In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Mark Hoddle of University of California Riverside. They discuss some of Mark's worldly adventures while trying to track down biological control agents and his work with the South American palm weevil.

Additional Resources

Entomology's Indiana Jones

Biocontrol lab

Center for Invasive Species

South American Palm Weevil

Time Stamps

(00:00) Introduction to Dr. Mark Hoddle

(02:43) Mark's Journey into Entomology

(05:50) Transition to Biological Control Agents

(08:34) Diverse Insect Pests and Their Management

(11:54) Adventures in Field Research

(14:40) International Collaborations in Entomology

(17:34) The Importance of Networking in Academia

(20:33) Upcoming Research and Challenges

Skip to the main topic:

(23:55) The South American Palm Weevil and Its Impact

(35:15) The Charismatic Palm Tree and Its Weevil Invader

(36:18) Understanding the South American Palm Weevil

(39:06) The Journey of the Weevil to California

(42:19) The Invasion of Two Weevil Species

(46:55) The Impact of Human Activity on Weevil Spread

(49:40) The Complex Life Cycle of Palm Weevils

(58:04) Culinary Delights: Eating Weevil Larvae

(01:04:44) Flight and Spread of the Palm Weevil

(01:06:34) Understanding Insect Flight Mechanics

Zaworski, E. (Host) Hoddle, M. (Interviewee). S4:E41 (Podcast). The Bug Crusade: Adventures of the Indiana Jones of Entomology Part 1. 11/26/2025. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript