The Pupating Lab
is where we 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.
Bonnie Bee Abadeer (master’s)
Thesis research: To know the glow: Why bioluminescent fungi attract insects
Ericka Bjorngaard (master’s)
Thesis research: Effects of nighttime light pollution on sleep in monarch butterflies
Charley Williams (master’s)
Non-thesis research: TBD
Kerrick Barr (undergraduate)
Research: Curation of UWL Entomology Collection
Emily Houle (undergraduate)
Research: Curation of UWL Entomology Collection
Abby Kaetterhenry (undergraduate)
Research: Curation of UWL Entomology Collection; insect art
Jaiden Liu (undergraduate)
Research: Images in behavioral research; effects of sleep loss on communication in honey bees
Leona Osterloth (undergraduate)
Research: Curation of UWL Entomology Collection
Marc Pipp (undergraduate)
Research: Effects of sleep loss on communication in honey bees
Regan Schinker (undergraduate)
Research: TBD
Rivyn Escher Klein (6th grader)
Loves geography, history, trains, mythology, and playing with his dad
Alumni (UWL, unless noted)
Molly Arttus (aphid stress test) (2019-2021)
Alistair Alesch (curation of UWL Entomology Collection) (2018-2020)
Cody Babcock (cultural entomology) (2015)
Dylan Baldassari (honey bee y-maze learning) (2017-2020)
Andrew Bradford (non-thesis master’s: An opportunity for education and research: Curating a more enriching entomological collection at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse) (master’s defended: 2024)
Natalie Burgess (honey bee response thresholds) (2016)
Ashley Beard (Arizona State Univ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute – STRI: wasp behavior) (2013)
Tiffany Chang (cultural entomology) (2022-2023)
Sarah Conley (curation; arthropod care) (2020-2021)
Patrick Connell (wasp response thresholds) (2018)
Clarice Diebold (STRI: bat sleep) (2013-2018)
Molly Duggan (insect-inspired art) (2013)
Paige Dunnum (curation) (2019)
Sarah Faanes (honey bee response to odors) (2019)
Olivia Feagles (STRI: bat sleep; curation of UWL Entomology Collection) (2016-2018)
Kelsey Fink (curating butterfly and moth specimens) (2025)
Melia Fretwell (sleep behavior of firebrats) (2024-2025)
Chelsea Gale (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2024-2025)
Adam Gear (BEEclipse; effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2024-2025)
Noah Giebink (ant & bee response thresholds; bee wrangler) (2016-2018)
Travis Harrison (ventilation of sleeping bees) (2015-2016)
Bug Hartsock (master’s thesis: Do firebrats dream of six-legged sheep? Sleep-like behavior and aggregation in the firebrat, Thermobia domestica) (master’s defended: 2026)
Lewis Hein (Wyoming Univ, Casper; STRI: bat sleep) (2016)
Olivia Herbst (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2023-2024)
Matthew Hillstrom (curation: documentation) (2023)
Antonia Hubancheva (Sofia Univ, Bulgaria; STRI: bat sleep) (2013)
Danielle Hudson (master’s thesis: Pollination behavior of solitary ground-nesting bees in Wisconsin’s Driftless area and beyond) (master’s defended: 2025)
Amanda Johnson (documentation of insect collection) (2025)
Evelyn Johnson (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2023-2024)
Jessica Kallas (honey bee dance followers) (2014)
Aidan Karlsson (colletid bee parasitism; cultural entomology) (2017-2020)
Mallory Keating (aphid sleep: thermography) (2020-2021)
Logan Keding (independent study: medical illustration) (2019)
Grace Kehoe (invasions) (2016)
Grace Kobussen (curation: documentation) (2019-2022)
Trey Konshak (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2024)
Jonathan Lendrum (microbiome & sleep) (2017-2020)
Drew Lysaker (as undergrad since 2018: cultural entomology; y-maze learning; BEEclipse; mosquito survey; master’s thesis: An update on the ecology of the La Crosse virus vector, Aedes triseriatus in western Wisconsin, USA) (master’s defended: 2024)
Mitch McCloskey (honey bee response thresholds; BEEclipse; STRI: bat sleep) (2018-2020); Alaska Pacific University master’s thesis: The influence of melatonin on the behavior of octopuses (master’s defended: 2026)
Ian McGuigan (pollination biology and parasitism of solitary ground nesting bees) (2024)
Sienna Miller (insect costuming) (2017-2018)
Elise Montesinos (video scoring of bat behavior) (2014)
Amanda Neaman (invasions) (2016)
Jo Noordyk (bat behavior) (2020-2021)
Liz Oldenburg (wasp nest 3D animation) (2017-2018)
Emily Orth (monarch butterflies) (2021)
Abe Packard (non-thesis master’s: Bones, bugs, and bioerosion: An examination of forensic and archaeological ichnoentomology) (master’s defended: 2021)
Mary Pedicini (Dartmouth: cultural entomology website animation) (2017-2019)
Nick Prince (sleep behavior of firebrats) (2024-2025)
Dan Reinhardt (arousal array; bee y-maze) (2017-2019)
Abigail Reinke (cultural entomology) (2015)
Natalie Renier (cultural entomology; scientific illustration) (2017)
Sam Richardson (monarch sleep) (2021-2022)
Erin Roup (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2023-2024)
Victoria Salerno (aphid sleep) (2018-2020)
Allison Scharmer (beeclipse; cultural entomology) (2018)
Rebecca Schnabel (cultural entomology) (2015)
Sam Schneider (honey bee dance followers) (2013-2014)
Rachel Serkasevich (honey bee y-maze learning; cultural entomology) (2018-2019)
Matthew Sigrist (insect illustrations) (2019-2020)
Michelle Simpson (Butler Univ; STRI: bat sleep) (2014-2018)
Rachel Steffen (curation) (2017-2018)
Olivia Stumpf (pollination biology and parasitism of solitary ground nesting bees) (2024)
Nick Thrun (UW-Madison: mosquito research) (2021-2022)
Kevin Tougeron (postdoctoral scholar, France: aphid & parasitoid wasp behavior) (2018-2019)
Keaton Unrein (dance followers; cultural entomology) (2014-2015)
Danielle VanBrabant (scientific illustration; cultural entomology; bat behavior) (2013-2016)
Megan Vandermause (monarch video transcription) (2022)
Chris Vannieuwenhoven (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication) (2024)
Angelique Vega (solitary bees) (2023)
Tyler Veling (olfactometer construction for insect learning studies) (2013-2014)
Breanna Vey (cultural entomology) (2012)
Dakota Villers (non-thesis master’s: Pollination patterns of Colletes inaequalis and Andrena dunningi) (master’s defended: 2023)
Michael Vogt (honey bee dance followers; STRI: bat sleep) (2014-2016)
Tawni Voyles (New Mexico State Univ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute – STRI: bat behavior) (2013)
James Zaloudek (effects of sleep loss on honey bee communication; insect photography) (2023-2024)
Amey Zhang (Dartmouth; STRI: bat sleep; Pupating Lab logo designer) (2016)
Emily Ziegler (video scoring of bat behavior) (2013)