Entoblitz 2012

   This past weekend the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma joined up with the Entomology Graduate Student Organization [EGSO] of Texas A&M University to organize a joint Oklahoma+Texas Entoblitz. Entoblitz is a yearly effort by Texas A&M to bring in scientists and experts in the field of insects to collect, study, and identify taxa in different areas of Texas. This was the first time that we had a joint-one with another state, and held it at the University of Oklahoma's Biostation next to Lake Texoma which is right on the border of Texas (so it was NEARLY Texas!). The Biostation is a fantastic facility, and we here at OU are so thankful to have it!

Beautiful weather for Entoblitz at the Station! The only quirk was the high winds near the lake.

    Over 40 people attended the Entoblitz, which is a really high number for us. The group included several experts of different groups (Beetles, Moths and Butterflies, etc.) as well as several soon-to-be experts in the future. Our goal was to have scientists of both states meet and greet, since many of the insects we study share distributions in both states.

The Red Admiral Butterfly, which is found in both states and were in large numbers at Entoblitz.

     Some of the neat insects that were found at the Entoblitz were photographed by Mike Quinn, who established a page of photographs. His primary expertise is beetles, and he does a lot with Bugguide.net, which is a really good resource for North American insects. My personal favorite insect he found at the Station was the mirid Plagiognathus.

    Other neat finds include a large series of dung beetles called Phanaeus sp., which was found under dead catfish near Lake Texoma (I guess stinky fish are as bad smelling and therefore attractive as dung!), and several different butterflies not usually found this early in Oklahoma, like the Queen butterfly. Many other insects were found that are new records for that species in Oklahoma or are possibly new species themselves, but we'll be finding out more in the future as the collectors and experts start pinning and processing their catches from the trip.

Entoblitz attendee Brittany with an NTO (non-target organism, meaning not a bug!)

   Overall the best part of the Entoblitz is to have an excuse for us Entomologists to get together, learn from each other, and share our knowledge. For example, beetle and butterfly experts Ed Riley and Tom Riley, respectively, even taught lessons on how to point-pin and spread insects from 1-2am on the last night Saturday so our graduate students could see how "the best" do it. How often do people have that opportunity to learn that from the experts and have that hand's on experience? :)
    Next year the Texas A&M EGSO is probably going to pick another location in Texas, and we here in Oklahoma are planning on what we want to do next (maybe a joint one with Arkansas?). No matter what though, we will do what it takes to keep the Entoblitz tradition going to learn more about the neat diversity of the South!