Orchid bees
Tribe Euglossini
Burying beetle
Nicrophorus orbicollis
Stingless bees
Tetragonisca angustula
Giant mayfly
Hexagenia limbata
Rusty patched bumble bee
Bombus affinis
Goldenrod soldier beetle
Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
Colorado potato beetle
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Common blue damselfly
Enallagma cyathigerum
Valley carpenter bee
Xylocopa sonorina
Spongy moth
Lymantria dispar
Honeybee
Apis mellifera
Mining bee
Andrena sp.
Squash vine borer
Melittia cucurbitae
Bumblebee mimic robber fly
Laphria thoracica
Welcome to the Department of Entomology!
The Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison is a world-class graduate training and research institution committed to advancing research in insect biology in both basic and applied contexts. We offer MS and Ph.D. degrees in Entomology and two undergraduate majors (Entomology & Global Health). Our faculty and staff members along with our graduate students, postdoctoral associates, affiliated and emeritus professors offer a dynamic and interdisciplinary research and teaching environment to prepare students for a future in entomology.
The Department is housed in Russell Laboratories and makes extensive use of campus greenhouse facilities and the agricultural research stations located throughout the state for research, outreach and educational purposes. Russell Labs houses three departments: Entomology, Forest and Wildlife Ecology, and Plant Pathology. The building is centrally located on the UW-Madison campus making it ideal for collaborative work with other departments.
Values such as inclusion, integrity, community, and respect are an integral part of department culture and official code of conduct.
Quick Links
Department News
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Emma Terris awarded Wisconsin Potato Industry Board Distinguished Graduate Fellowship
Emma Terris, a PhD student in the Groves lab, was recently awarded the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board (WPIB) Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in recognition of her research advancing our understanding of the genetics of the Colorado potato beetle, a key pest in potato production in Wisconsin. One portion of her project focuses upon the discovery and…
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Claire Schloemer receives 2025 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Fellowship
Claire Schloemer, PhD student in the Groves Lab, was recently selected as a recipient of the 2025 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Fellowship. The Fellows program provides career guidance to the next generation of food and agriculture scientists and intends to prepare fellows for STEM-based careers. The mentorship program equips students with the…
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PJ Liesch interviewed for Madison Magazine feature “Bug out: Join us in celebrating Wisconsin’s insects”
The following is an excerpt from the full article, appearing in Madison Magazine on April 2, 2025. Bug out: Join us in celebrating Wisconsin’s insects Learn to appreciate insects, with guidance from local artist Jennifer Angus, entomologist P.J. Liesch, bumblebee expert Judy Cardin and more. […] For the past 10 years, entomologist P.J. Liesch — better known…
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Battle Beneath the Vines: Defending Sweet Potatoes From Fearsome Pests
This article was originally posted to Entomology Today on April 9, 2025. Sweet potatoes are beloved for their delicious taste, health benefits, and bright colors, and they are ranked as the seventh most important food crop in the world. Sweet potatoes are grown in tropical and subtropical areas around the world, serving as food, animal…
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Dr. Sean Schoville to present at the UW Biotech Center Bio-Tech Talks, April 17
The April hybrid UWBC Bio-Tech Talk will take place on Thursday, April 17th (1:30-2:30pm). Speaker: Sean Schoville, Professor, Department of Entomology. “The Role of Genomics in Studying and Managing Pest Evolution” Join us either in-person in the UWBC Auditorium (room 1111), 425 Henry Mall, or via Zoom. Zoom Registration Link Note: If you’ve already registered for a previous Bio-Tech Talk zoom this year, you don’t have…
Meaningful Research
Advancing research in insect biology in both basic and applied contexts.
Top-notch Instruction
Interdisciplinary instruction to inform students, collaborators, and the community.
Far-reaching Impact
Embodying the Wisconsin Idea, making the boundaries of our work the boundaries of the Wisconsin and beyond.
Vision
We focus on high-impact science that leverages our collective expertise on arthropod biology to solve problems in agriculture, the environment, and human health.