Announcements and Press Releases

Annapolis, MD; July 7, 2021—The Entomological Society of America has removed “gypsy moth” and “gypsy ant” as recognized common names for two insect species in its Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms List. The changes are made in conjunction with the launch of a new ESA program to review and replace insect common names that may be inappropriate or offensive. Entomologists, scientists in related fields, and the public are invited to participate in identifying and proposing alternatives for insect common names that perpetuate negative ethnic or racial stereotypes.

Annapolis, MD; June 28, 2021—Drones keep getting smaller and smaller, while their potential applications keep getting bigger and bigger. And now unmanned aircraft systems are taking on some of the world’s biggest small problems: insect pests. From crop-munching caterpillars to disease-transmitting mosquitoes, insects that threaten crops, ecosystems, and public health are increasingly being targeted with new pest-management strategies that deploy unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, or drones) for detection and control. And a variety of these applications are featured in a new special collection published this week in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

Annapolis, MD; May 24, 2021—Vernard Lewis, Ph.D., BCE, emeritus cooperative extension specialist at the University of California, Berkeley, has been selected to deliver the Founders' Memorial Award lecture at Entomology 2021, the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA).