STEVEN MOLNAR, RECEIVES

THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S

1997 CALVERT AWARD

In 1987, the American Entomological Society initiated the Calvert Award to be presented to a young person who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in insect-related study. The Award is named in honor of Dr. Philip P. Calvert who joined the Society as a teenager, later became its president, and was a member for 74 years. As Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and an Associate of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Dr. Calvert played an important role in stimulating an interest in insects among young people.

This year the eleventh Calvert Award was presented to Steven Molnar, a tenth grade home-schooled student. Steven is interested in the spotted fireworm, a caterpillar that is an emerging pest on cranberries in the Chatsworth area. His project, conducted last summer in association with the Blueberry and Cranberry Research Center, was entitled, "Parasites to the Rescue?" Recognizing that organophosphorous insecticides often have harmful effects on beneficial insects such as the natural predators on the spotted fireworm, Steven studied the abundance and seasonal activity of two wasps that parasitize the fireworm. He hopes that his work may eventually lead to a strategy for controlling the pest that will minimize the use of pesticides and takes advantage of the wasps he studied.

As the winner of the Calvert Award, Mr. Molnar received memberships in the American Entomological Society and the Young Entomologists' Society as well as a $50 check. Jonathan Gelhaus, president of the Society, made the presentation at the membership meeting of the Society on April 23 at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.