February 2026

Bridge funding for global research, changing chemicals used to attract squash bees, Penn State Extension's new AI tool, awards and grants, publications, and more in this month's newsletter from The Department of Entomology.

Photo Credts: © Mika Geiger (CC BY-NC), iNaturalist

In the News

Global Research

College of Ag Sciences awards bridge funding for global research collaborations

Squash Flowers

Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees

Artificial Intelligence

Penn State Extension AI tool, Tilva, expands access to research-based guidance

Neonics

Researchers Question Widespread Use of Neonic Seed Treatments

Biodiversity

Penn State, others receive funding to conserve Pa. biodiversity

Awards and Accolades

Etya Amsalem’s proposal "Telomere Dynamics as a Novel Biomarker for Pollinator Health" has been selected for funding as a 2026 Strategic Networks and Initiatives Program (SNIP). This is Level I Launch Grant by the college of Ag ($10,000) and a collaboration with Prof Idan Shalev from Biobehavioral Health.

Etya Amsalem

Rudolf Schilder

Ruud Schilder and Joyce Sakamoto were awarded a 2.2 million dollar grant from the NSF: "EDGE FGT: Universal viral-based systems to accelerate gene editing research across the taxonomic range of arthropods"

Joyce Sakamoto

Kara Fikrig

Kara Fikrig received the CSSI funding from this call with collaborators Margarita Lopez-Uribe, Alfredo Reyes, Leann Andrews (Landscape Architecture), and Emily Pakhtigian (School of Public Policy)

Great Insect Fair

We're starting fundraising efforts for this year's Great Insect Fair. To donate, Text GIF to 41444. GIF will be on September 26 this year.

Publication

Smith AG., Levy JG., Acevedo FE., Tamborindeguy C. (2026) LdEP01, the first characterized Lycorma delicatula salivary effector protein modulates plant defenses. Molecular Biology Reports, 53, 191.

Gómez-Llano JH., Nava DE., Castro-Llanos F., Acevedo F.E.(2025) Pest and host associations that transcend time: Assessing the impact of climate change on grape berry moth (Paralobesia viteana) and its hosts Vitis riparia and Vitis labrusca in North America. Ecology and Evolution, 15:e72612.