Dear Miss Liza,

My best friend shared with me that his dad is an entomologist and that he has a very cool job.  What I know is that it has something to do with bugs (which I don’t like that much).  Can you explain to me how important entomologists are in our society?

Ronin

Dear Ronin,

I am not fond of bugs either, but I know how important entomologists are in many ways.  First of all, entomologists are scientists who study insects.  One of their important jobs is to protect our health from insects that transmit pathogens.  Remember Zika virus that is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes?  Entomologists are also important in defending our homes from pests, conserving our forests, protecting our food supply (e.g. crops), managing invasive species that can affect our ecosystems, preventing overuse of pesticides through various pest management tactics, and recruiting the “good” insects (a.k.a. insect allies).  Check out this infographic document from the Entomological Society of America (ESA): What can an entomologist do for you?

Bye!!!

Miss Liza