Since conception in 1987 by Dr. Gene DeFoliart, Entomology University of Wisconsin, Newsletter
editors produced 34 issues, 376 pages total. The first issue, a 7 page free publication, was sent free
July 1988 to 112 interested persons, mainly USA scientists. In 1991, the Newsletter became 12 pages.
The federal grant enabling DeFoliart to initiate the Newsletter ended and a plea was made for
contributions to support continued publication. A subscription fee began in 1994. By 1995, the
Newsletter was sent to 1600 persons. In 1995, Dr. Dunkel, Entomology, Montana State University,
accepted full responsibility for the Newsletter and appointed Robert Diggs, full-time instructor,
College of Business, Montana State University-Bozeman, as Associate Editor. In 1997, the
Newsletter was sent to 897 paid and complimentary (Peace Corps Volunteers, libraries, developing
country scientists) subscribers. In 2001, guest editor, Mark Rehder, strategic planner / organic farmer
was added. Currently 80 foreign countries, all 50 states of the USA have subscribers. During its first
decade, the Newsletter chronicled steadily rising interest in entomophagy in European-derived
cultures. Evidence was increase of community-initiated, museum-based, festivals involving thousands
of youth. Largest such example focuses entirely on food insects,the Insectarium initiated 1992 in
Montreal, Canada serving insects to 20,000 visitors annually. Many other insectariums/insect zoos
now include food insect festivals as part of their multifaceted “insect appreciation” community
outreach.
Species 1: Orthoptera
Species 2: Lepidoptera
Species 3: Coleoptera
Keywords: entomophagy, outreach
Back to Display Presentations, Subsection Ea. Regulatory and Extension Entomology - Extension
Back to Posters
Back to The 2002 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition