"Forests cover approximately 30 percent of the Earth's landmass and provide important ecosystem services that include food, fuel, and timber, as well as habitat for diverse organisms. Threats posed to forests by invasive and pestiferous species are rapidly growing. Global change, an umbrella term that includes may human-mediated processes such as climate change and international trade, is altering the structure and functioning of forests."

So writes forest entomologist Todd Johnson assistant professor at Louisiana State University, in the abstract of his seminar, to be hosted Monday, Jan. 29 by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.

His seminar, "Characterizing Ecological Interactions of Arthropods in Forests under Global Change" is at 4:10 p.m., in 122 Briggs Hall and on Zoom. The Zoom link: 
https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/95882849672.

"Our recently formed research group studies how natural variation impacts the outcomes of interactions between trees, herbivores, and the natural enemies of herbivores," Johnson says. "My seminar will provide an overview of our ongoing and developing studies to better understand how variation in chemistry across the landscape shapes the fitness of woodboring insects, and how this variation can be harnessed to optimize management of forest ecosystems."

Johnson says he grew up in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he spent his youth mountain biking, reading, and learning about computers. "I decided to study biology after taking a course in botany my freshman year of college. In that class I discovered the field of ethnobotany, which drove my interest in the diversity of chemicals produced by plants. Now, my interests lie within how chemicals produced by plants and insects, as well as other types of information can influence the decisions that insects make."

Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Moravian College, a master's degree in entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to accepting his position at LSU in the fall of 2022, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of New Hampshire.  

"Why Study Insects?"

That's the title of a poster next to the door of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis.

The poster specifies possible careers, listing pollinators, medical, genomics, animal behavior, forensics, environmental protection, public health, evolution, pest biology, invasive biology, pest biology, biotechnology, forest entomology, agriculture, aquatic entomology, vector biology, conservation and new species discovery.

Images of California's state insect, the California dogface butterfly, Zerene eurydice, decorate the poster. The butterfly is also the featured insect in the Bohart Museum's logo.

Not to be left out, someone from the nearby laboratory of arachnologist Jason Bond added to the "Why Study Insects" poster: "Arachnids!" Yes, let's study arachnids, too! Bond is the Evert and Marion Schlinger Endowed Chair, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and associate dean, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. And he's the president-elect of the American Arachnological Society. (See news story)

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) defines entomology as the study of insects. "Entomologists study bees, ants, beetles, termites, mosquitoes, and other insects, as well as other related animals (known as arthropods), such as spiders and scorpions...While it has been estimated that there are as many as 30 million species of insects on the planet Earth, only about one million have actually been discovered and described."

Another factoid from ESA: "Many animals, such as birds, fish, and snakes, eat insects, so they are an important part of the food chain. And without insect pollinators, global vegetation would largely collapse. At the same time, other insects are important decomposers — they eat dead plants and animals, which releases nutrients back into the soil so that new plants and animals can grow. Still other insects are parasites or predators, and they help control the populations of other species. Entomologists study insects and other animals in their habitats, which teaches us how to preserve and restore natural ecosystems." 

How many insects are there in the world? According to the Smithsonian Institute, "there are some 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive."

"In the United States, the number of described species is approximately 91,000," the Smithsonian says. "The undescribed species of insects in the United States, however, is estimated at some 73,000. The largest numbers of described species in the U.S. fall into four insect Orders: Coleoptera (beetles) at 23,700, Diptera (flies) at 19,600, Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps) at 17,500, and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) at 11,500."

"Recent figures indicate that there are more than 200 million insects for each human on the planet! A recent article in The New York Times claimed that the world holds 300 pounds of insects for every pound of humans."

Another factoid from the Smithsonian: "Most authorities agree that there are more insect species that have not been described (named by science) than there are insect species that have been previously named. Conservative estimates suggest that this figure is 2 million, but estimates extend to 30 million."

"While it has been estimated that there are as many as 30 million species of insects on the planet Earth, only about one million have actually been discovered and described."

So, we're not running out of insects any time soon! 

The Bohart Museum of Entomology, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens. It is part of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, ranked as one of the nation's leading entomology departments. Department chair is Professor Joanna Chi, a molecular geneticist-physiologist. Vice chair is associate professor Rachel Vannette, a community ecologist.

Unless you're an entomologist, moth enthusiast, or an avid follower of National Moth Week, you may have never seen or heard about sheep moths.

Those who attended the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house on social wasps, held Jan. 20, learned all about them from entomologist Jeff Smith, curator of the lepidoptera collection, and Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas.

Many of the day-flying, beautifully colored sheep moths are commonly mistaken for butterflies. 

"We have around 50 drawers of moths in the genus Hemileuca, often called Buck Moths, and the genus is comprised of 24 species in North America," Smith said. "It is likely this will expand as studies with DNA more accurately define species and relationships. The "Sheep Moth,"  Hemileuca eglanterina, takes up around 10 drawers in the Bohart Museum. It is a highly variable species, ranging from nearly black to pink/yellow to the typical orange with black markings. In all, we likely have around 400-500 specimens of this species."

Smith takes a special interest in the Bohart Museum's sheep moths, as many were collected by his brother, the late Mike Smith, a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran. Mike, who moved to Folsom following his retirement, "raised many hundreds of the moths in the Hemileuca from caterpillars and eggs," Jeff said. "I suspect his goal (Mike died in 2003) would have been to make some sense of the great geographic variability in some of the species, such as Hemileuca hera, which ranges from nearly white to nearly black, depending on the locale it is found in."

"Given the theme of 'social wasps' for the event, visitors were fascinated by the great many moths that so closely resemble wasps and bees, in the families Sesiidae (clearwing moths), Sphingidae the genus Hemaris) and Erebidae, the subfamily Arctiinae or tiger moths," Smith said. "They also enjoyed species such as the Atlas Moths, Luna Moth, Death Head Moth, and others that we guided them to."

There's much misinformation on the Internet about "sheep moth infestations" on sheep, Smith said. "The sheep moth, Hemileuca eglanterina,  absolutely does NOT feed on anything to do with sheep. The larvae eat only plants. However, one website said that moth larvae--presumably clothes moths--will feed on the wool while it is still on a sheep, which is FALSE. These larvae feed only on things long gone from any animal, like hair, feathers, wool, felt, etc."

The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus. It houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens, plus a live petting zoo (Madagascar hissing cockroaches, walking sticks, taranatulas and more) and an insect-themed gift shop, stocked with T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, books, posters, and jewelry. 

The next Bohart Museum open house is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 10, during the 13th annual UC Davis Biodiverity Museum Day. It is one of 10 museums or collections open, with varying hours. The event is free and family friendly.

When it comes to building nests, social wasps are great artists and architects.

But so were the participants in the family arts-and-crafts activity at the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house on social wasps, held Saturday, Jan. 20 in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis. 

The family activity? To create a paper mache wasp nest, using a balloon, newspapers, a pump, a marker, a chopstick, and a paste of flour, water and school glue.

Directions on "How to Make a Paper Mache Wasp Nest" read:

1. Blow up the balloon to the size of an orange using the pump
2. Tear strips from newspaper and dip in paste of flour, water and school glue
3. Apply strips to several layers onto balloon, making sure that balloon is covered
4. Optional: Decorate, using colorful tissue paper
5. Pierce the tail end of the balloon using a chopstick and initial the chopstick stick using a marker
6. Let dry on rack or at home.

Skylan Potter, 11, of Sacramento, a member of the Wild Oak Circle chapter of SpiralScouts International, arrived with her mother, Camille Potter, and baby brother, Kehlan Kaufeldt, age 1, to work on her entomology badge. 

SpiralScouts International aims "to provide opportunities for young people to fulfill their potential as caring responsible individuals through informal activities in a spiritual, open and loving atmosphere that celebrates their diversity," according its website.

Skylan's mother, vice president of the international organization, said SpiralScouts offers four levels: RainDrop ages 3-5; FireFly, ages 6-9; SpiralScout, ages 10-13 years; and PathFinder, ages 14-18. "From one level to the next, they can earn the same badge with increased skill/ability and learning requirements," she related.

Skylan worked on completing the entomology badge requirements at the SpiralScout level. She had previously earned her entomology badge at the FireFly level.

UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum, answered questions about social wasps. Attendees looked at specimens, and also viewed species and wasp nest material through microscopes.

The Schmidt Sting Pain Index, a pain scale of different hymenopteran stings ranked by entomologist Justin Schmidt (1947-2023), drew widespread interest.  Schmidt, an entomologist at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tuczon, Ariz., deliberately subjected himself to stings and then ranked them as to the level of pain he experienced. Some of his findings:

1. The bald-faced hornet, ranked as a 2 in the pain scale and described as "Rich, hearty, slightly crunchy. Similar to getting your hand smashed in a revolving door."
2. The yellowjacket, a 2: “Hot and smoky, almost irreverent. Imagine W. C. Fields extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.”
3. The paper wasp, a 3: "Caustic and burning. Distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut."

The next Bohart Museum open house will be Saturday, Feb. 10, during the 13th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, a "Super Science Day" spotlighting 10 UC Davis museums and collections. It is free and family friendly. The Bohart Museum, a founder of the event, will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (See list on Bug Squad blog)

Founded in 1946, the Bohart Museum houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens, plus a live petting zoo, including Madagascar hissing cockroaches, walking sticks,  tarantulas; and an insect-themed gift shop stocked with t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, books, posters, jewelry and more.