PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY LIVESTREAM: Bugs & People - Insect Evolution and Orthoptera Identification

June 10, 2021
6:30pm - 8:00pm

What do cicadas and people have in common? Both are re-emerging and re-uniting this summer.

Inspired by the return of Brood X or the Great Eastern Brood of periodical cicadas, the People's University at the Ohio County Public Library is offering an 8-class summer series on entomology (insect biology) called "PU Livestream: Bugs & People." The series will feature some of the best entomologists and experts from all over North America to teach attendees about the six major insect orders, as well as the history of human and insect interaction, a subject known as cultural entomology. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions still affecting in-person library gatherings, the series will remain an online live stream (see below for details of how to view), which facilitates the nationwide, prestigious faculty.

CLASS 3: A First Look at  Insect Evolution and Orthoptera Identification

Abstract: An exploration of the evolution of insects, from their origins with crabs and brine shrimp, to giant insects during the Carboniferous, to modern insects and their relatives. We will take a quick tour of arthropods, including spiders, mites, millipedes, and the "basal" insect orders like mayflies and dragonflies. We will then pause at grasshoppers and katydids to discuss locust plagues, plant mimicry, and the predators that hunt using cricket chirps. Finally, we will learn some local species of Orthoptera from OH, PA, and WV. 

Instructor Bio: Dr. Elizabeth Rowen earned her PhD in Entomology at Penn State, where she studied the effects of soil management techniques on herbivores and their predators. She is now a Service Assistant Professor at WVU in the Division of Plant and Soil Science, where she works with the Insect Zoo, teaches entomology, and researches the connections between insects, plants, and soil.

This program will be available to watch live on Facebook Live, on YouTube, and on the OCPL website's People's University People & Bugs page.  Log into your Facebook or YouTube account during the program to leave questions for Dr. Rowen in the comments box. She will answer them during the live broadcast. Ask a relevant question to be entered into a #BroodPU prize giveaway!

FEATURED BOOK:
Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States,  by John L. Capinera, Ralph D. Scott, and Thomas J. Walker. (Cornell University Press,  2004)
[Reserve a copy from the Library ]

In much of North America, crickets and katydids provide the soundtrack to summer nights, and grasshoppers frequent the fields and roadsides of midsummer days. Although insects from this group have long been the bane of those who make their living from the land, grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are themselves crucial food sources for many species of birds, reptiles and amphibians, and other creatures.

Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States introduces readers to the biology, behavior, and ecological significance of one of the most obvious (abundant, large, and colorful) and important (ecologically and economically significant) insect groups in North America, the order Orthoptera. A simple, illustrated identification guide assists the reader in distinguishing among the various groups and narrows down the options to expedite identification.

Participants in this summer's People's U will have the opportunity to learn about insects while becoming eligible to win various insect-related prizes through interaction with the instructors. 

Classes for People’s University LIVESTREAM—"Bugs & People," will meet on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm, May 27 through July 15, with an in-person field trip to be scheduled the week after our last class. All programs are free and open to the public. Patrons may attend as many classes as they wish. There are no tests or other requirements. For more info about the People’s University LIVESTREAM—"Physical Science, the Joy of Discovery," email [email protected], visit the OCPL's website, or call 304-232-0244.

➤ View a full schedule of classes and instructors for People's U: Bugs and People
➤ View our full calendar of events to see our upcoming programs

See full Instructor Bios and Class Abstracts, visit: www.facebook.com/peoplesuniversityOCPL. Click on “Events.” Also, check back for information on a field trip to be scheduled the week after our last class.

- People's University Online-
Thursdays from 6:30 pm to 8 pm on YouTube Live and Facebook Live

Subscribe to the People's University Youtube channel or like us on the People's University Facebook page or to receive notifications of our upcoming People's U broadcasts. To receive emails about our upcoming programs, visit our News page, click the "Subscribe" button to sign-up for our news blasts or download our free OCPL Connect app from your smartphone's app store. 

ABOUT THE OCPL'S PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY SERIES:

In 1951, the Ohio County Public Library's librarian, Virginia Ebeling, referenced British historian Thomas Carlyle, who said, “the public library is a People’s University,” when she initiated a new adult education program with that name. Miss Ebeling charged the library with the responsibility of reaching “as many people in the community as possible.” In keeping with that tradition of public libraries as sanctuaries of free learning for all people, the Ohio County Public Library revived the series in 2010.

The People’s University features courses (taught by experts in each subject) that enable patrons to pursue their goal of lifelong learning in classic subjects such as history, music appreciation, philosophy, and literature. Patrons may attend as many classes as they wish. There are no tests of other requirements and all programs are free and open to the public. For more information about PU Livestream, Bugs & People, EMAIL US,  visit ohiocountylibrary.org or call the library at 304-232-0244.