Topics included new exotic species, mosquitoes, pollinators, carpenter ants, etc.
Category Archives: News
The Conversation: Why we still collect butterflies
This is a nicely written and very informative article on the importance of collecting.
https://theconversation.com/why-we-still-collect-butterflies-41485
Defoliation of spruce by aphids around Kachemak Bay
Aphids from spruce at the Homer Bench, 12.June.2015. Photo courtesy of Karin Sonnen (USDA NRCS, Homer).
Mitch Michaud (USDA NRCS, Kenai), phoned me regarding substantial defoliation of spruce at Halibut Cove and the Homer bench. At Halibut Cove, spruces had been dropping many needles.
Aphids were the culprit, but the identity of the aphids has not yet been established.
Browning spruce needles due to aphid infestation, 9.June.2015.
Browning of spruce needles.
Spruce trees damaged by aphids, 9.June.2015.
Alder (Alnus incana tenuifolia) mortality agent complex effects on riparian zone habitat
Distribution of alder dieback mapped during 2011 Aerial Detection Survey.
The report including this chapter was published in May 2015.
Citation:
Kruse J.J., L. Winton, N. Lisuzzo, G. Adams, K. Zogas, and S. Swenson. 2015. Alder (Alnus incana tenuifolia) mortality agent complex effects on riparian zone habitat. pp. 187-195 in Potter, K. M. and B.L. Conkling, eds. Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2013. General Technical Report SRS-207. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville North Carolina. http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/48361
First New World Record of Paradelphacodes paludosus (Flor 1861) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea : Delphacidae) in Alaska
UAM:Ento:164292, lateral view. Media details: http://arctos.database.museum/media/10430146
The article appeared in this month’s issue of Entomological News, available at the URI below.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3157/021.124.0511
Citation:
Charles R. Bartlett, Stephen W. Wilson, Derek S. Sikes. 2015. First New World Record of Paradelphacodes paludosus (Flor 1861) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea : Delphacidae) in Alaska. Entomological News 124(5):370-372.
Specimen record:
http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Ento:164292
ADN: With arrival on Kenai Peninsula, cluster flies make first Alaska appearance
2015 AKES Newsletter posted
The March 2015 Newsletter of the Alaska Entomological Society is now available at the URI below.
http://www.akentsoc.org/doc/AKES_newsletter_2015_I.pdf
In this issue:
- First record of a cluster fly (Calliphoridae: Pollenia) in Alaska
- What is a specimen? What should we count and report when managing an entomology collection?
- Moths land on Murkowski’s desk—Senate Resolution 70
- Two new Lepidoptera host plant relationships
- The DNA barcoding UAMU Project: Testing the insect identification power of DNA barcoding technology
- Review of the eighth annual meeting
ADN: Will Alaska’s weird winter be followed by equally strange summer?
The article (URI below) includes interviews with Glenn Juday and Derek Sikes about forest insects, mosquitoes, and yellow jackets.
http://www.adn.com/article/20150322/will-alaskas-weird-winter-be-followed-equally-strange-summer
Kenelm W. Philip Entomology Research Award
The Alaska Entomological Society invites members of the Alaska Entomological Society to submit a proposal to the annual Kenelm W. Philip Entomology Research Award.
Web page:
http://www.akentsoc.org/kenelm-w-philip-entomology-research-award
Announcement including details:
http://www.akentsoc.org/doc/AKES_KWP_Ento_Award_Announcement.pdf
Forest Health Conditions in Alaska- 2014
The annual forest health conditions report provided by Forest Service R10, Alaska Region is available online (see link to pdf below). The conditions report contains, but is not limited to, information pertaining to forest insects in the state.
“The primary goal of this report is to summarize monitoring data collected annually by our Forest Health Protection team. The report helps to fulfill a congressional mandate (The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, as amended) that requires survey, monitoring, and annual reporting of the health of the forests. This report also provides information used in the annual Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in the United States report.”
Forest Health Conditions in Alaska-2014
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3830191.pdf