Entomologist treks from Andes to Valley

Growing up in the Andes of Peru, Raul Villanueva was fascinated with the insects that crawled among the huge mountainside boulders. He especially liked those that looked like twigs and had what appeared to be letters of the alphabet on their bellies.

“I was in love with the animals, the unusual insects and the agricultural lifestyle of Recuay, Ancash (north of Lima), where my grandfather grew potatoes, corn and wheat,” he said.

But the lifestyle wouldn’t last. A terrorist group known as The Shining Path was targeting farmers and Villanueva left, he said.

“They were very violent and they were manipulating the poor people to move out of the countryside and to the cities where they could more easily recruit new members,” Villanueva said. “Eventually, I left the country.”

After a journey that took him from Lima to Canada and now the United States, Villanueva has settled in as the new entomologist at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Weslaco.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture in Lima, his master’s in biology in Canada and his doctorate in entomology at the University of Florida.

After seven years of doing insect research in apples and grapes at North Carolina State University, Villanueva filled a vacancy in Weslaco left by Dr. Boris Castro’s departure to California.

On the job since Aug. 20, Villanueva says already he feels right at home.

“This is another insect paradise,” Villanueva said. “With the hot, humid weather of the subtropical climate here and the year-round growing season, all types of insects, both good and bad, thrive here.”

His appointment is that of vegetable entomologist, but Villanueva said his scope of work “is wide open.”

“I’ll also be working in citrus, cotton, sorghum and soybeans, since so many farmers seem to be switching from cotton to soybeans,” he said. “There’s lots of work to do and lots of projects to complete.”

In addition to supporting AgriLife Extension agents and specialists who help educate growers, industry and citizens, Villanueva said he’ll do research in his chosen field of acarology.

“An acarologist is someone who works with mites,” he said. “They are not technically insects, but tiny arthropods that seriously reduce agricultural production.”

Villanueva cited the two-spotted spider mites, which he said are voracious in vegetables.

“They are omnivorous. They feed on everything; there is no plant they won’t attack. So, I’ll be researching their ecology, their behavior, natural enemies and their reaction to pesticides. Their control requires the use of miticides, which are so much more expensive than other pesticides.”

Spider mites are also a major concern. They feed on leaves and in high densities can cause leaf drop and serious economic losses, he said.

“Rust mites in citrus blemish fruit and reduce their value, so mites deserve our time and efforts in the laboratory to somehow manage risk and losses.”

Urban pest management will also be on his radar, Villanueva said.

“Ticks, fleas, bedbugs and ants are among the culprits for homeowners,” he said.

Only days on the job, Villanueva helped quell rumors that the Lower Rio Grande Valley had become host to the so-called Rasberry Crazy Ant, a new insect in Texas.

“This is a very invasive species of ant named after the person who discovered them,” he said. “They don’t have the painful sting of the fire ant, but they displace native species and eat the eggs of its natural enemies, like lady beetles.”

In late August, news reports claimed that the ants had somehow made their way to the Valley.

“Thankfully, it was a false alarm,” he said. “They are not yet here. And that’s good news because these insects do a tremendous amount of damage as they invade homes, chew on electrical wiring and damage air conditioning units.”

Regardless, Villanueva said he’ll cooperate with other researchers who are working on the Rasberry Crazy Ant, “just in case.”

To contact Villanueva, call (956) 968-5581 or e-mail RTVillanueva@ag.tamu.edu.

Rod Santa Ana III is a communications specialist with Texas AgriLife Communications.