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ABOVE: The book Insect Molecular Genetics, Third Edition, was published on May 3rd. It is available from Amazon.com. The author is Dr. Marjorie A. Hoy. This text is used in her course Insect Molecular Genetics, which will be offered this Fall semester 2013.
Several Entomology-Nematology faculty were honored at the UF/IFAS Experiment Station annual awards ceremony on April 25th. Congratulations to all!
Faculty receiving Early Career Recognition Awards were:
Dr. Barry Alto
Dr. Jiri Hulcr
Dr. Christine Miller
Receiving an award for high impact research was Dr. Rudi Scheffrahn.
Receiving a distinguished professor award wasDr. Phil Lounibos.
Dr. Nathan Burkett-Cadena has accepted the position of Assistant Professor in Medical Entomology at the FMEL.
We are delighted that Nathan will be joining us. He is in the process of deciding the date when he will be able to start. Congratulations to Nathan.
Dr. Ron Cherry at Everglades REC was featured on a local news channel demonstrating research testing different love bug traps. Ron is working with Dr. Steve Arthurs at the Mid Florida REC on this work.
Dr. James P. Cuda was elected Secretary for the UF International Programs Advisory Team at the 2013 Spring meeting held at McCarty Hall on May 2nd.
ABOVE: Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman visiting with students working on watermelon variety trials in Egypt.
Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman was invited to help develop an IPM plan for citrus growers in Egypt by the Egyptian Union of Producers and Exporters of Horticultural Crops (UPEHC), as part of the USAID Farmer to Farmer program managed by ACDI/VOCA. While in Egypt, she had the opportunity to visit several growers and research facilities. She is working with UPHEC to develop a growers guide to citrus IPM. Her work builds on Egypt-specific recommendations provided by Dr. Mongi Zekri (UF/IFAS Multi-County Citrus Specialist) and Dr. Mohamed A. Ismail (a retired UF faculty member and a member of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame).
While in Egypt, Jennifer used GoToMeeting to present a lecture and have a question-and-answer session with the Landscape Inspectors Association of Florida in Broward County. This lecture focused on the USAID Farmer to Farmer program.
New Faces in the Honey Bee Research & Extension Lab
Dr. Cory Stanley-Stahr is working along with researchers from other institutions nationwide on the Integrated Crop Pollination Project (http://www.icpbees.org/). The project seeks to optimize pollination of specialty crops using a variety of strategies including habitat enhancement, promotion of native and managed pollinators, and outreach education for growers and others with an interest in maximizing pollination and protecting pollinators. Additionally, Dr. Stanley-Stahr is investigating lethal and sublethal effects of fungicides and adjuvants on solitary bees.
Dr. Daniel R. Schmehl is investigating the impacts of pesticides on honey bees by measuring the detoxification response to several of the most commonly encountered pesticides. Additionally, Dr. Schmehl will be exploring the mechanisms of miticide resistance in Varroa mites, one of the most prolific honey bee parasites.
NEW VIDEO Featuring Dr. Jamie Ellis! Why Are Honey Bees Important?
Click here to watch!
Dr. Shweta Sharma graduated in May 2013 with her Ph.D. in entomology under the supervision of Dr. Eileen Buss (chair) and Dr. David Oi (co-chair). Her dissertation title was "Associations between hemipteran honeydew producers and Nylanderia fulva (Mayr), with management implications for Florida landscapes." She already has one article in press in the Florida Entomologist and has at least three others close to submission. She has a strong turf background and is searching for a permanent position.
ABOVE: Erika Machtinger received the Agricultural Women's Club and Vam C. York Scholarship for $500. This award is presented in memory of Barbara Warnick.
Kevyn Juneau (MS '09, Dr. Norm Leppla) received his Ph.D. in forest science at Michigan Technological University. He accepted a position as visiting assistant professor of botany in the biology department at Alma College, Alma, Michigan.
Sandy Koi, Master's student under the direction of Dr. Jaret Daniels, presented a paper on April 13, 2013, for the South Florida Plant Biologists meeting in the Chapman Field USDA-ARS facility in Coral Gables entitled "An Imperiled Butterfly and Threatened Host Plants in Endangered Pine Rockland Ecosystems: What's an Atala to do?" The answer, of course, is "Eat the ornamental cycads in your garden!" Sandy determined larval and adult host plant choices using our only native cycad, Zamia integrifolia, and a popular non-native cycad called Z. vazquezii from Mexico for the choice tests. The bad news: The insect survives on either plant. The good news: The insect prefers native. The lesson: Plant more natives.
Need to name that bug? A host of experts are available to help Floridians identify any insect or related arthropod. If a mystery creature has six or more legs, the UF Insect ID Lab is the place to call. Samples are coming in more frequently, going up from 36 samples in March to 52 samples in April. Nearly a quarter of the April samples were termites. Lyle Buss is the Insect ID Lab manager.
ABOVE: Watch out for dying box alder! A new invasive species of ambrosia beetle, Euwallacea interjectus from Asia, accompanied by a symbiotic Fusarium sp., is taking a liking in our box alders (Acer negundo). If you see similar attacks elsewhere, please write to Dr. Jiri Hulcr at the Forest Entomology Lab. Photo: Jason A. Smith, UF SFRC, in Loblolly Park.
Think it might be a nematode problem? The Nematode Assay Laboratory serves Florida and other states by providing nematode assay and expert advice regarding nematode management.
New course for fall 2013: NEMATODE SYSTEMATICS AND MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY (NEM6102). The course is approved by UF and will focus on theory and practice of using molecular evidence, particularly DNA sequence data, for addressing diverse systematic and evolutionary questions.
Syngenta/ Pasteuria committed to sponsor a basic nematology and identification training to be held in July 2013. Date will be set soon and we plan to have about 20 participants from Syngenta and County extension offices.
For more information on the Nematode Assay Laboratory please contact the Lab Manager Dr. Tesfa Mengistu.
Arthurs SP, Aristizábal LF, Avery PB. 2013. Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi against chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis. Journal of Insect Science 13: 23.
Boucias DG, Kariithi HM, Bourtzis K, Schneider DI, Kelley K, Miller WJ, Parker A, Abd-Alla AMM. 2013. Transgenerational transmission of the Glossina pallidipes hytrosavirus depends on the presence of a functional symbiome. PLoS One 8(4):e61150. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061150
Brennan SA, Liburd OE, Eger JE, Rhodes EM. 2013. Species composition, monitoring, and feeding injury of stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in blackberry. Journal of Economic Entomology 106: 912-923.
Christ LR, Cuda JP, Overholt WA, Vitorino MD, Mukherjee A. 2013. Biology, host preferences, and potential distribution of Calophya terebinthifolii (Hemiptera: Calophyidae), a candidate for biological control of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius, in Florida. Florida Entomologise 96: 137-147.
Cuda JP, Frank JH. 2013. Florida’s established arthropod weed biological control agents and their target weeds. University of Florida/IFAS EDIS. ENY 853/IN779.
Medal J, Halbert S, Santa Cruz A. 2013. The bean plataspid, Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), a new invader in Florida. Florida Entomologist 96: 258-260.
Dr. Phil Stansly, H. Alejandro Arevalo, Jawwad A. Qureshi, Moneen M. Jones, Katherine Hendricks, Pamela D. Roberts, and Fritz M. Roka manuscript, Vector Control and Foliar Nutrition to Maintain Economic Sustainability of Bearing Citrus in Florida Groves Affected by Huanglongbing., has been accepted for publication in Pest Management Science.
Moneen M. Jones and Philip A. Stansly published "Aerial application of Intrepid 2F for control of citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) in oranges" in Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 125, and an article discussing the development of a degree day calculator for citrus leafminer in The Grower, Degree-day model will help growers time citrus leafminer sprays.
Jacqueline L. Robertson, Haiganoush K. Preisler, and Moneen M. Jones have entered an author agreement with CRC Press for preparation and delivery of the book manuscript, Bioassays with Arthropods, Third Edition.
Scott Croxton and Phil Stansly’s manuscript, "Foiling the yellow dragon" in Citrus Industry, April 2013 and "Metalized polyethylene mulch to repel Asian citrus psyllid, slow spread of Huanglongbing and improve growth of new citrus plantings" is in press for publication in Pest Management Science.
New on Featured Creatures:
Do you have a favorite creature? Learn how to make it into a Featured Creature!All of our pages are now sporting a new look, we hope you like the new layout and functions!
a mealybug, Phenacoccus multicerarii Granara de Willink. Author: Ian Stocks, Taxonomic Entomologist, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.
tuttle mealybug, Brevennia rehi. Author: Ian Stocks, Taxonomic Entomologist, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.
Mexican lac scale, Tachardiella mexicana (Comstock). Author: Ian Stocks, Taxonomic Entomologist, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.
a mealybug, Vryburgia trionymoides (DeLotto). Author: Ian Stocks, Taxonomic Entomologist, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.
Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea (Arrow 1913). Author: Paul E. Skelley, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.
Dr. Verena Lietze was invited to speak at the Central Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Aquatics Workshop on May 3rd in Orlando. She presented new results from the Hydrilla IPM RAMP project that focuses on integrating biological and chemical control methods for long-term sustainable hydrilla management. The idea of adding biological control agents, such as the hydrilla tip miner (Cricotopus lebetis) and the pathogenic fungus Mycoleptodiscus terrestris (Mt), to the spectrum of management tactics was very well perceived by many of the 140 workshop participants.
Dr. James P. Cuda attended the 2013 Innovations for International Development Symposium held at the Reitz Union, May 2nd.
Dr. Jawwad Qureshi presented "Long Term Insecticidal Control of the Asian Citrus Psyllid" at the 2013 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute held at South Florida State College in Avon Park, FL, on April 2nd.
We have several social media sites for the Entomology & Nematology Department. To make them easily searchable, all three (YouTube, Facebook and Twitter) have the same page name, UFEntomology. Please share these links with past students or colleagues who may have an interest in departmental activities.
The DPM program would like to invite our newsletter readers to like their Facebook page to keep up with DPM events and developments. Be sure and "Like" the DPM Facebook page.
Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory wants you to follow them on twitter to find out about upcoming events and interesting stories about honey bees @UFHoneybeelab.
Dr. James P. Cuda was invited speaker for two invasive species workshops for Florida Park personnel. The first workshop was in Gainesville, FL, April 18th, and the second was Panama City Beach, April 26th. Cuda gave presentations on management of invasive insects and weeds with biological control.
Dr. James P. Cuda participated in the Florida Extension Initiative 3 Summit- Enhancing and Conserving Florida’s Natural Resources and Environmental Quality. The summit was held at the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center in Haines City, April 30th to May 2nd.
From the Outreach Coordinator
The live critters are always a hit with children and adults alike. The critters are available for you to check out should you be leading an outreach event. We have doubles of our most popular critters, as well as various native insect species depending on the time of year. We have large wood and Plexiglas cages for viewing our native orb weaving spiders. There is one travel cage and one larger static cage. Please be sure to contact us and review the protocol on transporting and handling the critters if you are not already familiar with it. If you lead an outreach, be sure to fill out a documentation form so your event can be included in the newsletter and we can log all outreach events.
If you would like to schedule an event or have any outreach questions, go to the Outreach pages on our Bug Club Website and contact us. I look forward to working with all of you over the next four years.
- Stephanie Stocks, Outreach Coordinator
- Office number 352-273-3958
Virni Mattson, our Grants Specialist, reports that April 1st to 30th, 2013, we have had 10 new grants or contracts awarded for a total of $226,301.78 in external funding for all Entomology & Nematology faculty (in Gainesville and at RECs).
Register now: Due to the overwhelming popularity of HBREL’s Bee College (held in Annually in March at Marineland) this beekeeping extension event is expanding again - this time, to South Florida. The first ever South Florida Bee College is planned for August 16th and 17th at the UF Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center. The event will feature prominent Florida beekeeping professionals and researchers giving lectures and hosting workshops on basic through advanced topics. There will be nearly 50 courses over the two days, a 20-class Honey Show, great food and beekeeping vendors. SFBC will feature a Spanish-speaking track for the first time, and is open to the public. Saturday August 17th is National Honey Bee Day and hosts the theme "Beekeeping – ask me how to get started."
Register now: The 62nd annual meeting of the Lepidopterists’ Society (which is organized by the McGuire Center) will be in Gainesville this year from June 27th to June 30th. More information is available on their website, or contact Dr. Andrei Sourakov for more information.
The 96th Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society
The FES annual meeting will be held July 14th to the 17th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Naples, Florida. Hotel reservations are available at the FES rate ($129.00). The special room rate will be available until June 24th or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first.
Submitted Papers are currently being accepted. This call for papers includes the graduate student paper competition. A form is available for paper submissions on the FES website. The completed form should be emailed to the Program Chair, Dr. Nan-Yao Su by May 17th.
We like to share news when it happens using our social media outlets- Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Follow us on these sites for daily updates! When you send news, we will post it on one or more of these sites and again in the monthly newsletter. Please be sure you have permission from people in photographs you submit for publication.
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Special thanks to Dr. Verena Lietze and Nancy Sanders who reviewed the newsletter for errors and to Jane Medley who built the web page.
PO Box 110620, 970 Natural Area Drive, Steinmetz Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611
Phone: 352-273-3901, Fax: 352-392-0190
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