- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The laboratory of Professor Phil Ward, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, will provide live ants, specimens, information, and engage in one-on-one discussions about ant species at the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 21.
The event, free and family friendly, will take place in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane. The family arts-and-crafts activity will be to create paper ant headbands. "The current version has serrated mandibles, but people can go free form, too," said Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator. "We're hoping for a colony of visitors with red headbands."
Among the Ward lab scientists scheduled to participate are doctoral candidates Jill Oberski and Zach Griebenow (both are expected to receive their PhDs this year), and third-year doctoral student Ziv Lieberman.
Griebenow and Oberski are veterans of UC Davis teams that won national championships in the Entomological Society of America's Entomology Games or "Bug Bowls." (See news story) UC Davis teams won national championships in 2022, 2018, 2016 and 2015.
The Bohart Museum featured Ward, a noted ant systematist, in a video, "All About Ants II" shown at the 2021 UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day. It is posted on YouTube at https://youtu.be/d8eRNsD8dxo.
Ward offered an hour-long, introductory presentation on ants and answered scores of questions, drawing viewers from as far away as Virginia. He illustrated his talk with ant images taken by his former doctoral student Alex Wild (PhD from UC Davis in 2005), curator of entomology at the University of Texas, Austin, and a noted macro photographer (http://www.alexanderwild.com).
Ants originated about 120 million years ago (early Cretaceous), evolving from "wasp-like creatures," Ward said. They are members of the order Hymenoptera, and their closest relatives include honey bees, cockroach wasp and the mud daubers.
Ward related that live in long-lived colonies with (1) cooperative brood care (2) overlapping generations and (3) reproductive division of labor, the hall marks of eusocial behavior. He also pointed out:
- A typical ant colony contains a reproductive queen, numerous non-reproductive workers and brood (eggs, larvae, pupae)
- Colonies of ants can be thought of as superorganisms: tightly integrated and cooperative entities with complex systems of communication and division of labor (castes)
"Ants have occupied almost all of the world's land surfaces, from deserts to rain forests," Ward said in the video. "There's a few places they're absent. They're not in Antarctica, no surprise! They haven't colonized the Arctic and a few very high elevation tropical mountains, but apart from that, almost any place you go on land you'll see our friends, the ants. And they have assumed a quite a diverse array of ecological roles. Some of them are predators, others are scavengers, and some are seed collectors, and these habits vary tremendously among different species in different parts of the world."
Ants communicate largely by chemical (pheromones) and tactile means, Ward said. Their vision is "not particularly acute." He pointed out that that they lay a trail pheromones from the source of food back to the nest. They have alarm pheromones, causing other workers to act defensively. Chemicals also help ants distinguish their nest mates.
Some ants, like the Argentine ants, are pests. These invaders from South America "form super colonies, which means different colonies don't fight each other; they're all cooperating. And the other downside of Argentine ants is that they tend to eliminate native ants. So over the years I've lived in Davis, I have certainly noticed that native ants have declined as the Argentine ants have expanded. And they expand not just in, say, urban areas, but along certain natural habitats and one that they really like is the riparian habitat. So if you look along rivers and streams that are near urban areas, they're getting invaded by Argentine ants. And when they do, most native ants just disappear. This is a very tough aggressive ant and the mellow California ants can't handle an aggressive invader from South America. So they just disappear."
The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens, plus a petting zoo (including Madagascar hissing cockroaches, stick insects and tarantulas) and a gift shop, stocked with insect-themed t-shirts, hoodies, jewelry, posters, books, and collecting equipment.
Founded in 1946, the Bohart is open to the public Mondays through Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 5 p.m. More information is available on the Bohart website at https://bohart.ucdavis.edu or by emailing bmuseum@ucdavis.edu.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Brazilian-born scientist Mônica Antunes Ulysséa, a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Corrie Moreau, Cornell University, will speak on "Morphology for Assessing Species Diversity and Previously Unknown Biological Traits of the Ant Genus Hylomyrma" at a virtual seminar at 4:10 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7.
The Zoom link: https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/95882849672. Host is doctoral candidate Jill Oberski of the Phil Ward laboratory.
"Hylomyrma is a Neotropical ant genus of small to midsized ants, cryptic inhabitants of the leaf-litter of wet and dry environments, with a remarkable body sculpture," she says in her abstract. "They occur from sea level to 3,600m, from Mexico to northern Argentina and southern Brazil; its higher diversity is in the Amazon. Out of the 30 recognized species, 11 have females whose external morphology combines morphological traits of workers and queens, and at least three of them present female specimens with queen-like traits. These mosaic specimens sent me back to fieldwork to investigate more about the genus biology. I went to Serra do Cipó, Brazil, to find nests of the endemic Hylomyrma primavesi. Hence, for the first time, the H. primavesi nest architecture and the colony size were documented, the ergatoid queen, male and immatures were collected, and the behavior of the forage workers and their feeding preferences based on field and lab observations were recorded."
Ulyssea specializes in myrmecology, taxonomy, phylogeny, systematics, curatorial practices, and science dissemination. She received a 2018-2023 postdoctoral fellowship at Zoology Museum of University of Sao Paulo (2018-2023) to study in the Moreau lab. Professor Moreau, who teaches arthropod biosystematics and biodiversity, directs and curates the Cornell University Insect Collection.
Ulyssea's resume includes:
- Doctorate from the Zoology Museum of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Graduate Program in Systematics, Animal Taxonomy, and Biodiversity (2013-2017)
- Internship at Sorbonne University, Pierre and Marie Curie Campus, Paris/France (2015-2016).
- Master's degree in zoology, Graduate Program in Zoology at the State University of Feira de Santana, BA/Brazil (2010-2012).
- Bachelor and licentiate in biological sciences at Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC/Brazil (2002-2008)
Urban landscape entomologist Emily Meineke, assistant professor, coordinates the department's seminars. This is the last of the fall seminars. For further information on the seminars or technical difficulties with Zoom, contact Meineke at ekmeineke@ucdavis.edu.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The UC Davis Entomology Games Team edged out Alabama's Auburn University 75 to 70 to win the national championship at the Entomological Society of America's Entomology Games, waged Tuesday night, Nov. 15 at the ESA meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.
This is the fourth national championship for UC Davis since 2015.
The 2022 UC Davis team was comprised of four doctoral candidates from the Department of Entomology and Nematology: Zachary Griebenow of the Phil Ward lab, captain; Jill Oberski of the Ward laboratory; Erin “Taylor” Kelly of the Geoffrey Attardo lab; and Madison “Madi” Hendrick of the Ian Grettenberger lab.
"The 2022 Entomology Games were once again a highlight of the ESA Annual Meeting for students in entomology from all over the country," said Games Committee chair Meredith Spence Beaulieu, university program manager of Global One Health Academy, North Carolina State University. "My fellow members of the Entomology Games Committee and I congratulate the University of California, Davis, team on their victory, and we commend all the teams and students who participated this year."
The highly anticipated event is a lively question-and-answer, college bowl-style competition on entomological facts played between university-sponsored student teams. The question categories are biological control, behavior and ecology, economic and applied entomology, medical, urban and veterinary entomology, morphology and physiology, biochemistry and toxicology, systematics and evolution integrated pest management and insect/plant interactions.
Among the questions (paraphrased) asked at the Entomology Games:
- The principal blood sugar of insects is a disaccharide called what? Answer: Trehalose.
- All Neuroptera pupate within shelters spun from silk produced by what anatomical structure? Answer: Malpighian tubules
- In 1973 Dr. David Gibby of the Washington State University Extension Center started a program to meet the demand for urban horticulture and gardening advice, which has since expanded to all 50 states and 8 Canadian provinces. What is the name of this program? Answer: The Master Gardeners' Program
In the finals, the Auburn team was comprised of Dan Aurell, Chelsia Smith and Dylan Brown. In the preliminary round, Alan Jeon also competed with them.
The student-quiz event, launched in 1982, was formerly known as the Linnaean Games but the ESA Board of Directors changed the name in July of 2020 to "Entomology Games." Students compete first at an ESA branch level, with each branch sponsoring the winning team and runner-up at the nationals. UC Davis won the championship at the Pacific Branch in April. UC Riverside placed second.
The ESA meeting, themed "Entomology as Inspiration: Insects Through Art, Science and Culture," opened Nov. 13 and continues through Nov. 16. It is a joint meeting with the Entomological Society of Canada and the Entomological Society of British Columbia.
The Entomology Games championship match video will be posted soon on ESA's YouTube channel. The full bank of questions will be loaded on this site. The previous UC Davis championships:
- 2018: The University of California team (UC Davis/UC Berkeley) defeated Texas A&M. Members of the UC Team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., then a UC Berkeley graduate student with a bachelor's degree in entomology from UC Davis; doctoral students Brendon Boudinot, Jill Oberski and Zachary Griebenow of the Phil Ward lab, and doctoral student Emily Bick of the Christian Nansen lab.
- 2016: UC Davis defeated the University of Georgia. Members of the UC Davis team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., Brendon Boudinot and Emily Bick.
- 2015: UC Davis defeated the University of Florida. Members of the UC Davis team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., and members Brendon Boudinot, Jessica Gillung and Ziad Khouri.
Founded in 1889 and located in Annapolis, Md., the 7000-member ESA is the world's largest entomological organization. It is affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, pest management professionals, and hobbyists. The 2022 president is evolutionary biologist Jessica Ware, associate curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, New York.
Resources:
- Listen to the 2018 Entomology Games (won by the University of California team, comprised of three UC Davis graduate students and one UC Berkeley students who is a UC Davis alumnus), posted on YouTube (audio only, no video)
- Watch the 2016 National Linnaean Games Championship Round (won by UC Davis), posted on YouTube
- Watch the 2015 National Linnaean Games Championship Round (won by UC Davis), posted on YouTube
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Let The Games begin!
The award-winning UC Davis Entomology Games Team is gearing up for the national competition.
The popular Entomology Games, a lively question-and-answer, college bowl-style competition on entomological facts played between university-sponsored student teams, takes center stage at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). This year's meeting is set Nov. 13-16 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
A preliminary round will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13 in the West Ballroom of the Vancouver Convention Center. The final round is from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15 at the same site. The event was formerly known as the Linnaean Games.
The UC Davis team defeated the UC Riverside team at the 2022 meeting of the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America (PBESA) to advance to the nationals. UC Riverside also will compete in the nationals as the PBESA runner-up. The Pacific Branch encompasses 11 Western states, parts of Canada and Mexico and several U.S. territories.
Some of the questions asked of the teams at the PBESA meeting, held April 10-13 in Santa Rosa:
- Give the binomial name of the new record-holder for millipede with greatest number of legs, along with its country of origin. (Answers: Eumillipes persephone; Australia)
- What is a chemical called that is added to an insecticide that enhances the formulation and efficacy, but is not itself toxic? (Answer: an adjuvant)
- Name the heme containing enzymes that play a role in the detoxification of xenobiotics such as pesticides. (Answer: Cytochrome P450s)
- What is the most prevalent virus affecting humans that is vectored by Aedes mosquitoes? (Answer: Dengue)
In last year's national match, Ka Mea Kolo, an entomology club at the University of Hawaii, defeated Texas A&M to claim the championship. Auburn University won the national championship in 2020, and the University of Florida in 2019.
Since 2015, UC Davis has scored three national championships:
- 2018: The University of California team (UC Davis/UC Berkeley) defeated Texas A&M. Members of the UC Team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., then a UC Berkeley graduate student with a bachelor's degree in entomology from UC Davis; doctoral students Brendon Boudinot, Jill Oberski and Zachary Griebenow of the Phil Ward lab, and doctoral student Emily Bick of the Christian Nansen lab.
- 2016: UC Davis defeated the University of Georgia. Members of the UC Davis team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., Brendon Boudinot and Emily Bick.
- 2015: UC Davis defeated the University of Florida. Members of the UC Davis team: captain Ralph Washington Jr., and members Brendon Boudinot, Jessica Gillung and Ziad Khouri.
The 7000-member ESA, founded in 1889 and located in Annapolis, Md., is the world's largest entomological organization. It is affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, pest management professionals, and hobbyists.
Resources:
- Listen to the 2018 Entomology Games (won by the University of California team, comprised of UC Davis and UC Berkeley students), posted on YouTube (audio only, no video)
- Watch the 2016 National Linnaean Games Championship Round (won by UC Davis), posted on YouTube
- Watch the 2015 National Linnaean Games Championship Round (won by UC Davis), posted on YouTube
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The 108th annual UC Davis Picnic Day will include scores of insect-related displays and activities sponsored by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. Entomological events will take place at Briggs Hall; the Bohart Museum of Entomology (Academic Surge Building on Crocker Lane); and in the courtyard of Green Hall (formerly Life Sciences).
Free and open to the public (as is parking), it will be the first in-person Picnic Day in nearly three years. The theme is "Rediscovering Tomorrow."
Danielle Rutkowski, doctoral candidate in the lab of associate professor Rachel Vannette, is planning and coordinating the UC Davis Graduate Student Association (EGSA) events.
"We're all so excited that it's in-person again," said Jill Oberski, EGSA president. "Grad students usually run most of the entomology exhibits, but most of the younger graduate students have never been to a 'real' Picnic Day—so we finally have the chance to pass the experience on to them. It's always crazy and exhausting but it's so much fun, and a really great opportunity to engage with the public."
EGSA will be selling a number of t-shirts, both classic attire and new designs. New designs are "UCD Amblypygid," designed by Emma Jochim of the Jason Bond lab (it's EGSA's first arachnid shirt) and the limited-edition 'Mosquito Picnic' for Picnic Day 2022, designed by Oberski. "And we have stickers, masks, and several years' worth of back stock we would love to sell!" Oberski noted, adding that EGSA takes both cash and credit cards. Some of the classic T-shirt designs, such as The Beetles, sell fast. The link to EGSA's online store: https://ucdavisentgrad.
The list of insect-related events includes:
Bug Doctor
In front of Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Meet an entomologist and talk about insects! Even bring some from your home or garden for identification! The line-up: three doctoral candidates: Xavier Zahnle of the Jason Bond lab, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Zachary Griebenow of the Phil Ward lab, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Jill Oberski of the Phil Ward lab, 3 to 5 p.m.
Doctor Death
Briggs Hall 122
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Meet forensic entomologist Bob Kimsey of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology and learn how how insects are used in forensics! Kimsey is also the faculty chair of the department's Picnic Day.
Honey Bees and Honey
Briggs Hall Courtyard
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Learn about honey bees and the honey production process.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Briggs Hall Entryway
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Popular insect-themed t-shirts such as ‘The Beetles' are on sale via the Entomology Graduate Student Association.
Lil' Swimmers and Fly-tying
Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See live insects from streams and ponds from lab of professor Sharon Lawler, and learn the art of fly-tying for fly fishing from members of the Fly Fishers of Davis.
Maggot Art
Green Hall Courtyard
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Children (and grown-ups) can create art using live maggots dipped in non-toxic, water-based paint. (See news story)
Ants
122 Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Phil Ward lab will get you interested in ants. They'll have posters and photos (some from noted photographer and UC Davis alumnus Alex Wild, curator of entomology at the University of Texas, Austin). Got a question about ants?
Forest Entomology, Medical Entomology, Agricultural Entomology
122 Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Learn the roles of insects in forest entomology, medical entomology and agricultural entomology. Check out the displays and talk to the entomologists. Among those participating: Agricultural Extension specialist Ian Grettenberger, assistant professor, and his lab will be there, as will forest entomologist and graduate student Crystal Homicz.
Caterpillar Biology
122 Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Grace Horne, a graduate student in the laboratory of Emily Meineke, assistant professor of urban landscape entomology. will display hornworm caterpillars and pupae, and she'll discuss butterfly and moth biodiversity and biology, including urban biodiversity and their interactions with their host plants.
Mosquito Control
In front of Briggs Hall
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Learn about how to control mosquitoes and protect yourself. This booth is staffed by the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.
Briggs Hall Courtyard
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Talk with expert entomologists about safely controlling pest insects.UC IPM will give away lady beetles, aka ladybugs.
Butterflies and Change (Bohart Museum of Entomology)
East Academic Surge Entrance
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What's happening with California's state insect, the California Dogface Butterfly? And learn about monarch butterflies. Plus, view the Bohart Museum of Entomology's never-before-seen, student-created traveling, display exhibits.
Cockroach Racing
In front of Briggs Hall
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Entomologists will race cockroaches on tiny tracks to the delight of the crowd. Be there to cheer your favorites.
The 2022 Picnic Day, billed as one of the largest student-run events in the nation, will showcase more than 200 events. Picnic Day chair Amanda Portier and vice chair Jesse Goodman announced that "we strive to bring together people from Davis and beyond to celebrate all that our community has to offer." The schedule includes displays, animal events, performers, and parade floats.
For the complete schedule, access this link. "Please be prepared to show an approved UC Davis Daily Symptom Survey for entrance into some indoor events," the website points out. "For those who are not UC Davis students or employees proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from the last 72 hours may also be required. Screening is at the discretion of individual exhibits and animal events."