UC Davis Grad Students to Present Research at ESA Meeting

Eleven members of the UC Davis Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA), UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology (ENT), will present their research at the Entomological Society of America meeting,  set for Nov. 10-13 in the Phoenix Convention Center (PCC). The theme: "Empowering Tomorrow with Insect Science."

EGSA members delivering presentations include:

• Lexie Martin: "Microbial Acquisition and Interactions in the Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia lignaria)," Sunday, Nov. 10, 2:25 p.m., PCC 122A.
• Ziv Lieberman: "Evolution and Classification of the Ant Subfamily Dolichoderinae from the Phylogenomic Perspective,"  Monday, Nov. 11, 8:12 a.m., PCC 224B.
• Briley Mullin: "Evaluating the Use of Predatory Plant Bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) as Biological Control Against the Invasive South American Tomato Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta) in California Tomato Fields,"  Monday, Nov. 11, 8:12 a.m., PCC 121C.
• Madi Hendrick: "Fish are Friends, Shrimp are food: Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as a Potential Biological Control Agent for Tadpole Shrimp (Triops longicaudatus)," Monday, Nov. 11 8:36 a.m.,PCC 131C.
• Mia Lippey: "A Big Data Approach to Characterizing Impacts of Climate Warming on Agricultural Arthropod Populations,"  Monday, Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m., PCC 127A.
• Marielle Hansel Friedman: "Herbarium Specimens Faithfully Capture Changing Plant-Insect Interactions Over Years," Monday, Nov. 11, 10:54 a.m., PCC 122B,
• Abigail Lehner: "Do Blue Orchard Bees (Osmia lignaria)< Exhibit Plastic Behavior in Response to Parasitism by the Non-Native Houdini fly (Cacoxenus indagator)?" Monday, Nov. 11, 11:06 a.m.,PCC 130,
• Addie Abrams: "Operation Bug Drop: In-Field Drone Releases of Natural Enemies to Control Lettuce Aphid(Nasonovia ribisnigri) and Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentallis) in California Lettuce," Monday, Nov. 11, 12:06 p.m., PCC 127B.
• Iris Quayle: "A (Finally) Complete Phylogeny for the Charismatic Genus Onymacris Using Ultraconserved Elements," Tuesday, Nov. 12, 9:35 a.m., PCC 127A.
• CC Edwards: "Resisting Resistance: Identifying Biochemical Biomarkers for Pyrethroid Resistance in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes," Tuesday, Nov. 12, 11:36 a.m., PCC 223.
• Grace Horne: "Environmental Entomology’s People’s Choice Runner-Up: Specialist Herbivore Performance on Introduced Plants During Native Host Decline," Wednesday, Nov. 13, 3:55 p.m., PCC 125AB.

UC Davis doctoral candidate Christofer Brothers of the Animal Behavior Group and an affiliate of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, will discuss his research on dragonflies on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 11:12 a.m. in PCC 132A.  His topic: "Spine Dining: Leg Spur Morphology Patterns Provide Insight into Adult Dragonfly Foraging Behaviors."

 UC Davis postdoctoral mosquito researcher Olivia Winokur will present a seminar on "Advancing Public Health Entomology Training in the Pacific Southwest" at 10:12 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10,  PCC 221A. 

UC Davis postdoctoral researcher Shawn Christensen will give two presentations:
--"Microbial Metamorphosis: Symbiotic Bacteria and Fungi Proliferate in Diapause and May Enhance Overwintering Survival in a Solitary Bee," at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 130
--"Microbial Symbiosis in Solitary Bees: Variation in Structure and Assembly" at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 226A

ENT faculty presentations include:

• Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of ENT,  "Strategies for a Complete 360-Degree Experience or Successful Career in Entomological Science" at 8:58 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 121C.
• Elina Niño, associate professor of Cooperative Extension, "Bee-Coming a Leader: The Story of Finding My Way in Apiculture Extension" at 10:10 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 224B.
•  Louie Yang, professor, "Exploring Thermal Ecology in the Field" at 10:25 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 131B
• Rachel Vannette, associate professor and vice chair, "Microbial Symbiosis in Solitary Bees: Variation in Structure an Assembly," at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, PCC 226A.
• Neal Williams, professor, "Assessing Location, Habitat, and Substrate Preferences for Native Sunflower Bees in California," at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10,  PCC 130.

Brittany Kohler, a UC Davis graduate and a research assistant in the Phil Ward lab, will moderate  the Undergraduate 10-Minute Competition in Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity, scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m., Monday, Nov. 11 in PCC 223. At the symposium, she also will discuss her novel subterranean pitfall project at Stebbins Cold Canyon. In addition, Kohler will present a talk dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion at 4:53 p.m., Monday in PCC 225A. A third project: as a co-founding member and organizer of Team Diptera Outreach, she and fellow members will do a "hard launch at the Dipterist Society meeting Tuesday! I’ll be there dressed as a mosquito to promote it."

UC Mixer Being Organized

On Monday, Nov. 11, the University of California will host an ESA mixer. "This is a University of California mixer, so Davis, Berkeley and Riverside are all part of it," said UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus Frank Zalom, an Honorary Member (highest ESA honor) and a past president. "The purpose is to have a specific time when current students, postdocs and faculty, retirees, alumni and others who have been associated with entomology at any of the campuses to meet informally. It is a tradition and other universities also do this on the same evening at the meeting. The UC Mixer hasn’t been held for several years, so it is really great to see that it has been organized for the meeting this year."

In addition, a honey bee image titled "Heavy Load" by communications specialist Kathy Keatley Garvey of  ENT, will be displayed as part of the 65th annual international Insect Salon. The images--winners and acceptances--will be shown from noon to 1 p.m., Monday, Nov. 11 in PCC 126C. Joe Virbickis of the Peoria Camera Club, Illinois, and Thomas Myers of ESA coordinated the competition. The images are online here.