March 14, 2019
Did this winter’s cold weather lessen the numbers of disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks?
March 14, 2019
Penn State University and the state and federal departments of agriculture are committing resources to combat the invasive insect
March 14, 2019
Gardeners commonly use nematodes to naturally get rid of harmful soil-dwelling insects. A new study published today in the journal Functional Ecology revealed that these insect-killing nematodes also produce distinctive chemical cues, which deter Colorado potato beetles and make potato leaves less palatable to them.
March 11, 2019
Everybody has a self-defense system. Some use brute force...others like Ground Beetles prefer to use their own nasty combination of chemicals to ward off predators.
March 11, 2019
This is the 2nd of eight short news articles written by students, during the professional development class, about each other's research.
February 28, 2019
The Center for the Agricultural Sciences and a Sustainable Environment (CASSE) at Penn State Berks is the “killing fields” for spotted lantern flies. At least that’s the goal of researchers from Penn State University’s College of Agriculture Sciences, who have been working with researchers from Penn State Berks and Penn State Cooperative Extension to study the biology and also the effectiveness of various insecticides on the pests that have invaded and wreaked havoc on Berks County since 2014.
February 28, 2019
The “Authentic Plant Pollinator Landscape Research for Educators” workshop, co-hosted by Penn State's colleges of Education and Agricultural Sciences, is slated for June 24-28 at the University Park campus.
February 27, 2019
With insect species declining and agriculturally-important pollinators at risk, it’s important to know what species are present in an area to help protect them. PhD student Shelby Kilpatrick is trying to find out what bees are present in Pennsylvania, and is creating a list that could help with future conservation efforts.
February 25, 2019
Carabid beetles produce caustic chemicals they spray to defend themselves against predators, and the compound that protects their bodies from these toxic substances shows promise for use in bioengineering or biomedical applications, according to Penn State researchers.
February 25, 2019
This is the 1st of eight short news articles written by students, during the professional development class, about each other's research.
February 21, 2019
Let's catch up this week on some gardening news and interesting tidbits ... Bird and pollinator gardens coming to Penn State
February 21, 2019
“Invasive pretty” may be one way to describe the Spotted Lanternfly, although Penn State entomologist Heather Leach warns that the beautiful bug is also a destructive pest.
February 19, 2019
A new type of light-emitting diode lightbulb could one day light homes and reduce power bills, according to Penn State researchers who suggest that LEDs made with firefly-mimicking structures could improve efficiency.
February 19, 2019
Philadelphians Against Bed Bugs (PhABB) – a partnership among Penn State Integrated Pest Management Program, local agencies, non-profits, health care professionals, senior and low-income housing advocates, lawyers, and everyday citizens -- is one step closer to securing a bed bug ordinance for the city of Philadelphia and awaits the vote of the City Council.
February 11, 2019
9- month, Tenure Track, 75% Research, 25% Teaching
February 11, 2019
9-month, Tenure Track, 60% Research, 30% Extension, 10% Teaching
February 7, 2019
The abilities of various bee species to disperse influences the pattern of their population's genetic structure, which, in turn, can constrain how they respond to environmental change, as reported by an international team of researchers.
February 6, 2019
On Thursday nights, the yarn comes out. Every week, my fellow entomology graduate students and I get together to make insect-inspired crafts. One crochets butterflies, another makes earrings out of wings from discarded research specimens, and a third decoupages notebooks with figures and illustrations from journal articles thrown out after a lab cleanup. It may sound light or frivolous, but it's far from it. A regular social night like this—whether built around crafts or some other shared interest—can make a significant difference in our work and our lives.
January 24, 2019
Two students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences are the recipients of the Guyton Award, a global learning scholarship established recently by Bill Guyton, an agricultural economist and internationally recognized expert in sustainable development.
January 17, 2019
I was thrilled to receive my first request to peer review a paper while working on my Ph.D. Then I realized I didn’t know how to peer review. It had never been covered in my classes, so I started asking around and sending emails, reaching out to my friends in other programs, but with little luck. As important as peer review is, it seems that few STEM programs actively teach students about how to navigate the peer review process and make the decisions involved, such as whether to accept or reject a paper for publication.
January 16, 2019
When the temperature drops and the days get shorter, honey bees don’t hibernate—they huddle. Meanwhile, worker bees produced in the fall are plump and have longer lifespans than their spring counterparts. These winterized workers form a “thermoregulatory cluster” around their queen. Powered by honey stores, they shiver their muscles to produce heat, keeping temperatures at the center of the cluster around a comfortable 21 degrees Celsius (C). Still, winter is a stressful time for honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. In the United States around 30 percent of colonies don’t survive until spring.
January 16, 2019
For university scientists and student volunteers, the reality of bee deaths during winter is harsh. Just last year, the Beekeepers Club lost all of its bees to the cold weather, thus slowing its productions and making this year one of rebuilding.
January 14, 2019
A cellular protein that interacts with invading viruses appears to help enable the infection process of the Zika virus, according to an international team of researchers who suggest this protein could be a key target in developing new therapies to prevent or treat Zika virus infection.
January 8, 2019
On December 21, the Department of Agriculture award $1.286 million in grants to 15 Pennsylvania universities and research organizations to advance Pennsylvania’s agriculture and food industry.
January 8, 2019
A unique teacher professional development experience for middle and high school teachers. June 24th - 28th, 2019
January 2, 2019
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) is proud to announce that Chris Law, Bruce Stevens and Dr. Larry Hribar were honored at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Florida Mosquito Control Association in St. Petersburg, Florida.
December 19, 2018
Today, extension agents are more plugged in and wired than ever, producing YouTube videos, writing blogs, and even tweeting to reach their communities. Pennsylvanian extension agents are riding this new technological wave while at the same time keeping a foot in the past to best serve one of their largest constituent communities: Amish and Mennonite communities, also known as Plain Communities
December 19, 2018
The Asian longhorned tick most likely began invading the United States years ago. Now found in nine states, the tick may soon occupy a large swath of eastern North America as well as coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, according to research published Thursday in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
December 19, 2018
It's colorful to look at unless it's hatching in your house! The spotted lantern fly has become a big problem for crops in some mid-Atlantic states, and now is making headlines for clinging to Christmas trees in those infested areas.
December 19, 2018
Faculty in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences are spearheading an initiative that will provide selected doctoral students with the opportunity for extensive study on gender and its relationship to agricultural production.
