UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Pasto Agricultural Museum’s October AgSci Action Lab will examine the role and capabilities of the Colorado potato beetle in a free, two-part presentation, titled “Bugs Win!”
Insects are the most diverse and successful creatures on Earth — there are more than 10 quintillion insects on the globe, according to Rita Graef, director of the Pasto Agricultural Museum and Armsby Respiration Calorimeter.
“All these bugs! It’s amazing that they can be so successful,” she said. “Our newest AgSci ActionLab will explore insects and the mechanisms that seem to make them so successful.”
The Pasto Museum, in the College of Agricultural Sciences, will host two sessions from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, one week apart, on Oct.12 and 19. Graef urged both “young people and their grown-ups” to attend both sessions.
The intergenerational family program will feature hands-on investigation of some of the same questions Penn State’s agricultural science researchers are working to answer, Graef noted.
“We will feature the work of Fang (Rose) Zhu, assistant professor of entomology, and her lab, examining the relationship between potato plants and the Colorado potato beetle,” Graef said. “She will explore how insects ‘smell’ with their antennae and discuss how humans interact with ‘pests’ and beneficial insects.”
Insects are extremely resilient — they reproduce quickly, and they transform and adapt to their environment, Zhu pointed out.
“Humans have been inventing and using pesticides to control insect pests that damage crops, or spread disease; however, insects have evolved robust capabilities to fight back,” Zhu said. “We will share our research and the questions we are exploring about how insects, specifically potato beetles, are thriving. Together, we'll examine more closely how these bugs fight back, and see who might be winning.”
There is no cost to attend “Bugs Win!” But registration is required, and space is limited. Parking is free. Register for “Bugs Win!” here.
For more information, contact Rita Graef at 814-863-1383 or rsg7@psu.edu.