January 16, 2025
Identifying two dozen new species of gall wasps was a crowning achievement of Louis Nastasi’s Penn State graduate education experience. A doctoral candidate in entomology, Nastasi and his collaborators have discovered more than 20 new species of gall wasps through their research.
January 9, 2025
In the next Virtual Speaker Series from the Penn State Alumni Association, David Hughes, Huck Chair in Global Food Security at Penn State, will discuss PlantVillage, an AI-enabled "land grant in a phone" that uses data sharing to help smallholder farmers across Africa, Asia and the Americas adapt to climate change. This free event will be held on Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 21. Registration is open now.
January 6, 2025
Different species of bees may be attracted to different flower traits when it comes to deciding where they’re going to get their next meal, according to a recent study led by researchers at Penn State.
December 20, 2024
December 19, 2024
Despite their reputation as buzzing nuisances, flies serve a critical role as some of the Earth’s most prolific pollinators — and new research led by Penn State scientists suggests they are increasingly at risk due to rising global temperatures.
December 18, 2024
Members of the National Grape Research Alliance, a national nonprofit organization that supports America’s grape industry, joined Penn State’s spotted lanternfly research and extension team this fall for a two-day field trip to address the growing threat of the invasive pest jeopardizing the U.S. grape industry.
December 10, 2024
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences celebrated another year of outstanding success and accomplishments in research during the 2024 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 19 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
December 2, 2024
“Growing Impact” highlights PlantVillage, an innovative project that leverages the power of smartphones, artificial intelligence and cloud computing to help millions of farmers across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
December 2, 2024
A delegation of Penn State faculty and graduate students who attended the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, known as COP16, in Cali, Colombia, share about the event and their experiences.
November 25, 2024
Ticks are a nuisance across many areas of the U.S., capable of spreading harmful pathogens to both animals and humans. A new study led by researchers at Penn State analyzed the effectiveness of a simple, inexpensive strategy for controlling ticks that homeowners can use in their backyards.
November 15, 2024
The department newsletter was previously being delivered as an email newsletter. Entomology is now making its newsletter widely available online to better promote events, achievements, awards, publications, and special topics that highlight students, faculty, and staff in the department.
October 18, 2024
Twenty-two new species of gall wasps have been identified and named for the first time, thanks to new research led by a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences graduate student.
October 18, 2024
Twenty-two new species of gall wasps have been identified and named for the first time, thanks to new research led by a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences graduate student.
October 11, 2024
Three Penn State research teams have received awards totaling $1.78 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to investigate climate-smart approaches to pest control in agriculture.
October 10, 2024
The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State named 110 graduate students as recipients of the 2024-25 University Graduate Fellowships and Distinguished Graduate Fellowships. The students were honored on Oct. 3 at a reception held at the Bryce Jordan Center.
October 9, 2024
The Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management program — a collaboration between Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture — has announced the appointment of Raymond R. Delaney as its new community program specialist. The program provides educational and logistical resources to help develop and implement effective, sustainable and environmentally conscious pest management practices to serve Pennsylvania’s diverse regions and sector-specific needs.
October 7, 2024
Honey bees are not native to the U.S., leading to concerns that managed honey bee populations might negatively impact wild bees. However, a Penn State research team found that of the 33 genera of native bees studied, only a small number seemed to be negatively affected by the presence of honey bees.
October 4, 2024
September 11, 2024
The Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed (HITS) Fund initiative has awarded three high-risk, potentially high-impact project seed funding.
September 10, 2024
Dr. Heather Lee Grab works to support the needs of stakeholders in vegetable crops as well as other specialty crops like small fruits.
September 6, 2024
The entire Penn State Extension Master Gardener leadership team was selected to present at the 2024 National Extension Master Gardener Coordinators’ Conference, held Aug. 26-29 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
August 22, 2024
Community scientists in Pennsylvania have reported multiple new species of bees never before found in the commonwealth through a monitoring program led by Penn State.
August 21, 2024
Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers at Penn State who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.
August 21, 2024
Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers at Penn State who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.
August 19, 2024
Ten Penn State students, including nine associated with the College of Agricultural Sciences, have been awarded predoctoral fellowships by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, securing over $1.4 million in total funding.
August 16, 2024
Take a deep dive into the wide world of insects — including a special spotlight on the Pennsylvania firefly — at this year’s Great Insect Fair on Sept. 14 at Penn State University Park.
July 30, 2024
Dr. Robert F. Mitchell will be joining the Department of Entomology on September 1, 2024. His laboratory explores the field of chemical ecology, a broad discipline that addresses how organisms produce and use chemical signals to exchange information, locate food and mates, and generally navigate their environment.
July 22, 2024
Need expert gardening advice? Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences experts will offer consultations in the Yard and Garden Area during Ag Progress Days, Aug. 13-15.
June 11, 2024
A new exhibition will help visitors to the Bellefonte Art Museum explore the symbiotic relationship between humans and insects. Created by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, “Entwined Worlds” will shine a spotlight on the crucial role insects play in sustaining ecosystems; pollinating plants; inspiring art, music and literature; and contributing to advancements in medicine, biofuels and construction materials. The exhibition will be on display from July 5 to Aug. 25.
June 10, 2024
Penn State researchers analyzed which insects were mentioned the most in haiku — with butterflies, fireflies and singing insects such as crickets topping the list. Andrew Deans, professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences, director of the college’s Frost Entomological Museum and corresponding author on the study, said the findings shine a light on the insects that inspire emotion and awe in humans.
