Speaker: Kal Ivanov, Ph

January 12, 2021

Speaker: Kal Ivanov, Ph.D., VMNH Assistant Curator of Invertebrate Zoology

Due to its geographic location, topographic variability, and diversity of ecoregions, Virginia ranks as one of the most biodiverse states in the nation. Despite Virginia's remarkable biodiversity, and the state's long tradition of education and culture, however, the study of Virginia's insect fauna has been deficient and perhaps only half of the species expected to occur in the Commonwealth have been documented. In this lecture, Dr. Kal Ivanov, Virginia Museum of Natural History Associate Curator of Recent Invertebrates, will use the museum's ongoing "Ants of Virginia Project" to illustrate topics ranging from what we know about the world's biodiversity to how we study the hidden life of some of Virginia's most secretive ant species.