August 2010
Faculty News
Drs. Dan Hahn and Greg Ragland were featured in a UF/IFAS news release about their work on diapause and its potential as a pest management technique, especially on the apple maggot fly and the corn earworm.
In May, Dr. Gene Gerberg (retired) was asked to sit at the speakers table during the annual meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) so that he could be honored as the oldest member of AMCA. On 28 July, Dr. Gerberg was invited to the annual meeting of the Florida Entomological Society (FES) in Jupiter Beach, Florida, to speak about the Center for Systematic Entomology and one of its founders, Dr. Ross Arnett.
Dr. Lukasz Stelinksi was featured in a USDA-ARS news release about his work with USDA-ARS entomologist Dr. Stephen Lapointe. The two are cooperating to "see if two compounds released by female citrus leafminer moths — a triene and a diene — can be formulated to disrupt the insect's mating cycle."
Dr. James P. Cuda was one of several IFAS Invasive Species scientists featured in a YouTube video clip on Role Models Today, an on-line publication for aspiring journalists to present and share stories about current events.
Student News
Graduate student Teresia Nyoike received first prize in the Ph.D. student competition at the recent Florida Entomological Society meeting.
Ph.D. student Vivek Kumar was honored, for the second time, as a "Miguel and Aurora Lugo Caribbean Food Crop Society Student Scholar" at the annual meeting of the Caribbean Food Crop Society (CFCS), held in the Dominican Republic, 12-17 July 2010. The award includes $500 for research and a certificate. Vivek works under Dr. Dakshina R. Seal at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research & Education Center, in Homestead, Florida.
Thanks to Debbie Hall for providing this listing of students who completed their studies, received their degrees, and are off on other adventures. Their major professors and future endeavors are listed (if known):
B.S.
Gallice GR. (July 2010). Cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia Linnaeus. Featured Creatures. EENY-478. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/moth2/cecropia_moth.htm
Qureshi JA, Stansly PA. 2010. Dormant season foliar sprays of broad-spectrum insecticides: An effective component of integrated management for Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in citrus orchards. Crop Protection 29: 860-866.
Kakkar G, Seal DR, Kumar V. (July 2010). Common blossom thrips, Frankliniella schultzei Trybom. Featured Creatures. EENY-477. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/thrips/common_blossom_thrips.htm
Scott C. (July 2010). Black and yellow lichen moth, Lycomorpha pholus (Drury). Featured Creatures. EENY-479. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/moth2/lycomorpha_pholus.htm
Scharf ME, Kovaleva ES, Jadhao S, Campbell JH, Buchman GW, Boucias DG. 2010. Functional and translational analyses of a beta-glucosidase gene (glycosyl hydrolase family 1) isolated from the gut of the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 40: 611-620.
Cuda JP, Mukherjee A, Overholt WA. 2010. Prospects for classical biological control of the federal noxious weed hygrophila, Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anders. p. 36. In Program and Abstracts, 50th Annual Meeting of the Aquatic Plant Management Society, Bonita Springs, FL, 11-14 July.
Cuda JP, Gillmore JL, Medal JC, Garcete-Barrett B. 2010. Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a new candidate for biological control of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius (Anacardiaceae). p. 83. In Progam and Abstracts, 2010 Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Planning, Policy and Science Meeting, Naples, FL, 12-16 July.
Cuda JP. 2010. Biology and host range of the Brazilian peppertree stem boring weevil, Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). p. 40. In Presentation Abstracts, 93rd Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society, Jupiter Beach, FL, 25-28 July.
Bujang NS, Kaufman PE. (August 2010). Black larder beetle, Dermestes ater DeGeer. Featured Creatures. EENY-480. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/beetles/dermestes_ater.htm
McSorley R, Gill HK. (June 2010). Introduction to soil solarization. EDIS. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in856
Meetings and Presentations
Ph.D. student Vivek Kumar attended the Caribbean Food Crop Society meeting and presented the paper "Optimizing abiotic conditions for higher efficacy of three fungal pathogens against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood."
Dr. James Cuda was invited to attend the 50th Annual Meeting of the Aquatic Plant Management Society, in Bonita Springs, Florida, 11-14 July. Cuda gave the presentation "Prospects for classical biological control of the Federal noxious weed Hygrophila." The paper was co-authored by Ph.D. student Abhishek Mukherjee and Dr. Willam Overholt.
Dr. James Cuda was an invited speaker for the 2010 Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Planning, Policy and Science Meeting held in Naples, Florida, 12-16 July. Cuda gave the presentation "Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a new candidate for biological control of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius (Anacardiaceae).” The paper was co-authored by Judy Gillmore (retired) and Dr. Julio C. Medal.
Dr. James Cuda was an invited speaker for the Program Symposium on "Multitrophic Interactions: Concepts and Applications" held at the Florida Entomological Society meeting. Cuda gave the presentation "Biology and host range of the Brazilian peppertree stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)."
Drs. James Cuda and William Overholt co-authored the poster "Origin of a disjunct population of Hydrilla verticillata Royle (Hydrocharitaceae) in the East African Great Lakes." The poster was presented at the 2010 Botany Annual Meeting, in Providence, Rhode Island, 31 July-4 August.
Ph.D student (now Dr.) Harsimran "Rosie" Gill attended the Florida Entomological Society meeting and delivered the oral presentation "Impact of different organic mulches on the soil surface arthropod community and weeds," co-authored by Dr. Robert McSorley, Gaurav Goyal and Dr. Marc Branham.
Ph.D. student strong>Gaurav Goyal attended the Florida Entomological Society meeting where he delivered the oral presentation "Identification of immature stages of picture-winged fly pests of corn," co-authored by Drs. Gary J. Steck, Gregg S. Nuessly, John Capinera, Dakshina R. Seal, and Kenneth J. Boote.
Outreach
Members of our Entomology Club and Education and Outreach Committee recently spent a day with the 4-H Day Campers of Nassau County. Click here to read about the trip and view photographs.
On 16-17 July, several human and arthropod members of the department attended the Jacksonville convention of Home Education Resources and Information, Inc. (H.E.R.I.). This is an organization of 800 families that cooperates in homeschooling in the northeast Florida region. Our booth primarily displayed departmental resources (online and for-sale) that would assist families in achieving the Florida State requirements for science. Our Outreach Committee has completed several comprehensive training packages, complete with lesson plans, and is working on more. Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, Thomas Fasulo and Jason Graham arrived at the convention center at 7:30 to set up. Jason went over Thurday night and stayed through Saturday. Dr. Baldwin and Thomas Fasulo were at the booth from 7:30 am through 5:30 pm on Friday and have no idea how Jason lasted two days standing on that concrete. On Saturday, Stephanie Stocks arrived to replace Rebecca and Tom and assist Jason in taking down the booth at the end of the day.
Jason also took over a display of home-made nesting facilities for native pollinators. One of his purposes was to collect surveys from the homeschooling community to help him develop curriculum about native pollinators for that group. Our booth attracted a lot of attention, both for our resources and the arthropods (one of our giant tropical millipedes and a cage of emerging butterflies). At one point during the afternoon, when Tom thanked a homeschooling mother for stopping by, she replied, "I couldn't pass you by. Everyone is talking about this booth." On both days, the crowd helped advertise our booth as almost everyone was wearing an "I Love Insects" sticker.
Unfortunately, on Friday, one of the children dropped the millipede, which landed on its head. Fluid began seeping out and the wound was repaired with Super Glue. By the end of the day, it was feeding on lettuce and appeared to be recovering. The giant millipede also worked the crowd on Saturday. However, sometime on Sunday, while resting in its cage back at the department, it died. Its significent other, our second giant tropical millipede, requests that in lieu of flowers a contribution in the millipede's name (Archispirostreptus gigas) be made to the Outreach Committee.
Entomology Field Camp - 2010
As reported in July's issue, our first entomology summer camp was a success. Now you can view almost 40 images of the camp: students, staff, visiting scientists, field trips, etc. Click here to view the images.
Grants
Graduate students Sara Brennan, Teresia Nyoike and (now Dr.) Elena Rhodes, received travel grants from the Florida Entomological Society to attend its annual meeting. Sara Brennan also received a mini grant to fund research during her M.S. degree.
Drs. Julio C. Medal and James P. Cuda received a $30,000 research grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Invasive Plant Management Section to continue screening natural enemies for classical biological control of the invasive wetland nightshade, Solanum tampicense.
Ph.D. students Gaurav Goyal and (now Dr.) Harsimran "Rosie" Gill received FES travel grants to attend the Florida Entomological Society meeting.
Butterfly Garden
Thanks to all those who participated in the butterfly garden beautification project. More than a dozen of our folks put in an hour or so on August 3rd and/or 5th. The result is a highly attractive area we (humans and insects) can all enjoy.
Mike Sapp and his crew provided assistance with tree trimming and mulch, and brought some plants. Dr. Phil Kaufman loaned us his truck to pick up more plants. Lois Wood and Dr. Maria Mendes offered free plants. Dr. Don Dickson kindly provided unsolicited nematode advice.
It's uncertain who of the following burned the most calories, but we all sweated a lot: Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, Dr. John Capinera, Dr. Jaret Daniels, Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman, Dr. Oscar Liburd, Jane Medley, Teresia Nyoike, Dr. Faith Oi, Dr. Elena Rhodes, Paul Ruppert, Dr. Olga Kostromytska, Kay Weigel, Jodi White and Ke Wu. — Jane Medley
Newsletter Minutiae
Thomas Fasulo is the newsletter editor. Departmental faculty, staff, students and alumni can submit news anytime to fasulo@ufl.edu. Issues usually are published by early mid-month. Submit items for an issue by the 7th of that month.
UF-Bugnews-L listserv subscribers receive notices when issues are posted on the newsletter Web site at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/news, which has instructions for subscribing and unsubscribing. Pam Howell and Nancy Sanders review the newsletter for errors. Thomas Fasulo does the HTML coding.
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August 2010.