What's Buzzing in Entomology?
Saturday, October 20, 2018, 5:00-7:00 pm
University of Vermont, Davis Center, Mansfield Dining Room
FREE pizza and drinks; open to all youth in grades 7-12
Register@ https://teensciencecafeoct20.eventbrite.com no later than October 17
"Like" us @www.facebook.com/VTeen4HScienceCafe
Why do we care so much about bugs? Insects are some the most diverse and abundant species on earth and play vital roles in ecosystems and society. Did you know that scientists estimate that Earth is home to over 100 trillion ants, or that
eating insects is becoming an increasingly popular sustainable food trend? Come to this café and explore the fascinating world of entomology and its sub-disciplines, including medicine, forensics, genetics, biotechnology, and nutrition.
Learn about current research in agricultural entomology and the work our presenters are doing to help farmers control swede midge, a new invasive pest species, as well as pressing issues surrounding insect crop pests such as insecticide resistance in the Colorado potato beetle. But don't worry—you won't just sit around listening to people talk! Café participants will rotate through hands-on activities with food choice experiments, insect identification, and life cycle stages of a new invasive agricultural pest. Live insects may include, but are not limited to swede midge, Colorado potato beetle, hissing cockroaches, and praying mantis.
NEW THIS YEAR! A follow-up workshop on November 5 from 3:30—5:00 pm will take place in the UVM
Insect Agroecology and Evolution Lab to explore the lab facility, conduct some hands-on experiments with
swede midge and Colorado potato beetles, and perform a simple DNA extraction from strawberries. This will
be available only to students who attend this café. Registration will open after the café.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
How can we exploit insect biology and ecology to design more sustainable agricultural pest management practices? How have insect communities adapted to the domestication of crop plants? Why do some insects evolve insecticide resistance so quickly? The UVM Insect Agroecology and Evolution Lab, led by Dr. Yolanda Chen, aims to answer these questions with their research program, working with scientists and farmers in Vermont and around the globe. Erika Bueno, Elisabeth Hodgdon, and Andrea Swan are graduate students in the lab.
What is a Teen Science Café? It is a free, fun way for teens to explore science, engineering and technology with local scientists, engineers and technology experts. Teens participate in informal discussions and hands-on activities to learn about different topics. And, there is always free food! Planned and run by teens for teens.
Questions? Contact lauren.traister@UVM.edu
(To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the 4-H Office at
802-888-4972 or lauren.traister@UVM.edu by October 5, 2018 so we may assist you.)