This month, Bill and Steve geek out over insects! And it’s because they were lucky enough to have an even bigger insect geek invite them on a field trip. Jason Dombroskie is the collection manager and director of the insect diagnostic lab at Cornell University. His invite to take the guys mothing in July of 2022 turned into a marvelous, day-long adventure:
In part one, you’ll hear the guys meet up with Jason for a tour of his property and an interview delving into Jason’s background and what it’s like to be a professional entomologist (it involves studying lots of insect genitalia, among other things). We follow that up with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cornell University Insect Collection - an assemblage spanning over 7 million insect specimens representing about 200,000 species, or roughly 20% of the world’s described insect fauna.
So, strap in and prepare yourself for…Insectapalooza!
This episode was recorded on July 2, 2022 at Jason’s property near Ithaca, NY and at the Cornell University Insect Collection in Comstock Hall at Cornell University.
Links
The Cornell University Insect Collection
Also, check out their great Instagram feed
And their annual October event Insectapalooza
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Photos/Videos by timestamp
13:17 Ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)
Ebony Jewelwing: Attribution: © lewarren /some rights reserved / https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/233757001
Gray Petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi) Attribution: public domain / https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123889165
14:21 Gray petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi)
28:37 Asian longhorned beetle
((Anoplophora glabripennis)
Asian Longhorned Beetle ((Anoplophora glabripennis) : Attribution: © selenapagano / some rights reserved / https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/233701232
29:19 Herald moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix) on a sticky trap
38:01 - A drawer of mostly undescribed species in the Tortricid family of moths, in the tribe Archipini.
44:41 Jason cranks the compacter wheel
45:00 The peanut-headed bug (Fulgora laternaria)
Peanut-headed Bug (Fulgora laternaria) Attribution: public domain / https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74636167
Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) Attribution: public domain / https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/135140470
46:06 Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)
46:48 Rhinoceros beetles (Genus: Megasoma)
47:11 Bloom on the beetles - fat crystalizing
49:29 A tray of the smallest moths in the world - the minute eyecap moths
52:59 Ghost moths (Zelotypia stacyi) - one of the biggest species of micromoths
53:50 - Blue morpho butterflies (Genus: Morpho)
