Arthro-Pod

Welcome back bug lovers! This is the first of a two part series about the history of fire ants in the United States and the ways we responded to their presence in the south. Colloquially these could be referred to as the "FIRE ANT WARS"! You can imagine your own pulse pounding beat to idea... In this episode, we unpack how fire ants arrived in the US, the sequence of events that led to red imported fire ant becoming so common, and the first forays into understanding this pest. 
 
Show Notes: 
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3639751.html 
https://extension.msstate.edu/introduction-fire-ants 
https://fireant.tamu.edu/learn/history-of-the-red-imported-fire-ant/ 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Welcome back, Arthro-Pod listeners! This week we chat with Kevyn Juneau, Associate Professor at University of Wisconsin - River Falls, about teaching and research at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). We take a deep dive into his habitat restoration work in the Bahamas and how teaching at a PUI is different from a larger (e.g., R1, land grant, state) university. Part of Kevyn's research has been conducted via collaborations made through the Ecological Research as Education Network, which helps connect folks at PUIs so they can conduct larger, more impactful work across broader geographic areas.
__
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Hey bug lovers! In today's show, the crew meets up with Sally Raymond to talk all about integrated pest management in apple orchards. Apple production is fascinating and the ways growers manage pests are also unique compared to other ag systems. Tune in to learn about apples as a system, how are pests dealt with in orchards, Sally's work specifically looking at hail netting to stop pests, and how IPM helps the beneficial organisms in the orchard. 
Show notes: 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219424000711#sec3
https://entomology.umn.edu/news/nelson-double-duty-nets
https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/116/6/2104/7334101

Get ready listeners, this episode is packed with so many things! Jody and Jonathan are joined by Dr. Ted Burk, who really didn't need any questions, prompts or an outline. It is an episode rich in stories about insects, scientific discovery, and conservation efforts—perfect for entomologists, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts alike. 
This interview with entomologist Dr. Burk follows his lifelong path from 4-H insect collecting to a decades-long career in behavior, ecology, and conservation at Creighton University. He shares stories from his research on American cockroaches, crickets, Caribbean fruit flies, conehead katydids, regal fritillaries, monarch butterflies, and fireflies, while highlighting how insect mating behavior, pollination, and prairie restoration reveal the deep ecological importance of even the smallest creatures.
Note: If you want to hear Ted talk about the biologically interesting state of Nebraska pay attention to 37:23-39:39.
More about Ted:
Dr. Theodore Burk’s Faculty Profile at Creighton University Department of Biology   
Xerces Society 2024 article about Ted Burk and his work with insect conservation 
Glacier Creek Preserve Butterfly List, last updated 2020
Richard Dawkins and Theodore Burk in 1976 Photo
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Join us as we dive into the career journey and leadership insights of Melissa Siebert, a renowned entomologist in industry and the 2026 President of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Discover how her dedication, scientific expertise, and community-building efforts shape the future of entomology and agriculture.
Topics Covered:
Melissa's background and path into entomology and insecticide development
The pipeline of insecticide research: from molecule design to market
Leadership journey within ESA and the significance of community building
The evolving landscape of industry and the skills needed for success
Insights into ESA's organizational structure and upcoming initiatives
The importance of collaboration between industry, academia, and society members
Links:
Melissa Siebert
Corteva
Entomological Society of America
__
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Hello bug lovers! In today's episode, Jody, Jonathan, and Michael are joined by entomology legend, Dr. Tom Turpin of Purdue University. Tom is an ESA fellow, an author (check out Flies in the Face of Fashion, Mites Make Right, and other Bugdacious Tales and What’s Buggin’ You Now? Bee’s Knees, Bug Lites, and Beetles), and is most famous for his work in teaching and outreach. 
Today, he helps Arthro-Pod to examine the use of insects and their relatives in poetry. If you have every wanted to know why the cicada sings or the why the firefly glows, this isthe episode for you!
If you want to read some of the poems discussed: 
https://www.literarymatters.org/18-1-meleager-of-gadara-to-the-cicada/ 
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58430/firefly-56d23ccbb5f21 
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53210/on-the-grasshopper-and-cricket
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

This week we chat with Calvin Norman, an extension forester with Penn State, about the importance of hemlock trees in eastern North America and the impact that hemlock woolly adelgid has had on hemlock forests. Spoiler, it's not good.
 
__
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Join us as we dive into the vital role of milkweed for monarch butterfly survival, the community-driven efforts to plant and restore habitats. Our guest, Nancy Crews, director of Milkweed Matters, shares inspiring stories of grassroots initiatives, scientific advancements, and how everyone can contribute to pollinator conservation.
Call to Action:
Plant native gardens, participate in seed collection, support habitat restoration, and spread awareness about the importance of pollinators. Your efforts help ensure that monarchs and countless other pollinators thrive for generations to come.
Resources and Links:
Milkweed Matters Website: https://milkweedmatters.org/
Monarch Watch: https://monarchwatch.org/blog/
Radio tracking Monarchs: https://monarchjointventure.org/blog/revolutionary-tracking-study-follows-monarchs
Motus: https://motus.org/
Homegrown National Park: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
__
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Unlock the surprising art and science of transforming urban trees into one-of-a-kind lumber and discover why bugs are part of the story that makes every piece unique.
In this episode, Meghan Sundermeier of Omaha Wood Company shares how she salvages urban logs, turning both unwanted and sentimental wood into beautiful, sustainable creations. Guided by a deep respect for nature, Meghan’s work is about more than woodworking. It is about rethinking waste, honoring the life of trees, and recognizing the tiny ecosystems that exist all around us, even in urban spaces.
She walks us through the entire process, from sourcing local wood to milling and kiln drying using advanced vacuum technology. Along the way, she explains the critical steps needed to eliminate pests like powderpost beetles and wood boring beetles, offering practical insight into how entomology intersects with craftsmanship.
Visit Omaha Wood Company in person or connect with them on social media to learn more.
Website: https://omahawood.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omahawoodco/ 
__
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Thank you so much for listening!

Michael and the gang chat with Dr. Jared Ali about his unorthodox journey to becoming an entomologist, making unexpected connections, and exploring multitrophic interactions between plants, herbivores, and pests.
 
___________________________________________________________
Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!
Thank you so much for listening!