What is an Entomologist?

You may have heard that entomologist Ron Schwalb recently joined the U.S. Pest Control team. We are thrilled to have someone of Ron’s experience on our team. But for those that don’t deal with bugs, you might be wondering, “what is an entomologist?”

 Entomology, simply put, is the study of insects. But truly, it is so much more than that. Entomologists don’t just study insects; they work to understand their relationship to humans, the global environment and other animals and organisms.

With over 950,000 species of insects on the planet, the insect world is vast and very diverse. Entomologists can specialize in an equally wide variety of fields, including everything from forensics (studying insect behavior in relation to crime scenes) to agriculture (studying insects effects of cropping) to paleontology (studying the evolution of insects).

Entomologists are extremely important, as they have worked to detect the role of insects in the spread of disease throughout history, and find ways of to protect food and livestock from being damaged by pests. They also study the way beneficial insects contribute to the well being of humans, animals, and plants.

Our own Ron Schwalb is recognized as a Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) with a specialty in Urban Pest Management through the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Ron’s expertise will contribute to U.S. Pest Control through his knowledge of insects impact of populated urban areas like Nashville, Franklin, Hendersonville and Tennessee as a whole.

Check back on the blog in the coming weeks when we’ll be posting highlights from a recent interview with Ron, discussing his role at U.S. Pest and his love of bugs.