al. shows the effects agriculture and associated pesticides are having on bees in terms of both their diets and the offspring they produce. Here they discuss their findings.
Six museums to explore virtually during lockdown
APR 14, 2020
Thanks to the digitization of museum collections and new online virtual tours, some of the world's most popular cultural institutions can be discovered in coronavirus isolation. These six museums are a click away.
Welcome bugs into your yard. You might just save the world.
FEB 21, 2020
Without insects, we’d be doomed. It’s time to make a happier home for them.
Invasion of the Rootworm Snatchers
FEB 17, 2020
These nematodes eat insect guts for breakfast. Can they save Bt corn?
Fireflies Have a Mating Problem: The Lights Are Always On
FEB 14, 2020
These are tough times for fireflies.
DEC 5, 2019
Spiders usually aren’t something people like to see close-up, but inside Cornell University’s Mann Library, that’s exactly what you’ll experience at the Arachnophilia: A Passion for Spiders exhibit, on display until Jan. 24. The exhibit is in collaboration with Linda Rayor, Cornell University professor of Entomology, who has had her work displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Australian Museum in Sydney.
Bee exhibit creates buzz at Museum of the Earth | Cornell Chronicle
NOV 22, 2019
Honeybees are the most recognizable and popular of all bees, but they account for only seven of 20,000 total described species.
Graphene fabric keeps mosquitoes from biting
OCT 31, 2019
This is one in a series presenting news on technology and innovation, made possible with generous support from the Lemelson Foundation.
New Honor for Robert D. Reed
OCT 23, 2019
Let's congratulate Robert D. Reed, for recently being elected to become a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (FRES)! Previous fellows include scientists by the name of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace!!
Develop an Appetite for Insects
OCT 8, 2019
Scientists who study bugs are thinking harder about how to turn them into good food.
OCT 4, 2019
Preventing aberrant immune responses against the microbiota is essential for the health of the host. Microbiota-shed pathogen-associated molecular patterns translocate from the gut lumen into systemic circulation. Here, we examined the role of hemolymph (insect blood) filtration in regulating systemic responses to microbiota-derived peptidoglycan. Drosophila deficient for the transcription factor Klf15 (Klf15NN) are viable but lack nephrocytes—cells structurally and functionally homologous to the glomerular podocytes of the kidney. We found that Klf15NN flies were more resistant to infection than wild-type (WT) counterparts but exhibited a shortened lifespan. This was associated with constitutive Toll pathway activation triggered by excess peptidoglycan circulating in Klf15NN flies. In WT flies, peptidoglycan was removed from systemic circulation by nephrocytes through endocytosis and subsequent lysosomal degradation. Thus, renal filtration of microbiota-derived peptidoglycan maintains immune homeostasis in Drosophila, a function likely conserved in mammals and potentially relevant to the chronic immune activation seen in settings of impaired blood filtration.
19th European Carabidologists’ Meeting
SEP 25, 2019
Jim Liebherr joined a contingent of North Americans at the European Carabidologists’ Meeting held 16-20 September at Fiera di Primiero in the foothills of the Dolomites. Four days of talks were interrupted by an excursion to Panaveggio Natural Park, where the group posed before the Pale di San Martino. Presentations at the meeting included carabid ecology in natural and urban landscapes, conservation of declining populations of carabid beetles, and systematics and evolution of carabids. The meeting organizer, Dr. Roberto Pizzolotto, presented an informal talk on carabid beetles and climate change, with his presentation given at the 2300 m elevation photo site marking the highest talk given at any ECM since the meeting’s inception in 1969. Other North American attendees included Terry Erwin, Smithsonian Institution; Dave Kavanaugh, California Academy of Sciences; David Maddison, Oregon State University; Kip Will, UC Berkeley; Wendy Moore, U. of Arizona, John Spence, U. of Alberta, plus their students and postdocs. The North Americans comported themselves well, and are looking forward to the next meeting in two years.
SEP 17, 2019
The gut of adult Drosophila contains a pool of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that regenerate damaged enterocytes. However, larvae lack ISCs and thus cannot undergo this continuous epithelial renewal. Houtz et al. (pp. 412–425) find larval Drosophila circumvent this lack of stem cells through controlled differentiation of adult midgut progenitor cells to mediate partial renewal following enteric bacterial damage. Enteric infection activates cytokine expression in enterocytes (red) that triggers the premature differentiation of adult midgut precursor cells into new, replacement enterocytes (green). A concurrent delay in larval development allows the pool of progenitors to be reconstituted by cells that were not diverted for repair. Cover art by Philip Houtz.
SEP 9, 2019
With its long tradition of honey bee research, Cornell is a leader in the fight to protect pollinators
AUG 29, 2019
Dale Ila Riggs knew the pests were coming for her berries. It was summer 2012, and Riggs watched as the invasive spotted wing Drosophila, a type of fruit fly, descended on The Berry Patch, her 230-acre farm in eastern New York near the Massachusetts border.
AUG 22, 2019
The laboratory of Dr. Ann Hajek in the Department of Entomology studies insect pathogenic fungi and nematodes as biological control agents for notorious invasive insect species such as the Asian longhorned beetle, gypsy moth, brown marmorated stink bug, and spotted lanternfly.
Laboratory assistants will care for insect colonies, collect live insects from rearing cages and the field, dissect insects to look for pathogens, and use sterile technique to culture organisms.
The successful candidate(s) will pay strong attention to detail and follow instructions, but also may assist in problem-solving and developing new methods. Must have excellent communication skills and work well with others. Must be willing to work indoors and outdoors, and infrequently lift heavy objects. Must be physically able to use microscopes. Preference given to students who have held a Driver’s License for 3 years prior to employment. (Personal vehicle NOT required.)
Assistants are scheduled for 6-10 hours per week. This position requires a commitment to sometimes work independently for on Saturdays and/or Sundays, depending on the experiments that are ongoing. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to both Dr. Eric Clifton (ehc87 [at] cornell.edu (ehc87[at]cornell[dot]edu)) and David Harris (dch92 [at] cornell.edu (dch92[at]cornell[dot]edu)).
Onion growers put skin in the game, earn IPM award
AUG 5, 2019
Elba, New York onion growers, Matt Mortellaro, Guy Smith, Chuck Barie, Emmaline Long, and Mark and Max Torrey recently received an Excellence in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Award from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM).
Senior Worm Wrangler Safeguards North Country Crops, wins Excellence in IPM Award.
JUL 11, 2019
Elson Shields, a Cornell entomology professor, received an Excellence in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Award from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM) at Cornell University’s Aurora Farm Field Day on the Musgrave Research Farm.
Conservation of the Sodium Channel between Different Insects is Explored
JUL 9, 2019
The voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) is essential for the generation and propagation of action potentials. The VSSC can change sodium kinetics by producing different splice variants (optional and mutually exclusive exons). The VSSC is the target site of pyrethroid insecticides as well as DDT and oxadiazines, which are used for control of crop pests and vectors of human diseases. Unfortunately, knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in Vssc confer resistance to these insecticides. Recently, Silva and Scott 2019 investigated the conservation of VSSC by three approaches: (1) across insect Orders, (2) codon constraints of kdr mutations between populations of Aedes aegypti and (3) within a population of Drosophila melanogaster. Overall, VSSC is highly conserved across insects and within a population of an insect but important differences do exist.
Insecticide resistance monitoring of House flies
JUL 9, 2019
House flies have evolved resistance to most insecticides, and as insecticide use continues over seasons it is expected that levels of resistance will rise. Freeman et al. recently investigated (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048357519301282?via%3Dihub) flies collected from livestock facilities in five states to check levels of resistance against three commonly used insecticides. A population collected from Kansas had previously unseen high levels of resistance to permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, that could mean this type of insecticide will be of limited use for house fly control in the United States in the near future.
Insecticide resistance in Drosophila melanogaster and sour rot (July 2019)
JUL 9, 2019
Control of sour rot in grapes is commonly achieved using insecticide to control D. melanogaster. 2018 was one of the worst years for sour rot in grapes in New York in decades. Sun et al. report that the outbreak of sour rot at one NY vineyard was associated with an inability to control D. melanogaster due to the evolution of resistance. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz039
Plant defenses: How plants avoid being eaten
JUL 1, 2019
Cornell students talk about the role insects play in eating and defending plants.
Edible Bugs Are On The Menu In A Monomoy Middle School Science Class
JUN 18, 2019
Virus Helps Onion Thrips Live Longer, Do More Damage
JUN 13, 2019
Check this out!
Improving Pollinator Health: What We Know and What YOU Can Do
JUN 5, 2019
Reunion lecture by Scott McArt (Dept. of Entomology)
Friday, June 7, 9:30 am
Stern Seminar Room (Mann Library Room 160)
(Followed by an exhibit reception in the Mann Gallery and, at 11:15 a.m., a tour of pollinator-friendly plants in the Cornell Botanic Gardens)
Recent research showing declining pollinator populations throughout the world is lending urgency to the topic of pollinator health. A multi-media program invites the Cornell community to a hands-on exploration of this issue. Dr. Scott McArt (Cornell Dept. of Entomology) will present a lecture highlighting what scientists currently know about the global state of pollinator health, how they’ve teamed up with artists to broaden awareness, and what everyone can do to support thriving pollinator populations in our backyards and neighborhoods. Following the lecture, a reception in the Mann Gallery will celebrate Mann’s newest exhibit “PolliNation: Artists Crossing Borders with Scientists to Explore the Value of Pollinator Health.” At 11:15 a.m., a garden tour with Krissy Boys and Robert Wesley of the Cornell Botanic Gardens and Nikki Cerra of the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures will introduce participants to Cornell’s new “Botanic Buzzline” pollinator walkway, with a close-up introduction to plants most effective for attracting, feeding and sustaining healthy pollinator communities. (Garden tour will begin at the Dallas Garden Walkway behind Mann Library).
In partnership with the Department of Entomology, Mann Library is also hosting an open house and making activity in the mannUfactory makerspace on Saturday June 8, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. We will provide materials and instruction for making mason bee hotels that help create attractive bee habitat in your home garden. All ages welcome!
Chapman Award
MAY 30, 2019
Geneva Entomology honored Ashley Leach with the 2018-2019 Chapman Graduate Student Fellowship Award at an April 30th award presentation & seminar.
MAY 24, 2019
Two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) are important pests of strawberry worldwide. Finding them in the field can be challenging, but regular monitoring for their presence is essential for IPM practices. This video demonstrates how to sample for and identify two-spotted spider mites, and offers some guidance on using thresholds to apply chemical and biological controls. This video was produced by Samantha Willden, an EOA student at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY
Formation of the Vector-Borne Disease Network
MAY 23, 2019
Destructive plant pest thwarted by two native fungi Part II
MAY 13, 2019
Undergraduate Honor’s Research Students
MAY 13, 2019
Congratulations to all of our Undergraduate Honor’s Research Students that presented their research earlier this week at Jugatae as well! A special congratulations to Annika Salzberg for being awarded the Entomology Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Assistant of 2018-2019!
Top TAs honored for excellence by Cornell CALS faculty, leadership
MAY 10, 2019
Two entomology graduate students, Zoe Getman-Pickering and Natalie Bray, received an award for being an Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant. They were provided a congratulatory lunch, a certificate and a inscribed golden apple.
Destructive plant pest thwarted by two native fungi
MAY 3, 2019
The finding is important because these naturally occurring pathogens could be used to develop methods for more environmentally-friendly control of this damaging invader,” Hajek said
Congratulations Professor Nicolas Buchon
MAY 1, 2019
The Entomology Department is celebrating Professor Nicolas Buchon’s tenure!
Welcome Darin Gillenwater!
MAY 1, 2019
Join us in welcoming our new staff member, Darin Gillenwater!
Destructive plant pest thwarted by two native fungi
APR 30, 2019
The invasive planthopper from China, spotted lanternfly, was first found in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2014 and has been spreading ever since; although it is not presently considered to be established in New York, it has been found in numerous counties. This invasive has caused serious damage in vineyards and is known to also damage apple crops in Korea so there is great concern about the impact of this invasive. At least in part, invasive species are often thought to be able to increase to large numbers due to lack of natural enemies in the invaded habitats. Clifton et al. have reported on the occurrence of an epizootic (an epidemic in non-human animals) caused by two native insect pathogenic fungi, that caused a significant decline in an abundant spotted lanternfly population in Pennsylvania.
Nature Abhors a Paywall
APR 29, 2019
Cornell Life Scientists Reflect on Open Science and the Historical Record
Kathie Hodge (Plant Pathology), Tom Seeley (Neurobiology & Behavior) and Karen Penders St. Clair (Horticulture)
Across the sciences, primary historical materials can be essential to pioneering work. Yet rapidly spiraling fees charged by private companies to access information are raising ever-higher barriers to the advancement of knowledge. In a special program presented by Mann Library and the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), three Cornell scientists--neurobiologist Tom Seeley, mycologist Kathie Hodge, and science historian Karen Penders St. Clair--will highlight the role that the historical scientific record has played in their own research. Join us for a discussion of this important perspective in the contemporary life sciences and a look at current open access efforts like BHL to keep science open for all in a race against the paywall.
Wednesday, May 1
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Mann Room 160
With reception in the Mann Gallery at 5:30 p.m.
PolliNation
APR 29, 2019
Artist & Scientist crossing borders to explore the value of pollinator health
This exhibit is a collaboration between Swansea College of Arts (SCA) Art/Science Group, Cornell Entomology Department, and Mann Library.
Mann Gallery April-September 2019
Emma Mullen is awarded the 2018 eCornell Trailblazer Award
MAR 21, 2019
Congratulations!! to Emma Mullen for receiving the 2018 eCornell Trailblazer Award!! In early 2016, the Department of Entomology and eCornell partnered to develop an online Master Beekeeper Certification course. Emma was charged with the development and subsequent instruction of this course. Her efforts have resulted in an amazing program which beekeepers from all over the world have been certified. The course is in such high demand, that three new instructors have been added to accommodate all of the enthusiastic beekeepers who are eager to become certified. Get the inside buzz at:
Understanding the causes of insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti
MAR 13, 2019
Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) carry out the detoxification of insecticides, and overexpression of one or more CYPs is a common mechanism of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Smith et al. investigated the molecular basis for CYP-mediated resistance in A. aegypti and found that overexpression of the CYPs responsible for resistance was due to a trans-regulatory factor.
Insecticide resistance in Drosophila melanogaster and sour rot
MAR 5, 2019
Control of sour rot in grapes is commonly achieved using insecticide to control D. melanogaster. 2018 was one of the worst years for sour rot in grapes in New York in decades. Sun et al. report that the outbreak of sour rot at one NY vineyard was associated with an inability to control D. melanogaster due to the evolution of resistance.
Comprehensive review of environmental safety of Bt plants published
FEB 20, 2019
Comprehensive review of environmental safety of Bt plants. Article written by Anthony Shelton and colleagues in Europe and ARS. published https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.10.001
Natural habitats, bee diversity key to better apple production
JAN 24, 2019
Check out this article on "Natural habitats, bee diversity key to better apple production" with Heather Grab and Bryan Danforth.
McArt - Solar Farms Shine a Ray of Hope on Bees and Butterflies
JAN 17, 2019
Check out Scott McArt in the article "Solar Farms Shine a Ray of Hope on Bees and Butterflies" published in Scientific American.
JAN 9, 2019
Check out Carol Anelli's lecture held on October 11th, 2018.