Insect-Based Careers

 

Insect-Based Careers

Are insects interesting to you? Or, at the very least, would you be open to working with insects one day? In honor of it being graduation season for high school seniors, we have compiled a list of three insect-based careers that you might want to consider.

Entomologist

Entomology is a branch of study within the zoological sciences that focuses specifically on insects and entomologists are the scientists that conduct these studies. The range of duties for entomologists can vary drastically and include such tasks as:

• Classifying insects
• Studying their life cycles
• Examining their physiology
• Observing and recording their behaviors
• Studying their role in ecosystems
• Cataloging migrations
• Estimating changes in population
• Studying different kinds of pests as well as their dangers and effects on their environment, including forest pests, agricultural pests, urban pests, veterinary pests and pests that are vectors of disease

Entomologists can also pursue a variety of careers within entomology from researching and teaching, to consulting. Across the country, these kinds of positions are available in universities, private companies, corporations, or even some government agencies.

Beekeepers

Beekeeping is gradually becoming more of a popular in the United States. While many people do it as a hobby, there are growing numbers of people who are pursuing it as a job. Beekeeping at its most basic is the maintenance of honeybee colonies, but it actually involves a lot of different tasks and activities such as:

• Building apiaries (human-built beehives)
• Inspecting the colony
• Collecting new swarms
• Dividing colonies
• Moving colonies
• Collecting honey
• Queen marking
• Handling the bees
• Monitoring the hive day to day
• Jarring honey
• Selling honey
• And more!

While beekeeping is rarely something people can do full-time and be financially stable, it is an excellent job to do on the side… and besides… who doesn’t like free honey?!

Pest-Control

As pest control experts ourselves, we can vouch for the fact that a career in pest control can be very fulfilling. From working as a technician to even training others in the field, the opportunities are endless. This career is perfect for those who are interested in learning about insects and aren’t afraid to go face-to-face with them in order to keep people safe from them. In the role of a technician, you would:

• Know and understand insect life cycles and behaviors
• Be able to root out the sources of infestations
• Work both outdoors and indoors
• Protect both homes and businesses from potentially devastating infestations

If you have an interest in a career in pest control, feel free to check our job listings page! We are always eager to hire people who are passionate about our field.

Citations

Bee-Health (2019) Basic Beekeeping Techniques, Bee Health. Available at: https://bee-health.extension.org/basic-beekeeping-techniques/ (Accessed: June 4, 2021).

Bioscience Careers: Entomologist (2017) About Bioscience. Available at: https://www.aboutbioscience.org/careers/entomologist/ (Accessed: June 4, 2021).

Kearney, H. (2017) How To Work as a Full-Time Beekeeper, Beekeeping Like A Girl. Available at: https://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/how-to-work-as-a-full-time-beekeeper/ (Accessed: June 4, 2021).