Remember Cole Cramer and Connor Hsu, the two Southern California insect enthusiasts who met as pre-teens at the 2022 Bio Boot Camp at UC Davis? They became fast friends, joined professional entomological societies, and formed a youth entomology group, the Lorquin Society Scholars, to inspire interest in insect science.
Here’s an update.
They are 16 now, and high school juniors at La Cañada High School, a Los Angeles County school located in the city of La Cañada Flintridge, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. They are alumni of three UC Davis Bio Boot Camps: 2022, 2023 and 2025. (Their schedules conflicted with their wish to attend the 2024 camp.)
UC Davis Bio Boot Camps
UC Davis sponsors two age-related Bio Boot camps every summer: one for students who will be attending grades 7, 8 and 9 in the fall, and one for students entering grades 10, 11 and 12 in the fall. The Bohart Museum of Entomology coordinates the program with the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, and the Campus Recreation Youth Programs. The popular one-week camps not only draw young scientists from all over California, but nationally and globally. It's a camp requiring an essay from all applicants. And, not surprisingly, there's always a waiting list. (See website for camp information)
The 2025 Bio Boot Camp 2.0, limited to 10 students, spanned seven days and six nights (July 20-26). The first day the young scientists "headed to the mountains to get to know the ecology of the Sierra and each other and settle in at the UC Berkeley's Sagehen Creek Field Station outside of Truckee," said Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum. During their five-day stay in the Sierra Nevada, the youths explored the area, participated in a group project, and conducted mini-individual research projects. They discussed college and career paths "and had a lot of fun throughout," Yang commented. On Friday, July 25 they returned to the UC Davis campus to explore the Bohart Museum and the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology and other venues. Then it was off to the UC Davis Quail Ridge Field Station, outside of Winters, where the Bio Boot campers compared the mountains with the valley (Central Valley). And on their last day, in a UC Davis classroom, they delivered their research presentations to fellow campers, staff and their families.
The Jewel Beetle
At the Sagehen Creek Field Station, Cole and Connor chose to research the jewel beetle, Buprestis laeviventris, a metallic wood-boring beetle known for its iridescent colors and its wood-boring larvae. The youths, mentored by UC Davis student entomologist Dylan Vega, collected beetles (44) to survey "the elytral variation of the Buprestis laeviventris across Pinus contorta and Pinus jeffreyi (two local pine species)."
Their presentation, "Buprestidae of Sagehen," included five sections: introduction, notes, comparison, data collection, and variety within species. In their introduction, they wrote: "Buprestidae, commonly known as jewel beetles, are a diverse family of wood-boring beetles found all over the world. The majority of these beetles specialize in laying eggs in dead and decaying trees. This project aims to provide a detailed checklist of Buprestidae of Sagehen."
Their conclusion: "During this survey, a total of 44 specimens were collected, comprising 4 genera and 7 species, Blyrata being the most abundant with 28 specimens. This survey helped identify various species o Buprestidae that prefer burnt Pinus sp."
Their presentation drew vigorous applause.
"When we went to pick them up, they told us they wished they could stay for 2 more weeks!" said Cole's mother, Jessica Cramer. "Their counselor, Dylan Vega, made the entire week extra awesome for them."
Yang says that a goal of the Bio Boot Camps “is to bring together pre-teens and teens interested in nature. We give them a taste of how their passion can be nurtured and carried into college. We want them to stay inspired by nature as they go through middle school and high school. Meeting other people your age who like looking for insects or watching birds is a great way to do this.”
Making Entomological Waves
Both Cole and Connor seek careers as entomologists. They're already making entomological waves. In November, they traveled to Portland, Ore., to deliver an invited presentation on their Lorquin Society Scholars' work to the annual meeting of the Entomological Collections Network (ECN). No strangers to ECN, this was actually their second year of participation.
Cole and Connor founded the Lorquin Society Scholars in 2023. While attending the Lorquin Entomological Society meetings in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHMLA), they noticed they were the only youth there. The society membership includes "academics, hobbyists, and retired entomologists," related Cole's mother,Jessica Cramer. "The society lacked a youth component. They decided they wanted to change that. They took their idea to the president and with his overwhelming approval, they created a youth chapter, and the Lorquin Society Scholars was born in May 2023."
Blaine Hebert, then the Lorquin president, encouraged them. "Your idea is just the sort of thing that got me started," he told them. "My advice for you is to go for it. It will become whatever you create. You will have some--or many--disappointments, you will be frustrated, but it will be great! This is how it starts! This is how careers begin! This is how life works!"
Yes, it does.
ECN Talk on 'Cultivating Curiorsity'
Cole and Conner, who titled their ECN talk, “Cultivating Curiosity, Inspiring the Next Generation,” said they aim to “educate, inspire and spark curiosity in youth, typically ages 4 to 13, about entomology through engaging, hands-on activities and experiences.” Their goal: “to expand youth involvement in entomology by promoting education, environmental awareness and community engagement.”
They discussed their interests in insects and how they engage the public in community outreach programs. They've hosted scores of insect-related events, such as a bug hunt in La Crescenta, an Earth Day event in Burbank, and a youth entomology hike in Pasadena. Officials at the Los Angeles County Parks invited them to host an educational entomology booth at a natural space grand opening. It drew hundreds of families. "This was our very first Los Angeles County Park Event," they told ECN.
Not many teens do what Cole and Connor do...they are two passionate young entomologists who are making a difference. You can follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lorquinsocietyscholars/
And it all began at the Bohart...
