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Entomology (Study of Bugs)/Expert Profile
Expertise
I currently live in San Antonio, TX and have expertise in identifying insects, many types of spiders, and other arthropod critters that infest lawns, ornamentals, structures, trees, pets and livestock. Mites are not a strong point of mine. I'm not a licensed doctor, so I cannot provide medical diagnosis of conditions possibly related to insects or other arthropods. If you've got an interesting photo for me to see, let me know and I'll give you my email so the picture will get to me. If you have hosted an insect photo on a website, please include the link so I can go look at it and provide a faster ID for you. Don't forget...you can now attach pictures to your questions as well!
Experience in the area
19 Years' Experience as an entomologist: 5 years as a biologist with Merck Animal Health and 7 years as an Integrated Pest Management(IPM)Specialist in San Antonio, Texas with Texas Cooperative Extension.
Publications
Veterinary Parasitology, Southwestern Entomologist, San Antonio Express News, San Antonio Gardener Newsletter
Education/Credentials
BS - Entomology from Texas A&M University in 1992.
Board Certified Entomologist, 1996-2000 - Medical and Veterinary Entomology Specialty (Entomological Society of America)
Awards and Honors
2000 Texas A&M University Vice Chancellor's Award in Excellence for leadership on the Texas Fire Ant Program Educational Team.
What do you like about this subject?
Insects are one of the most diverse and interesting groups of creatures on the planet. They are found everywhere except the poles and the deepest oceans.
What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?
Better public understanding of insects and the benefits of having insects around. Only 2% of all insect species are actually pests and spoil it for the rest of the insect world.
Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:
Texas is home to more native and migratory butterfly species that any other state in the U.S.!
Something controversial or provocative about this subject
1) During their sleep, people swallow an average of 8 spiders during their lifetime! Urban legend or truth??? 2) There are ~1 million species of insects identified on earth, but experts believe there may be as many as 30 million species of insects total.
Average Ratings
Recent Reviews from Users
K = Knowledgeability C = Clarity of Response P = Politeness| User | Date | K | C | P | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk | 01/04/12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | very quick to respond and if i ..... |
| Meg | 12/01/11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you for the very timely response ..... |
| Cass | 11/16/11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thanks for the thorough info! :) |
| luanne | 11/15/11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| Mable | 11/10/11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Nathan's answer to my question was very ..... |
Recent Answers from Nathan Riggs
2012-01-04 Insect-What is it?:
Ed: My apologies for the delay! These are immature insects, hanging out together because they have hatched from the same clutch of eggs. Most likely, they are one of the following: stink bugs,
2012-01-04 Cicada question:
Kirk: This poor fella is VERY confused! It shouldn't be emerging from the ground until May or June. It's misshapen appearance is due to its premature emergence and will not be able to function correctly
2011-12-11 Little black bugs:
Eram: These are the larvae of dermestid beetles...commonly known as carpet beetles. They feed on dead insects, natural fibers like wool and on dead animals. These beetles are found everywhere in
2011-11-23 Praying Mantis egg case:
There are documented reports of different species of mantids producing eggs by parthenogenesis (producing fertile eggs by a cloning process and not my mating). There are also cases where female mantids
2011-11-15 Black Jumpy Tiny Bugs:
Carrie: There are a lot of possibilities at work, here. First of all, the itching around your waist led me to think that you might have been bitten by chiggers. Chiggers are the larval stage of
Answers by Expert:
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