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Day of Insects

Saturday, March 25, 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. 

Celebrate the annual Day of Insects at Reiman Gardens. Enjoy a day filled with presentations from professionals, academics, advocates, and enthusiasts. From beginners to seasoned veterans, Day of Insects has something for anyone interested in or involved with insects. On the day of the event, doors will open at 8:00 a.m., with presentations starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 4:20 p.m.  *THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FINAL DAY OF INSECTS AT REIMAN GARDENS SO COME CELEBRATE 15 YEARS OF DOI AND LEARN SOME NEW THINGS ABOUT INVERTEBRATES.

Preregistration and prepayment are required by March 16th.
To register for the event CLICK HERE.

This year DOI will be held in a hybrid fashion.  A couple of presenters will be presenting remotely, indicated on the schedule below, while the rest will present live from Reiman Gardens.  

Presentations

  • 9:10 – 9:30 a.m. – “Perfect Looking Plants are Underwhelming” presented by Zach Schumm, Iowa State University
  • 9:30 – 9:50 a.m. – “Controlling Aphids with Natural Enemies” presented by Julie Graesch, BioWorks
  • 9:50 – 10:10 a.m. – “Iowa Isopods and Beyond” presented by Tullaia Powell
  • 10:10 – 10:30 a.m. – “A Focus on Hydrochus: Hydrochidae in Missouri and Iowa” presented by Reese Worthington, Missouri Department of Conservation
  • 11:00 – 11:20 a.m. – “Native Bees of the Luther Campus: A Comparison of Bee Diversity and Floral Resource Use Between Flower Beds and Planted Native Habitats” presented by Gwenyth Coleman, Emmelyn Cullen & Kirk Larsen, Luther College
  • 11:20 – 11:40 a.m. – “Easily Distracted by Butterflies” presented by Therese Cummiskey, Retired Naturalist
  • 11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – “Twisted: The Bizarre Case of Strepsipteran Parasites of Social Wasps” presented by Amy Toth, Iowa State University
  • 12:00 – 12:20 p.m. – “Bitten” presented by Marlin Rice
  • 1:20 – 1:40 p.m. – “Food Choice Study of Mason Bees Using Motion Sensing Cameras” presented by Sophia Zwack & Ted Wilson, Viterbo University (Remote)
  • 1:40 – 2:00 p.m. – “Nocturnal Insect Survey Comparing Marsh, Forest, Sand Prairie, and Urban Environments in the La Crosse Wisconsin Region” presented by Amanda Tranberg & Ted Wilson, Viterbo University (Remote)
  • 2:00 – 2:20 p.m. – “The Beetles and the Bees: A Unique Parasitic Interaction” presented by Danielle Hudson, Drew Lysaker & Bug Hartsock , University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
  • 2:20 – 2:40 p.m.  – “Pollinators and Prairie Strips – Merging Conservation and Agriculture” presented by Kate Borchardt, Iowa State University
  • 3:10 – 3:30 p.m. – “What? Why? Rearing Insects” presented by MJ Hatfield, Coldwater Creek Biological Field Station
  • 3:30 – 3:50 p.m. – “These Are a Few of My Favorite Bugs: Reflections on 45 Years Answering Public Inquiries” presented by Donald Lewis, Iowa State University
  • 3:50 – 4:10 p.m. – “A Growing Passion for Iowa Insects: Reflections on 15 Years of Day of Insects” presented by Greg Courtney, Iowa State University

A promotional poster for the day can be found by clicking here: CLICK FOR POSTER