We are delighted to welcome back our monthly online talk series! The new series will run on the second Wednesday of the month at the new time of 16:00 – 17:00 (UK Time). Each session will be aligned with one of our seven scientific journals, so tune in to hear an in depth discussion on a specific field of entomology alongside key updates and new activities from the Society.

These talks are free for RES members, so join today! Please note, all attendees, including members, must register below to receive the link to attend the talk.

Physiological Entomology
Nick Teets & Thies Büscher

Wednesday 8 May
16:00 – 17:00 (BST)

Physiological Entomology is one of the Society’s oldest journals, and has been publishing continuously since 1836. Physiological Entomology today is a distinguished journal with a unique focus on insects and arthropods, investigating their functioning and adaptations using experimental methods. Topics include systems physiology, morphology, neurobiology, and molecular toxicology, providing valuable insights into insect evolutionary success. This session highlights the work of two of our newest Editors-in-Chief, Nick Teets and Thies Buscher.

Nick Teets
University of Kentucky

Nick Teets is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky. His lab primarily investigates the mechanisms by which insects survive extreme and variable environmental conditions. Specific topics include phenotypic plasticity in thermal tolerance, mechanisms of adaptation in Antarctic insects, and overwintering biology of pest and invasive species. The lab also investigates practical implications of this work, including the influence of abiotic conditions on genetically based pest control strategies, and embryo cryopreservation. Aside from research, Nick instructs a general entomology course and a molecular genetics course taken by students majoring in biotechnology. 

Talk title: Entomology in Antarctica: environmental adaptations in the world’s southernmost insect

Thies Büscher
Kiel University

Thies H. Büscher is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department for Functional Morphology and Biomechanics at Kiel University, Germany. He is a functional morphologist interested in how insects interact with surfaces in their environment. His research combines morphology, biomechanics, behaviour, ecology and evolution. Specifically, his main interests focus on the mechanical interaction between attachment systems of different insects with their environments, including the surfaces of other animals. How attachment systems are designed in various insect taxa, how these are adapted to their respective environments and the physical drivers of diversification of these systems can be informative for a broad field of other interests, including crop protection, conservation and engineering. 

Talk title: Attachment systems of insects: environmental adaptations on the mechanical level