Some of you probably saw this spider story circulating yesterday! UNL was contacted by the news and I gave them some info...the spider is definitely not deadly!

https://fox42kptm.com/news/local/spider

My name is Christian Gaylord, I am a junior here at UNL and I am majoring in health communication studies, leadership, and in business. With my different majors, I want to become a pharmaceutical salesman. This has been a very busy semester for me and I am excited to graduate early. I'm taking this class to learn more about insects and understand the different environments where they rome. I have enjoyed this class even though it was rather difficult. I'm not the best with online courses, because I forget when assignments and quizzes are due, but I have enjoyed this class.

My favorite part about the class is interacting wit the insects and watching them develop through their life cycles. One thing I have learned through the class is the different digestive system insects have; but a lot of other insects have very similar digestive systems as well.

Thank you for a wonderful experience Erin.

My name is Chris Le and I am currently a Sophomore here at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I am majoring in Business Management and the reason I took this class was to fulfill my last hours of electives. I chose this class because I thought it would be interesting to learn about the different kind of creatures that inhabit the earth and living all around us. I am always interested in science and taking this course helped broaden my perspective about how big the insect world really is.

My favorite part about this class was examining the cockroach, seeing what it eats and what kind of environment it lives in. Overall, I found this class to be very interesting and will recommend it to other college students.

My name is Annie Burmeister, I am a freshman here at UNL and I am majoring in Communication Studies and Minoring in Leadership. I took this class because I needed some lab and science for my major and after thinking about it, I have always thought bugs were cool so why not learn a little more about it. Instead of taking chemistry, yuck, I thought why not take a class that I could enjoy! I loved having my cockroach and hornworm and watching them develop and see how they acted, that was my favorite part of the class. I also loved learning about the systems (digestive, circulatory) and how they are similar and different from ours.

Hi my name is Madeline Murray, I originally took this class as an ACE requirement and did not expect to get much out of this class, however I was happily surprised. My absolute favorite part about this class was watching the Hornworm. I have never been a huge bug person, but the tobacco hornworm was a fascinating to watch and see it go through a complete metamorphosis.

I learned a lot about the different parts of insects which was really interesting because growing up I just assumed insects where one piece, but they actually are quite a bit more complicated than that. I also enjoyed the cockroach assignment but those still freaked me out a bit more than I would like to admit. I really liked that we got to take home these insects, because I feel the best way to learn is hands on. Looking at pictures and reading the textbook is helpful but in order to really understand things (at least in my brain) is to have hands on experience. I was unable to take the lab portion of this class this semester, so I am looking forward to taking it in the fall where I believe I will have continued hands on experience with the class material. I would really recommend this class to anyone that enjoys hands on interaction, or needs to take a science ACE. People who maybe aren’t as interested in the sciences might struggle in a class such as biology simply due to the complexity and mass volume of material required, while entomology is a learning class where you get to experience insects that you might encounter in everyday life and learn a little bit more about how they work in our ecosystem.

Taking entomology is a class that could really be enjoyable even if you aren’t the biggest fan of bugs (I know this because I don’t like bugs at all and I still really found this an enjoyable class).

My name is Jensyn Labadie and I'm a sophomore at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I am a double major in English and journalism and I took this course to fulfill the ACE requirement I needed of science with a lab. I was a little nervous about this class at first because I'm not too fond of bugs, but it turned out to be pretty interesting and helped me appreciate all the little insects on Earth. I have learned a lot about bugs such as their scientific names, their mouthparts, their metamorphosis, etc.

I've never been a huge science person, so this class was perfect to fill my requirement because I actually learned something that was pretty interesting. My favorite part of the class was the tobacco hornworm assignment. Although my worm didn't grow very fast, it was still interesting to watch and see him develop even a little. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone needing a science with a lab.

Hi my name is Anna Schuett and I am a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I took this entomology course to fill an ace requirement. I am an elementary education major, so I chose this as my science class along with the lab. I can honestly say that I didn't realize all the aspects of insects that I could learn about. I can't look at the ground without seeing some type of bug and knowing part of their scientific name or even what kind of mouthpart it has. Also I have learned the functions of their body systems, and how it compares to humans.

I think that it is a unique course I wouldn't have gotten to experience any other time in my school career. My favorite assignment was working with the Tobacco Hornworm. It is still transforming from the pupa stage to the adult stage. I can't believe how far it has come. It used to be in a tiny vial and now I have it in a large tupperware container. This report was a really great learning experience because I took what I listened to in the course and applied it in my own life. I am able to see the full cycle of the insects life and that is my favorite part.

Hi my name is Elizabeth Mattern and I am a sophomore at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. I am interested in campaign building, writing, motion design and graphic design which is why I am a student at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications with a declared Advertising and Public Relations major. With my major I was required to take a science class with a lab. I chose entomology because I grew up attending many outdoor camps as a kid and had always had an interest in bugs. My favorite project was the hornworm report. My hornworm was much more exciting than my cockroach. It was really interesting seeing the molting process. I have learned so much about different insects and how necessary they are for the environment. I liked learning about biotechnology. This was something I was unfamiliar with prior to this class and I reading different studies and lab reports on biotechnology really was interesting.

I found this class to be interesting and I have recommended it to a lot of my friends who are in need of a science with a lab!

My name is Amanda Kulwicki and I currently attend the University of Nebraska Lincoln. I am majoring in elementary education and special education with a minor in child, youth, and family studies. With my major I am required to take a science class with a lab. I chose to take entomology as my science class because it was something I was very unfamiliar with and was hoping to learn and take away something new from the class since I was very unknowledgeable on this specific area. My favorite project was the hissing cockroach report. Over the course of the semester, I have learned so much about different insects and how they function. It has been a very interesting class and taught me so many new things that I had no clue about when the semester had started! I am looking forward to continuing my entomology experience as I plan on taking the lab next semester.

Hi my name is Lexi Harbin and I am a freshman at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. I am majoring in Elementary Education and took this course as one of my aces. I chose this course because it seemed more hands on than other courses. At first I did not think that I would enjoy it because I am kind of scared of bugs, but I ended up really enjoying it. Throughout this semester I was able to learn a lot about so many different types of bugs and become more educated on their habitats. I am for sure glad that I took this course because it helped me be more comfortable around bugs. I had a lot of fun and can use this to help me on a daily basis.

My name is William and my post will be about mosquitoes which I consider to be fascinating insects and probably my favorites.

There are around 3,500 species of mosquitoes, but just a couple hundred females only out of this number feast on human blood. Male mosquitoes make do just fine with plants, but females need a blood meal before they can lay eggs. The female’s saliva contains an anti-coagulant that lets her more easily suck up her meal. The saliva induces an allergic response from her victim’s immune system; that’s why your skin gets an itchy bump. We all know mosquitoes like to enjoy a couple of human blood cocktails, but did you know they can drink more blood than students can drink alcohol during freshman week? Studies have revealed that mosquitoes are able to drink 3 times their own body weight in blood. Now that’s a lot!

Ever wonder why these little creatures are so attracted to us? Well the reason is simple: Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide, lactic acid and octenol found in our breath and sweat, and they also sense the heat and humidity that surrounds our bodies. They may also have a preference for beer drinkers. The scientific community is divided on how these pests should be dealt with. Some scientists think that eliminating mosquitoes wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Others aren’t so sure, though, and worry about the effects on the ecosystem of the loss of an insect that is eaten by spiders, salamanders, frogs, fish and other insects. Nonetheless it remains that something drastic needs to be done as believe it or not these little insects remain by far the world’s deadliest animal.

Hi everyone! My name is Paige Ourada, and I am a junior here at UNL. I originally signed up for Insect Biology to get an ACE credit, but I really enjoyed parts of it. My favorite part had to be observing the Tobacco Hornworm. I found it so interesting to watch it hatch and grow. Plus, it was a little easier to look at than the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. After taking this class, I know a lot more about the insects that make up our ecosystem and why they are so important. I hope to use the knowledge I learned and apply to my everyday life.

Hi my name is Reagan Wooden. I have learned a lot while taking the Insect Biology course. At first I wasn't sure if I would really enjoy it much, but after taking the class this entire semester, it really is one of my most interesting classes. Probably because it is the class I had the least prior knowledge to, but also it really is such a cool thing to learn about. Not only just learning about them but actually getting a first hand view of certain insects that one doesn't get to see everyday, like the cockroach and the hornworm, which are both extremely fascinating insects. I would say that my favorite insect now is the hornworm. I had a lot of fun with that guy, they are extremely interesting creatures.

Hi my name is Rachael Weller. I am a freshman at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and I am majoring in communication studies. Entomology has been such a huge learning experience for me. Not knowing much about insects, it was so fascinating for me to not only expand my knowledge in them and how they function but also having the hands on experience of having to observe an insect.  Overall, it was such an interesting course that I ended up getting a lot more out of than I thought I would.

Hello everyone!

My name is Alana and I was born into the family beekeeping business.  My great grandfather started the business in Florida.  Eventually my grandfather took over and then my father took over.  I however went to college instead.  I grew up working honey bees and eating a lot of honey.  This probably why I went into biology.  Part of biology is entomology. I am not huge on bugs in general.  As long as they aren't on me then I am usually ok.  However, I have no issues walking into a honey bee yard with no bee suit or protection.

I know from experience that honey bees will leave you alone if you don't bother them. I took this entomology class in the hopes that if I learn more about other insects that I will be as comfortable with all insects as I am with honey bees.  And I can honestly say that I am getting more comfortable with them.  I hope that this will continue throughout the semester and in my home life.

Hi everyone!

My name is Olivia Appleget and I am a sophomore, soon to be junior, at UNL. My favorite part about this class so far has been researching genetically modified insects. I did not know much about biotechnology going into this course, and loved learning more about what it entails. In one of our assignments, we explored the pros and cons of releasing genetically modified mosquitoes. I did not realize that this topic was so controversial and thought provoking before taking this course and completing that assignment. I hope to continue to keep myself aware of biotechnological advancements, and the effect that they may have on my life!

      Hello! My name is Zachary Peters and I am on the Mens Gymnastics Team here at UNL! As of right now I am majoring in Psychology and trying to find something else to major in as well! I want to go to seminary after UNL so that I can be a Pastor. Honestly, for my major I needed to take a class that was a science class. Nevertheless, this class seemed way more enjoyable and creative than any other class that was available for me.

     Overall, I ended up learning more in this class than I thought I would've originally. The biggest thing that I will take away from this class is how much I now know about the different types of insects and their scientific names. It is just really cool for me to be able to know all these scientific names and not just what everyone else calls them. The biggest thing that I loved about this class was observing the Hornworms. I learned so much about them and how complicated their transformation process, compared to what I thought it was like before. I learned so much from this class, and would recommend ENTO115 to any UNL student. Very interesting and creative class to take and to be apart of!

My name is Elizabeth Rentfro and I am Sophomore at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln studying Journalism and English. Entomology was a very big learning experience for me and I am grateful for the hands on experience. I learned so much about the Tobacco Hornworm throughout this course
and it was so cool seeing it grow. I learned a lot about things I used to not think about everyday like genetically modified insects and the debate that is circulating around that topic currently. Overall it was a great class!

Hi my name is Jonathan Scripnick. I am a freshman here at UNL. I am on the University of Nebraska Men's Gymnastics team here as well. I am studying Business Management. A very fun part of this class was watching the Hornworm grow into a moth, it was really interesting to see all the stages of its life cycle.

My name is Natalie VanGerpen and I am currently a Sophomore here at UNL. I am majoring in Elementary Education and taking Entomology 115 as one of my science with a lab classes. I took this class because it seems way more interesting to me than Chemistry and I need to get over my fear of bugs. Through this class and the lab I can proudly say I don’t jump and run away from the site of bugs. I now try to figure out what classification the bug falls under. We are wrapping up the semester now but my favorite thing was taking home the cockroach. My roommates and I were both very skeptical about it being in our apartment but he grew on us big time and we still have him around!

My name is Mary Ann Morrison and I am a Communication major with an Enterprenuership minor and a Gerontology certificate. I want to work with elderly social work after school.

When I first started taking this class it was just for a science credit but as the class went along I have found a new appreciation for insects. I always use to say if I had three wishes one of them would be to get rid of all insects. Of course this is when I didn’t know anything about insects or the benefits that they bring to the world. So now I know longer wish to get rid of insects:)!

Hello my name is Griffin Kehler. I am a freshman at UNL and majoring in business management. I am also on the men's gymnastics team at Nebraska and apart of the US National Team. Gymnastics has been my entire life and it is the reason why I ended up at Nebraska.

I took this class to fulfill my ACE requirement but was very excited to take it because I have always been amazed by insects. I was always the kid who would collect lady bugs and go out catching lightning bugs and caterpillars. All the information I have learned has been mind blowing. I never knew how much detail went into the biology of insects and how similar they can be to humans. All of the interesting facts and concepts I will take away from this class are very interesting. Everyone usually is scared of insects and never really care about insects but the world of insects is so crazy that I regret not taking this class earlier. I would strongly recommend this class to other student if they want a fun and interesting class to take.

Hello!

My name is Mackenzie and I am currently finishing up my junior year at UNL. My major is Human Development and Family Science with a minor in Sociology and Psychology. I took this course to fulfill my ACE requirement. I chose Entomology because I had taken Chemistry and Biology in the past and knew that it was nothing that I had any interest in. I knew nothing about Entomology before I started this course, and it has been pleasantly interesting!

When I was a little girl I loved playing outside in the dirt, I especially loved collecting "roly polys." I have been amazed throughout this entire semester with how much information I have learned. I did not know what to expect from the class, but I did not expect to know the physiology of an insect nor be able to classify the scientific name of a butterfly. I plan to work with children in the future and I think it would be great to implement this information into a curriculum. I have been overly pleased with this course and would recommend it to any UNL student looking for a science course.

Extra Credit

Hi everyone! My name is Olivia and I am currently a freshman here at Nebraska. My major is in Elementary Education so I took this class to cover an ACE requirement but also for a long time I have hated all bugs in general so I was hoping that by taking this class I could maybe conquer a few of my fears. So far it isn't going too bad, the whole cockroach was a challenge for sure but I was able to get over the grossness factor and the thought of it escaping in my room and terrorizing me at night. Now this way, maybe when I'm a teacher in the future I'll be able to face a bug that gets into the classroom and let it go outside instead of running away screaming. 

So far my favorite part of Entomology has been learning about the different metamorphosis of each different insects. I just think it is so cool how some bugs just stay the same but get bigger and others completely change like a caterpillar to a butterfly. The fact that something can completely changing into something else is so amazing to me.  I am just glad that I have grown to actually enjoy this class and not just think of it as mandatory for an ACE class. Makes it a lot more fun to take.

Hello,
My name is Patrick Mathe and I am working on a Masters in entomology.  I have been in the pest control world for over 10 years if I include wildlife removal.  Currently I am a NYS Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in 7A-( structural and rodent),7B- (fumigation),7C-(termite), 7F-(food processing), and 8- (public health).  My current job is Assistant Technical Director at a pest management company.  I really miss the work and solving the customers problems.  My truck was my office and the view was the elements.  Now it’s four walls and stuffy air.   I was a wildlife operator, with my own business and someone told me I was not smart enough to pass the pesticide state exam.  Well that comment kind of set in motion a chain reaction, and fast forward some years to the present day.  I was never satisfied with the knowledge of the senior techs, and no one could answer my questions.  So once I reached a level where the state category’s did nothing for me, I looked for the answers in books, which lead me on this current journey for my masters degree.  At the time of enrollment I didn’t think going for this degree would do anything for me but answer my insect questions.  But believe it or not it has opened a whole other career field than I could have ever imagined. I am looking forward to learning and to see what lies ahead.

Hello all!

My name is Hanna and I am a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My area of study is Elementary Education with an endorsement in ELL. After graduation, I hope to teach in the Lincoln Public Schools system and then continue on to get my masters in Educational Psychology. I decided to take Entomology to cover an ACE class, however, I have found myself really enjoying what I am learning.

Coming into this class, I saw bugs as a nuisance. I didn't have much of an appreciation for them and what they do for our society and ecosystem. What I thought to be tiny little bugs actually do a lot. I have enjoyed learning about the many different ways we classify insects and how that can influence their taxonomical order. From maggot therapy to the many diseases like Lyme disease, insects can have both positive and negative impacts in our world. Without insects and their role in the ecosystem, a great imbalance will happen.

While this class does not directly connect to my major, this type of knowledge can be something fun I can use with my future students. This is also expanding my knowledge in the realm of science and life cycles which will be addressed in my career path. Overal, entomology has taught me a lot and I have thoroughly enjoyed gaining an appreciation for bugs.

Hi everybody,

My name is Kenzie, I'm double majoring in Advertising/Public Relations and Journalism. I'm a sophomore at Lincoln and am currently taking Entomology 115 as an ACE requirement.

I chose insect biology, first off, because it seemed interesting. I grew up playing outside with the with my neighbors, and most of the time I would bring home bugs. (My mom wasn't a fan.) So far, I have learned more than I ever thought I would learn about bugs. Currently we are learning about metamorphosis and the different species it affects. I don't know how much this class will impact my career, but I do think it's beneficial as a human to know about these creatures. We are surrounded by insects and it's interesting to find out the benefits of having them.

Hello all! 

My name is Kylie Pestel. I am a elementary education student major and am studying to become a forth grade teacher! At the moment, I’m taking this entomology class as a prerequisite class and I’m learning so much every week. 

I have been learning about different types of insects, what the purpose of each of their body parts are, and how they grow. I believe this module has been the most interesting and beneficial for my career later on. Often times in elementary schools, the students will observe the life cycles of butterflies. With taking this class, I’ll be able to explain to my future class what is happening at each stage. As the class continues, I find myself more and more interested in all that is being presented. I can’t wait to see what else it has to offer me to present to my future classroom! 

Hello Everyone,

My name is Daniel and I'm taking this class to fulfill a prerequisite for an MS in Entomology. I developed an interest in insects many years ago and although I have casually read numerous books about the social behaviors of ants and bees and most recently a fascinating book by Jeffrey Lockwood on entomological warfare, I wanted to study insects from a more academic level. Given UNL's online platform, I applied for admission and here I am. 

I live in Istanbul, Turkey where I own my own consulting company that provides aid accountability in humanitarian settings throughout the Middle East and Africa. My work has indirect connections to entomology -- most directly in the work that we do for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) where we monitor nutrition levels of food basket beneficiaries in Iraq, Syria, Libya and a few other locations regionally. For years, WFP has sought to include insects as a food source in their food baskets; however, has struggled to overcome social and cultural stigmas associated with consuming insects.

During the course of my studies, I'm hoping to leverage my contacts at WFP and my cultural awareness of the Middle East and Africa to develop strategies to better overcome the social stigmas preventing WFP from being able to offer cost-effective and nutritional food baskets to beneficiaries in emergencies throughout the developing world.

Gabby Robbins Guest Blog Post

Hello everyone!

My name is Gabby. I am a junior Advertising and Public Relations major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After graduation I hope to work as a creative for an advertising agency. Although I'm not particularly passionate about entomology, I do recognize the importance of insects in our enviroment. I have always enjoyed exploring the outdoors. When I was a kid, I remember being interested in collecting cicada exoskeletons.

Now, I would say my biggest interest in insects is literary. My favorite book of all time is The Secret Life of Bees. Although the purpose of the book is more civil rights focused and doesn't necessarily educate people about insects, it still paints an awesome picture of historic bee farms. The reason I took this class was to fulfill an ACE requirement, but I am genuinely really excited by the creative aspect of this class (especially the designer insect assignment). It is also pretty neat to learn the scientific names of insects and other fun facts related to entomology.

Thanks to all our great Insect Biology Students who so far have posted to this blog! I have enjoyed learning more about why each person chose to take entomology courses. I hope that you will come away with a better understanding and appreciation of insects...maybe observe and admire them more when you see them in our environment!

Here is a little interesting news article and video about how moths use scent in order to learn about the environment around them!

Hello everyone,

My name Is Iris Tabora, I am a sophomore, majoring in Elementary Education with an ELL endorsement. I am super excited to hopefully one day become a teacher so that is what I want to go into after I receive my degree from UNL. I honestly don’t know much about insects but I have always been interested in them. I remember as a child collecting lightening bugs with my siblings or when we had our classroom pet and we got to see a butterfly go through metamorphosis. At the time, it was the most fascinating thing, so that’s why I decided to take this class.

In my opinion insects are such a huge part of our environment and I think it’s interesting learning more about them. I had little/to no experience prior to taking this class but having a pet cockroach for several weeks as well as learning through the modules have definitely expand my knowledge. A particular area of entomology that interests is learning more about insects of the sea. It amazes me that they are similar to humans in certain ways, for example, they can go underwater but for only short periods of time. They have to swim back up to the surface in order to get area which is similar to what we as humans do. I’m very excited to continue this class and to keep learning more interesting things about insects!

My Intro to Bugs!

Greetings fellow readers!

My name is Nicole Luhr and am currently taking this class as a pre-requisite for grad classes for an Entomology Masters. I graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor's in Agri-business, but chose to pursue a masters in entomology due to my current work situation.

Currently, I work for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as an Entomology Research Technologist. In previous years I worked as a temporary summer employee for the department and became interested in this area due to a great supervisor who taught me many things in which I came to have many questions about various insects and therefore made me curious about the area of study. Pursuing an Entomology Masters will benefit my knowledge as an employee and someday I hope to maybe work for a company and give recommendations for problems that farmers have in their field.

Last year I initiated a study with fall armyworm in soybeans with a grad student from Brazil. I intend to continue the study here in the U.S. for him since the environment isn't as favorable for them in Brazil due to many predators.

A couple of insects that interest me are western corn rootworms and aphids. As a research technologist I have more rootworm trials than others. I also rent crop ground where I plant corn on corn which is where I can utilize research information for my own operation.

Aphids are the other interest since these are a popular pest in areas. There can be a high number of them in a field but the damage from them isn't really noticeable until later on. They can also multiply rapidly by starting at just 50 or so and going to hundreds within a very short period of time given suitable weather conditions.

Danica Meierhenry's Blog

Hi! My name is Danica Meierhenry and I am a sophomore here at UNL. I am majoring in Forensic Science with a double minor in Psychology and Chemistry. After the semester I will hopefully be adding on an Entomology major as well because it goes hand in hand with Forensic Science and throughout this course I have found it very interesting.

The reason why I chose to take Entomology initially is because it's a required course for Forensic Science (CSI), but I never knew how much I would actually enjoy it. This class has been my favorite class by far this semester, which ultimately led me to consider majoring in it as well. So far some of my favorite things I've done include, the hissing cockroach assignment and identifying different insects in lab. This class has been challenging, but I tend to study more and want to learn more about subjects that I enjoy.

In the future, what I want to do with my majors in Forensic Science and Entomology is be a crime scene investigator with a concentration in insect identification. I think it's amazing how much of an impact insects have on forensic science. Insects can ultimately solve a case and determine many different factors such as, where the body was located, how long it's been there, and more. I think having a background in both Forensics and Entomology will give me an advantage in the field I am trying to pursue.

Yajaira Lopez-Villa

          ¡Hola Hola! My name is Yajaira López-Villa. I call home a little town by the name of Crete, that is about 30mins from Lincoln. This is my fourth year at the university. Hopefully, I graduate in December 2018 and attend graduate school! I am a Spanish and Latin American Studies double major, with an Ethnic Studies minor. My passion is creating awareness and educating those around me. I love working with first-generation, minority, low-income students, as I am one of those students. For that reason, I want to pursue a master’s degree in Multicultural Student Affairs and help individuals stay in college and find their home away from home.

          Honestly, I was very intimidated by taking this course. I am very afraid of insects! I will cry if there is anything with more than 4 legs, zero eyes or more than two eyes on me or near me. I really don’t know why I am such a baby when it comes to insects, even butterflies’ kind of bothers me. This course, even though online has helped me understand more about insects and I could say that I am a little more tolerant. Not going to lie, even though we watched over a hissing cockroach for a few weeks and I learned about their importance I don’t think I will ever be okay with having cockroaches around. Granted, it does feel nice to say fun facts about insect when I come across them and my friends are around!