Success StoryEntomology at Princeton in 2022: Rebuilding program after the tornado disaster
Entomology at Princeton in 2022: Rebuilding program after the tornado disaster
Author: Raul Villanueva
Planning Unit: Entomology
Major Program: Tornado Response and Recovery
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Immediately after the tornado that destroyed all the facilities of the Research and Education Center at Princeton on December 10, 2021, my program and employees (two Research analyst, and a Research technician) collaboratively started to work to continue our entomology program in 2022, surveying wheat field, collecting grains to search for stored insects, set up a temporary mini lab at the garage of the Lyon Co. extension office. In the 2022 spring, entomology team, planted and grew hemp in 20 L pots in a high tunnel facilitated by Resonate Food Inc., Eddyville and planted soybeans at the REC center. Later, we moved in a commercial space at the Eddyville Mall, Lyon Co., which is shared with Drs. Edwin Ritchey and Carl Bradley. Currently (12/21/22) in this suite “the entomology laboratory” is a functional working space with microscopes, computers, growth chambers, colonies of insects, mites, and snails. In this location, we were able to conduct some laboratory studies during the summer and autumn. This space was used by undergraduate students to assort samples and process material from the field studies. We considered this a successful story, because at this moment, a year after the tornado hit the UK’s REC at Princeton a temporary lab is not available yet. It took substantial effort to rent the space and have it in compliance with the minimum safety regulations to use as a lab. Our need for a working space and determination to fulfill some of our commitments made us put all our efforts together to be able to work during the 2022 growing season. This “laboratory” will serve the community, farmers and County Extension Agents of Western to ID insect specimens from crop and dwellings.
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