We met in the DNR building amid Fairbanksian winter weather (-30’s °F).  Students, professionals, and a guest speaker gave talks on a wide variety of entomological topics.  The Student Presentation Award goes to UAF student Casey Bickford for her presentation, “Systematics of Alaskan Aegialites Beetles: Extremely Endemic or Oversplit?”

At the business meeting, we committed to judging and awarding prizes for entomological projects at three regional science fairs (Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau) to encourage students’ entomological pursuits. Liz Graham (US Forest Service, Juneau) was elected as our new vice president.

Appearing soon will be more products of the meeting:  a more complete review in the upcoming Newsletter, presentations posted on this website, and minutes from the business meeting.

Thanks to Derek Sikes and Jim Kruse for opening up their homes for get-togethers on Friday and Saturday.

A printable, pdf version of the agenda below is also available.

Alaska Entomological Society Sixth Meeting, 25-26 Jan 2013

Alaska Department of Natural Resources large conference room, 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks (DNR Building; Actually on Sportsman’s Way across from Fred Meyer West gas station.  Enter via employee’s entrance – door next to loading dock. Large conference room is straight in, jog right, then jog left)

Agenda

Friday, 25 January

Time                                       Activity/Talk Title – Presenter  

1900-2100         Optional social, Derek Sikes residence

Saturday, 26 January, Location: DNR Large Conference Room

Time                                       Activity/Talk Title – Presenter              

0900-0920         Welcome, introductions, general announcements

0920-0945         Round robin of entomological activities in Alaska (Bioblitz, new projects, classes, opportunities, other – bring your idea or announce your project!)

0945-1005         The University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection’s switch to using Arctos: A review of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Derek Sikes, UAF, UAM.

1005-1020         A first look at defoliation events on the Kenai Peninsula from 2000-2012 using MODIS data. Matt Bowser, USFWS.

1020-1035         Break

1035-1055         Developing an improved trapping tool to survey cerambycid beetles: evaluation of trap type, height, habitat, and lure composition. Liz Graham, USDA Forest Service.

1055-1120         White Sweetclover, Pollination and Berry Production: What’s the Buzz? Christa Mulder, Katie Villano, and Laura Schneller, UAF.

Student Talks

1120-1135         Systematics of Alaskan Aegialites Beetles: Extremely Endemic or Oversplit?. Casey Bickford, UAF, UAM.

1135-1155         Denali Bug Camp 2012. Sayde Ridling, UAF, UAM.

1155-1300         Lunch

1300-1315         The 2012 Red Admiral invasion of Alaska, and other lepidopteran oddities. Ken Philip, Alaska Lepidoptera Survey, UAF, UAM.

1315-1330         Forest insect conditions in Alaska. James Kruse, USDA Forest Service.

1330-1333         An origami unit tray in three minutes flat. Matt Bowser, USFWS.

1333-1400         Break

1400-1600         Society business meeting

  Membership, membership management

  Election/re-election of officers

  Communications: website, newsletter

1600-1630         Bin items, farewell

The sixth annual meeting of the Alaska Entomological Society will be in Fairbanks  on January 25-26, 2013, probably at the DNR building like a couple years ago.  Details and an agenda will follow soon.