ESC JAM Social Activities Update!

Hello there,

We have a few announcements about events taking place at this year’s ESC JAM in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan!

(Download events .pdf here.)

Trivia!

Attendees can now sign up to participate in a trivia (https://forms.gle/EEn9H6Z56QxqqeWV7)

Open to ALL attendees; date TBD.

The student planning committee has organized a trivia for ALL members attending the ESC JAM in Saskatoon. Each team will consist of 4 or 5 people. If you would like to participate and you are worried about not having a team or enough members, please fill out the form and we will do our best to match you with other attendees 🙂

Members of the winning team will receive a cool prize!

If you or any of your members require accommodations, please contact Georgiana (georgiana.antochi@usask.ca) or Berenice (berenice.romero@usask.ca).

Bug War Games!

Student members can also sign up to participate in our first Bug War Games (https://forms.gle/yuAFcteyAQ9X9K1y8)

Students can register as an individual or as part of a team. This event will take place during the student social on Oct 16 at 7 PM (Winston’s Pub).

The student planning committee has organized a series of games and challenges for students attending the ESC JAM in Saskatoon. This event will take place on Monday (Oct 16) starting at 7 PM (Winton’s English Pub & Grill, 243 21st St E). Each team will consist of 4 or 5 students. If you would like to participate and you are worried about not having a team or enough members, please fill out the form and we will do our best to match you with other students. Members of the winning team will receive a cool prize!

If you or any of your members require accommodations, please contact Georgiana (georgiana.antochi@usask.ca) or Berenice (berenice.romero@usask.ca).

PS: None of this would have been possible without the help of our AWESOME sponsors and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them once again…

  • Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan (Gold sponsor)
  • Wild West Agriculture (Silver sponsor)
  • Irvine Ville Farms LTD (Silver sponsor)
  • Sasktel (Bronze sponsor)

Winners in each event will receive ento-themed prizes.

If you have any questions regarding the activities, do not hesitate to contact Georgiana (georgiana.antochi@usask.ca) or Berenice (berenice.romero@usask.ca).

See you in October,

Georgiana Antochi-Crihan and Berenice Romero
2023 ESC JAM Student Planning Committee

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ESS-ESC: Deadline for early bird registration and abstract submission has been extended

The deadline for early bird registration and abstract submission (including for abstracts for the Graduate Student Showcase) has been extended to Wednesday September 6, 2023.

ESC Members can take advantage of member AND early bird pricing by logging into their ESC accounts to register.

ESS Members that are not also ESC Members will receive promo codes from the ESS Treasurer to use when registering to take advantage of member AND early bird pricing.

For more information about registration, click here. For any issues using the registration site, please contact info@esc-sec.ca.

For questions about abstract submission, please contact meghan.vankosky@agr.gc.ca.

Book hotel rooms now to take advantage of conference pricing.

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Early Bird registration for the 2023 Joint Annual Meeting!

REGISTRATION OPEN!

Early bird registration for the 2023 Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and Saskatchewan is now open. Register before August 25, 2023 to take advantage of early bird prices. We look forward to seeing you in person in Saskatoon, October 15-18, 2023!

ESC Members can take advantage of member AND early bird pricing by logging into their ESC accounts to register.

ESS Members that are not also ESC Members will receive promo codes from the ESS Treasurer to use when registering to take advantage of member AND early bird pricing.

For more information about registration, click here. For any issues using the registration site, please contact info@esc-sec.ca

Book hotel rooms now to take advantage of conference pricing.

Field trip anyone?
Let the Local Organizing Committee know if you’d like to join a field trip to Wanuskewin Heritage Park, just outside of Saskatoon, on Sunday morning (October 15) when you register for the meeting! The LOC will make the trip happen if there is sufficient interest and costs can be kept low.

CALL FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS
The Scientific Program Committee now welcomes abstract submissions for contributed presentations and posters. Please visit our website for more information about abstract submission requirements and the Graduate Student Showcase.

The deadline to submit abstracts is August 25, 2023.

For questions about abstract submissions or the scientific program in general, please contact meghan.vankosky@agr.gc.ca

REGISTER HERE

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Public Consultation on the Development of Canada’s 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

Environment and Climate Change Canada have posted a public consultation on the development of Canada’s 2030 Biodiversity Strategy. It is open until July 14th.

The Entomological Society of Canada’s Science Policy Committee invites members of the ESC to respond to this survey as individuals focussing on insect biodiversity priorities.

The list of questions are provided here in English and in French: these are for consultation only, to help people think about their answers before doing the survey.
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Member Survey Request – ICE 2032

Members are encouraged to complete this poll from the International Congress of Entomology Council regarding the timing of the 2032 ICE.
This link has been verified as legitimate by ESC Executive members.
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Student travel grants available for International Congress of Dipterology

The 10th International Congress of Dipterology (ICDX) is being held July 16-21 2023 in Reno, Nevada. Travel grants from the North American Dipterists Society, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Entomological Society of Canada have been made available to support student attendance. Funding from the Entomological Society of Canada will go specifically towards supporting Canadian students.

To apply, please visit https://dipterists.org/grants_awards.html and click on the Travel Grants tab.

The deadline to apply is March. 15th

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A brown mantidfly, perched on a Purple Prairie Clover. The insect resembles a reddish Polistes wasp, and has striking green eyes. The flower is brilliant pink, with ellow pollen on the stamens, and there are more out of focus in the background.Thilna Hetti Arachchige
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Behind the winning shots: Brown Mantidfly

A brown mantidfly, perched on a Purple Prairie Clover. The insect resembles a reddish Polistes wasp, and has striking green eyes. The flower is brilliant pink, with ellow pollen on the stamens, and there are more out of focus in the background.

A brown mantidfly, perched on a Purple Prairie Clover. The insect resembles a reddish Polistes wasp crossed with a mantid, and has striking green eyes. The flower is brilliant pink, with yellow pollen on the stamens, and there are more out of focus in the background.

In this first of a series of three posts, we will find out what went into making a winning photo in the 2022 ESC photo contest. The first shot we will consider is the third place winner, Thilina Hettiarachchi with this stunning shot of a brown mantidfly Climaciella brunnea (Neuroptera: Mantispidae). Thilina is an MSc student at the University of Manitoba studying taxonomy of Lasioglossum bees. .

I asked all the winners about their images:

 

How did this image come about?

 

I am originally from Sri Lanka and currently in an MSc in Entomology program at the University of Manitoba. Macrophotography is just one of my many hobbies, and it allows me to explore the beauty of insects and communicate that to others. I have a long-term goal of publishing a photobook of the insects of Manitoba. This past summer was an exciting one for me, as it was my first in Canada. While working on my research project, I had the opportunity to assist with pollinator surveys in the Manitoba Wildlife Management areas. This allowed me to explore new, exciting areas of Manitoba, and that is how I encountered this beautiful Brown Mantidfly.

 

What do you like best about this image?

 

Among the images I captured this summer, this is my favourite shot. This was my first encounter with this species and only my second encounter with the ever-charismatic Mantidfies. Beyond that, I love the colors, especially the background of Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea). These mantidflies are also not commonly recorded in Manitoba.

 

What is one piece of advice you would give to newcomers to insect photography?

 

If you are a newcomer, I would encourage you to practice as much as possible. Your patience is the most important skill you should develop to begin with this insect photography. Moreover, make sure to always get to know your photo subject. Since they are tiny, living creatures, it is very important to know their habits and behaviours. If you have at least a rough idea, then you know where you can find them and how best to handle them. I would also highly recommend considering using a flasher and a good diffuser to enhance the subject’s natural beauty. Shooting with soft and diffused light will take your photos quality to a whole new level.

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2023 Joint Annual Meeting Date and Location

The 2023 Joint Annual Meeting will be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from October 15-18, 2023 hosted by the Entomological Society of Saskatchewan.

More information about the meeting theme and venue will be posted soon.

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Call for Artists! Boring Art: Celebrating Wood Boring Insects and the Wood They Love

Outsiders and Others is seeking visual artists from Canada and the United States who’s artwork is focused on wood boring insects, wood, and/or the relationship between wood boring insects and wood.

This exhibition being presented simultaneously with the Joint American and Canadian Entomological Society Meeting in Vancouver on November 13-16, 2022.

How to apply by email:

  1. Send up to 4 images of artwork to be considered for Images must be jpegs.
  2. Include a list that describes the images you are sending with the title, medium, and size of each
  3. Write a statement about yourself that includes your education, exhibition history, and why you were interested in applying to participate in this

E mail all your information to: outsidersandothers@gmail.com and put “Boring Art” in the subject line. Artists will be notified by email about the selection process results by October 7.

Other information:

  • Applications due Sept 30th
  • Exhibition dates are November 2-27, 2022
  • Self-taught artists will be given priority consideration for the exhibition as that is the focus of our organization.
  • The gallery retains a 25% commission on the sale of all
  • Artists are responsible for the cost of shipping the artwork to and from the gallery for the

Outsiders and Others is a non-profit arts Society with a focus on bringing non-traditional artists to the forefront. This includes outsider, folk, self-taught, visionary, intuitive, and artists with disabilities.

Our gallery is at 716 East Hastings Street in Vancouver and is open to the public Wed – Sat 11-4 and by appointment. We also have a window only gallery at #100-938 Howe Street.

Any questions? Feel free to contact Director / Curator Yuri Arajs at outsidersandothers@gmail.com or visit us online at www.outsidersandothers.com

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