Manhasset High School Senior Presents Research at National Entomology Conference

Manhasset High School congratulates senior Aidan Wong on being invited to present his research at the 2025 Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, held on Nov. 10 in Portland, Oregon. The annual conference is one of the nation’s leading gatherings for insect science professionals, bringing together researchers, educators and industry experts from around the world.

Aidan represented his research team in the Undergraduate Competition, presenting his study titled, “Improving Beneficial Insect Behavior by Reducing Cannibalism in Green Lacewing Larvae Using Operant Conditioning at Multiple Life Stages in Various Social Settings.” His research explores innovative, eco-friendly methods to enhance the effectiveness of green lacewings as biological pest control agents, offering potential alternatives to chemical pesticides.

Using citronella-based operant conditioning, Aidan and his collaborator Leijun Chou achieved a significant reduction in cannibalistic behavior among lacewing larvae. Experiments conducted with Y-maze bioassays demonstrated that larvae can learn to suppress cannibalism, with reductions reaching up to 99% when trained individually at the second instar stage.

This work presents a promising approach to improving lacewing survivability and performance, with meaningful implications for sustainable agriculture initiatives. Manhasset High School congratulates Aidan and Leijun on this impressive achievement and applauds their commitment to scientific inquiry.