Newsletter Fall 2009 Entomology Purdue · Newsletter Fall 2009 What’s Inside ... on bed bugs, and development of extension ... experience in solving real-world problems,

Entomology Purdue@Newsletter Fall 2009

What’s Inside

Urban Entomology at Purdue

From the Head Bug: Why a Department of Entomology?

Department News

Development Update

Outreach Update

Entomology Students

Alumni News

Calendar

When talking about urban entomology these days, one must consider diverse habi-tats that support a broad range of arthropod pests. These habitats include outdoor areas composed of turfgrass, trees and ornamental plantings and indoor areas used for residen-tial, commercial, and industrial purposes, to name a few. Add in factors such as geography and climate, land use, and human activity, and there seems no end to the number of possible habitat types and pest species one

might encounter. Ensuring that people, pets, and wildlife living in urban areas are not negatively impacted by pest management practices is a critical part of urban integrated pest management programs. Keeping pace with pest pressures, while safeguarding the environment and those living in it, is a real challenge for entomologists and other pest management professionals in the 21st century.

Research in my laboratory focuses primarily on insect pests found in buildings (structural entomology). My program con-sists of applied and basic research on urban insect pests, with a focus on economically

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important cockroach species, termites, and bed bugs. As a member of the Center for Urban and Industrial Pest Management at Purdue, I conduct applied research and work closely with industry partners to evaluate new chemical and nonchemical strategies for managing structural pests. I am also a molecular biologist by training and carry out somewhat more basic research in the area of molecular entomology. One project that I am very excited about utilizes RNA interference

(RNAi) techniques to help identify specifi c molecules involved in key developmental or physiological processes in pest insects. This work is important because molecules that are vital for insect growth and development could potentially be targeted for disruption in the field using highly specific insecti-cidal products. Using a functional genomics approach, it is possible to identify a candidate molecule in a pest insect and then measure the effect of removing it using RNAi tech-niques. Currently, I am using the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, as a model organism for these experiments. It is my hope

Kurt Saltzmann (L) and Changlu Wang inspecting a box spring for bed bugs. Photo by John Obermeyer

Adult bed bug, 4-5 mm in length. Photo by John Obermeyer

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From the Head Bug

(Continued from page 1)

Department NewsNew Staff

Steve Yaninek

Ian Kaplan joined the Department of Entomology at Purdue University as assis-tant professor in August 2009. His primary responsibility is centered on insects associ-

that this research will aid the development of new and highly specifi c products for control-ling urban insect pests.

Another current area of research in my laboratory is integrated pest management of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Since the late 1990s, bed bugs have made a tremendous come back in the U.S. and other countries that had enjoyed a sharp drop in bed bug numbers since the 1950s. Though it’s not known exactly why bed bugs are on the rise, it is clear they are back and many communities throughout the U.S. are struggling to deal with them. Because bed bugs spend most of their time close to areas where people sleep, beds, chairs, and sofas are often targeted for insecticide application to control bed bugs. Care must be taken to ensure that only products labeled for such use are used and that the correct amounts are applied. Failing to follow the label when dealing with bed bugs is especially unsafe because people and pets spend a lot of time in contact with furniture and bedding materials commonly targeted for treatment. Because the resurgence of bed bugs in the U.S. is relatively new, occurring within the last 10 years, there are gaps in our knowledge about bed bug behavior, physiology, and genetics. There is also an urgent need to measure the effi cacy of current insecticidal products to determine which products work well for bed bug control, and which do not. Because there is a need for updated research on bed bugs, and development of extension materials that can be used to effectively educate the public about the problem, I am helping to create a multi state bed bug work-ing group that will increase collaborative bed bug research and extension activities, and also try to increase funding available for bed bug research. This multi state project currently involves individuals from 12 states and I expect this number to grow.

~Kurt Saltzmann~

A colleague once wondered out loud “how can such a thing fl y?” when he saw a small twin-engine aircraft jet roll up to the terminal. He had never been on an airplane before and was about to take his fi rst airplane ride. The airplane was not much more that 4 seats suspended under a wing propelled by a couple of engines, but it fl ew because the components are designed to work together. I had a similar revelation about our depart-ment while sitting in the audience at the Ohio Valley Entomology Association meet-ing in Cincinnati this fall as a dozen Purdue students made their scientifi c presentation debuts. Their topics refl ected the scientifi c prowess of a department committed to the Land Grant mission e.g., the impact of conventional and sustainable fertilizers on poinsettia growth and whitefl y pest biology, molecular phylogeny of long-horned beetles, chemical-mediated host colonization behav-ior of the peach bark beetle, ants of Indiana, effects of polydomy on food distribution in the odorous house ant, assessing children’s attitudes towards insects, effi cacy of high concentrations of ozone on the maize weevil, rice weevil and red fl our beetles, altering and reconstituting the hydrocarbons found in the wax layer of locust borers, and the fi rst contact pheromone identifi ed for a prionine longhorn beetle. Our students were there because of the outstanding education they received from our award-winning teaching program, an interest and curiosity about insects generated by our commitment and

experience in solving real-world problems, and our nationally recognized research. Purdue entomology students are successful because we take our Land Grant responsi-bilities seriously, and understand that our program is only as good as the weakest link. Our strength as a department comes from effective integration of our responsibilities in teaching, research and extension/outreach. Excellence in research without excellence in teaching and extension/outreach, or any combination thereof, is a formula that would lead to the demise of the department. A strong research program without a similar commitment to teaching and extension/outreach, would lose visibility around the state, relevance with stakeholders, and interest from students. The arguments for maintaining a department committed to the discipline of entomology would surely dissolve, as would the support for maintain-ing a discrete academic unit. Components of the research could be rolled over into plant science or some other “integrated” research group, but this would undermine the institutional capacity in entomology that comes from a dedicated discipline-specifi c department like ours. Increasingly, granting agencies are requiring successful propos-als to show integration across disciplines, and often, across missions. We are able to compete and contribute in an effective and strategic manner to these integrated oppor-tunities from a position of strength because of the critical mass in insect expertise we have in our department. Our success as a department of entomology will continue as long as we teach undergraduate and gradu-ate students, solve insect problems for the citizens of Indiana, and pursue “research with a purpose” as stated in the current Purdue strategic plan. This is a blueprint that makes sense, and one we will continue to pursue. Without all 3 mission legs, this stool would not stand. Hurrah for the Depart-ment of Entomology at Purdue University!

~Steve Yaninek~

ated with specialty crops. He will also teach Biological Control and Insect Ecology. Ian received his MS in Entomology from Auburn University in 2003, a PhD in Entomology from the University of Maryland in 2007, and most recently completed a two year postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University. Ian’s

research background and areas of expertise include insect ecology, focusing on species level interactions between plants, herbivores, and natural enemies, biological control, plant resistance to herbivory, and integrated pest management. Ian and his wife, Jane, have two daughters, Rose, age 4, and Isabel who is one year old.

Why a Department of Entomology?

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Entomology Purdue@2009 J. V. Osmun Alumni Professional Award in Entomology

Dr. J’s Salsa

•1 large (2 lb.) can of whole peeled tomatoes •1 bunch green onions •1 bunch of cilantro •1 small can (4 – 6 oz.) of chopped, ripe black olives •1 small can (4 – 6 oz.) of tomato sauce or tomato paste (to thicken) • Pickled jalapeno peppers (to taste) • Dash of salad oil Chop all ingredients in food processor. Combine and toss in bowl. Good with corn chips, or over black beans and rice.

New Book by Ralph Williams

Vicki Cassens Presented with Lifetime Achievement Award

Vicki Cassens receiving award from John Stutz

Jeffrey R. Bloomquist (BS’78) was the recipient of the 2009 John V. Osmun Alumni Professional Achievement Award in Entomology. Dr. Bloomquist deliv-ered an address entitled “Reminiscences and Lessons Learned from 30 Years in Entomology.”

Some of the reminiscences and “les-sons learned” sparked nods of agreement among audience members including a sizable contingent of Jeff ’s family from northwest Indiana. Lessons that Dr. Bloomquist learned constituted a valuable list for current students to consider as they contemplate their own careers.

Some of Dr. Bloomquist’s important lessons were associated with his gradu-ate school days. It was there he learned the value of remedial course work and the philosophy of science, and why it is

important to “know what you know and know what you don’t know.” Additionally the old Indiana boy learned how to make salsa. We were told it “is widely regarded as the best in the western hemisphere!”

When his graduate career took him to California Jeff learned that “I didn’t miss Indiana winters” and “What the Beach Boys said about California girls was true.” He married one! Once he embarked on an academic career Dr. Bloomquist discov-ered the importance of a good mentor. He also learned that you should never tell your spouse that you’ll stop working long hours when you get tenure or promoted to full professor, for that matter.

If you would like to do your own re-search on the quality of Dr. Bloomquist’s salsa here is the recipe:

Vicki Cassens received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Pesti-cide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) conference in Denver in October.

Chairman of the NPIRS Advisory Council, John Stutz, presented the award with acknowledgement of Vicki’s leadership and vision that contributed to the develop-ment of successful products. Vicki was also commended for the working relationship she has developed between regulators and the regulated pesticide industry. “Our rising membership, expanding product suite, use of internet technologies, and the continued fi nancial stability of NPIRS speaks to this success,” Stutz said.

Veterinary Entomology: Livestock and Companion Animals (CRC Press) is a comprehensive guide to the recognition, biology, importance, and control of insects and related arthropods that may be encoun-tered in animal husbandry practices and with companion animals. It addresses the details of livestock/companion animal pest management within the current trends in pest management techniques and available technology such as pest surveillance and detection.

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Development Update

The Honor Roll recognizes new gifts to the department January -June of 2009. Contributions to the John V. Osmun Chair in Urban Entomology are included.

Terminix International Co.Mr. David W. and Mrs. Ann D. Fincannon, A-All Pest Termite Exterminators

Monarch Club ($1000 up)

Firefl y Club ($101-$499)

Mayfl y Club (up to $100)

Dr. Michael D. and Judith A. CulyDr. Clarence Arthur CallahanMr. Michael A. WeisburgerDr. Tianqi Wang and Mrs. Yueping XuDr. Michael L. and Katherine A. McManusMr. Thomas Vern and Mrs. Waynetta Callaway MyersDr. Robert D. and Mrs. Nancy E. Waltz

Anonymous

Honey Bee Club ($500-$999)

Dr. Charles E. and Mrs. Charlene A. CurtisDr. John J. McHugh Jr.Mr. Michael J. and Mrs. Helen A. Corbitt Mr. Norman O. Besheer, Gunter Pest Management IncMussa Muhammad, J & L Try Twice ExterminatingMr. David W. McCoyMr. Eric M. McDonaldMr. Frederic and Mrs. Dolores Barton GoldbergMr. Larry W. and Mrs. Janet E. BledsoeMr. Nathan J. RenieMr. Richard E. and Mrs. Louella F. ShadeMr. Wynn A. SenffMrs. Louise A. and Mr. R. Bruce CummingsMs. Victoria Inge WallaceMrs. Pamla L. MackeyMr. Robert William SafarikDr. Harry B. Jr. and Mrs. Nancy MooreDr. James F. Dill and Ms. Jane A. MurrayDr. Marlin Kent and Mrs. Shey Bergman

Gene White (MS ’96) of Rose Pest Solutions of Troy, Michigan, chairs the development council for the Department of Entomology. After the fall council meeting on campus Gene met with Eric Putman, Director of Advance-ment, to refl ect on his student experience and explain the reasons for increasing his personal involvement with Purdue Entomology.

Why did you choose to attend Purdue?

Basically three reasons; the people, the atmosphere of the campus and the reputation of Purdue entomology. After researching Purdue entomology’s history and attending a number of Pest Manage-ment Conferences, I was convinced that Purdue was a perfect fi t to enhance my life and career.

What is your favorite Purdue memory?

There are several...getting my first semester grades and realizing with a perfect 4.0 I would be admitted into the department. Sliding down “Old Entomology Hall’s” helical fi re escape tubes with my kids at the department Christmas party. Playing in the water fountains on campus during summer. Helping out at all the Pest Management Conferences.

How did your experience at Purdue infl u-ence you?

It helped me understand that although I work well on my own, having a team to back your work is much more powerful, not to mention rewarding.

When you think of Purdue entomology - what is the fi rst thing that comes to mind?

The history, tradition and people that have made Purdue Entomology what it is today.

What role did Dr. Osmun play in your education?

Aside from being a good infl uence and role model, John walked and talked me through a number of diffi culties while in graduate school. His guidance was always neutral, but insightful. He was always careful to listen and not so much offer advice as to help you fi nd your own decisions by sorting out the possibilities. John quickly fi gured out that I was a pretty good handyman and could fi x or maintain just about anything. He put me to work on his properties and other entomology projects. I’m not sure how

he knew what he knew, but the work always came at a time when I needed some cash! As a graduate student with three daughters under the age of 6, that was a great help. Along the way I made a friend for life. A friendship I will always keep as something special for the many life lessons he shared with me.

You are actively involved with Purdue Ento-mology as the chair of the development council. Describe the experience of spending time with faculty and students in the department. Has that been meaningful, and if so, in what ways?

Every student has obstacles to traverse and fi nds ways to meet and exceed the chal-lenges they’re faced with. My time at Purdue was no different. I loved my experience but it wasn’t all pretty! Regardless, I have over the years, encouraged students I’ve met at ESA conferences and elsewhere to look for a fi t within Purdue entomology for graduate studies. When I was asked to join the devel-opment council, I had no hesitation in saying ‘yes’ to the offer. Although I’ve supported Purdue entomology in many ways, this project felt more personal to me. The ability to share my time, insight and possibly have a direct impact on the future of entomology at Purdue is important not only to me, but to every person that sits on the council.

You have recently made a commitment to renew your financial support of Purdue entomology. Why was it important to make the gift at this time?

It’s safe to say that most of us understand that economic times are diffi cult across the country. In any economic downturn the abil-ity of educational institutions to maintain the standards of their service to the students is compromised by necessary budget cuts. Therefore, it’s actually more important to give during these tough fi nancial times than when budgets are at their best! At one time, I felt it was more important to give a large do-nation to be worthwhile to the department. Although large gifts are appreciated and important to education, it’s all our alumni helping with donations of any amount that add up quickly and keep the quantity and quality of services to the student intact. Just over 8% of the entomology alumni made a donation to the department last year. I’d like to see that grow to 12% next year and want to do my part.

To someone who has not been back to campus in recent years, how would you describe the entomology department today?

Much more diverse in its fi elds of study and more focused on teaching and mentor-ing students.

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Entomology Purdue@

EntomologyStudents

College of Agriculture Scholarship Awards

2009-2010

Scholarships and Awards

Caitlin Race, Griffi th, IN Lewis Runkle Scholarship Van Scoy Scholarship in Agriculture Rex Hall Memorial Scholarship

Alicia Conrad, North Aurora, IL Scholarship Award of Excellence

Alicia Kelley, Kokomo, IN Rex Hall Memorial Scholarship

Tyler Stewart, Loogootee, IN J. Kelly O’Neall and Margaret Richey O’Neall Memorial Scholarship

Christina Short, Gary, IN Van Scoy Scholarship in Agriculture Nicole Van Der Laan, Valparaiso, IN Don Schuder Memorial Scholarship

Alex Murphy has been named as recipi-ent of the Kenneth and Barbara Starks Plant Resistance to Insects Graduate Student Re-search Award for 2009. The grant is awarded to a graduate student in entomology or plant breeding/genetics for innovative research that contributes signifi cantly to knowledge of plant resistance to insects. The award will be presented to Alex in December at the 2009 ESA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana. Alex is from Hermiston, Oregon and her advisor is Christian Krupke.

Alex Murphy

Department Mentors High School Science Students

Outreach Update

“I was very nervous about going into a college building and talking with professors. I came because I thought it would be good for me. I’m glad I did.” – FHS student

Last summer, Stacy Baugh, a biol-ogy and zoology teacher at Frankfort High School requested representatives from our department to serve as mentors for her students as they developed insect-related science projects. The mentors would meet the students during a Meet and Greet event and then continue an e-conversation as their projects evolved.

Some of the students had never visited a university campus and were anxious about the trip, but with proposal ideas in hand the Frankfort students boarded a bus and traveled to the Purdue University West Lafayette campus to meet their mentors: Steve Yaninek, Tom Turpin, John Diller, Jodie Ellis, Gary Frazier, Alex Murphy, Julia Prado, Rebecca Rose, Tyler Stewart, Scott Williams, and Faith Weeks.

After a brief overview of the scientifi c method presented by Tom Turpin and a discussion about the variety of careers available in entomology facilitated by Steve Yaninek, students broke into small groups to go over their proposal ideas.

The science fair mentor model provides an excellent opportunity to promote science education and nurture future scientists. After returning to Frankfort the students were asked what they enjoyed most about their visit to Purdue University:

“Hearing about all the different careers avail-able in entomology from Professor Yaninek.”

“Dr. Turpin’s presentation dealing with how to think about science. I learned this in middle school, but realized I needed to defi ne my idea more precisely.”

“The cowpea story. I want to do something like that for other people.”

“I’m a junior and was thinking about going to Purdue because they have what I want to study…this confi rmed it.”

The F.H.S. Science Fair took place in October with members of the department serving as judges. In addition, there were approximately 22 art projects to be judged. Orkin sponsored cash prizes with $150, $100, and $50 for the top 3 research projects

and $100 for the Best of Show in the art competition.

Steve Yaninek attributes the success of the program to Stacy Baugh’s resourcefulness in organizing the event and her dedication to the teaching profession. Ms. Baugh was voted one of the 2008 Top Ten Teachers in Indiana by the Indiana Department of Education.

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A Glimpse into My Past.....Looking Forward to the Future

2009 OVEA Awards

Summer InternshipNikki Van Der Laan participated in

the Summer Undergraduate Research Fel-lowships (SURF) program this past summer studying the hickory bark beetle under the guidance of Matt Ginzel . Nikki is looking at the colo-nization behavior and the phero-mones that attract

other hickory beetles to the tree. The SURF program, open to all engineering, science and technology undergraduate students, is an intensive research experience that sup-ports interdisciplinary concepts and skills.

Nikki Van Der Laan

B.S. CATEGORY

First Place - Nikki Van Der Laan: “Chemi-cally-mediated host colonization behavior of the peach bark beetle, Phloeotribus liminaris (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)”

M.S. CATEGORY

First Place - Matt Paschen: “The fi rst contact pheromone identifi ed for a prionine long-horned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)”

Second Place - Katie England: “Effects of sustainable and conventional fertilizers on poinsettia growth and life history traits of Bemisia tabaci Genn. Biotype B (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)”

Third Place (tie) - Gabriel Hughes: “Reconstituting the wax layer of solvent-washed female locust borers, Megacyllene rob-iniae (Foerster), alters hydrocarbon profi les”

Third Place (tie) - Faith Weeks: “Ew, that’s icky: Assessing children’s attitudes towards the insects of Connecticut”

Ph.D.. CATEGORYSecond Place - Kapil Raje: “Molecular phy-logeny of the long-horned beetles (Family: Cerambycidae)”

Third Place - Marissa McDonough: “Effi cacy of high concentrations of ozone on adult maize weevil (Sitophlus zeamais (Motsch.)), rice weevil (S. oryzae (L)) and all life stages of red fl our beetle (Tribolium castaneum (Herbst))”

I was born and grew up in the South Indian state o f A n d h r a P r a d e s h (A.P.). Many of my child-h o o d y e a r s were spent in a small city (with ~1.6 million

people!!!) called Hanamkonda. It is one of the oldest cities in the region and is famous for the thousand pillars temple (built in 1163 AD) that was the pride of the Kakatiya Empire. As a child, I lived in several small towns in A.P. owing to the fact that my dad, who worked for the state as an agricultural engineer, had to change places every few years. His work and moves also gave me an opportunity to visit several agricultural farms in villages when the school was closed during the summer-time. Later on, after my high school and junior college certifi cate in B.P.C. (Biology, Physics and Chemistry), I chose to get a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. It was during this period that I was fi rst exposed to the fi eld of insect science. During the course of insect collection for the general

entomology class, I realized how diverse insects are. Dr. Rama Subba Rao, our entomology professor at Aswaraopet, AN-GRAU, was a great inspiration for all of us who later chose to study entomology for our higher degrees. But, the real push came for me while I was in my Rural Agricultural Work Experience Program (RAWEP) at Krishnapuram village, Madhira mandal, A.P., India. My RAWEP mentor was Dr. Sambi Reddy, the agricultural extension

specialist for the region at the time. It was during this period I learnt the importance of insect pest control and the plight of the farmers, especially those who grow cotton and vegetables in the region. I later chose to study insect physiology and worked on Aedes aegyptii for my M.S. degree at the University of Kentucky under the guidance of Dr. Subba Reddy Palli.

A visit to Purdue during the year 2003 gave me an opportunity to explore the options available, meet various faculty members, and learn the areas of research at Purdue Entomology. Later in the year 2004, I got accepted for the doctoral program and studied under the joint supervision of Drs. Barry Pittendrigh and Larry Murdock to work on two major cowpea pests, the cowpea bruchid and Maruca pod borer. Working on my degree at Purdue gave me opportunities to travel abroad and expe-rience international agriculture. During my fi rst visit to West Africa, I traveled in northern Nigeria and southern Niger con-ducting fi eld surveys to look for alternate host plants of M. vitrata (the legume pod borer). This trip gave me a chance to learn fi rst-hand about the hardscrabble lives of subsistence farmers in rural West Africa and get to know the problems cowpea farmers are currently facing. During my second trip to Nigeria, in 2008, I visited Abuja to participate in the Bt-cowpea cowpea development meeting. In 2008 I was an active participant in the fi eld-trial evaluations of insect-resistant Bt-cowpea that took place at Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. This visit also gave me a chance to study the Maruca populations of Puerto Rico. I owe much of my success so far to my major professors, the department of entomology, and the support from my family.

The time I spent as a student at Purdue has taught me several lessons. Most impor-tant of which is that people are the’key’ for success of anything signifi cant in life, be it an organization or a collaborative project (of course one’s hard work is essential, too!). My future aspirations are to work in the area of research and development of novel insecticide control strategies and to establish or head an agri-based enterprise in India.

~Venu Margam~

Venu Margam

Thousand Pillars Temple

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Alumni News

In Memory

Larry Godfrey (BS’78, MS’80) was part of a nine-member team which won the annual Circle of Life Award from the Cali-fornia Rice Commission on March 11th in Sacramento, California. The team was praised for their help in creating the fi rst sur-face and water monitoring and management program. Larry is an Extension Specialist in the Department of Entomology at the University of California Davis.

Rajat Aggarwal (PhD’08) has accepted a new position as Senior Biologist Research & Development, at Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rajat held a Post Doctoral position with Purdue Entomology for the past year, working with Jeff Stuart in the area of insect genetics.

Jesse Hoteling (BS’03, MS’06) was inducted as an inaugural member of The Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellows. The teaching fellows is a pioneering program to staff rural secondary schools in Indiana with highly qualifi ed science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers. While at Purdue, Jesse studied in the area of Urban Entomology and his advisor was Gary Bennett.

Arthur H. Hemmerlein (BS’64) From Arthur’s wife, Bonnie: My husband, Arthur H. Hemmerlein, Ph.D., M.D. went on to medical school in St. Louis and was Board Certifi ed in Family Practice and Emergency Medicine. He was owner of Emerald Isle Primary Care here on the island in Emerald Isle, NC where we have lived since 1995. He and I would have been married 26 years this year. He died November 23, 2006. He leaves behind a son and daughter, and myself, along with all the residents and vacationers who fell in love with this kind and gentle soul. He always helped others, made house calls, charged little, and lived his life doing daily acts of kindness while always thinking of others. His diagnostic abilities and medical knowledge were legendary, as was his great wit and sense of humor. He is so missed by all of us. This world has lost a treasure. It would be nice to hear from anyone who knew him back at Purdue. Thank you!

Jerry M. Macklin (MS’56, PhD’61) died October 31, 2009. He was assistant director of Cooperative Extension at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. In 1976, he became manager of the Sawyer-Meade Popcorn Co. in Rocky Ford, Colorado. He enjoyed working with his wife, Janet, at Macklin Photography in Rocky Ford. He retired in 1992.

Christian Christensen (MS’70, PhD’74) was an Extension Entomologist at the University of Kentucky for sixteen years. In 1989 he formed Christensen’s Ur-ban Insect Solutions, Inc. Refl ecting on his career highlights, Christian says he “has had the privilege of participating in a career for which he has a deep passion.” He appreciates that he was able to work with some of the great leaders of the profession such as John Osmun, R. C. Dobson, and Leland Chandler. A favorite memory is exploring the attic of Entomology Hall and fi nding all the memo-rabilia that J.J. Davis had stored up there. He also remembers Greg Campbell fi nding an aquatic Noctuid larva in his fi sh tank just in time to include it in his Immatures collec-tion. “Kevin Steffey had been looking all over the state for one of these insect larvae and was fl abbergasted (in a way that only Kevin could be fl abbergasted) that Greg found this in his aquarium.” Christian has four sons, Matthew, Christian, Sean, and Blain.

Stoy Hedges (BS’81) is the Manager of Technical Services for Terminix Interna-tional based in Memphis. He is the Editorial Director (3rd time) for the revision of the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control (10th

edition). He has written 6 books on pest control topics and his most popu-lar fi eld guide on structure-infesting ants will be pub-lished soon i n i t s 3 r d edition. Stoy continues to write articles for PCT Mag-

azine and make presentations to various pest control groups around the U.S., including 24 years straight at Purdue. He has been a member of the Department of Entomology Development Council for two years and is currently planning for the department’s centennial celebration in 2012. Stoy enjoys fi shing, especially fl y fi shing, photography, insect collecting, and gardening. He tries to get to at least one new location in the U.S. to fi sh each year. In 2010, he is heading to Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Stoy Hedges: A stringer from his favorite trout stream in Missouri

Amy Mulnix (PhD’91) is Professor and Chair of Biology at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where she has been teaching cell and molecular biology courses since 1991. Amy’s latest scholarship in teach-ing and learning is a textbook that integrates genetics and evolution with cellular/molecu-lar biology. A major focus of the project is to incorporate the latest fi ndings from neu-roscience on learning. Her most recent visit to campus was to attend the inauguration of President Cordova representing Earlham College. Amy likes to spend her spare time training cadaver dogs and do search and rescue work with them. She has worked with county and state police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Federabl Bureau of Investigation.

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March14-17 ESA-NCB Annual Meeting - Lexington, KY

April17-18 Bug Bowl

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It is the policy of the Purdue University School of Agriculture that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or dis-ability. Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access Affi rmative Action employer.

From the editorWith each issue of Entomology @ Purdue we keep you up to date on what’s happening in the Department of Entomology and with Alumni. Won’t you please take a moment to help keep us up to date with you?

Paula LaydenEditor, Entomology @ PurdueDepartment of EntomologyPurdue University901 West State Street West Lafayette, IN [email protected]: 765-496-1119Fax: 765-494-0535

Please include your name, address, degree, major and year of gradua-tion. Digital photos (.jpg or .tif) are preferred. Photos received by mail will be returned upon request.To update your contact information online, go to:<www.entm.purdue.edu/alumni>