How did you get into bugs?

"How did you get into bugs?" I've been asked this question more time than I can count. For some people, they just don't get how insects could be interesting. They most certainly don't understand why I would choose to go to places where there are lots and lots of them. Typically, I will tell people that I just "grew interested." However, it's much more complicated than that. It all began while I was going to school and trying to build my resume. The local health department had an opening for a West Nile Virus Surveillance intern and I figured the health department would look really good on an Environmental Health resume. Little did I know, this would peak my insect interest and pave the way for my future. I spent the next 3 months catching, identifying, freezing and testing mosquitos. All summer I drove to the same remote locations to collect my week's harvest. In the rain, sun or tornados, I battled raccoons, deer and rabbits to gather my samples. Needless to say, after graduation I became a health inspector. My west nile virus surveillance came in handy, I would still get to dabble in it by collecting dead crows or sparrows from throughout the county I covered. But then I got into the real fun-- cockroaches. I loved hunting down roaches in a restaurant. I knew the diseases they could carry and the ramifications this could have for an unsuspecting consumer and ultimately, I wanted to protect people's health. I got so good at finding roaches, I could walk into a place and smell them. It was fun, it was interesting. I then met the love of my life, my husband. He lived near St. Louis and as our relationship progressed, I knew I needed to make a change. I was moving to St. Louis. If you know me personally, you know not only am I fascinated with insects but I LOVE DOGS! Dogs are the best!! And what's better in St. Louis for a dog lover than the largest manufacturer of pet food in the US...nothing. So I meticulously combed the Purina website for months looking for any and everything I could possibly be qualified for and applied immediately. Rejection after rejection was heartbreaking but then I got it. I got a call from their HR department. They wanted to interview me on a job that wasn't posted but they had seen my resume and thought I might be a good fit. I was ecstatic! I didn't even care what the job was, I wanted it. Come to find out, the job was in Food Safety!! I was over the moon excited. I nailed the phone interview and they set me up for an in person interview the following week. When I got there, I discussed in detail my likes, my dislikes, my previous work, who I was and where I wanted to go. At the end of my interview, my now boss said to me, "Well, we'd really like it if you'd become a Board Certified Entomologist too." And I've been in the Retail Food Safety department with Purina for the last 3 years with all the resources I could ever want to expand my insect knowledge. I love learning and I never want to stop, especially about insects.

Come visit all the insects (and entomologists) on Sunday at Bugfest!

Come to #UNL Bugfest, Sun. Sept. 11, 1-4 pm. Department of Entomology Open House, Entomology Hall, East Campus

Free admission and parking north of the building.
Kids are welcome!

Tour the research labs and meet the professors, and more!

Our Bugmasters program was a success! Given the last two Fridays, the training prepared participants to do outreach, pollinator, Emerald ash borer, and bedbug programs! Instructors were Erin Bauer, University of Nebraska--Lincoln Dept of Entomology, Jonathan Larsen, Extension Educator in Douglas County, and Jody Green, Extension Educator in Lancaster County.

Very few butterflies this summer? Perish the thought! :-(

A couple interesting articles that have come down the newswire:

Ant "kiss-of-death"

Silkworm silk protects soldiers

Ah, what a hot summer! Have you ever wondered how bees keep their hives cool? Read this recent article on the subject! Very timely to go along with the 90 and 100 degree temps we've had here in Nebraska!