Wilson County 4-H leader Laurie Curtis looks at an insect tray after one of the concurrent sessions.
Dr. Pete Teel, right, speaking to attendees during the introductory session.
Grad student Meaghan Pimsler teaching the youths about the order Hymenoptera.
Insect Judging Clinic Focuses on Interactivity, Problem Areas in Insect Identification
More than 80 youths, teachers and parents from across Texas converged at the Minnie Belle Heep Center for the Department of Entomology’s improved insect judging clinic on Saturday, March 26.
The clinic helps prepare youths involved in Future Farmers of America, or FFA, and 4-H for the upcoming state contests held in April and June.
This year, important changes were made to the clinic’s format, including a more interactive session format, and a focus on the most problematic insect orders students are facing in the contests’ quizzes. Students had more access to view insects in the Department’s Insect Collection both in glass-covered boxes, as well as insects viewed via the microscope during the concurrent sessions.
Some of the insect orders covered during the four rotating sessions included Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (bees and wasps), Diptera (flies) and Hemiptera (true bugs, scale, aphids). The sessions allowed students to identify insects and ask questions about difficult-to-identify characteristics, such as anatomy and appearance on each of the orders.
After the sessions, Professor and Associate Department Head for Academic Programs Dr. Pete Teel led a short session titled “Leaving a Legacy: Developing Entomology for Generations to Follow,” which highlights various ways the teachers and leaders can enhance their teaching skills on entomology in their classrooms.
Entomology graduate and undergraduate students then fielded questions from the audience. The audience asked not only about insect but also life at Texas A&M and what careers can young people expect if they do get into the field of entomology.
After the clinic, students were encouraged to try their newly-learned insect identification skills during a mock contest set up on the second floor.
“This is a great experience and great for kids to learn entomology,” noted volunteer and undergraduate student Jessica Weizer.
Adrienne Brundage, a graduate Student and volunteer instructor of the Diptera workshop, enjoyed the event and said it was great for the youths to be exposed to entomology.
“This really is a fantastic program. It is so much fun seeing the high school students seeing and learning entomology,” Adrienne said. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“I am honored to be here,” said Lauri Marek of Floresville, who was with her group from Wilson County 4-H. “The kids are so excited to see where they may be going to college someday.”