SHERRY ELLISON
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Department of Entomology
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2475
(979) 845-8974
s-ellison@neo.tamu.edu
My job centers around providing fire ant colonies
to research scientists, graduate students, and post doctoral researchers.
This entails locating possible ant collecting sites, contacting county
extension agents and landowners to obtain permission to collect the ants,
and supervising the actual field collections. Ant colonies are flooded
out of the dirt and put into trays. The colonies are maintained and evaluated,
and voucher samples are taken prior to experimental use. Researchers may
use whole colonies or particular castes or subsets of the colonies. I train
and supervise student workers who help feed the ants, cook diet, clean
lab ware, and collect data. Overseeing the maintenance of the greenhouse,
lab equipment, and lab vehicles are additional duties, as well as ordering
supplies and maintaining an inventory list.
I participate in the Education Outreach Program in
the Entomology Department. I explain about materials used in rearing ants
and other insects and demonstrate methods that we use. I provide colonies
and other insects for demonstrations and serve as a contact person for
ant information.
Education
BA in Zoology, University of
Texas at Austin, 1966
MA in Anthropology, University
of Texas at Austin, 1970
Publications
Greenberg, L.; Vinson, S.B.; Ellison, S.(1992): 9-Year Study of a Field
Containing Both Monogyne and Polygyne Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera,
Formicidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 85 (6, Nov), 686-695.
Vinson, S.B.; Ellison, S. (1996): An unusual case of polygyny in Solenopsis
invicta Buren. Southwest. Entomologist 21, 387-393.
Drees, B.M.; Ellison, S.L. (1998): Collecting and Maintaining Colonies
of Red Imported Fire Ants for Study. Fire Ant Plan Fact Sheet, 1-2.
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Maintained by Sherry Ellison