Southern insect scientists to meet in Little Rock

The 2012 Joint Meeting of the Southeastern and Southwestern Branches of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) will be held March 4-7, 2012 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas. Southern entomologists from New Mexico to North Carolina will meet to discuss insect pests, invasive species, insect-borne diseases, and other topics.

In addition, the two Branches will host student competitions, an awards ceremony, an Insect Photo Salon, and the Linnaean Games, a lively question-and-answer, college bowl-style competition on entomological facts played between university-sponsored student teams.

"This special joint meeting is a great opportunity to share information and network with fellow entomologists," said Norm Leppla, President of the ESA Southeastern Branch. "The meeting will have symposia on important topics and informative presentations."

Some topics that will be discussed at the meeting include:

• Insect pests of cotton, corn, soybeans, citrus, sugarcane, wheat, sorghum, vegetables, turfgrass, and ornamental plants
• Invasive species such as the spotted wing drosophila, Caribbean crazy ant, Imported fire ant, and the Formosan subterranean termite
• Biological control (using insects to control pest insects or weeds)
• Diseases transmitted by ticks
• Medical and veterinary entomology
• Transgenic crops (GMOs)
• Organic farming
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

"This joint meeting, the first ever for two Branches, provides a unique opportunity to meet and network with colleagues, both current and new, and to share information on entomological topics of interest across the southeastern and southwestern US," said Allen Knutson, President of the ESA Southwestern Branch.

Members of the media who would like to attend should contact Richard Levine at rlevine@entsoc.org or 301-731-4535, ext. 3009, for a press pass.

Provided by Entomological Society of America