Insects Limited at The International Congress of Entomology 2024
Written by James Feston, BCE
To an outside observer, entomology might seem like a highly specialized field. In fact, over the course of my career, I’ve come to expect that when I tell someone I’m an entomologist, their response is often, “Etymologist? Like with words?” After clarifying, they usually react with either curiosity or discomfort at the thought of a job focused on bugs. One thing I’ve learned is that most people view entomology as one thing: bugs. But, as any entomologist will tell you, the field is much more than just studying insects. It involves biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering—all disciplines that scientists and entomologists draw on to better understand insects and how to coexist with them (though our goal is often to coexist as little as possible).
The diversity of scientists within the field of entomology is what makes large conferences so exciting to attend, and the organizers of ICE (International Congress of Entomology) 2024 fully embraced this spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration. In his 1998 book Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, renowned biologist E.O. Wilson introduced the concept of consilience—the unification of principles from various fields—arguing that scientists from different disciplines can work together to create a common framework for understanding the natural world. This concept of consilience served as the theme for this year’s International Congress of Entomology 2024 in Kyoto: New Discoveries Through Consilience.
The conference took place in the beautiful and historic city of Kyoto, Japan, at the Kyoto International Conference Center in late August. It featured an impressive lineup, with 2,800 oral papers and posters, 176 symposia, and over 3,700 attendees from around the world.
The event was launched with a grand welcoming ceremony, including addresses by Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino, the Minister of State, the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture, and the Mayor of Kyoto City.
It was an honor to represent Insects Limited and present some of our research on the feeding behavior of the webbing clothes moth under sublethal temperature conditions. Our research demonstrated that even modest reductions in temperature—just a few degrees Celsius below typical room temperature—can lead to a statistically significant reduction in feeding behavior, and consequently, the damage done to clothing and other vulnerable materials. We hope this work will be valuable not only to museum professionals but also to homeowners or anyone seeking to reduce the impact of these destructive pests.
The talks at the conference spanned a fascinating array of topics, from genomic studies of crop pests to the food volatiles of cigarette beetles and even the adhesion mechanisms of stick bugs. One part of the stick bug research had the scientists building a harness to see how much force was required to remove a stick bug from a glass plate!
Often at these conferences, I plan my schedule in advance, focusing primarily on sessions related to stored product insects. However, I always make it a point to select a few talks that simply sound interesting. I’ve never been disappointed; there’s always something new to learn about the broader entomology field beyond the pest insects we typically address.
I imagine many attendees share this sentiment. Conferences like ICE provide a unique opportunity for professionals from various areas of entomology to explore ideas they might not typically seek out on their own. This spirit of interdisciplinary exploration is what consilience is all about.
Related Insect and Pheromone Posts
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Insects Limited, an Insect Pheromone Company
Insects Limited, Inc. researches, tests, develops, manufactures and distributes pheromones and trapping systems for insects in a global marketplace. The highly qualified staff also can assist with consultation, areas of expert witness, training presentations and grant writing.
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