June 19, 2013 | On Solid Ground, CAHNRS | by Bob Hoffman Dealing with mites in orchards is tricky business. Some of these tiny arthropods—barely, or not even visible to the human eye—suck juice from leaves, insidiously sapping plant vigor. Other species of mites are actually an orchardist’s friends, feeding on the pest mites and…
June 18, 2013 | WSU News, by Linda Weiford We’ve all seen them — brown recluse spiders scuttling in the bathtub, scurrying in the tool shed or spinning a web under the porch light. That is, we think we’ve seen them. Contrary to what many people believe, the brown recluse, or Loxosceles reclusa, doesn’t live…
June 11, 2013 | On Solid Ground, CAHNRS | by Bob Hoffman Honey bees face a lot of challenges, according to Steve Sheppard, professor of entomology at WSU. Invasive mites can sap a brood’s strength and vector viruses. Pesticides can build up in the brood comb and gradually weaken the bees. And while the agricultural…
Natalie Boyle (Walsh) received the Robert and Mary Lou Harwood “Student of the Year” Award, in honor of her work with alfalfa pollinators. Amanda Meadows (Snyder/Owen) received the Entomology Support Fund “Research” Award, to support her work on the community ecology of mosquitoes. Amber Vinchesi (Lavine/Walsh) received the Howard and Hermina Hallgarth “Paper of the…
June 6, 2013 | WSU News, CAHNRS | by Bob Hoffman PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University researchers are preparing to use liquid nitrogen to create a frozen semen bank from select U.S. and European honey bee colonies. At the same time, the researchers will use genetic cross-breeding methods to produce more diverse, resilient honey bee subspecies that could help thwart the nation’s current…