News

Dr. Matt O'Neal visits from Iowa State University

Kelton Welch, James Miksanek, Becky Boulton, Matt O'Neal, George Heimpel, and Jonathan Dregni.

Dr. Matt O'Neal presented a great seminar to the Entomology Department on pollinator conservation, and visited our lab. We had a relaxing evening at the Loring Pasta Bar, with good conversation and excellent live music.

Workshop on how spraying insecticides against soybean aphid may pose a risk to endangered butterfly species.

Aphelinus glycinis

George Heimpel participated in a workshop on the U of MN campus on the potential link between soybean aphids and 2 endangered prairie butterfly species in Minnesota – the Poweshiek Skipperling and the Dakota Skipper.  The workshop was sponsored by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plant and Pest Center (MITPPC) and the Institute on the Environment (I on E) and it was moderated by Jessica Hellman, director of I on E. 

First report of Philornis downsi in mainland Ecuador

magazine cover

Philornis downsi (Dodge and Aitken) is a bird-parasitic muscid fly native to mainland South America that recently invaded the Galapagos Islands where it is parasitizing Darwin’s finches and other land birds. This parasite was previously known only from Argentina, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago. The first report of P. downsi from mainland Ecuador is provided, supporting the hypothesis that the invasion route of P. downsi from its native range to the Galapagos Islands includes mainland Ecuador.