On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences held its annual welcome-back picnic at Guy Wicks Field. Games and a spread of various desserts, salads, chips, and hot dogs from Vandal Brand Meats awaited CALS students. Vandal Brand Meats utilizes cuts of meat from student instruction at the University of Idaho Meat Science Laboratory.
According to Amy Calabretta, assistant director of marketing and events for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, each year the picnic draws around 400-500 students and faculty members. Also present were 27 student groups, including the Hydroponics Club, the Collegiate Young Farmers and Ranchers, the UI Horse Polo Club, the Dairy Club, and the Aldrich Entomology Club.
Entomology is a specific branch of zoology that focuses on insects. The Aldrich Entomology Club was founded in 1961 and named after John M. Aldrich, an entomologist and former zoology professor at UI. While the club was initially open only to those majoring in entomology, it now welcomes people from any major and draws in both undergraduate and graduate students. Around campus, it is known for showcasing live insects at events such as Palousafest. The club brought live Australian walking sticks and multiple display cases packed with colorful bugs to the picnic.
There’s more to the club than simply admiring insects. Emma Eakins, president of the club and a senior double majoring in Entomology and Environmental Science, wants to explore the practical uses of insects as well. “One [activity I’d like to add],” she said, is “baking with cricket flour… the club used to do it way before my time, so I kind of want to bring it back.”
The club also works with various organizations and programs, such as Washington State University’s Entomology Program and the UI Extension in Latah County. The club’s outreach and collaboration with such groups typically includes “collecting insects with kids or educating people of various ages about native pollinators,” Eakins said. These organizations and the university often ask the Aldrich Entomology Club to set up a table at events and teach people about insects. “Because insects are really fascinating… whenever we have our table, people are fascinated because we have things they’ve never seen before!” Eakins explained. “So, we kind of get around.”
For this semester, the Aldrich Entomology Club meets every other Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Room 339 of the Agricultural Science Building.
Cal Torres can be reached at [email protected]