Entomology beyond research and education: 2022 student debates

The 2022 student debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) happened during the Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, and addressed entomological aspects beyond research and education. The Student Debates Subcommittee of the ESA Student Affairs Committee and the participating student team members communicated for 8 months and prepared for the debates. The theme of the ESA meeting in 2022 was “Entomology as inspiration: Insects through art, science, and culture”. There were 2 unbiased speakers who introduced the debate topics as well as 4 teams who debated the following 2 topics: (i) Is forensic entomology viable in criminal case investigations and court cases today? and (ii) Are insects being treated ethically in scientific research? The teams prepared for about 8 months, debated their arguments, and shared their thoughts with the audience. The teams were judged by a panel and the winners were recognized at the ESA Student Awards Session during the annual meeting

Transforming entomology to adapt to global concerns: 2021 student debates

The 2021 Student Debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) were held at the Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. The event was organized by the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). The theme of the 2021 Student Debates was “Transforming Entomology to Adapt to Global Concerns”, with 3 topics. Each topic had an unbiased introduction and 2 teams. The debate topics were (i) Nonnative insect introduction is an ethical approach for counteracting proliferation and overpopulation of consumers, (ii) What is the best technology to control undesirable insect pests in urban and agricultural settings? and (iii) Compared to other solutions, like plant-based diets, insect farming is the best method to address rising human global food and nutrient supply demands. Unbiased introduction speakers and teams had approximately 6 months to prepare for their presentations

DataSheet_1_Allium leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae) host preference: implications for developing a trap cropping strategy.pdf

Allium leafminer (Phytomyza gymnostoma Loew) is an emerging invasive pest of Allium crops and has been threatening Allium crop production in the eastern United States since its introduction in 2015. Phytomyza gymnostoma can cause substantial economic loss in leek crops when late instars tunnel into the lower portion of the plant, which often renders the crop unmarketable. With limited management tools that are cost-effective and practical, especially for leeks produced in organic systems, we examined the attractiveness of other Allium crop species that might be considered in a trap cropping strategy. In 2021 and 2022, controlled environment choice tests and field trials were conducted to evaluate host preference of P. gymnostoma among Allium crop species including chives, scallion, an onion and scallion hybrid, and leek. We also assessed preference of P. gymnostoma for scallions that varied in size/age. Results from field trials indicated that only chives had more oviposition marks, cumulative numbers of eggs, and a higher density of P. gymnostoma larvae and pupae than leeks. Larger/older scallions had more oviposition marks and higher P. gymnostoma densities than smaller ones in controlled environment choice tests, but this size/age preference was not evident in field trials. Based on our findings, chives could be considered as a potential trap crop for minimizing P. gymnostoma damage in leek crops.</p