Richard S. Zack
Graduate Faculty
Associate Professor, Associate Entomologist and Extension Specialist
Director of the M. T. James Entomological Collection
Areas of Interest
Research
My research interests are varied but center around insect systematics and entomological diversity as broad fields of exploration - I often refer to this as "ecosystematics." I am interested in the interactions of insects with their environments, especially as those environments are harsh, unusual, or vanishing. This often includes areas that are managed such as parks, reserves and reservations and even agricultural lands. For many years, some of my students and I conducted intensive survey work and concurrent ecological studies of the Hanford Nuclear Site located in south central Washington State. We currently have biodiversity survey studies of several native Palouse Prairie sites that are located in eastern Washington.
My systematic interests also are varied with primary groups of interest including the dipterous family Ephydridae (shore flies), moths, and aquatic Coleoptera and Hemiptera in general. Current investigations include general studies of the insect fauna of Guam (and Micronesia), especially shore flies, and the moths of the Washington. We also have cooperative studies in Guatemala.
I am also involved in applied studies, especially as they exam or build-upon general principles of entomology. Recent projects are in corn (especially corn earworm) management and field crops. I am looking at the distributions and management of noctuid moths. I am also pursuing studies that examine at the chemical ecology of non-pheromone insect attractants for moths and pestiferous wasps. Much of this research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Peter Landolt at the USDA ARS lab in Wapato, WA.
Teaching
I am interested in how insects and people interact at all levels including those often termed cultural entomology. Most of my activities are at the undergraduate level where I teach a courses titled "Insects and People" and "Entomology and Human Health" to non-science majors. I enjoy teaching and the opportunity to interact with students at all educational levels. My graduate students are often involved in my teaching, as are gifted undergraduates.
Education
Ph.D. Washington State University - Systematic Entomology - l982
Dissertation: Biologies and Distribution of Certain Pacific Northwest Shore Flies (Diptera: Ephydridae).
M.S. Kent State University - Biology - l976
Thesis: Utilization of Algal Monocultures by Shore Flies (Diptera: Ephydridae).
B.S. Ohio State University - Entomology - 1974
Selected Publications
Brown, R. L., P. J. Landolt, D. R. Horton, and R. S. Zack. 2009. Attraction of Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), to female psylla in pear orchards. Environmental Entomology 38: 815-822.
Landolt, P. J., H. C. Reed, K. N. Landolt, J. Monzon, and R. S. Zack. 2009. The southern yellowjacket, Vespula squamosa (Drury) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Guatemala, Central America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 111: 426-432.
Zack, R. S. and D. J. Johnson. 2008. Feeding by the Great Basin spadefoot toad (Spea intermontana (Cope)) (Anura: Peltobatidae). Western North American Naturalist 68: 241-244.
Looney, C. N. and R. S. Zack. 2008. Plant community influence on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) species richness and abundance. Natural Areas Journal 28: 168-170.
Zack, R. S., A. Moore, and R. H. Miller. 2007. First record of a pygmy backswimmer (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pleidae) from Micronesia. Zootaxa 1617: 67-68.
Camelo, L. De A., P. J. Landolt, and R. S. Zack. 2007. A kairomone based attract-and-kill system effective against alfalfa looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 100: 366-374.
Strenge, D. L., C. Driver, R. S. Herrington, and R. S. Zack. 2006. Notes on the life history of Macaria curvata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in southcentral Washington State. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 82: 91-96.
Zack, R. S., C. N. Looney, and R. D. Gordon. 2006. A new species of winter active dung beetle, Stenotothorax woodleyi (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), associated with shrub-steppe habitat in Washington State. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 45-50.
Zack, R. S., D. E. Ruiter, D. L. Strenge, and P. J. Landolt. 2006. Adult caddisfly (Trichoptera) phenology at the Hanford Reach national Monument, Washington State. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 131-138
Johnson, D. J., B. C. Carstens, W. S. Sheppard, and R. S. Zack. 2005. Phylogeny of leafhopper subgenus Errhomus (Erronus) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 98: 165-172.
MacKenzie, J. K., P. J. Landolt, and R. S. Zack. 2006. Attraction to ornamental peony (Paeonia lactiflora, Paeoniaceae) by Polistes dominulus Christ (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) demonstrated using olfactometers. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 79: 231-238.
Landolt, P. J., T. Adams, and R. S. Zack. 2006. Field response of alfalfa looper and cabbage looper moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Plusiinae) to single and binary blends of floral odorants. Environmental Entomology 35: 276-281.
Zack, R. S., C. N. Looney, and R. D. Gordon. 2006. A new species of winter active dung beetle, Stenotothorax woodleyi (Coeloptera: Scarabaeidae), associated with shrub-steppe habitat in Washington State. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 45-50.
Zack, R. S., D. E. Ruiter, D. L. Strenge, and P. J. Landolt. 2006. Adult caddisfly (Trichoptera) phenology at the Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington State. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 131-138.
Johnson, D. J., B. C. Carstens, W. S. Sheppard, and R. S. Zack. 2005. Phylogeny of leafhopper subgenus Errhomus (Erronus) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 98(2): 165-172.
Selected Recent Awards
Inaugural “Randy Pausch” Lecture, Last Lecture Series. Academic Excellence in Undergraduate Education Committee, Residence Life, Washington State University. 2009.
Recognized as one of the Top Five Instructors at Washington State University as nominated by students in a survey conducted by the Washington State University student newspaper, The Evergreen. 2008
Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching, Entomological Society of America, National Recognition. 2005
Western Region Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences. Higher Education Programs of the United States Department of Agriculture/National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC). 2004
Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching. Washington State University. 2003-2004.
Distinguished Member, National Society of Collegiate Scholars. 2003.
Graduate Students
Current Graduate Students
Melissa Gaver, PhD candidate
Bonnie Ohler, PhD candidate
Matthew Olson, MS student
Dax Dugaw, MS student
Courses Taught
- ENTOM 101: Insects and People: A Perspective
- ENTOM 102: Insects and Human Health
Department of Entomology
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-6382
Office: FSHN 157
Phone: 509-335-3394
E-Mail: zack@wsu.edu