ENTO 366/466/468 – 1-6 credits (only 3 count toward degree requirements) Section 024
I supervise students in Independent study projects. Some will be actual research while others might be directed study projects. Topics will be of mutual interest and I individually design projects jointly with the student. Some of the areas I feel most comfortable doing such activity include:
Apiculture (honey bees) – applied or basic aspects of honey bees (research or directed study)., IPM control of bee mites, pests/predators/diseases of honey bees and management of bee colonies including queen replacement biology. There is a good data base on Varroa mite sampling and threshold which Science and Engr scholar Colleen Granger and Crystal Ziegler have worked on and for which further analysis is needed.
Apoidea (bees) – biology/ecology/taxonomy of bees
Entomology – biology/ecology/control of insects or related arthropods.
Extension – delivery of appropriate technology to clientele.
Greenhouse inspect pests – biology or control of major/minor insect pests of greenhouse crops, IPM control of greenhouse pests.
Ornamental insect pests – biology/ecology of pests of ornamental pests (outside or inside structures). I have an extensive several year data base (as part of the SE PA IPM task force) on insect pests keyed to GDD (Growing Degree Days) that needs to be analysed and could easily serve as project/research starting point. In collaboration with Science and Engr Scholar Matthew Richardson there is a good data base on GDD recording instruments for which further analysis is needed.
Social insects – comparative biology/ecology/queen replacement studies.
Wildlife biology – biology/ecology/control of wildlife species.