Arthro-Pod EP 77: All About Galls with Denise Montelongo

06/25/20 • 51 min

Hey everyone, Michael here. I'm excited to share an interview I recorded with Denise Montelongo about gall wasps and her work on them at Penn State. We talked about what a gall is, what kind of organisms make galls, cynipid gall wasps, and a whole lot more.

You can follow Denise's work through the Frost Museum on Twitter @FrostMuseumand the web; you can also sign up for the Museum's newsletter.

Questions? Comments?

Follow the show on Twitter @Arthro_Podshow

Follow the hosts on Twitter @bugmanjon, @JodyBugsmeUNL, and

You can follow Denise's work through the Frost Museum on Twitter @FrostMuseumand the web; you can also sign up for the Museum's newsletter.

Questions? Comments?

Follow the show on Twitter @Arthro_Podshow

Follow the hosts on Twitter @bugmanjon, @JodyBugsmeUNL, and

Previous Episode

Arthro-Pod EP 76: What Bugs Bug the Entomologists?

Usually, the Arthro-Pod crew is all about tying to convince people that insects are cool and to be appreciated. However, they are only human and even they have some insects that they have convoluted pasts with. Some of them they may have come around on but others... well maybe it's best they stay separated! Tune in to hear each host's story!

Next Episode

Arthro-Pod EP 80: Chagas disease and kissing bugs

Tune in today to hear the Arthro-Pod gang discuss Chagas disease and kissing bugs. All the hosts have had questions asked of them about this disease and the insect that can help vector the causal parasite. There are lots of stories out there about the dangers but what is the truth about Chagas in much of the US? We'll cover the parasite, the disease, and kissing bugs like the eastern bloodsucking conenose in this episode!

Triatoma infestans one of the important vectors of Chagas (Pest and Diseases Image Library , Bugwood.org)

Show notes

Disease: Chagas disease

Parasite: Trypanosoma cruzi

Reservoirs: Mammals

Vectors: Triatomine bugs or kissing bugs

Reduviidae are a family otherwise known as assassin bugs that are Hemipterans. They have three segmented beak used to stab prey, which are mostly insects. According to Bug Guide, there are 195 species, 55 genera including wheel bug, jagged ambush bug, four spurred assassin bug (Zelus), masked hunter, and Sinea species (no common name)

Commonly misidentified non-reduviids: Western conifer seed bug, squash bugs,