- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus, an icon in the entomological world, especially in integrated pest management (IPM), grew up thinking that he might be working for the telephone company.
His father, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, wanted him to obtain a college degree and pursue “a career with the telephone company,” Frank related. “Both of my parents worked for Western Electric, a part of AT&T.”
That proposed career did not happen. When he enrolled at Arizona State University, Frank chose to major in architecture before switching to zoology.
“In high school, I really liked mechanical drawing, and I was pretty good with math,” he told interviewer Marlin Rice on Feb. 14 for a Legends feature appearing in the summer 2023 issue of the American Entomologist, a publication of the 7000-member Entomological Society of America (ESA). “In 1970, there was the first Earth Day, and I got caught up in that. I wanted to do something to save the world from pollution and overpopulation. I became really interested in environmental issues. That's when I switched to zoology. At Arizona State, we collected scorpions for their anti-venom lab, and they would pay us a quarter a scorpion.”
Frank received two degrees from Arizona State, a bachelor's degree in zoology (1973) and a master's degree in ecology (1974), before earning his doctorate in entomology in 1978 from UC Davis, where he studied with major professor and agricultural entomologist Albert “Al” Grigarick.
“Frank was working for the U.S. Forest Service in Davis when he applied for graduate school in entomology,” Grigarick, now 95, said in an interview July 10. “When his application was circulating among our faculty for a major professor, I noticed his thesis was on a backswimmer. With a background in aquatic entomology, I wondered if he might be interested in doing research in our California rice fields. He did, was an excellent graduate student and soon got his PhD. He accepted an academic position at the University of Minnesota (assistant professor, 1979-1980, in the Department of Entomology, Fisheries and Wildlife) but the climate there may have played a role in his decision to apply for an IPM position in Cooperative Extension in California. I applaud the selection committee that accepted him. The University of California, California Agriculture, and the discipline of entomology have received countless benefits from his pursuits. I am very proud of Frank.”
A highly celebrated entomologist, Zalom is an ESA Fellow (2008), past ESA president (2014), and he holds ESA's highest honor, Honorary Member (2021), an honor achieved by only four other UC Davis entomologists: Harry Lange, 1990; Don MacLean, 1993; Bruce Eldridge, 1996; and John Edman, 2001.
Zalom considers himself a “blue-collar entomologist.” As he told Rice: “That's the way I consider myself: somebody that doesn't mind getting dirty, who's interested in insects, likes to communicate with people, and wants to solve problems.”
Rice's article, Frank Zalom, Blue Collar California, is one of a series in his “Legends: Life Stories from Legends in Entomology” feature that highlights the careers of noted entomologists who are at least 70 years old and remain active professionally. Zalom is the second UC Davis entomologist to be featured in Legends. Rice chronicled the life and work of UC Davis Distinguished Professor Bruce Hammock in the spring 2020 edition.
“I am honored to follow Bruce as the second member of our department featured in this American Entomologist column,” Zalom said. Among his scores of credentials: Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (2015), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010),and the author of 376 journal articles or book chapters. (See Zalom's full CV on his website at https://entomology.ucdavis.edu/people/frank-zalom). He recently completed a 4-1/2 year term as Editor-in-Chief of ESA's Journal of Economic Entomology.
Zalom retired from the university in 2018 as a distinguished professor emeritus, but immediately joined the “recall professor” ranks.
“Beginning in 1980 and continuing through today, Zalom has focused his extension and research activities on California specialty crops, including tree crops, small fruits, and fruiting vegetables,” Rice wrote. “The IPM strategies and tactics Zalom has developed include monitoring procedures, thresholds, pest development and population models, biological control, cultural control, and use of less toxic pesticides, which have become standard practice and part of the University of California IPM guidelines for these crops.”
Rice added: “The Zalom lab has responded to numerous newly identified or invasive pests in the last two decades, with research projects on glassy-winged sharpshooter, olive fruit fly, a new biotype of greenhouse whitefly, light brown apple moth, grapevine red blotch disease, brown marmorated stink bug, and spotted-wing drosophila, among others.”
Some excerpts from the American Entomologist article, as shared by Rice:
What was your first memorable experience with an insect?
“I was raised in Arizona, and it may have been when I was six or seven years old. We had very sandy soils, and we'd see cone-shaped pits with an antlion in the bottom. We'd drop other insects in there for them to grab. That was the first time I ever thought much about insects.”
“In those days, there were a lot of required ‘-ology' type classes. I took general entomology, taught by Frank Hasbrouck. I did well in the class and thought it was interesting. Another class I took was aquatic insects; that was taught from an ecology perspective. I liked working with insects, but I never imagined I would do anything related to entomology when I finished. I also did a summer job at the USDA cotton lab in Phoenix, working with their sterile male release program and sweeping cotton fields for pink bollworms. I did it for a job, but I learned more about research.”
What was your greatest challenge as an undergraduate or graduate student?
“Just to figure out where I would be going with a career. I always had this ‘working for the telephone company' mentality, which I did not want to do. If you don't come from an academic background, you only associate professional jobs with doctors, lawyers, teachers, and teaching was something I knew I could do. As I started to mature academically, I realized there's a whole world out there I wasn't aware of. More things than being a doctor, lawyer, or teacher.”
You are officially retired but still working as a recall professor. When I hear the word ‘recall,' I think of something that is broken or not functioning correctly, like an automotive part. I assume that's not what recall means here?
“No, although there are days when I feel like I am not quite functioning properly. At UC, you can get recalled and paid part-time, and in my case, it allows me to keep my lab and most importantly to stay active in research. The funding comes from the California Department of Food and Agriculture primarily for consulting on pesticide uses, alternatives, and impacts of proposed regulations. This is helpful for the state because I have a solid understanding of pests and pest management in California crops, and I have established a good deal of mutual trust and understanding with growers' groups. In this role, I can impact pesticide policy and help maintain some of the most critical chemical uses.”
What is your philosophy of extension?
“It's about putting your foot in the other person's shoes. I try to understand the grower's perspective and needs, then approach the job like problem solving. Although I've always tried to reduce the negative impacts of pesticides, I also work towards implementable alternatives. The growers appreciate it. They know I'm not trying to take the pesticides from them without offering an alternative. That was a concern from the ag industry early in the UCIPM program, which was funded by the state legislature to reduce pesticide use, and the growers were worried that it would contribute to more regulation.”
“Playing a role in getting the UC IPM program recognized as an integral part of the university system and gaining its acceptance by growers. But I didn't do this by myself, of course. We had a team of very talented people who were passionate about IPM and worked well together. I was fortunate to help facilitate it and keep the momentum going.”
You studied numerous insects. What's a favorite and why?
“The spotted-wing drosophila is my favorite. There's just so much that can be done with it. It's easy to rear, has a short generation time, and an economic problem. And it's a Drosophila after all, so it brought me back to population genetics, which I enjoyed many years ago. Working with geneticist Joanna Chiu has enabled me to learn about molecular techniques. She's great to work with and is patient with an old guy like me.”
Chiu, who became chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology on July 1, 2023, commented July 6: “Frank has been an amazing and supportive mentor and friend since the day I met him. He welcomed me with open arms into the department when I first started as an assistant professor and introduced me to research in Agricultural Entomology. Given my postdoctoral training in biomedical sciences in the Drosophila model, I must have sounded so naive when we first started our now decade-long collaboration on the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, but he has always been so patient as a mentor. He is literally a walking encyclopedia; I have learned so much from him and continue to do so every single time I talk to him. I have been so lucky to have Frank as a mentor!"
What does Zalom, as a long-time Extension entomologist, see as the future for Extension? He told Rice: “…I think extension is tremendously important and it is one of the things that has made the land-grant university system unique in the world. Five years ago, I might have said, ‘The future's bleak in California.' And if California's budget problems got really bad, I'm not sure that it would survive. The campus and county links were becoming increasingly strained as retirements were greatly reducing the numbers of specialists and farm advisors, and the ability to respond to problems locally became increasingly difficult. The traditional extension model didn't reflect the current way information is being transferred, either. In California, there are well-established crop consultants that advise growers and large farming operations with their own crop and pest management staffs. Recently, budgets have increased in extension and people are being hired again. But many new positions reflect working on more thematic problems like fire and climate. Roles have shifted for extension, with farm advisors and specialists assuming more of the traditional experiment station applied research role. California extension is in transition.”
Other questions and answers published in the American Entomologist article include:
Do you think the future is bright, but just different?
“I think it is bright, because there remains a need for university-based applied research programs. The traditional extension programs where you'd regularly meet with growers—there's going to be a different model for that. More electronic transfer of information, more electronic meetings, but it loses something.”
What great question in agricultural entomology or agricultural policy would you like to see addressed before you call it quits?
“The biggest challenge is invasive species. Accepting that they will get established and how will you manage them from a practical and policy standpoint. They're probably not going to be eradicated, so less emphasis on eradication and more on management. And dealing with trade issues, which are deeply political. How do we manage invaders on a world scale to keep them out of the chain of trade? I would like to see policymakers address that at some point. But right now, it's a losing battle.”
Any other questions to address?
“Another is the potential for using pesticides on a prescription basis. If an insecticide presents a human health or environmental hazard, maybe somebody should be trained and licensed to prescribe its used safely under less risky circumstances. That's a policy to consider instead of eliminating the ability to use pesticides that have value. Ultimately, too many materials are lost because the ag industry fights use restrictions right to the end. Maybe proposing prescription use is some way of maintaining useful products.”
As president, you issued some Grand Challenges. Do you feel like those gained any traction?
“They got people talking about important issues that the entomological community can address, so in that respect, I think it did. It also helped ESA's global initiative by partnering with other international societies, particularly with the Entomological Society of Brazil. I noticed the Royal Entomological Society has established a Grand Challenges initiative to identify how to improve the human condition.”
“A good one is Life on a Little-Known Planet: A Biologist's View of Insects and Their World [by Howard Ensign Evans]. It tells why insects are important and the research that led to important discoveries. If you're not interested in that sort of thing, then maybe you shouldn't be studying entomology or pursuing it as a career.
In the Rice interview, Zalom also touched on his family. “Family comes first in my life, then work. I still bring a lot of entomology-related work home with me. Honestly, it's pretty bad. (Laughs). I may have gotten a job in marine biology, but I wouldn't have been any happier.”
Zalom is married to the former Janet Smilanick, who received her master's degree from UC Davis in the 1970s. Her major professor was chemical ecologist Martin Birch (1944-2009), who served on the UC Davis faculty from 1973 to 1981, chairing the department from 1979 to 1981 before accepting a faculty position at the University of Oxford.
The couple married when Janet was Professor Marjorie Hoy's staff research associate at UC Berkeley. Hoy was also featured in an American Entomologist ‘Legends' article in fall 2019. The Zaloms have two children (Martina, an oncologist and Frank Nicholas “Nick,” a lawyer) and four grandchildren, ranging in age from two months to 11 years.
Neither Martina nor Nick expressed interest in following in their parents' entomological footsteps.
Martina, who received her bachelor of science degree in bioengineering from UC Berkeley and her medical degree from UC San Diego, is an oncologist/hematologist with Kaiser Permanante, Roseville. She served on the staff at Olive View/UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, before returning to the Sacramento area about four years ago.
Nick, who received his bachelor of science degree in economics from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, and his law degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., is a senior associate with the law firm of Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe in Sacramento. Nick served three deployments as an officer in U.S. Navy, doing drug interdiction in central and South America and port security in the Persian Gulf. Like Martina, he also returned to the Sacramento area about four years ago.
Meanwhile, Zalom has added another position to his curriculum vitae: he recently accepted a position with the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) as Panel Manager for the 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program.
His footprints and legacy in the entomological world continue.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
“It was about how to cook with honey and how to keep good quality honey without destroying it,” she related. “Then I took my real retirement trip—an Alaskan cruise with my sister.”
Today Amina Harris is no longer the "queen bee” of the Honey and Pollination Center but she continues to be the “queen bee” of the family-owned, family-operated gourmet food business, Z Specialty Food LLC, Woodland, that her late husband, Ishai Zeldner founded in 1979.
Accolades about her work flow like the honey she loves. "Amina has been key to promoting and developing regional and national interest in honey and mead,“ said nematologist Steve Nadler, professor and former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
Her accomplishments include:
- Founded the Center in the fall of 2012 and served as the founding director until June 30, 2023
- Co-founder of the California Honey Festival with the City of Woodland and Z Specialty Food, 2016
- Developed the UC Davis Honey Aroma and Flavor Wheel, 2013-14
- Offered several UC Davis Bee Symposia in concert with the Department of Entomology and Nematology to help educate California beekeepers at all levels, starting in 2015
- Established “The Feast: A Celebration with Mead and Honey,” formerly known as “The Mid-Winter Beekeepers' Feast,” pairing food influenced by honey, starting in 2014
- Helped develop and fund the California Master Beekeeper Program (which replaced the Bee Symposia), 2016
- Developed, with the UC Davis Department of Viticulture, the first short course on mead, 2014. Subsequent short courses ranged from “Introduction to Making Mead” to “Advanced Mead Making.”
- Developed the Honey Exploration Series, which began in 2016 and included both a professional focus (“Honey Sensory”) and a public focus (“World of Honey”).
- Delivered presentations at various programs and events throughout the United States and Canada from 2012 to 2023.
“It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with Amina as she always brought a fresh perspective to pollinator education discussions," Niño added. "We will miss her in her capacity as the HPC director, but I am sure that we will continue to interact in the future and utilize her expansive knowledge of all things honey!"
Said Wendy Mather, co-program manager of CAMBP: “Whenever I've needed assistance with about anything honey-related, Amina has generously offered her time and wisdom. She has served on the CAMBP Advisory Board since the program's inception in 2016. Her experience and wisdom are valued as she continues to offer excellent programmatic design suggestions to help strengthen our staff-member communication. Amina was also instrumental in designing, hosting and facilitating an introduction and overview to honey, honey processing and honey tasting. And she connected us to Suzanne Teuber, a UC Davis physician and professor specializing in allergy and clinical immunologic disorders so we could learn more about the science behind anaphylactic responses to bee stings.”
Energy of a Worker Bee. “We also couldn't have asked for a better partner to set up beside at the California Honey Festival over the past few years!” Mather said. “The Honey Wheel tasting table draws crowds curious about exploring the sensory elements of honey and our adjacent CAMBP booth benefits from that sweet attraction. If you've even seen Amina in action, you'll know she has the purposeful energy of a worker bee.”
Amina, born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y, received her undergraduate degrees--double major in English and the history of art--from the University of Michigan and her graduate degree in special education from Buffalo State College. She met beekeeper/entrepreneur Ishai Zeldner, also a native of Buffalo, in Yolo County. They married in 1982 and together they raised their two children, Shoshana “Shoshi” and Joshua.
Ishai and Amina created a line of internationally recognized award-winning specialty food products, including the Moon Shine Trading Company. They began providing more than 30 honey varietals, including star thistle honey, the first honey to capture Ishai's imagination and palate.
A Dream Fulfilled. Ishai, who died in 2018 at age 71, always dreamed of expanding the family business from a processing plant into what it is today, a 20,000-square-foot facility that includes The HIVE tasting room for honey and mead, a gift shop, a kitchen featuring sustainable pollinator-themed dishes, a conference room, an outdoor courtyard and a two-acre pollinator garden.
The facility, which opened in 2021, houses Moon Apiaries and the Moon Shine Trading Company, as well as The HIVE. Located at 1221 Harter Way, Woodland, it is described as a sustainable educational learning center; a landmark community gathering spot featuring honey, mead, and sustainable pollinator-themed dishes; and a place that offers the largest selection of honey and mead in California. Ishai's bee boxes grace a wall of the tasting room.
“We, our family, are all the co-owners of this venture,” Amina says. Josh describes himself as “the nectar director”; Amina, “the queen bee”; and Shoshi, the marketing director.
How It Began. What sparked Amina's interest in honey? Creating honey-influenced recipes. “Back in 1970s when everyone was getting into whole foods, I wanted to create more holistic recipes, so I started making jams and jellies and pies, adding honey for the sweetener instead of sugar. I was making pies for families when I was in the seventh grade! Honey selection was not good in New York State, and I didn't know the science then.”
Bees continue to fascinate her. “People have no idea how emotionally attached we are to bees. There's this huge, wonderful group of people who just love bees because they're so cute and endearing. But we need to be more curious and inquisitive as to how wonderful bees are, and how they benefit us as pollinators. And the honey. We should appreciate bees more than we do.”
Meanwhile, Amina's family, friends and colleagues are gearing up for an August retirement party, to be held at The HIVE.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
It was the lab mates' first-ever conference, and they brought home first- and second-place awards, in addition to a second-place tie in the Cobb Bowl competition which memorializes Nathan Cobb (1859-1932), the father of nematology.
Alison Coomer Blundell, who will be a fourth-year doctoral candidate in Plant Pathology this fall, won first place in the three-minute student competition with her presentation on “Trade Offs Between Resistance Breaking and Fitness Cost in Root-Knot Nematodes.” She received a $250 award and a plaque.
Ching-Jung Lin, who will be a fourth-year doctoral student this fall, won second place in the 12-minute category with her presentation on "Elucidating the Role of MigPSY Peptides in Interactions Between Plants and Root-Knot Nematodes." She received a $250 prize.
The six-member Siddique lab team, "Meloidogyne Gang Gang," which included Blundell, Lin, third-year doctoral student Pallavi Shakya, and second-year doctoral student Veronica Casey, tied for second place in the Cobb Bowl, a jeopardy-like competition that can include both students and postdoctoral fellows on the teams.
"I am very humbled by the award and recognition but am very proud of seeing all my lab mates accomplish their presentations and get good feedback and recognition as well," said Blundell, who seeks a PhD in plant pathology. She holds two undergraduate degrees--a bachelor's degree in biology and a bachelor's degree in chemistry--from Concordia University, Seward, Neb.
“I was first introduced to nematodes in my undergraduate studies where I maintained C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans) cultures, but was introduced to plant parasitic nematodes when Dr. Siddique reached out to me about becoming a member in his lab," Blundell said. "This was my first time at SON, and for all my lab mates. SON has allowed me to meet people I have heard about or have talked to on Zoom, email, or twitter and also make new connections with many U.S. states and universities.”
Lin, a first-generation international student, credits co-principal investigator Professor Gitta Coaker of Plant Pathology and the Coaker Lab with mentoring her, offering presentation suggestions. "It was very much appreciated," she said.
- Question: "The Guava root-knot nematode."
Answer: "Meloidogyne enterolobii" - Question: "First report of root-knot nematodes."
Answer:"Who is Miles Joseph Berkeley?"
"The most difficult question, said team member Veronica Casey was: "The color of the first edition of the Journal of Nematology."
"The answer was simply, 'What is orange?' but many teams thought it was green," Casey related. "Another difficult question was 'The full species name of the Beech Leaf disease nematode.' The answer: "What is Litylenchus crenatae mccannii?"
The University of Idaho team won the Cobb Bowl. The UC Davis team, which also included a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Illinois and a graduate student from Montana State University, tied for second place with two other teams: AlohaNema, comprised primarily of students from the University of Hawaii, and Nemafolks, comprised of students from a number of universities, including Michigan State, Oregon State and Texas Tech. The other two teams represented the University of Florida and The Ohio State University.
Also at the SON meeting, Siddique participated in a session titled "Nematology Faces of the Future." In his five-minute self-introduction, he displayed a map showing how far he has traveled. A native of Multan, Pakistan, he received two degrees in Multan: his bachelor of science degree from the Government College Bosan Road in 2001 and his master's degree in botany from the Bahauddin Zakariya University in 2004. Then it was off to Vienna, Austria to receive his doctorate in 2009 in agriculture and biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. After serving as a research group leader for several years at the University of Bonn, Germany, he joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty in 2019 as an assistant professor and advanced to associate professor this year.
Alison Blundell Abstract
In her abstract, Blundell wrote: “Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), are among the most devastating pathogens of crops, causing substantial yield and economic losses worldwide. These parasitic organisms can infect over a hundred different plant species and can evade plant defense mechanisms by secreting a concoction of effectors. For decades, the Mi-1 resistance gene has been effective in detecting and inhibiting RKNs in tomatoes. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Mi-1 detects these pathogens remain largely unknown. In recent years, resistance-breaking populations have emerged in both greenhouse and field settings, posing a threat to the potency and effectiveness of the Mi-1 gene and, consequently, the tomato industry."
"We used two strains of M. javanica, one strain VW4, which is recognized by Mi-1, and another strain, VW5, which was selected from VW4 and can overcome resistance mediated by Mi-1," she explained. "Utilizing the newly constructed reference genome for M. javanica (VW4), we compared genomes of VW4 and VW5 and identified an approximately 650 kb region that is present in VW4 but missing in VW5. This missing region contains ten protein-coding genes, three of which encode putative effectors and are currently being tested as potential avirulence genes for Mi-1. In addition, we have conducted a series of infection assays on different host plants lacking Mi-1, and the results revealed a significantly lower egg count in VW5 when compared to VW4. We plan to expand these assays by testing additional M. javanica resistance-breaking strains collected from fields all over California to determine if this trade-off is consistent across other strains. Overall, our results suggest that although VW5 can overcome Mi-1, there is a trade-off in the form of compromised reproduction. This research helps to better understand the mechanism and components of Mi-1 and develop strategies for addressing resistance-breaking populations." (Co-researchers and authors include P. Shakya, M. Winter, D. Lunt, V. M.Williamson, and S. Siddique)
Ching-Jung Lin Abstract
In her abstract, Lin wrote: "Plant parasitic nematodes pose a severe threat to global food production. These parasites invade plant roots and establish permanent feeding sites, which serve as their sole source of nutrients. To manipulate host responses, they secrete effectors such as phytohormones or peptides that hijack the host's cellular machinery. Plants produce a family of peptides called Plant Peptide Containing Sulfated Tyrosine (PSY) that promote root growth via cell expansion and proliferation. Intriguingly, the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae also produce a PSY-like peptide called RaxX (required for activation of XA21 mediated immunity X), which contributes to bacterial virulence. Our previous research has identified a group of secreted peptides called MigPSYs in root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) that resemble plant PSY peptides and stimulate root growth in Arabidopsis. We found that MigPSY transcript levels are highest during the early stages of infection in rice and tomato plants. Furthermore, down-regulating expression of MigPSY results in reduced root galling and egg production, suggesting that the MigPSYs serve as nematode virulence factors. To gain a better understanding of the roles of MigPSYs, I plan to characterize the mechanisms underlying their function and host perception in plants. This research is expected to provide valuable insights into the mechanism of nematode infection and may lead to the development of new methods for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes." (Co-researchers and authors include H. Z. Yimer, D. D. Luu, A. C. Blundell, M. F. Ercoli, P, Vieira, V. M. Wlliamson, P. C. Ronald and S. Siddique)
The next SON meeting is Aug. 4-9, 2024, in Park City, Utah.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Powell was a Bohart Museum associate and a scientific collaborator, identifying scores of insects and attending many of the Lepidopterist Society meetings held there.
The open house, free and family friendly, is set from 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday, July 22 in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus.
Plans call for scientists to set up their traditional blacklighting (ultraviolet or UV) display to attract moths and other night-flying insects. Bohart Research Affiliate John De Benedictus, a retired UC Davis Staff Research Associate, also known as "The Moth Man," usually heads the blacklighting project with several other scientists. De Benedictus received his master's degree in 1988 from UC Berkeley, studying with Powell. "I spent more time in the field with Jerry than any other grad student," he related. "I was privileged to be Jerry's student and lucky to have become his friend."
Jerry, born May 23, 1933 in Glendale, Calif., received his bachelor's degree in entomology at UC Berkeley in 1955 and his doctorate there in 1961. One of his most-read books, co-authored with Charles Hogue, is California Insects, Volume 44, published in 1980. The second edition, co-authored by Kip Will, Daniel Rubinoff and Powell and covering more than 600 species, was published in October, 2020.
In a tribute to Powell on its website, the Essig Museum posted in part:
"In his teen years he was heavily influenced by Charles 'Harbie' Harbison, who ran the Junior Naturalist Program at the San Diego Museum of Natural History, and sparked an interest in Jerry for butterflies and moths. Seeing his potential, Harbie recommended Jerry for the Entomology program at UC Berkeley, where he received his BS in 1955 and his PhD in 1961. While climbing through the ranks of Junior Entomologist (1961-62), Assistant Entomologist (1962-67), Associate Entomologist (1967-73), Entomologist (1973-94), Lecturer in Entomology (1964-69), Associate Professor (1969-73), and Professor (1973-94) at UC Berkeley, Jerry also became Curator (1972-2018) and Director (1993-1999) of the Essig Museum of Entomology (1972-1999) and Project Leader for the California Insect Survey (1963-1999). Although he retired as Director in 1999, Jerry remained a professor of the Graduate School until 2012 and maintained an active research program in Lepidoptera life histories and systematics until 2018, advising many students along the way. (See more on Essig website.)"
"Jerry's rearing program was the most extensive in the history of the study of New World Microlepidoptera," according to the Essig post. "For over 50 years he and his students processed more than 15,000 collections of larval or live adult Lepidoptera. Resulting data encompass more than 1,000 species of moths, through rearing either field-collected larvae or those emerging from eggs deposited by females in confinement. This total includes more than 60% of an estimated 1,500 species of Microlepidoptera occurring in California."
Powell gained international recognition when he detected the agricultural pest, the light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in a ultralight (UV) trap on July 19, 2006 in his backyard in Berkeley.
"A consummate field biologist, Jerry's knowledge and interests were broad, allowing him to read landscapes and discover the most interesting and cryptic of species interactions," Oboyski noted. "This is well documented in over 220 publications, but also in the 60+ years of his field notes and rearing records that we are currently digitizing. He is the collector of over 400 holotypes of various insect orders, described over 170 species and 14 genera of moths, and honored by 41 patronyms. He also published papers on Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Dermaptera, and a Nematode. His legacy is impressive and will long be remembered."
Powell described himself as a "MothNut" on his vehicle license plate, and also displayed a sticker, "Larvae on Board."
The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, is the home of a global collection of eight million insect specimens; a live insect petting zoo; and a gift shop.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
A familiar figure at UC Davis, he served as an associate of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and a scientific collaborator, identifying scores of insects and attending many of the Lepidopterist Society meetings there.
Plans call for dedicating the Bohart Museum's "Night at the Museum" (formerly known as "Moth Night") to him. The open house, free and open to the public, is set from 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday, July 22. The museum is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis, campus.
Born May 23, 1933 in Glendale, Calif., Jerry received his bachelor's degree in entomology at UC Berkeley in 1955 and his doctorate there in 1961. One of his most-read books, co-authored with Charles Hogue, is California Insects, Volume 44, published in 1980. The second edition, co-authored by Kip Will, Daniel Rubinoff and Powell was published in October, 2020. Powell and Paul Opler 1938-2023) co-authored Moths of Western America, published in 2009.
In a tribute to Powell on its website, the Essig Museum posted in part:
"In his teen years he was heavily influenced by Charles 'Harbie' Harbison, who ran the Junior Naturalist Program at the San Diego Museum of Natural History, and sparked an interest in Jerry for butterflies and moths. Seeing his potential, Harbie recommended Jerry for the Entomology program at UC Berkeley, where he received his BS in 1955 and his PhD in 1961. While climbing through the ranks of Junior Entomologist (1961-62), Assistant Entomologist (1962-67), Associate Entomologist (1967-73), Entomologist (1973-94), Lecturer in Entomology (1964-69), Associate Professor (1969-73), and Professor (1973-94) at UC Berkeley, Jerry also became Curator (1972-2018) and Director (1993-1999) of the Essig Museum of Entomology (1972-1999) and Project Leader for the California Insect Survey (1963-1999). Although he retired as Director in 1999, Jerry remained a professor of the Graduate School until 2012 and maintained an active research program in Lepidoptera life histories and systematics until 2018, advising many students along the way. (See more on Essig website.)
"Jerry's rearing program was the most extensive in the history of the study of New World Microlepidoptera," according to the Essig post. "For over 50 years he and his students processed more than 15,000 collections of larval or live adult Lepidoptera. Resulting data encompass more than 1,000 species of moths, through rearing either field-collected larvae or those emerging from eggs deposited by females in confinement. This total includes more than 60% of an estimated 1,500 species of Microlepidoptera occurring in California."
Powell gained international recognition when he detected the agricultural pest, the light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in a ultralight (UV) trap on July 19, 2006 in his backyard in Berkeley.
"Yet Powell's casual discovery that morning was just the beginning of something more serious: a moth infestation, a quarantine program and an all-out effort by state and federal authorities to stop a nasty creature that they concluded could threaten California's $38 billion agricultural market and--if unchecked--farms across the nation," wrote San Francisco Chronicle reporter Matthew B. Stannard in a June 3, 2007 piece, "Little Moth, Big Problem/Bay Area quarantine tries to halt the spread of ravenous pest."
In an email to colleagues on July 9, Peter Oboyski, executive director of the Essig Museum of Entomology, wrote in part: "With a heavy heart I am sad to report that professor Jerry Powell passed away this weekend. His contributions to our knowledge of California entomology, microlepidoptera, and insect life histories are inestimable, as is the value of the training he provided to his students. As one of those students, I am eternally grateful for the time, energy, and knowledge Jerry shared with me in the museum and the field."
"A consummate field biologist, Jerry's knowledge and interests were broad, allowing him to read landscapes and discover the most interesting and cryptic of species interactions," Oboyski wrote. "This is well documented in over 220 publications, but also in the 60+ years of his field notes and rearing records that we are currently digitizing. He is the collector of over 400 holotypes of various insect orders, described over 170 species and 14 genera of moths, and honored by 41 patronyms. He also published papers on Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Dermaptera, and a Nematode. His legacy is impressive and will long be remembered."
Powell described himself as a "MothNut" on his vehicle license plate, and also displayed a sticker, "Larvae on Board."
