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The Washington State University Honors College course, UH 290, “Science as a Way of Knowing,” engages freshmen in scientific inquiry and scholarly literature research. The UH 290 instructor, a learning design consultant, and two librarians collaborated to develop and deliver the course’s information literacy curriculum. The team used student surveys, research blogs, case studies, library instruction sessions, homework problem sets and exams. Students gained from scaffolded instruction including hands-on practice activities and feedback; embedded assessments informed adjustments to the course syllabus and activities. This case study details the progressively improved use of this approach and these tools over two semesters.

When it can be pointed out that economic entomologists, whose proper concern is with insects that affect crops, medical entomologists, whose proper concern is with insects that affect man, and agricultural scientists, whose proper concern is with anything that affects agricultural production, have been making decisions about the treatment with poisonous chemicals of millions of acres of the land on which man depends, it may be properly asked, where were the ecologists, whose proper concern is with the environment in which we live? Ought they not to have a voice in these decisions? (Fosberg 1963)

American Entomologist • Volume 52, Number 1 Notwithstanding the current controversy in the United States surrounding the teaching of evolution, it is indeed diffi cult today to comprehend the upheaval that the Origin of Species wreaked among Darwin’s contemporaries. Darwin’s letter in 1844 to the botanist J. D. Hooker affords some appreciation, in that Darwin admitted that divulging his evolutionary views felt tantamount to “confessing a murder” (Darwin 1903). But why should it have been so? In this article, I explore that question, focusing on the reception of Darwinian theory in the 19th century. I also advance the argument that striking parallels exist between natural theology of the 19th century and “intelligent design” today, or, to put it more broadly, “What is past is prologue.” We stand to gain from a retrospective of the diffi culties faced by evolutionary theory in Darwin’s time. To provide a historical framework, I begin with an overview of Darwin’s experiences and the changes that his thinking underwent during the years preceding publication of the Origin. Next, I discuss religious beliefs prevalent among Darwin’s contemporaries, including those of prominent entomologists. Those views are contrasted with the writings of the 19th century entomologist B. D. Walsh, a vociferous defender of Darwinian theory. I also discuss current issues surrounding the teaching of evolution vs. intelligent design, provide some thoughts on scientifi c vs. religious endeavor, and close with suggested approaches toward public acceptance and understanding of Darwinian theory.

Nosema ceranae and pesticide exposure can contribute to honey bee health decline. Bees reared from brood comb containing high or low levels of pesticide residues were placed in two common colony environments. One colony was inoculated weekly with N. ceranae spores in sugar syrup and the other colony received sugar syrup only. Worker honey bees were sampled weekly from the treatment and control colonies and analyzed for Nosema spore levels. Regardless of the colony environment (spores+syrup added or syrup only added), a higher proportion of bees reared from the high pesticide residue brood comb became infected with N. ceranae, and at a younger age, compared to those reared in low residue brood combs. These data suggest that developmental exposure to pesticides in brood comb increases the susceptibility of bees to N. ceranae infection.

BACKGROUND: Numerous surveys reveal high levels of pesticide residue contamination in honey bee comb. We conducted studies to examine possible direct and indirect effects of pesticide exposure from contaminated brood comb on developing worker bees and adult worker lifespan. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Worker bees were reared in brood comb containing high levels of known pesticide residues (treatment) or in relatively uncontaminated brood comb (control). Delayed development was observed in bees reared in treatment combs containing high levels of pesticides particularly in the early stages (day 4 and 8) of worker bee development. Adult longevity was reduced by 4 days in bees exposed to pesticide residues in contaminated brood comb during development. Pesticide residue migration from comb containing high pesticide residues caused contamination of control comb after multiple brood cycles and provided insight on how quickly residues move through wax. Higher brood mortality and delayed adult emergence occurred after multiple brood cycles in contaminated control combs. In contrast, survivability increased in bees reared in treatment comb after multiple brood cycles when pesticide residues had been reduced in treatment combs due to residue migration into uncontaminated control combs, supporting comb replacement efforts. Chemical analysis after the experiment confirmed the migration of pesticide residues from treatment combs into previously uncontaminated control comb. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study is the first to demonstrate sub-lethal effects on worker honey bees from pesticide residue exposure from contaminated brood comb. Sub-lethal effects, including delayed larval development and adult emergence or shortened adult longevity, can have indirect effects on the colony such as premature shifts in hive roles and foraging activity. In addition, longer development time for bees may provide a reproductive advantage for parasitic Varroa destructor mites. The impact of delayed development in bees on Varroa mite fecundity should be examined further.

Trehalose, the major blood sugar of Phormia regina, is present within its tissues in an amount exceeding that in the total blood volume. A major part of the reserve is found in the abdominal fat body. An investigation of trehalose regulation, pursued with the use of a trehalose tolerance test, indicates that within a period of 4 h the adult fly can remove from its blood amounts of this sugar in excess of twice its normal level. The surplus is dealt with in an as yet unknown way, being either sequestered in the tissues (not as trehalose or glucose), metabolized, or excreted in a form other than trehalose or glucose. The process is regulated by the head, and a link between the body and the head must be maintained throughout the entire period of activity.

The adult blowfly, Phormia regina , reveals a substantial homeostatic capability when examined for its ability to regulate externally administered additions to its blood sugar. As well, results of experiments done at intervals throughout the entire adult life of the fly show that there is no decrease over time in the efficiency of operation of the complex system involved in the control of the blood sugar level. Taken together with other independent investigations of Phormia metabolism, the research indicates that this animal, in contrast to the rat, possesses a number of physiological systems which embody regulatory processes that may be only marginally subject to the normal “aging” process.