The ALE lab had some fun this week!

The Entomology department had its Christmas party last night and the ALE lab represented and had a great time. We missed Chelsea, she was off learning about Hops. As Scott would say, learning is for losers!

From left to right: Scott, Cali, Andrea, Mary and Nicole

Chelsea was at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO this week representing the ALE Lab. She learned about Hops, moderated a biological control session, and caught up with Ben (ALE lab alumni) who is enjoying his career as a Michigan Extension Agent!

ESA presentations by the ALE lab

The ALE lab was well represented at ESA this year with three talks and two posters!

Talks:

• Pollinator diversity and pollination services provided to urban garden and turf-based vacant lot habitats - Scott

• Can change in urban population size represent an opportunity to enhance predator biodiversity and biocontrol services in shrinking cities? - Mary

• How are lady beetle communities shaped by patch and landscape composition? - Chelsea

Posters:

• Assessing the feasibility of small scale hop production in Ohio - Chelsea

• Using the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) to quantify the impact of pesticide use on natural enemy guilds in organic and conventionally-managed agroecosystems - Andrea

The entomologists escaped from the Austin conference center...

...to capture insects of course!

This year a couple students and I managed to find our way to a green-space on the banks of the Colorado river. There were plenty of insects populating this urban area!

We found two wild honey bee hives. Sorry...didn't take any pictures, we just avoided them. We were not very interested in finding out if the bees were aggressive or not, although it is probably safe to say they were not aggressive since it took us awhile to notice them.

There was a nice population of thread waisted wasps (not sure what species yet, Andrea might  be able to figure that out later since she collected some!).

Found only one lady beetle, and of course it was a multi-colored Asian (Harmonia axyridis) just the most common invasive lady beetle you can find around Ohio. Good thing I flew to Texas to see one!

I also found another insect common to Ohio...

...the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata)!

Andrea also spotted a butterfly i the distance, and started the chase!

It escaped.

Andrea and Erin brought back a good number of specimens. If they are able to identify any interesting Austin based insects we'll report it here!

2013 OARDC Annual Research Conference

Yesterday was the 2013 OARDC Annual Research Conference which gives faculty students, and staff a chance to gather and talk about the research that we have all been busy with!

The ALE lab was represented by two posters:

Ben presented his findings regarding predation and parasitism of pests in pumpkin fields across Ohio

Chelsea presented her finding regarding predation of native and exotic lady beetle eggs in alfalfa, grassland, and soybean habitats.

Stewardship Network conference: The Science, Practice, & Art of Restoring Native Ecosystems

Last week four members of the ALE Lab attended the Annual Stewardship Network conference in East Lansing, MI. We sat in on multiple workshops and presentations, ate great food, and met up with some old friends! All four of us presented posters in the student competition:

Caitlin:  Effects of Urban Land Use Change on Spider Community Structure

Ben: Habitat Additions and the Effects Observed on Natural Enemies and Pests in Ohio Pumpkin Crops

Scott: Bee Diversity and Pollination Services Provided to Urban Garden and Turf-Based Vacant Lot Habitats

Chelsea: The Predator Composition of Coccinellid Egg Masses Varies Among Egg Mass Species and Across Foraging Habitats; Considerations for Native Coccinellid

Group picture at breakfast

ESA is over.

ESA has ended and we are back at our offices to a pile of unanswered emails, papers to be written, and plans to be made for future projects.

We are very excited and proud of the FIVE graduate students from the Entomology Department at Ohio State University for awards they earned in their sections!

Lawrence Long: 1^st place  (Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) induced tree mortality alters forest bird communities)

Priya Rajarapu: 1^st place (Midgut-specific profiles of the emerald ash borer larvae (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire)

Doug Sponsler: 1^st place (Influence of urbanization on the survival and productivity of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in an agricultural region)

Jake Wenger: 2^nd place (Origins of virulence: A molecular investigation of the genetic relationship among avirulent and virulent soybean aphid biotypes)
Nathan Baker: 1^st place (Histopathological effects of the cyanobacterial toxin, Microcystin-LR on the exposed epithelial tissues of the amberwing spreadwing damselfly, Lestes eurinus, and the bloodworm, Chironomus riparius.)

Ohio State tied with Penn State, Texas A&M, and Nebraska for the most awards. Please be sure to congratulate these students if you see them.

Four members of the ALE lab also presented research. (listed below):

Mary Gardiner: Lessons from lady beetles: Accuracy of monitoring data from US and UK citizen science programs

Caitlin Burkman: Land use change affects spider community structure in the urban ecosystem of Cleveland, Ohio
Ben Phillips: Quantifying the influence of landscape composition on the pollination service supplied to pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) in Ohio
Chelsea Smith: Predator guilds attacking coccinellid eggs vary among egg mass species and across foraging habitats

ESA still happening.

We are still having a great time at ESA! The students are selling goods to raise funds for themselves....

Some OSU men manning the EGSA booth

Scott, MSU student Brett, and Caitlin are ready to stop selling t-shirts

The Ohio State Entomology Department has a great mixer where we could visit each other  talk to alumni, and spend time with friends!

Emily and Scott at OSU mixer

Yuting, Erin, Priya, and Samuel at OSU mixer

ESA adventures.

We are all staying busy viewing posters, watching presentations, and networking!

Scott questions a Penn State student about her bumble bee research

We are also finding time for the occasional adult beverage.

Emily, Ben, and Scott enjoying a beverage (or 2)

ESA!

We have arrived in Knoxville for the Annual Entomological Society Conference. There is much to do! Mary is speaking today and the students have their talks tomorrow.

Best of luck to all the OSU graduate students who are competing in the student competition!