Home - Entomology Today

Junepyo Oh, with straight black hair, wears a light blue and white striped button-up shirt and smiles at the camera against a plain, light background.

How a Plant Pathologist Became an Entomologist

June 16, 2026 0

Meet Junepyo Oh, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher at Kansas State University, expert in insect–plant–pathogen interactions, and subject of the next installment of our “Standout Early Career Professionals” series. [Read more]

Four cartoon insects—a bee, ladybug, beetle, and butterfly—run above the text "Amazing EntoRace Digital Entomology Edition" on a colorful, digital-themed background with circuit board patterns.

Amazing EntoRace 2026: Racing Through Entomology, Technology, and Fun

June 11, 2026 0

The 2026 edition of the Amazing EntoRace, an education competition hosted at ESA Eastern Branch Meetings, focused on “Digital Entomology,” engaging participating teams in games using modern digital tools that are now widely used in research and applied entomology. [Read more]

Three close-up images of white, fuzzy invasive insects on plant stems: left shows one with blue filaments, center displays a cluster of oval insects, and right features a single insect with red stripes.

The Great Unknown: How Much Do Invasive Insects Cost Agriculture and Society?

June 4, 2026 0

Invasive scale insects cost U.S. agriculture at least $4–8 billion each year, yet true losses remain poorly tracked. For scale insects and beyond, an accounting of these losses is a major blind spot that complicates pest control, policy decisions, and efforts to protect food production. [Read more]

A close-up of a bumble bee perched on a bright orange flower, collecting nectar, with blurred green foliage in the background.

Not at Home on the Range: Drought Leads to Long Recovery for Bumble Bees

June 3, 2026 0

A severe drought in North Dakota in 2021 slashed bumble bee populations by 98%, and recovery has lagged for years, a new study shows. Researchers say the findings highlight that climate-driven drought can disrupt pollinators long after ecosystems appear to rebound. [Read more]

A close-up image of a black wasp with transparent wings, long legs, and antennae, positioned on a light, textured surface.

Researchers Zero In On Potential Natural Enemy of Spotted Lanternfly

July 2, 2026 3

The tiny parasitoid wasp Dryinus sinicus has emerged as a leading candidate for long-term biological control of the invasive spotted lanternfly. A natural enemy of the spotted lanternfly in Asia, Dryinus sinicus is currently being evaluated by researchers in the U.S. and offers hope for reducing spotted lanternfly populations naturally and potentially easing reliance on insecticides. [Read more]

A harvestman arachnid with a reddish-orange oval body and long thin legs is standing on a green leaf in front of a black background.

Nocturnal Predators Play Overlooked Role in Row Crop Pest Control

July 1, 2026 0

Biological control does not stop at sunset. A new study explores current knowledge on nocturnal predator insects and arthropods in row crops, finding that activity among nocturnal predators can be comparable to or even greater than in the daytime. [Read more]

A collage documenting butterflies of Burkina Faso: a brown butterfly with white spots on soil, an orange and black butterfly on dry leaves, a white and yellow butterfly on greenery, and a tan butterfly with wavy markings perched on a branch.

The Challenges of Studying Biodiversity: Documenting the Butterflies of Burkina Faso

June 25, 2026 0

How do scientists document biodiversity in places where data are fragmented, inaccessible, or even dangerous to collect? A new study of butterfly species in Burkina Faso offers an example, in which researchers increased the count of known butterfly species there by 40 percent by combining info from scientific literature, online databases, private collections, and citizen science platforms. [Read more]

A person holds a wooden display case containing multiple rows of pinned green beetles, meticulously organized in separate compartments.

Who Will Guide the Use of AI in Entomology? Entomologists!

June 23, 2026 0

As artificial intelligence is applied in more and more settings, entomologists say it is boosting efficiency in insect science, as well. From translating outreach to tracking pests, entomologists are putting AI into action, but it still requires careful human oversight to expand discovery while preserving scientific rigor. A recent article in Annals of the Entomological Society of America explores several case studies of AI use in entomology. [Read more]

How a Plant Pathologist Became an Entomologist

June 16, 2026 0

Amazing EntoRace 2026: Racing Through Entomology, Technology, and Fun

June 11, 2026 0

A close-up of a Nannophya pygmaea dragonfly perched on a dried flower bud, showing its transparent wings, red eyes, and vibrant orange-red abdomen, against a blurred background.

Tiny Insect, Big Questions: Is the World’s Smallest Dragonfly Splitting Into Two Species?

March 12, 2026 1

With a wingspan about the size of a penny, Nannophya pygmaea is the smallest dragonfly known to science. Its two distinct populations in east Asia rarely mix, and a new study examining N. pygmaea combines genetics and climate models to explore isolation, habitat shifts, and the gray area between populations and species. [Read more]

A composite image shows a preserved eel (top) and close-ups of ticks attached to its skin (bottom three panels). White scale bars are present in each panel for size reference in the collection.

Ticks on an Eel: Museum Specimen is a First of its Kind

December 3, 2025 1

An electric eel donated to a natural history museum in 1873 had two ticks embedded in its skin, making it the first known instance of ticks parasitizing a fish. But it was never documented until now, more than 150 years later, when a curator and tick specialist chanced upon the specimen, identified the ticks, and reported the case in the Journal of Medical Entomology. [Read more]

A close-up of a red dragonfly with transparent wings perched on a green plant stem, against a blurred green background.

Dragonfly Wings: Marvels of Strength, Durability

October 14, 2025 0

Thinner than a human hair, dragonfly wings are highly durable, with antimicrobial, water-resistant, and anti-reflective properties and more. In a new study, a group of researchers examine a variety of chemical and structural qualities of dragonfly wings to seek inspiration for human technical innovation. [Read more]

A photo collage features a beetle with orange spots on a leaf, a bluish-gray and orange butterfly resting on green leaves, and a bumblebee visiting a pink flower.

An Urgent Threat to the Foundation of Federal Science Funding

July 6, 2026 2

New proposed regulations on the use of federal funding could cripple American science by replacing merit-based peer review of research projects with the whims of political appointees and ending support for the publication of research results. An entomologist and former federal government leader urges anyone who supports science to contact policymakers to oppose the proposed rules. [Read more]

Dragonfly Wings: Marvels of Strength, Durability

October 14, 2025 0

A forest with tall, thin pine trees spaced apart, a few leaning or fallen, with sparse undergrowth apparent on a sunny April day. The sky is partly cloudy with patches of blue visible through the trees.

Where Do We Go From Here? Science Student Sentiment in an Unpredictable Federal Job Market

August 26, 2025 7

Amid funding cuts and firings at federal science agencies, students in entomology and other sciences who aspire to a career in government service say they now fear a lack of opportunities in the future. One entomology graduate student argues that downsizing government science jobs means the U.S. is losing people and programs that serve the public good. [Read more]