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!