Arthro-Pod

Latest Episodes:

Arthro-Pod Episode 210: The History of Grape Phylloxera and Devastation of French Wine with George Gale Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

This week we talk with Dr. George Gale about grape phylloxera - how it was introduced into France in the late 1800s, how it devastated French viticulture and wine production, and how ultimately we overcame this pest through hybridization and use of American rootstocks. We also touch upon the history of grape phylloxera in the rest of the world, with a focus on California.

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Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 209: DNA Barcoding with Dr. Ross Stewart Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Ross Stewart from the Center for Biodiversity and Genomics discusses the innovative BugQuest project, which uses Malaise traps and DNA barcoding to study insect diversity across Canada. Discover how citizen science, advanced sequencing, and creative outreach are transforming entomology research.

BugQuest: https://bioscan.life/bugquest/
University of Guelph News (April 2026): https://news.uoguelph.ca/2026/04/got-bugs-u-of-g-collecting-samples-to-catalogue-canadas-biodiversity/
Center for Biodiversity Genomics: https://biodiversitygenomics.net/

Keywords: entomology, DNA barcoding, Malaise traps, citizen science, insect diversity, BugQuest, genomics, biodiversity, scientific outreach

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Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 208: The Fire Ant Wars Part One Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back bug lovers! This is the first of a two part series about the history of fire ants in the United States and the ways we responded to their presence in the south. Colloquially these could be referred to as the "FIRE ANT WARS"! You can imagine your own pulse pounding beat to idea... In this episode, we unpack how fire ants arrived in the US, the sequence of events that led to red imported fire ant becoming so common, and the first forays into understanding this pest.

Show Notes:

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3639751.html

https://extension.msstate.edu/introduction-fire-ants

https://fireant.tamu.edu/learn/history-of-the-red-imported-fire-ant/

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Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 207: Teaching and research at a primarily undergraduate institution with Dr. Kevyn Juneau Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back, Arthro-Pod listeners! This week we chat with Kevyn Juneau, Associate Professor at University of Wisconsin - River Falls, about teaching and research at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). We take a deep dive into his habitat restoration work in the Bahamas and how teaching at a PUI is different from a larger (e.g., R1, land grant, state) university. Part of Kevyn's research has been conducted via collaborations made through the Ecological Research as Education Network, which helps connect folks at PUIs so they can conduct larger, more impactful work across broader geographic areas.

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Arthro-Pod Episode 206: Apple IPM with Sally Raymond Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Hey bug lovers! In today's show, the crew meets up with Sally Raymond to talk all about integrated pest management in apple orchards. Apple production is fascinating and the ways growers manage pests are also unique compared to other ag systems. Tune in to learn about apples as a system, how are pests dealt with in orchards, Sally's work specifically looking at hail netting to stop pests, and how IPM helps the beneficial organisms in the orchard.

Show notes:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219424000711#sec3

https://entomology.umn.edu/news/nelson-double-duty-nets

https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/116/6/2104/7334101

Arthro-Pod Episode 205: Insect Behavior and Conservation with Dr. Ted Burk Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Get ready listeners, this episode is packed with so many things! Jody and Jonathan are joined by Dr. Ted Burk, who really didn't need any questions, prompts or an outline. It is an episode rich in stories about insects, scientific discovery, and conservation efforts—perfect for entomologists, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts alike.

This interview with entomologist Dr. Burk follows his lifelong path from 4-H insect collecting to a decades-long career in behavior, ecology, and conservation at Creighton University. He shares stories from his research on American cockroaches, crickets, Caribbean fruit flies, conehead katydids, regal fritillaries, monarch butterflies, and fireflies, while highlighting how insect mating behavior, pollination, and prairie restoration reveal the deep ecological importance of even the smallest creatures.

Note: If you want to hear Ted talk about the biologically interesting state of Nebraska pay attention to 37:23-39:39.

More about Ted:

Dr. Theodore Burk’s Faculty Profile at Creighton University Department of Biology
Xerces Society 2024 article about Ted Burk and his work with insect conservation
Glacier Creek Preserve Butterfly List, last updated 2020
Richard Dawkins and Theodore Burk in 1976 Photo

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 204: Leading the Charge in Entomology with Dr. Melissa Siebert Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

Join us as we dive into the career journey and leadership insights of Melissa Siebert, a renowned entomologist in industry and the 2026 President of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Discover how her dedication, scientific expertise, and community-building efforts shape the future of entomology and agriculture.

Topics Covered:

Melissa's background and path into entomology and insecticide development
The pipeline of insecticide research: from molecule design to market
Leadership journey within ESA and the significance of community building
The evolving landscape of industry and the skills needed for success
Insights into ESA's organizational structure and upcoming initiatives
The importance of collaboration between industry, academia, and society members

Links:

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 203 Insects in Poetry with Tom Turpin May 29, 2026

Show notes

Hello bug lovers! In today's episode, Jody, Jonathan, and Michael are joined by entomology legend, Dr. Tom Turpin of Purdue University. Tom is an ESA fellow, an author (check out Flies in the Face of Fashion, Mites Make Right, and other Bugdacious Tales and What’s Buggin’ You Now? Bee’s Knees, Bug Lites, and Beetles), and is most famous for his work in teaching and outreach.

Today, he helps Arthro-Pod to examine the use of insects and their relatives in poetry. If you have every wanted to know why the cicada sings or the why the firefly glows, this isthe episode for you!

If you want to read some of the poems discussed:

https://www.literarymatters.org/18-1-meleager-of-gadara-to-the-cicada/

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58430/firefly-56d23ccbb5f21

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53210/on-the-grasshopper-and-cricket

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Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Intro and Outro song: "There it is" by Kevin McLeod, Incomptech Music

Arthro-Pod Episode 202: Hemlocks and Hemlock Wooly Adelgid with Calvin Norman May 15, 2026

Show notes

This week we chat with Calvin Norman, an extension forester with Penn State, about the importance of hemlock trees in eastern North America and the impact that hemlock woolly adelgid has had on hemlock forests. Spoiler, it's not good.

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!

Arthro-Pod Episode 201: Community Outreach Celebrating Monarchs and Milkweed with Nancy Crews Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Join us as we dive into the vital role of milkweed for monarch butterfly survival, the community-driven efforts to plant and restore habitats. Our guest, Nancy Crews, director of Milkweed Matters, shares inspiring stories of grassroots initiatives, scientific advancements, and how everyone can contribute to pollinator conservation.

Call to Action:

Plant native gardens, participate in seed collection, support habitat restoration, and spread awareness about the importance of pollinators. Your efforts help ensure that monarchs and countless other pollinators thrive for generations to come.

Resources and Links:

Milkweed Matters Website: https://milkweedmatters.org/

Monarch Watch: https://monarchwatch.org/blog/

Radio tracking Monarchs: https://monarchjointventure.org/blog/revolutionary-tracking-study-follows-monarchs

Motus: https://motus.org/

Homegrown National Park: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/

Get the show through Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcatching app!

Older episodes can be accessed through Archive.org.

If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!