College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

UC Riverside receives seven grants totaling $7M for graduate education

UC Riverside has received seven grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need ( GAANN ) Program. The program offers grants to academic departments and programs at higher education institutions to fund graduate fellowships. Students with strong academic records and who have demonstrated financial need and intent to pursue...

Honored Doctoral Student

A doctoral student in entomology is being honored by the world’s largest entomological society for her contributions to the field. Link to Article: Doctoral Student

How mites influence cage-free egg production in the United States, mite management strategies, and the mitigating role of genomic selection

Egg production in the United States has changed significantly in the last century. From the 1920s to the 1960s, egg production underwent a significant evolution, driven by advancements in breeding and husbandry practices ( Kidd and Anderson, 2019 ). In the early 20th century, chickens were typically raised on small farms, where they were valued...

House Fly Resistance to One Neonic Insecticide Doesn’t Extend to Others, Study Shows

Originally from central Asia, the house fly ( Musca domestica) is found pretty much anywhere humans live. In large numbers it can be a nuisance, and it is known to transmit more than 200 pathogens to humans and animals. One of the most common methods to control house flies are toxic baits, which contain a...

Held Without R-ant-som: The Kidnapper Ant That Steals Workers From 20 Other Species

Most people associate ants with industriousness. We see them as busy insects working together for the good of the colony. But some ants pawn their work off on other species, raiding their nests and kidnapping their young to ensure a steady supply of workers. Link to Article: Held Without R-ant-som:

Good grub — why you should consider eating ... bugs

More than 2 billion people regularly eat insects — on purpose. They’re a great source of protein for communities around the world and some are considered delicacies reserved for special occasions. And it’s entirely possible that eating bugs could become more common in the U.S. too. Link to Article: Good grub — why you should...

A $1.2 million Rosetta stone for honeybees

If you upset one bee, what determines whether the entire hive decides to avenge her grievance? A $1.2 million grant will support UC Riverside scientists in answering questions like these about how honeybees communicate. Link to original article: Rosetta stone for Honeybees

Entomological Society of America elects UCR Professor as Fellow

For his outstanding contributions to the field, UCR Professor Chow-Yang Lee has been elected fellow of the Entomological Society of America, one of only four individuals nationwide to receive the honor this year. Link to original article: Entomological Society of America elects UCR Professor as Fellow | Inside UCR | UC Riverside

Cage-free chickens are louse-y

Lice have been found feeding on the skin and blood of free-range chickens, which are infected at much higher rates than caged flocks. This finding could have implications for states like California, where all egg production is cage-free. Links to original article: https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2024/07/17/cage-free-chickens-are-louse-y https://www.morningagclips.com/study-finds-lice-causing-significant-harm-to-poultry/

Wild plants and crops don’t make great neighbors

Native plants and non-native crops do not fare well in proximity to one another, attracting pests that spread diseases in both directions, according to two new UC Riverside studies. “We have changed the landscape, and it’s created opportunities for pathogens to thrive,” said UCR entomologist Kerry Mauck, who co-authored the studies. “We have introduced pathogens...

Sterile Insect Technique Shows Promise Against Asian Citrus Psyllid

The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) has been identified on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. It is known for spreading the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, which causes citrus greening disease (also known as Huanglongbing). Citrus greening is one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. Infected trees produce immature (and unmarketable) fruits...

95% Success Rate: Scientists Develop New, More Effective, and Non-Toxic Way To Kill Termites

UC Riverside scientists discovered a new termite control method using pinene to attract termites to insecticide, offering a non-toxic, cost-effective alternative to traditional fumigation. Credit: Dong-Hwan Choe/UCR UC Riverside scientists have introduced an effective and sustainable termite control strategy using pinene to lure termites into insecticide-treated areas, achieving over 95% effectiveness and reducing the reliance...

Here’s a great new tool to help protect butterflies in your area

Spring wings A look at our local Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species and share some tips on how to protect them. Link to original article: Here’s a great new tool to help protect butterflies in your area

Invasive Beetle Kills At Least 90,000 SoCal Trees: Can Indigenous Cultural Burns Help?

Tree limbs and tops began falling off century-old black oak trees on the La Jolla reservation in northern San Diego County around 2014 and nobody knew why. The die off was puzzling and tribal fire chief Wesley Ruise Jr. couldn’t remove the dead trees fast enough. Link to original article: Invasive Beetle Kills At Least...

Insecticide Spraying Of Trees Shuts Down Crystal Lake Recreation Area

If you had plans to visit the Crystal Lake recreation area in the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest this week, you should change them. Officials closed the area Tuesday to spray insecticide on pine trees to protect them from a tree-colonizing beetle. The closure is set to end Sunday. Link to original article...

Buzzworthy: new podcast sorts insect facts from fiction

Friends, Romans, arthropods, lend us your ears! For those curious about insects – their behavior, love lives, the threat or lack thereof they pose to humans – there is a new podcast: Can I Bug You? Recorded on the UC Riverside campus at the KUCR FM radio studio, the podcast is a twice-monthly deep dive...

Threat Of Fruit Flies Returns To California

Four decades ago, California went to war against an enemy that wasn’t human. The adversary was the Mediterranean fruit fly, an invasive pest that threatened to destroy California’s agricultural economy. To fight the fly, the state launched controversial aerial pesticide spraying campaigns and set up roadblocks and quarantine zones. Fast forward to today and the...
By KQED News Staff |

Western U.S. Has More Subterranean Termite Species Than Previously Thought, Study Shows

Subterranean termites in the genus Reticulitermes are common pests in North America, responsible for significant damage to wooden structures. The scientific literature maintains that the western United States is home to two native species of termites: Reticulitermes hesperus in more coastal regions from British Columbia to Southern California, and Reticulitermes tibialis in more arid inland...
By ENTOMOLOGY TODAY |

California tree nuts under attack by new beetle

If ever there were not enough reasons for tree nut farmers to be diligent about winter sanitation, they now have one more with the discovery of a new invasive beetle that overwinters in mummy nuts. This new beetle – Carpophilus truncatus (Nitidulidae) – is a known pest of almonds in Australia, where they have been...
By Todd Fitchette |

Your guide to not letting the bed bugs bite

France’s top export this year isn’t creamy camembert or moody arthouse cinema. No, people will remember France in 2023 for exporting the only home invader so reviled that many would rather see their belongings go up in flames than deal with them: bed bugs. Right now, French families are tossing their beds onto the streets...
By Jamie Davies |
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