Entomological Society of America
Encyclopedia
The Entomological Society of America (ESA) was founded in 1889 and today has more than 6,000 members, including educators, extension personnel, consultants, students, researchers, and scientists from agricultural departments, health agencies, private industries, colleges and universities, and state and federal governments. It serves the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. To facilitate communication among members, the ESA is divided into four sections based on entomological
interests, and five branches, based on geographic proximity. The national office is located in Lanham
, Maryland
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Vision Statement: The Entomological Society of America will be recognized by peer associations, the scientific community, and the public as the best forum for scientific exchange of entomological knowledge, leading to a record of positive influence within public and private institutions where this information is essential.
Mission Statement: The Entomological Society of America exists to promote the science of entomology. The Society accomplishes this through:
Each of the five branches of the ESA give out the John Henry Comstock
Graduate Student Award annually for achievement by a graduate student.
-style competition on entomological facts played between university-sponsored student teams at the ESA Annual Meeting. The winning team earns a plaque for the team's department.
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
interests, and five branches, based on geographic proximity. The national office is located in Lanham
Lanham, Maryland
Lanham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. Because it is not formally incorporated, it has no official boundaries, but the United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place consisting of Lanham and the...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Membership benefits
ESA Membership is open to anyone, including non-U.S. residents. All members receive online access to all four of ESA's journals, including back issues and new ones; the monthly ESA Newsletter; the quarterly American Entomologist magazine; discounts on books, printed journals and meeting registrations; access to the searchable membership database; and the ability to vote in ESA elections and contribute to other governing issues.Vision Statement: The Entomological Society of America will be recognized by peer associations, the scientific community, and the public as the best forum for scientific exchange of entomological knowledge, leading to a record of positive influence within public and private institutions where this information is essential.
Mission Statement: The Entomological Society of America exists to promote the science of entomology. The Society accomplishes this through:
- Disseminating original research and perspectives leading to a continuous stream of discoveries and applications relevant to the science;
- Creating productive opportunities to stimulate new ideas and capitalize on the diversity and varied perspectives of the membership; and
- Expanding the basic level of understanding about insectInsectInsects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and related organisms through outreach to stakeholders of all types.
Publications
- Annals of the Entomological Society of America – Articles report on basic aspects of the biologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
of arthropodArthropodAn arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s, divided into categories by subject matter: systematics; ecologyEcologyEcology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and population biologyPopulation biologyPopulation biology is a study of populations of organisms, especially the regulation of population size, life history traits such as clutch size, and extinction...
; arthropod biology; arthropods in relation to plant diseases; conservation biology and biodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
; physiologyPhysiologyPhysiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, biochemistryBiochemistryBiochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, and toxicologyToxicologyToxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
; morphologyMorphology (biology)In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, histologyHistologyHistology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...
, and fine structure; geneticsGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
; and behavior. - Environmental Entolomology – This journal publishes reports on the interaction of insects with the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of their environmentEnvironment (biophysical)The biophysical environment is the combined modeling of the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables, parameters as well as conditions and modes inside the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories:...
and is divided into the following sections: physiological ecologyEcophysiologyEcophysiology or environmental physiology is a biological discipline which studies the adaptation of organism's physiology to environmental conditions...
; chemical ecologyChemical ecologyChemical ecology is the study of the chemicals involved in the interactions of living organisms. It focuses on the production of and response to signaling molecules and toxins. Chemical ecology is of particular importance among ants and other social insects – including bees, wasps, and termites –...
; population ecologyPopulation ecologyPopulation ecology is a sub-field of ecology that deals with the dynamics of species populations and how these populations interact with the environment. It is the study of how the population sizes of species living together in groups change over time and space....
; quantitative ecologyQuantitative ecologyQuantitative ecology is the application of advanced mathematical and statistical tools to any number of problems in the field of ecology. It is a small but growing subfield in ecology, reflecting the demand among practicing ecologists to interpret ever larger and more complex data sets using...
; community and ecosystem ecology; biological control-parasitoids and predators; biological control—microbials; biological control—weeds; behaviorBehavioral ecologyBehavioral ecology, or ethoecology, is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior, and the roles of behavior in enabling an animal to adapt to its environment...
; pest managementPest controlPest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.-History:...
; sampling; plant-insect interactions; molecular ecologyMolecular ecologyMolecular ecology is a field of evolutionary biology that is concerned with applying molecular population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, and more recently genomics to traditional ecological questions...
and evolutionEvolutionEvolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
; transgenic plants and insects. - Journal of Economic Entomology – This journal publishes articles on the economic significance of insects and is divided into the following sections: apiculture and social insects; arthropods in relation to plant disease; forum; insecticide resistance and resistance management; ecotoxicologyEcotoxicologyEcotoxicology is the study of the effects of toxic chemicals on biological organisms, especially at the population, community, ecosystem level. Ecotoxicology is a multidisciplinary field, which integrates toxicology and ecology....
; biological and microbial control; ecology and behavior; sampling and biostatistics; household and structural insects; medical entomologyMedical entomologyThe discipline of medical entomology, or public health entomology, and also veterinary entomology is focused upon insects and arthropods that impact human health. Veterinary entomology is included in this category, because many animal diseases can "jump species" and become a human health threat,...
; molecular entomology; veterinaryVeterinary medicineVeterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
entomology; forest entomology; horticultural entomology; field and forageForageForage is plant material eaten by grazing livestock.Historically the term forage has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used more loosely to include similar plants cut for fodder and carried to the animals, especially...
cropCropCrop may refer to:* Crop, a plant grown and harvested for agricultural use* Crop , part of the alimentary tract of some animals* Crop , a modified whip used in horseback riding or disciplining humans...
s, and small grains; stored-product; commodity treatment and quarantineQuarantineQuarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
entomology; and plant resistance. - Journal of Medical Entomology – This journal publishes reports on all phases of medical entomology and medical acarology, including the systematicsSystematicsBiological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
and biology of insects, acarines, and other arthropods of public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and veterinary significance. The journal is divided into the following sections: Morphology, Systematics, Evolution; Sampling, Distribution, Dispersal; Development, Life History; Population and Community Ecology; Behavior, Chemical Ecology; Population Biology/Genetics; Molecular Biology/Genomics; Neurobiology, Physiology, Biochemistry; Vector Control, Pest Management, Resistance, Repellents; Arthropod/Host Interaction, immunityImmunity (medical)Immunity is a biological term that describes a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion. Immunity involves both specific and non-specific components. The non-specific components act either as barriers or as eliminators of wide...
; Vector/Pathogen/Host Interaction, Transmission; Vector Borne Diseases, Surveillance, Prevention; Direct Injury, MyiasisMyiasisMyiasis is a general term for infection by parasitic fly larvae feeding on the host's necrotic or living tissue. Colloquialisms for myiasis include flystrike, blowfly strike, and fly-blown. In Greek, "myia" means fly....
, ForensicsForensic entomologyForensic entomology is the application and study of insect and other arthropod biology to criminal matters. It is primarily associated with death investigations; however, it may also be used to detect drugs and poisons, determine the location of an incident, and find the presence and time of the...
; Modeling/GIS, Risk Assessment, Economic Impact. - American Entomologist – American Entomologist is a quarterly magazine that publishes articles and information of general entomological interest. The magazine publishes letters to the editor, columns, features, research, book reviewBook reviewA book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review could be a primary source opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or on the internet. Reviews are also often...
s, and obituariesObituaryAn obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
. - Arthropod Management Tests – Arthropod Management Tests (AMT) publishes short reports on preliminary and routine screening tests for management of arthropods that may be beneficial (e.g., parasitoidParasitoidA parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s, predators and diseases of pests, honey beeHoney beeHoney bees are a subset of bees in the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis...
s, silkworm) or harmful (e.g., pests and disease vectors of plants, animals, and humans). Pest management methods reported in this publication may be those using chemical pesticidePesticidePesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s as well as other materials such as insect growth regulators, semiochemicalSemiochemicalA semiochemical is a generic term used for a chemical substance or mixture that carries a message. These chemicals acts as messengers within or between species...
s (e.g., pheromonePheromoneA pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
s, kairomoneKairomoneA kairomone is a semiochemical, emitted by an organism, which mediates interspecific interactions in a way that benefits an individual of another species which receives it, without benefiting the emitter. This "eavesdropping" is often disadvantageous to the producer...
s), traps, bio-controlBiological pest controlBiological control of pests in agriculture is a method of controlling pests that relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms...
agents, pest-resistant plants and animals. - Common Names of Insects – This resource is an essential reference for anyone who works with insects. It includes more than 2,000 common names and is searchable by common nameCommon nameA common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
, scientific nameBinomial nomenclatureBinomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, orderOrder (biology)In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
, familyFamily (biology)In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, genusGenusIn biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, and speciesSpeciesIn biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
. Interested individuals may propose new common names by submitting the Common Names Proposal Form that is reviewed by the Committee on the Common Names of Insects and voted on by the ESA Governing Board. - Insect Pest Handbooks – This series of books is directed toward commodities, groups of pests associated with a specific habitat, or a specific taxaTaxon|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
of pests. The problems covered by the handbooks are principally those that occur in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The audience for the handbooks is other entomologists and agricultural research scientists, agricultural teachers and their students, area and county agents, veterinarianVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
s, foresterForester250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
s, master gardeners and homeowners. - Thomas Say Publications in Entomology – These titles include book-length manuscripts on all aspects of entomology and offer some of the most comprehensive information and research on the topics they cover.
Annual meetings
The Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America is its premier event each year. For a four-day period, thousands of entomologists and professionals from related disciplines gather from around the world to exchange scientific information and ideas, enhance professional knowledge and skills, network with colleagues and re-acquaint with old friends, and conduct the business of the Society.Certification programs
ESA offers two certification programs, the Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) and the Board Certified Entomologist (BCE). BCE is geared toward those who are formally educated in entomology and ACE more toward those with hands-on training and professional development in the field of structural pest managementAwards
ESA and the Entomological Foundation provide annual honors and awards to recognize scientists, educators, and students, who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to entomology, and offer limited financial assistance for academic study.Each of the five branches of the ESA give out the John Henry Comstock
John Henry Comstock
John Henry Comstock was an eminent researcher in entomology and arachnology and a leading educator. His work provided the basis for classification of butterflies, moths, and scale insects.-Early life and education:...
Graduate Student Award annually for achievement by a graduate student.
Jobs in entomology
ESA offers an opportunity for employers to publicize job openings in entomology and related fields through its monthly newsletter and web site.Linnaean Games
The Linnaean Games are a lively question-and-answer, college bowlCollege Bowl
College Bowl was a format of college-level quizbowl run and operated by College Bowl Company, Incorporated. It had a format similar to the current NAQT format. College Bowl first aired on US radio stations in 1953, and aired on US television from 1959 to 1970...
-style competition on entomological facts played between university-sponsored student teams at the ESA Annual Meeting. The winning team earns a plaque for the team's department.