Fred C. Swift passed away September 7, 2021, at the age of 94. Fred joined the Department of Entomology in 1961 with responsibilities for teaching and conducting research focusing on the development of IPM programs for New Jersey’s tree fruit growers. He retired in 1992. He is survived by his wife Deborah, three children and […]
Are you seeing spots? What community members can do about spotted lanternfly
By Anne L Nielsen, PhD, Extension Specialist in Entomology Spotted lanternfly (SLF), the jumpy plant hoppers that resemble brightly colored moths when in flight, are being spotted throughout New Jersey. While some New Jersey residents are already familiar with these invasive bugs, others are getting their first glimpses of the 1″ long adults. There is […]
Rutgers Leads Effort to Tackle Coastal Climate Crisis Through $20M NSF Grant
Universities join together to provide the research to work towards more resilient, sustainable coastlines Rutgers will take the lead – with a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation – to develop a plan with universities throughout the country to protect coastal areas increasingly threatened by extreme weather caused by climate change. The university […]
Rutgers Master Gardeners of Morris County Win Prestigious International Award
Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) of Morris County is proud to announce that the Rutgers Master Gardener Community Garden Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Team has won 1st Place in the 2021 David Gibby International Master Gardener Conference Search for Excellence (IMGCSFE), Innovative Projects Category. This team of volunteers regularly inspects plots in Morris County community gardens to identify insects, diseases, […]
Rutgers Acclaimed Hort Therapy Program Grew From Seed Planted Over 50 Years Ago
Anyone who has marveled at the growth from seed to sprout and bud to bloom, relished the aroma of herbs, or found themselves calmed in the presence of greenery, can understand the restorative power of plants. But professor and Bergen County agricultural and natural resources agent Joel Flagler (CC ’74), a registered horticultural therapist, has […]
Student Farm at Rutgers Gets a Reboot
Historically, young people were taught a trade by serving as apprentices or learning the ropes in a family business. While modern education emphasizes learning through books, classrooms, and lab experience, academia has increasingly embraced the value of hands-on involvement and commonly provides students opportunities for fieldwork or internships. Agricultural entrepreneurship offers its own unique set […]
All You Have To Do Is Leave Your Porch Light On: Local Citizen Science Initiative Goes International
It’s night in the woods. Flashlight beams dart through the trees. Moonshiners? A cult? Neither. It’s Moth Night, and a bevy of moth seekers armed with flashlights, blacklights, mercury vapor lights, and white sheets are illuminating the wondrous, nocturnal Lepidoptera alighting among the trees. This scene has been witnessed annually in East Brunswick, New Jersey, […]
Boots on the Ground: Citizen science combines recreation with data collection
This article was reprinted from the Summer 2021 issue of Explorations, SEBS alumni magazine. Do you have a smartphone or computer, and a love for science? Researchers at Rutgers are looking for you. Why? Researchers can’t be everywhere. That’s why they rely on citizen scientists all over New Jersey and beyond to observe the world […]
Recognizing the Common Wood Borers of Ash Trees
By Steven K. Rettke, Agriculture & Natural Resources Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County It is understandable for arborists, landscapers, and homeowners to assume that Emerald Ash Borers (Agrilus planipennis) are the cause when they observe branch dieback and decline of ash trees (Fraxinus genus). During the 21st century, this invasive Asian tree […]
A New Jersey Treasure Saved Twice: The Rutgers University Insect Collection
The little-known Rutgers University Insect Collection is one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of New Jersey insects in the world. It was conceived in 1888 by the Reverend George Hulst, the first director, and the first acting professor of entomology of the Rutgers Department of Entomology. Then beginning in 1889, through the tireless […]
