Orchid bees
Tribe Euglossini
Photo: Tony Shen
Burying beetle
Nicrophorus orbicollis
Photo: Tony Shen
Stingless bees
Tetragonisca angustula
Photo: Tony Shen
Giant mayfly
Hexagenia limbata
Photo: Tony Shen
Rusty patched bumble bee
Bombus affinis
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
Goldenrod soldier beetle
Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
Photo: Tony Shen
Colorado potato beetle
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Photo: Ben Bradford
Common blue damselfly
Enallagma cyathigerum
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
Valley carpenter bee
Xylocopa sonorina
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
Spongy moth
Lymantria dispar
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
Honeybee
Apis mellifera
Photo: Ben Bradford
Mining bee
Andrena sp.
Photo: Ben Bradford
Squash vine borer
Melittia cucurbitae
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
Bumblebee mimic robber fly
Laphria thoracica
Photo: Jeremy Hemberger
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
-
Insect Fest 2023 a ‘big hit’
Last month’s Wisconsin Insect Fest at Upham Woods was a hit with insect enthusiasts of all ages. The UW-Entomology event drew over a hundred attendees from around Wisconsin and nearby states. The event featured a wide array of booths, talks, hands-on workshops, guided hikes, and a BioBlitz activity. To kick off the event, attendees had…
-
Tom German: In Memoriam
With great sadness we report upon the passing of Dr. Tom German in late August, 2023. Tom was recruited to UW Madison in 1990 as professor and director of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program (WSPCP). In 1995, Tom was elected as chair of the Department of Plant Pathology (1995–1998), while he continued to serve…
-
Take a virtual tour of the Wisconsin Insect Research Collection
Representing specimens collected by professional entomologists and citizen scientists over the past 170 years, the Wisconsin Insect Research Collection (WIRC) documents the entomofauna of Wisconsin and beyond. The WIRC, a research core in the Department of Entomology, is home to over 3 million specimens – and is continuously growing. The collection shows Wisconsin’s unique legacy…
-
Asiatic garden beetle: a new pest to have on your radar
There’s a new insect pest to have on your radar in Wisconsin—the Asiatic garden beetle (Maladera formosae; formerly Maladera castanea). This species can feed on and damage a wide range of plants including, vegetable crops, field crops, fruit crops, turfgrass, and ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs in nursery and landscape settings. Origins and History: The…
-
Donation to CALS helps fund two Nelson-affiliated projects
Recently, a multimillion dollar donation was made to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) from Kikkoman Foods, Inc., a world-renowned soy sauce company. This donation will support a number of CALS research projects, including the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping System Trial (WICST) and Grassland 2.0, which are both led by Nelson Institute affiliate and agronomy professor Randy Jackson.…
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.