June 2011

Faculty News

Dr. Pauline Lawrence will retire this month. Her last day will be 30 June 2011. Although she has only been with our department since 1994, she began work at UF as an assistant professor in zoology in 1976.

Dr. Carl Barfield will retire in July. His last day will be 31 July 2011. Promoted to full professor in 1985, he is a popular teacher with undergraduates and was awarded Teacher of the Year in Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1991 and 1993.

Dr. Jonathan Day was featured in the news story "Why some people are mosquito magnets" on msnbc.com recently.

Drs. James P. Cuda and his laboratory staff prepared a biological weed control exhibit to showcase their research andextension activities for the Steinmetz Hall building dedication ceremony on 25 May.


Student News

Sylvia Vau, an M.S. student, from Universidade do Algarve in Portugal, recently spent a two week internship with Dr. Billy Crow to learn more about turfgrass nematodes.


Alumni News

Drs. Jaret Daniels (Ph.D. '99), John Heppner (Ph.D. '78), Deborah Matthews (Ph.D. '06), Andrei Sourakov (Ph.D. '97) and Keith Willmott (Ph.D. '99) are all featured in the 2011 issue of the annual UF McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity newsletter mentioned below.

Dr. James Dunford (Ph.D. '07), medical entomologist and lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his efforts while serving with the Army in Afghanistan in 2010. James developed and exported sustainable public health initiatives in order to establish medical and agricultural entomology programs throughout Afghanistan. The medal is awarded to active duty personnel assigned to a joint activity serving in leadership positions and performing exceptionally outstanding work.

Dr. Wenjing Pang (Ph.D. '10) recently accepted a nematologist position with Maronne Bio Innovations, in Davis, California.


Florida Entomological Society Meeting

Important deadlines (with some changes) and information for the Florida Entomological Society (FES) annual meeting, 24-27 July 2011, Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa, Ft. Myers, Florida:

• Pre-registration deadline: 24 June
• Title and abstract deadline: was 15 June, now extended to 17 June
• Symposium idea deadline: was 20 May, now extended to 17 June. See instructions for symposia. Questions? Contact: Dr. Gary L. Leibee at glleibee@ufl.edu.
• Hotel registration cut-off date for special rates: 5 July
• Hotel room rates: $135.00 for single/double and $175.00 for suite. Call hotel (888-896-1959) to make reservations and tell them it is for the FES meeting. There is no group code. Hotel website is at http://www.sanibel-resort.com/.

The Honors and Awards Committee needs your assistance in identifying and nominating entomologists for the following awards:

• Entomologist-of-the-Year
• Annual Achievement Award for Teaching in Higher Education
• Annual Achievement Award for Teaching in K-12
• Annual Achievement Award for Research
• Annual Achievement Award for Extension
• Annual Achievement Award for Industry
• Annual Achievement Award for Regulatory Entomology
• Special Achievement Awards for Research Teams, Laboratories, or Agencies, etc.
• Certificates of Appreciation for Special Service to the Society
• Honorary Membership

Send nominations to:
Dr. Steven Arthurs [Chair, Honors and Awards Committee]
Mid-Florida Research and Education Center
2725 Binion Road
Apopka, Florida 32703-8504 USA
Ph: 407-884-2034 x 113
Fax: 407-814-6186
E-mail: spa@ufl.edu

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING NOMINATIONS IS JUNE 15


Publications

Mann RS, Stelinski LL. (May 2011). Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). Featured Creatures. EENY-492. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/flies/drosophila_suzukii.htm

Kern Jr. WH, Mitchell RE. (May 2011). Giant whip scorpion, Mastigoproctus giganteus giganteus (Lucas). Featured Creatures. EENY- 493. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/misc/giant_whip_scorpion.htm

Luc JE, Pang W, Crow WT, Giblin-Davis RM. 2010. Effects of formulation and host density on the ability of in vitro-produced Pasteuria endospores to control its host Belonolaimus longicaudatus. Journal of Nematology 42: 87-90.

Luc JE, Crow WT, McSorley R, Giblin-Davis RM. 2010. Suppression of Belonolaimus longicaudatus with in vitro-produced Pasteuria sp. endospores. Nematropica 40: 217-225.

Pang W, Crow WT, Kenworthy KE. 2010. DNA content of several bermudagrass accessions in Florida. Journal of Plant Breeding and Crop Science 2: 339-343.

Luc JE, Crow WT. 2011. The war of the worlds: bacteria vs. nematodes. Golf Course Management 79: 100-110.

Sandhu H, Nuessly GS, Cherry R, Gilbert RA, Webb SE. 2011. Effects of Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) damage on sugarcane yield. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 474-483.

Nuessly G, Cruz I, Braga da Silva R, Figueiredo MC, Penteado-Dias AM. 2011. Survey of ear flies (Diptera: Ulidiidae) in maize (Zea mays L.) and a new record of Euxesta mazorca Steyskal in Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55: 102-108.

Goyal G, Nuessly GS, Steck GJ, Seal DR, Capinera JL, Boote KJ. 2011. Comparative morphology of the immature stages of three species of corn-infesting Ulidiidae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 104: 416-428.

Pitzer JB, Kaufman PE, Hogsette JA, Geden CJ, TenBroeck SH. 2011. Seasonal abundance of stable flies and filth fly pupal parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) at Florida equine facilities. Journal of Economic Entomology 40: 1108-1115.

Sanders WR, Liburd OE, Mankin RW, Meyer WL, Stelinski LL. 2011. Applications and mechanisms of wax-based semiochemical dispenser technology for disruption of grape root borer mating. Journal of Economic Entomology 104: 939-946.

Epstein DL, Miller JR, Grieshop MJ, Stelinski LL, Gut LJ. 2011. Direct sampling of resting codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) adults in apple tree canopies and surrounding habitats. Environmental Entomology 40: 661-668.

Gidudu B, Copeland RS, Wanda F, Ochaya H, Cuda JP, Overholt WA. 2011. Distribution, interspecific associations and abundance of aquatic plants in Lake Bisina, Uganda. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 49: 19-27.


Meetings and Presentations

Drs. Billy Crow and Eric Luc attended the biennial meeting of the Nematological Society of Southern Africa in Capetown, South Africa. Dr. Crow presented the paper "Plant-parasitic nematodes on U. S. turfgrasses of regulatory concern to Southern Africa." Dr. Luc also traveled to Kenya to collaborate with fellow UF Entomology and Nematology department alumnus Dr. George Kariuki, of Kenyatta University.

During 8-10 June, Dr. Gregg Nuessly attended the annual meeting of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists in New Orleans, and presented the paper "Update on the status of sugarcane rust mite in the Americas." Co-authors were G.H. Sandhu, N. Larsen, and W. Davidson.

Dr. James P. Cuda was invited to participate as a speaker at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council held in Maitland, Florida, 17-20 May. Cuda's presentation was "Update on a promising biological control agent for Brazilian peppertree: the stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Coleoptera : Curculionidae)."


Outreach Activities

Thank you to those members and friends of the department who participated in our May and early June outreach activities:

• 10 May: Presentations on metamorphosis at Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary in Ocala, 4th grade. Participants: Chris Bibbs and Dale Halbritter — Attendance: 150 children
• 11 May: Department tour for Tall Pines homeschool group. Participants: Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, Dale Halbritter, Bennett Jordan, and Janine Razze — Attendance: 15 children, 5 adults
• 11 May: Presentation at Keystone Heights Elementary. Participants: Crystal Atkinson and Wendy Helmey-Hartman — Attendance: 35 children
• 11 May: Presentation at Keystone Heights Jr./Sr. High School. Participants: Crystal Atkinson and Wendy Helmey-Hartman — Attendance: 15 children
• 13 May: Presentations on insects at Alachua Elementary for "Career Fest", 4th grade. Participants: Stephanie Stocks and Jodi White — Attendance: 142 children
• 20 May: Presentations on insects at Wiles Elementary for "Science Symposium", 5th grade. Participants: Dale Halbritter and Stephanie Stocks — Attendance: 92 children
• 27 May: Presentations on insects at Wiles Elementary for "Science Symposium", 3rd grade. Participants: Dr. Rebecca Baldwin and Matt Thom
• 1 June: "Dr. Discovery" presentation at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Participant: Dale Halbritter — Attendance: 10 children, 10 adults

• 20- 24 June: Forensic Entomology Camp for middle schoolers at our department - 17 students enrolled
• 21 June: Presentation on insects at Spencer House Montessori School
• 30 June: Middle/High School teachers visit department to learn about Entomology

The University of Florida's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, posted its annual newsletter. This issue provides "... profiles for 15 non-student researchers. The brief descriptions of past, ongoing, and future research and other news illustrate another exciting year, marked with field and laboratory explorations, scientific conferences and publications that contribute to the McGuire Center’s continued status as the world’s largest Lepidoptera research facility."


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.

In the last 12 months, the newsletter Web site recorded 147,058 page views.

June 2011.