Volume eighteen of the Newsletter of the Alaska Entomological Societyhas been posted to the website. The complete issue can be opened as a single pdf or you can peruse the individual articles in either pdf or html format.
Featured articles:
Chemical ecology of spruce beetle Christopher J. Fettig, Jackson P. Audley, & A. Steven Munson
Three new records of gall inducers in Alaska Ramsey Sullivan
Larch casebearer confirmed in Southcentral Alaska Grace Graham
First detection of small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), in Alaska Ramsey Sullivan
Review of the nineteenth annual meeting Sayde Ridling & Derek S. Sikes
Congratulations to Ren Smelter on his receipt of an AKES Science Fair Award for his project titled “The Amazing Ants of Alaska”, presented at the Interior Alaska Science Fair. Ren’s poster covers ant anatomy, behavior, taxonomy, and adaptions to Alaska’s cold winters. Additionally, he created a 3D model of a carpenter ant (Camponotus herculeanus). Great work, Ren!
Ren was awarded a certificate and a copy of the book “Adventures Among Ants: A Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions” by Mark W. Moffett. Thank you to Derek Sikes, Taylor Kane, and Jessica Rykken for attending the 2026 Interior Alaska Science Fair on behalf of AKES.
The Amazing Ants of Alaska by Ren Smelter. Science Fair poster presented at the Interior Alaska Science Fair, March 2026. Ren Smelter receives his AKES Science Fair Award at the 2026 Interior Alaska Science Fair.
Alaska Science & Engineering Fair (Anchorage, AK)
Congratulations to Jaxson Redmond on his receipt of an AKES Science Fair Award for his project titled “Frassonators for the Future”, presented at the Alaska Science & Engineering Fair. Jaxson tested whether mealworm weight and frass weight differed based on the composition of the container the mealworms were housed in (aka “Frassonator”). Congratulations, Jaxson! And, a thank you to Ramsey Sullivan for attending the AK Science & Engineering Fair on behalf of AKES.
“Frassonators for the Future” by Jaxson Redmond. Science Fair poster presented at the Alaska Science and Engineering Fair (Anchorage), March 2026.
