The Pupating Lab
is where I study insect behavior, sleep, and explore the ways in which insects have affected humans throughout history. I am joined by a marvelous array of collaborators, including undergraduates and Master’s students operating out of the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse (UWL). Those interested in conducting Master’s level research are welcome to contact me, and to apply to UWL.
pupating – developing into a pupa (between larva and adult) as a fully-metamorphosing insect; synonyms: acquire, develop, produce, grow, get – come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes) -modified from www.thefreedictionary.com
Animal behavior & sleep biology
are two scientific arenas we investigate, usually by experimentally testing for behavioral and physiological indications of sleep, sleep loss’ impact on communication and learning, and other mysteries in the realms of Hypnos and Oneiros.
Cultural entomology
is the study of insects’ impacts on human culture, or “the branch of investigation that addresses the influence of insects (and other terrestrial Arthropoda, including arachnids, myriapods, etc.) in literature, language, music, the arts, interpretive history, religion, and recreation” (Charles Hogue, 1993).
Humans have included insects in art for millennia, either symbolically, literally, or physically (insect products or bodies as art media). The practice of incorporating insects in art is one focus of my cultural entomology passions.
Visualizing science
is the practice of using imagery to esthetically clarify the process of science. The Pupating Lab applies a wide range of methods and techniques when visualizing our science. We are interested in the intersection of science and art, and exploring best practices for consuming (critically evaluating) and producing science imagery.
Barrett Klein
Anthropoid by birth, arthropod by choice. I lead the Pupating Lab’s explorations in biology, cultural entomology, and scientific visualization. I conduct insect science and create entomo-art.
For a look at one way I consider the intersection of science and art, please watch my TEDx talk.
Ericka Bjorngaard (master’s)
Research: Sleep behavior of monarch butterflies.
Bug Hartsock (master’s)
Research: Sleep behavior of firebrats (Order Zygentoma).
Danielle Hudson (master’s)
Danielle is an educator turned entomologist whose passion lies in the ecology and conservation of the Driftless region. Her research focuses on native solitary ground-nesting bees, their pollination habits in the Driftless, and nesting behavior related to kleptoparasitic cuckoo bees.
Zephyr Cramer (undergraduate)
Research: Monarch sleep.
Melia Fretwell (undergraduate)
Research: Sleep behavior of firebrats (Order Zygentoma).
Chelsea Gale (undergraduate)
Research: Monarch sleep.
Adam Gear (post-baccalaureate)
Research: BEEclipse.
Nick Prince (undergraduate)
Research: Sleep behavior of firebrats (Order Zygentoma).
Olivia Stumpf (undergraduate)
Research: Pollination biology and parasitism of solitary ground nesting bees.
Rivyn Escher Klein (4th grader)
Loves geography, trains, mythology, and playing with dad.
Alumni (2024; UWL, unless noted)
Drew Lysaker (master’s)
Research: Mosquito vector biology.
Kelsey Fisk (undergraduate)
Curating butterfly and moth specimens in UWL’s Entomology Collection.
Olivia Herbst (undergraduate)
Investigating the effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication.
Evelyn Johnson (undergraduate)
Investigating the effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication.
Trey Konshak (undergraduate)
Trey is an undergraduate majoring in Biology and Spanish with hopes to attain a Physician’s Assistant Degree in the near future. He joined the Pupating Lab in 2023 to help investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on bee communication.
Ian McGuigan (undergraduate)
Research: Pollination biology and parasitism of solitary ground nesting bees.
Erin Roup (undergraduate)
Investigating the effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication.
Chris Vannieuwenhoven (undergraduate)
Investigating the effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication.
James Zaloudek (undergraduate)
Investigating the effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication.
Alumni (pre-2024; UWL, unless noted)
Molly Arttus (aphid stress test)
Alistair Alesch (curation)
Cody Babcock (cultural entomology)
Dylan Baldassari (honey bee y-maze learning)
Andrew Bradford (Master’s: curation)
Natalie Burgess (honey bee response thresholds)
Ashley Beard (Arizona State Univ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute – STRI: wasp behavior)
Tiffany Chang (cultural entomology)
Sarah Conley (curation; arthropod care)
Mike Connell (wasp response thresholds)
Clarice Diebold (STRI: bat sleep)
Molly Duggan (insect-inspired art)
Paige Dunnum (curation)
Sarah Faanes (honey bee response to odors)
Olivia Feagles (STRI: bat sleep; curation)
Noah Giebink (ant & bee response thresholds; bee wrangler)
Kurt Grunwald (retired: UWL tech guru)
Travis Harrison (ventilation of sleeping bees)
Lewis Hein (Wyoming Univ, Casper; STRI: bat sleep)
Matthew Hillstrom (curation: documentation)
Antonia Hubancheva (Sofia Univ, Bulgaria; STRI: bat sleep)
Jessica Kallas (honey bee dance followers)
Aidan Karlsson (colletid bee parasitism; cultural entomology)
Mallory Keating (aphid sleep: thermography)
Logan Keding (independent study: medical illustration)
Grace Kehoe (invasions)
Grace Kobussen (curation: documentation)
Jonathan Lendrum (microbiome & sleep)
Drew Lysaker (as undergrad: cultural entomology; y-maze; mosquito survey)
Mitch McCloskey (honey bee response thresholds; beeclipse; STRI: bat sleep)
Sienna Miller (insect costuming)
Elise Montesinos (video scoring of bat behavior)
Amanda Neaman (invasions)
Jo Noordyk (bat behavior)
Liz Oldenburg (wasp nest 3D animation)
Emily Orth (monarch butterflies) (2021)
Abe Packard (Master’s: bone traces made by insects) (2021)
Mary Pedicini (Dartmouth: cultural entomology website animation)
Dan Reinhardt (arousal array; bee y-maze)
Abigail Reinke (cultural entomology)
Natalie Renier (cultural entomology; scientific illustration)
Sam Richardson (monarch sleep)
Victoria Salerno (aphid sleep)
Allison Scharmer (beeclipse; cultural entomology)
Rebecca Schnabel (cultural entomology)
Sam Schneider (honey bee dance followers)
Rachel Serkasevich (cultural entomology)
Matthew Sigrist (insect illustrations)
Tyler Silva (honey bee y-maze pilot)
Michelle Simpson (Butler Univ; STRI: bat sleep)
Rachel Steffen (curation)
Kaylee Sturdevant (scientific viz literature survey)
Nick Thrun (UW-Madison: mosquito research)
Kevin Tougeron (postdoc, France: aphid & parasitoid wasp behavior)
Keaton Unrein (dance followers; cultural entomology)
Danielle VanBrabant (scientific illustration; cultural entomology; bat behavior)
Megan Vandermause (monarch video transcription)
Angelique Vega (solitary bees) (2023)
Tyler Veling (olfactometer construction for insect learning studies)
Breanna Vey (cultural entomology)
Dakota Villers (Master’s: pollination, solitary bees) (2023)
Michael Vogt (honey bee dance followers; STRI: bat sleep)
Tawni Voyles (New Mexico State Univ; STRI: bat sleep)
Amey Zhang (Dartmouth; STRI: bat sleep; logo designer)
Emily Ziegler (video scoring of bat behavior)