Spheksology

© Alie Ward

Last Tuesday evening I had the privilege of recording an episode of the popular podcast Ologies with Alie Ward. All about the study of wasps (spheksology), it should drop this Tuesday, June 15.

I have no idea whether it is pronounced SVEEKS-ol-o-gee or SFEX-ol-o-gee, or whether it matters, but I thought we might be coining a new word. Spheksophobia is the fear of wasps, but I could find no reference to “spheksology.” Alie managed to, so there you go.

Me, pointing to the paper wasp nest I mention in the Ologies interview.

Alie received close to four hundred (400) questions from her ardent followers on Patreon, and I think we might have answered about six. If you listen to the episode, and still have a question, please feel free to drop it in the comments for this post. I will attempt to answer in a timely fashion, but I do have various engagements on the near horizon that demand I properly prepare for them.

Solitary wasp, Trypoxylon sp., Leavenworth, Kansas, USA

It is my hope that we will spark a movement away from spheksophobia, and towards spheksophilia (love of wasps) among the audience for this interview. At the least, please consider following Ologies from now on. It is highly entertaining and educational. Thank you, followers of this blog, for your continued support.

What the Insects Have Taught Me

A scientific education teaches you not to be anthropomorphic: Do not assign human emotions and sentiments and purposefulness to non-human animals. Be dispassionate in your observations, take phenomena at face value. This is a tactic for eliminating bias, and is useful in proper documentation, but it can rob you of a more fulfilling experience of the natural world. Thankfully, there is room for both a distant and intimate approach, perhaps no better exemplified than by the work of The Bug Chicks. I can certainly appreciate the lessons the world of insects, spiders, and other arthropods have already taught me.

A female dance fly, Rhamphomyia longicauda, from Wisconsin

Beauty has infinite definitions. An organism that is “ugly” to one person is a magnificent example of adaptation to another human. Whether you believe in evolution or creationism, you should have reverence and respect for all of nature. Sure, there are animals I do not particularly like, but I recognize the importance of their roles. Most of my biases have been created by the media anyway, which is not the animal’s fault.

A female Eastern Dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus, guarding her eggs in Kansas

Indeed, diversity is the very essence of life, the soul of the planet. It is the very foundation of ecosystems and biospheres. If you begin to undermine that, believe that our species can successfully “manage” nature without all the requisite parts, then you are on a slippery slope guaranteed to end in cataclysmic tragedy at some tipping point you did not see coming.

We are more rigid in our human ideologies than invertebrates are inflexible in their instincts.

Metamorphosis can be a metaphor, but a lot can go wrong. It can take longer than expected. It may require a period of diapause, emphasis on “pause.” Our personal evolution comes only through learning, expansion of our comfort zones, shedding of destructive habits, agreeing to the assumption of risk, and recognizing our personal responsibilities. Unlike insects, which undergo a segregated set of life stages, we frequently revert to old behaviors that we should have outgrown, or we fail to advance at all. We have to forgive ourselves, and each other, in those events. There is no arrival, no final destination that defines individual human success.

A tattered male Four-spotted Skimmer, Libellula quadrimaculata, in Wisconsin

Handicaps are not the same as limitations. A grasshopper’s missing leg barely slows it down. Tattered wings do not ground a butterfly. Resilience, persistence, and an indefatigable relentlessness is the character of most insects. We can learn a great deal from such examples, use them as inspiration for our own recovery from physical or emotional trauma.

Perhaps the most revealing and disappointing conclusion I have reached is this: We are more rigid in our human ideologies than invertebrates are inflexible in their instincts. There is no such thing as a dumb insect. Their ability to solve novel problems and bend their innate programming never ceases to amaze me. They make up for any perceived intellectual deficits through sharper use of their senses and reflexes. Meanwhile, we cling to outdated, self-limiting, negative, hateful, and oppressive social constructs that prevent positive growth in our societies and civilizations. In many ways, we are more “primitive” than those animals without backbones.

The small can triumph over the bully.

We have only to change our minds to accommodate challenges and overcome obstacles. Other animals cannot adapt as quickly because they are designed for specific niches and habitats, confined to certain foods, and/or otherwise limited by their physical bodies. Yes, evolution happens, but at a slower rate than our brains (should) work. This is why protecting biodiversity is so critical. Rapid change is something Homo sapiens can adapt to, but not every other species.

Deer fly, Chrysops sp. biting me in Wisconsin

We are exceptional at creating non-existent enemies we call “pests.” With the possible exception of lice and bed bugs, there is no such thing as a pest. It is a term we assign to any other species we perceive as a competitor for “our” resources. We must start recognizing resources as entities that are shared with other species, and alter our approach to their extraction, growth, use, and/or disposal. Nature always pairs scale with complexity. Vast habitats are complex. Monocultural agriculture is not. Tree farms are not the same as forests.

The most heartening lesson insects can teach us is that the small can triumph over the bully. You need only look at all of our failed efforts to eradicate mosquitoes, locusts, and other insects for inspiration in your own fight for justice, equality, and human rights. Our so-called minority populations, the underprivileged, the underserved, underemployed, and undervalued sectors of humanity will get their due. The sooner that happens, the better for all of us. The economy is just another ecosystem, built on diversity, that functions only when currency flows like energy to all its living parts.

"How do I become an entomologist?"

I am asked this question with enough frequency that I figure it is about time I wrote down an answer. Mind you, I may not the best authority on this. I failed higher academia in spectacular fashion, and am now a writer first and entomologist second. In my defense, I went to college in the 1980s when molecular biology became all the rage. Thankfully, entomology has evolved significantly over the decades, in mostly positive ways.

Are you sure you want to be an entomologist?

There are more career opportunities in entomology than ever before, and which one you select will largely drive your educational path. Please be advised that you may have several different careers over your lifetime, and that by the time you leave the university and enter your profession, things may have once again changed dramatically. Let's look at some of the stereotypes and fantasies about entomology careers; then we will talk about real opportunities and educational paths. Finally, we will look at ways to get a head start on an entomology career from high school or even elementary school.

Margarethe Brummermann in the field

Great Expectations

Social media and YouTube have made science, and scientists, glamorous in ways that could not have been imagined only five or ten years ago. Unfortunately, you might be getting the wrong impression. Entomologists are not always flying off to exotic, unexplored rainforests and deserts collecting species new to science. Sure, some lucky professionals get to do this, but not often. Most of their time is spent writing grants to fund such expeditions; and in the lab maintaining live specimens, curating preserved collections; supervising and training staff, students, and volunteers; and doing other administrative tasks.

Skill Sets

There is a great deal of repetition of tasks, and if you get bored easily, you might consider another line of work. Do you write well? Good, because you will be expected to publish in scientific journals. You should hone your communication skills regardless because you will need to work well with others, from administrators to the general public. Computer skills will always be valued, and if you can repair the vehicle that breaks down on every field outing, you'll be a real hero. In short, scientific skills are not the only ones you will need, and probably not the most important.

Great People

The good news, maybe the best news, is that the overwhelming majority of entomologists are truly outstanding human beings. They are helpful, kind, dedicated, and have a degree of curiosity unmatched by those in any other discipline. They have a great sense of humor, too. The lifespan of most entomologists seems to be extraordinarily long, despite the dangerous chemicals they may use in the course of their work. I think that humor and curiosity thing comes into play here.

Mark Zloba in the lab at the Eulett Center in Ohio

A World of Possibilities

The standard career for most entomologists continues to be in the area of "economic entomology." That is, entomologists are employed by government agencies and the private sector to control insect pests in agricultural and forest ecosystems. Medical entomologists will be under increasing demand to combat arthropod-borne diseases at home and abroad. My personal hope is that the demand for "exterminators" in residential and commercial neighborhoods will decrease as customers begin to understand the alternatives to chemical insecticide applications in the home or business; but, for now at least, the pest control industry is another major employer of entomologists.

Universities hire entomologists as professors, collection managers, researchers, and other positions of importance. You will be expected to produce research and publish about it to attract both new students, and government and corporate funding for your department.

But Wait, There's More!

Slightly more obscure careers include forensic entomology, whereby entomologists help solve crimes through interpretation of insect evidence at crime scenes. Veterinary entomologists help protect and treat our pets and livestock when they become vulnerable to arthropod parasites. Live insect exhibits at zoos and museums are becoming ever more popular, and entomologists take care of those animals. Insects are also reared in laboratories as food for other captive animals like reptiles; and increasingly as food for people, too. Still other insects are bred in laboratories as biological controls for crop, nursery, and garden pests. Those include some very tiny wasps and flies.

Abigail Parker collecting at night

Educational Paths

Most American universities no longer offer undergraduate degrees in entomology. Some entomology departments have folded altogether, or merged with "plant pathology" or related fields of agricultural science. Many students find their way into entomology by accident, taking a class in the subject and getting hooked. They pursue advanced degrees in entomology from there. Departments of "ecology and evolutionary biology" give perhaps the greatest freedom to students wanting to pursue research opportunities, so do explore that avenue. Do your homework to find a university, public or private, that works for you and worry about paying for it later. You do not want to find yourself in a setting where there is gender bias, racism, and other forms of abuse that stifle your individuality and undermine your determination and mental well-being.

What You Can Do Right Now

Anyone of almost any age can participate in entomology through several avenues. Here is what I would recommend for young people, especially:

• Volunteer at a natural history museum, insect zoo, botanical garden, or other institution that has an entomology component.
• Seek mentors. You can often find mentors by volunteering as mentioned above. Find one who is trustworthy and encouraging.
• Participate in 4-H, FFA, Explorer Scouts (if that is still a "thing." It was in my high school days), and other youth programs that are career-oriented.
• Go online. There are infinite resources you can use and participate in, from social media that can help you find mentors, to "citizen science" endeavors like i-Naturalist, Project Noah, Odonata Central, Moth Photographers Group, and many others. There are "forums" for people who breed insects and arachnids in captivity, and e-mail listservs of professional entomologists where you can "lurk" and/or ask questions. Ask a librarian to help you get started.

You can't ever start too young!

Be Yourself!

Above all else, be true to who you are. Use your instincts. Go where your "gut" tells you, but know that your path may change many times until you find one that agrees with you. Rarely do people choose entomology. Usually, entomology chooses you, because you are an exceptional individual who is not ruled by cultural "standards" that demand you earn x-dollars of income, be an obedient little cog of a worker, and never question anything. You should be proud of being unique.

Sources: "Bioscience Careers: Entomologist"
"Careers in Entomology"
"Entomology Education & Careers"
"Careers in Entomology". Note that the Young Entomologists' Society sadly no longer exists.

Insect Video Resources

I have recently been adding videos to my own Bug Eric YouTube channel, but my skills are rather weak and my equipment not as sophisticated as that of some of my friends. So, allow me to introduce you to videographers who produce some truly stunning work that you may find useful.

The Bug Chicks, Kristie (L) and Jessica (R)The Bug Chicks

Kristie Reddick and Jessica Honaker are academically-qualified entomologists who are also gifted with superb marketing skills and a talent for communicating scientific knowledge in easily-understood language. You may be familiar with them for their appearance in four nationally-televised commercials for Windows 10, which started airing the evening of the Academy Awards. The Bug Chicks are masters at using a playful approach with an audience of children, but also understand how to engage parents and teachers.

The core of The Bug Chicks empire are short, informative, accurate, and hilarious videos that impart facts in an endearing and entertaining way. Not sure why Kristie and Jess have not yet received Oscars themselves. I laughed my way to learning what a "solenophage" is, just now, thanks to their video about lice.

The Bug Chicks have an infectious enthusiasm for what they do that is sure to win your heart. Meanwhile, they are true professionals who are sticklers for accuracy, don't talk down to their audience, and empower young people, especially girls. They are the role models and mentors we should all aspire to be.

Mark Berman and P.R. Mantis

Bugman Educational Entoprises

Mark Berman is also a professional entomologist. He and his sidekick "P.R. Mantis" bring the world of insects, spiders, and other arthropods to audiences all over Ohio and beyond as Bugman Education. Mark is, like The Bug Chicks, able to captivate adults as well as children. He has even given TED talks in Columbus. Innovative videos are often at the heart of Mark's presentations and displays. His YouTube channel is managed by P.R. Mantis, and showcases some excellent camerawork and production skills. Check it out.

Dick Walton © Shawneen Finnegan from Facebook

Dick Walton Natural History Services

Richard Walton may be "old school" in his documentary-style approach to wildlife videography, but few do it better, or have managed to record such a wide variety of insect species. He does not limit himself to invertebrates, either, nor any one geographical area. Please see for yourself at his website. He aims to not only film the natural behaviors of his subjects, but to make new predator-prey and host-parasite associations as well. Dick is a gentleman and a scholar, accredited in natural history education and with a wealth of publications and teaching experience under his belt. He has served more conservation organizations and government agencies than I can list here. I will let his body of work, much of it available online, do the talking.

I have had the honor of meeting all of these people and am impressed not only by the quality of their products and services, but by the content of their character. No ego in any of them, just a fierce commitment to instill an appreciation for the natural world in others. They do so with love and respect for their audiences. We can learn much from them, and not all of that has to do with "bugs," either.

Have I ignored other talented entomologists and filmmakers? No doubt I have. Please feel free to share your own heroes and their work through your comments on this post. Don't forget to include links to their websites, YouTube channels, blogs, and other online presences. Maybe you create videos. Do not be shy, please. Promote yourself, too.

Wasp Wednesday: Wasp Workshop

I recently had the privilege of leading a wasp identification workshop at the ultra-modern Eulett Center in Adams County, Ohio. The ten participants arrived Friday evening, August 26, at the nearby rustic lodge known as Rieveschl Chalet. Both facilities are run by the Cincinnati Museum Center, though The Nature Conservancy also occupies offices in the Eulett Center and the two organizations co-manage the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System.

All my “students” were enthusiastic and energetic in the field and in the lab. I gave an introductory lecture on selected wasp families at the Chalet on Friday night, and we looked forward to seeing actual living specimens in the rural and prairie habitats the next morning.

There are never any guarantees that one will actually find wasps just by looking, but my hosts Chris Bedel and MarkZloba and myself scouted out some nearby areas ahead of time on Friday. That paid off. The participants got to see the Katydid Wasp, Sphex nudus, nesting in the dirt floor of an old barn. We even witnessed one of the wasps fly in with her prey, a Carolina Leaf-rolling Cricket (Camptonotus carolinensis).

We also discovered caterpillars of the Catalpa Sphinx moth, Ceratomia catalpa, covered in the cocoons of the parasitic braconid wasp Cotesia congregate. These and other wasps we observed will be topics in future “Wasp Wednesday” posts, and images shared on my Flickr Photostream.

We convened at the Eulett Center for lunch, then went back out for a more field time at another location. There we collected cuckoo wasps (family Chrysididae), and observed a mating pair of thread-waisted wasps, Eremnophila aureonotata. Inside a barn we saw many old nests of the Pipe Organ Mud Dauber, Trypoxylon politum, and an active nest of the Northern Paper Wasp, Polistes fuscatus. When wasps were not to be found, the sharp eyes of the group spied many other insects including bizarre caterpillars like the “Monkey Slug.”

The late afternoon was spent attempting to learn the complicated anatomy of wasps, and introducing “keys” as a way to identify wasps to family, genus, and sometimes species. Traditional keys are dichotomous, meaning that they are composed of a series of couplets. One reads each couplet and decides which of the two lists of characters corresponds to their specimen, then proceeds to the next indicated couplet. Eventually, this process yields a name instead of another couplet. Interactive keys are a product of internet technology whereby the user checks boxes that correspond to their specimens, then hits the search button to whittle down the possibilities.

Chris Bedel, in addition to having a wealth of knowledge about the local flora and fauna, is a fabulous cook. Dinner on Saturday night was healthy and delicious: Pasta with artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, black olives, chicken, and spices, plus a mixed greens salad, garlic bread, and brownies and ice cream and strawberries for dessert choices.

After dinner we played a game I invented called “Wasp/Not Wasp,” whereby students view two images on one PowerPoint slide. They must determine which is the wasp, and what the other insect imposter is. I complicate matters by sometimes showing two wasps, or two non-wasps. The whole thing seemed to be a hit, and most of the time everybody got the answers right.

I concluded the evening with a short lecture on wasp sleeping behavior.

Sunday morning found us afield again, this time in the Lynx Prairie unit of the preserve system. Mark Zloba had set up an enormous malaise trap days before, to help secure wasp specimens. A malaise trap is a tent-like structure designed to intercept flying insects. The “bugs” then try to fly over the barrier. Instead they are funneled to the highest point (at both ends of the trap in this case) where they drop into a container with a killing agent. This trap is often one of the few ways one can capture certain kinds of Hymenoptera, and indeed the diversity just in the one sample was amazing.

Before we knew it, the morning was over and it was lunchtime. After a leisurely meal, the students slowly departed to resume their normal lives, as if having an interest in nature and insects means you have a “normal” life. I had a great time seeing friends I haven’t seen in decades, meeting Facebook friends, and making new friends that I know will be lifelong colleagues.

Special thanks go to Stephen Pelikan who drove me out to the Eulett Center from the Cincinnati International Airport. Chris and Mark were exceptional hosts that made me feel instantly at home. They made modest demands, and allowed me ample time to explore on my own.

Do consider attending Advanced Naturalist Workshops like this, or simply visiting the Eulett Center on your own. They always welcome visiting naturalists, researchers and scientists who give them ample warning.

Community Day

The Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute opens its gates to the public on the fourth Saturday of every month (excluding December). This past Saturday I had the chance to participate in the April event, as a guest and helper.

SASI is located in Tucson Mountain Park, a scenic enclave located, ironically, west of the city of Tucson. It shares the park with Old Tucson Studios and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, all of which are, sadly, inaccessible by public transportation. An “unimproved” dirt road leads to the headquarters. The facilities include a classroom, library, laboratory, and both live and pinned specimens.

The all-day activities of Community Day begin with a morning nature walk on some of SASI’s 350 acres. Our walk turned up a few insects along with some wildflowers and blooming cacti. A cactus bee of the genus Diadasia, and a tiny bee fly in the genus Neacreotrichus were among the nice finds.

At 11:00 AM we were treated to an indoor presentation. Jim Verrier is the Director of the nursery for Desert Survivors, a non-profit that helps employ the disabled while furnishing mostly native plants for landscaping. Jim talked about host plants for butterflies and moths in the Tucson area.

We all broke for lunch at noon, treated to fresh tacos, beans, and garnishes prepared by a friend of SASI.

The afternoon brought more people in, with lots of children in tow. The live arthropod presentations in the classroom are always a big hit, and this day was no exception. John Rhodes had his menagerie back on exhibit, allowing the kids to handle the more “user-friendly” species.

The last program was another hands-on activity, where the boys and girls created their own mini eco-sphere, complete with Daphnia or ostracods, paired with algae suspended in water. The children got to take home their tiny aquatic world when they left. I do wonder how many got home and told the other parent “Look, I’ve got algae and an ostrich!”

John showed an incredible degree of patience with the kids, but it seemed like a long day from my perspective. Still, I’m looking forward to the next Community Day, on May 20, 2010.

The End of Extension in Michigan?

My good friend Bug Girl just posted a very disturbing entry to her own blog. Apparently the Michigan legislature intends to abandon the state’s Cooperative Extension Service.

This is just simply embarrassing, akin to the legislation in Kansas concerning evolution and creationism. Is that the kind of reputation that Michigan wants? Of course not. Extension agents help people across the entire globe because they are literally and figuratively plugged into networks of other professionals, trading ideas and helping each other in myriad ways. No state can afford to essentially operate in a social, economic, or scientific vacuum, but that is what is going to happen if the legislators don't see the error of their ways.

It is my humble opinion that there are no more important people than extension service personnel because they serve as the public face of science, educating the masses in a variety of formal and informal ways. They also serve as mentors to young students of science and agriculture via 4-H and other programs.

I urge you to lend your voice of support to the comments calling for an end to this budget-cutting nonsense over at Bug Girl’s Blog. Together, we can stop this and help ourselves as well as Michigan residents who would be so terribly hurt by an end to the Cooperative Extension Service. Thank you.