As an example of the potentially rich and productive field of exploration and discovery that can be reached through the integration of studies that tie the basic science and practical/applied aspects of insect rearing systems and their components, let me explain an example that I use in my insect rearing classes. This narrative is based…

The MDPI journal Insects is publishing a Special Topics series on insect rearing science with a special focus and emphasis on papers that at once contribute to the basic science behind rearing while making practical contributions to rearing technology. Please note the announcement of the Special Issue and the explanation here: Please note that we…

In my previous post, I discussed the benefits of stating explicit rationale for rearing advancements (diet or other rearing system components development and improvement as well as developing SOPs). In the current post, I will guide readers through an example of a HOW and WHY type of inquiry. We discover HOWs and WHYs of materials…

In the previous post, I gave examples of what I’m calling “the Doctrine of Insect Rearing from a Rationale Perspective.” I said that I would use as an example of rationale the highly influential work of Dr. Robert Yamamoto where his 1969 paper on a diet and rearing system context for that diet has resulted…

I have been struggling for years to raise the standing and respect for insect rearing and the professionals or experts who devote their lives to development and improvement of insect rearing systems. To increase respect for insect rearing, I have suggested several things that would improve the scientific communities perception of and acceptance of what…

First, let’s find a definition and characterization of “oracle.” A Google AI search gave us this characterization: “An oracle is a person, shrine, or medium believed to provide wise, prophetic counsel or divine revelations, often associated with ancient Greek figures like the Oracle at Delphi. It also refers to an expert who is an unquestioned authority on a…

First, if you like what you see in today’s blog, you are bound to like how I will be teaching this approach to AI-based neural networks and Design of Experiments in my upcoming (May, 2026) Insect Rearing Fundamentals class. I have been touting the advantages of using design of experiments (DoE) to help us better…

This mulberry silk moth (Bombyx mori) is a product of over 5,000 years of domestication and rearing. The domestication of the hundreds of species of insects that we currently rear should be a testimony that rearing is not for dummies. In contrast to the popular trend of simplifying everything from Artificial Intelligence to Vegetarian Cooking…

I continue here with an explanation of my approaches to insect rearing teaching and research. In my recent posts, I discussed my early efforts to develop a practical artificial diet for predatory insects, mainly Hemiptera/Heteroptera species. I confessed my many failures, disappointments, and frustrations that resulted from my (and the entomology community, in general’s) ignorance…

Figure 1 (Feb. 22, 2026 Blog). Euthyrhynchus floridanus (the Florida predatory stink bug) 2nd instar nymphs feeding on a Tenebrio molitor pupa. This colony came from the late Professor William S. Bowers from the University of Arizona. The large size and rather easy rearing of this predatory stink bug allowed us to use it as…