[40][pageneeded], Apart from Protestant English, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Americans, other ethnic groups frequently included under the label WASP include Americans of French Huguenot descent,[38] Scotch-Irish Americans,[41] Scottish Americans,[42] Welsh Americans,[37] Protestant Americans of Germanic Northwestern European descent in general,[43] and established Protestant American families of "vague" or "mixed" Germanic Northwestern European heritage. But yeah, we have a shot at it.. Historians say the insects, which range throughout Asia but are found most commonly in Japan, were once valued along with other wasps as a cheap source of protein in poverty-stricken rural areas. Tarantula hawk wasps are large, black desert wasps native to many countries including the southern United States. Cockroaches and spiders also showed up in a number of searches. The common name is an homage to theHouse of Kamehameha, the royal family that unified and ruled the Hawaiian Islands from 1810 to 1872. However, in the early 1900s, liberal progressives and modernists began promoting more inclusive ideals for what the national identity of the United States should be. [93][94], Catholics in the Northeast and the Midwestmostly immigrants and their descendants from Ireland and Germany as well as southern and eastern Europecame to dominate Democratic Party politics in big cities through the ward boss system. [117], The University of California, Berkeley, once a WASP stronghold, has changed radically: only 30% of its undergraduates in 2007 were of European origin (including WASPs and all other Europeans), and 63% of undergraduates at the University were from immigrant families (where at least one parent was an immigrant), especially Asian. For example, American clergyman Josiah Strong boasted in 1890: In 1700 this race numbered less than 6,000,000 souls. [25] "To be genuinely Irish is to challenge WASP dominance", argues California politician Tom Hayden. A National Geographic team has made the first ascent of the remote Mount Michael, looking for a lava lake in the volcanos crater. In 1973, the North Carolina General Assembly voted to make it official. When does spring start? These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? But a State Senator who had once been a big time honey producer convinced his colleagues to strip the "leaf-cutter" bit from the bee's name. All of these products for wasp control are "contact" insecticides, which means the wet solution must come into contact with the wasp for it to be affected. In 2019, Michigan State University researchers started a rearing and release program of samurai wasps at Michigan State University. "The problem with. Ohio declared its love for the lady beetle back in 1975. "[27], In Australia, Anglo or Anglo-Saxon refers to people of English descent, while Anglo-Celtic includes people of Irish, Welsh, and Scottish descent. Baltimore checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton). The Ohio General Assembly's bill to designate the ladybug as the state insect noted that it "is symbolic of the people of Ohioshe is proud and friendly, bringing delight to millions of children when she alights on their hand or arm to display her multi-colored wings, and she is extremely industrious and hardy, able to live under the most adverse conditions and yet retain her beauty and charm, while at the same time being of inestimable value to nature.". America's social elite was a small, closed group. Though many species of vespids lead a solitary lifestyle and rarely cause us problems, yellow jackets, bald-faced hornets and paper wasps are social insects that live in large colonies. At the same time, Looney offers some caution, starting with the nickname murder hornet. He hadnt heard it before recent press coverage of the insectsand he doesn't love it. The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt's Great Pyramid, Who first rode horses? Have They Ever Been Away? Body is slender, 3/4 inches long, and variously colored (yellow, brown, red, and/or black). Remove the stinger using gauze wiped over the area or by scraping a fingernail over the area. So far, Iowa has failed to choose an official state insect. This likely means a colony was present in the state in fall 2019, and that it produced many queens. The Constitution, History of the Human Management of Honey Bees, Michigan legislature to consider a bill designating, B.A., Political Science, Rutgers University. By contrast, Japanese honeybees (Apis cerana japonica), which have co-evolved with giant hornets, have found a way to protect themselves. OLYMPIA, Wash. - Two Republican state lawmakers from Spokane Valley have submitted a bill to create a 51st state - again. 1 in online search data: Spiders are a creepy crawly pest, but you shouldnt always kill spiders. Like the newer term WASP, the older term Anglo-Saxon was used derisively by writers hostile to an informal alliance between Britain and the U.S. While admission to these schools is generally based upon merit, many of these universities give a legacy preference for the children of alumni in order to link elite families (and their wealth) with the school. At least two hours after dark, quietly and carefully approach the colony and thoroughly spray into the entrance. [12][38] The sociologist Charles H. Anderson writes, "Scandinavians are second-class WASPs" but know it is "better to be a second-class WASP than a non-WASP".[39]. They then feed it to their own young. [18][69][5] Old money in the United States was typically associated with White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ("WASP") status,[70] particularly with the Episcopal and Presbyterian Church. The children argued successfully that the honey bee was due this honor for its role in pollinating Maine's blueberries. [64] Of Nobel prizes awarded to Americans between 1901 and 1972, 84.2% of those in Chemistry,[64] 60% in Medicine,[64] and 58.6% in Physics[64] were awarded to Protestants. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. The concept of Anglo-Saxonism, and especially Anglo-Saxon Protestantism, evolved in the late 19th century, especially among American Protestant missionaries eager to transform the world. We recommend our users to update the browser. The world's largest wasp has been spotted in Washington State, but don't panicefforts are underway to stop it from spreading. Supporters of the Oregon rain beetle were disappointed when the butterfly won, because they felt an insect suited for rainy weather was a better representative of their state. All rights reserved, killed 42 people in a single Chinese province, until this bee ball reaches temperatures over 115 degrees Fahrenheit, killer bees, a nickname for the African honeybee. Some people think these furry creatures are cute, but you dont want mice in your home. It seems that every species of insect is targeted by at least one species of parasitic wasp . If people east of the Mississippi see something like that, they shouldn't assume it's an Asian giant hornet, he says. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Scientists are concerned that these hornets could spread throughout Washington State and beyond, presenting a danger to U.S. beeswhich are already in declineand humans. [119][120], A significant shift of American economic activity toward the Sun Belt during the latter part of the 20th century and an increasingly globalized economy have also contributed to the decline in power held by Northeastern WASPs. Attention, children of Rhode Island! Two legislators,Joyce Woodhouse andLynn Stewart, realized their state was one of just a handful that had yet to honor an invertebrate. Arizona has not designated an official state insect, although they do recognize an official state butterfly. [13][14][15][16] The 1998 Random House Unabridged Dictionary says the term is "sometimes disparaging and offensive".[17]. "The rise and fall of the WASP and Jewish law firms. According to a study of the biographies of signers of the Declaration of Independence by Caroline Robbins: The Signers came for the most part from an educated elite, were residents of older settlements, and belonged with a few exceptions to a moderately well-to-do class representing only a fraction of the population. Since both groups lived with a perfectionist heritage that induced hysteria, mutual neurosis was a potential bond. None.Although Indiana has not designated an official state insect yet, the entomologists at Purdue University hope to gainrecognition forthe Say's firefly (Pyractomenaangulata). [59][pageneeded], Members of Protestant denominations associated with WASPs have some of the highest proportions of advanced degrees. Cockroaches might be common, but theyre also unpopular. [79][80], Like other ethnic groups, WASPs tend to concentrate within close proximity of each other. Then, the hornets shift to feeding. The Great Seal of Arkansas also pays homage to the honey beeby including a dome-shaped beehive as one of its symbols. People mistakenly call all stinging insects "bees." While both social wasps and bees generally live in colonies with queens and workers, they look and behave differently. Wasps can't see red light well. This species only lives in California, making it a very appropriate choice to represent the Golden State. As of now, there have been only two sightings of worker bees of the species near Blaine, which suggests that there is likely a colony nearby. Afewsightings were reported to the Lost Ladybug Project inrecent years. Tennessee really likes insects! Interviewed by email, Takahashi says the label murder hornet is appropriate because the species is as dangerous as killer bees, a nickname for the African honeybee. He is the first NFL player to host Saturday Night Live since former defensive end JJ Watt hosted the show in 2020. Students wrote letters, collected signatures on petitions, and testified at hearings, trying to move their legislators to act and designate the state insect they had chosen and proposed. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Utah's official state emblem is the beehive. Common green darner dragonfly(Anax junius). List of the 50 U.S. State Insects. Outside of Anglophone countries, the term Anglo-Saxon and its translations are used to refer to the Anglophone peoples and societies of Britain, the United States, and countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Native or born overseas, they were of British stock and of the Protestant faith. One complete hive of the insects was found and destroyed in late 2019 in nearby Nanaimo, Canada. In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or WASPs is a sociological term which is used to describe Americans who are a part of the white, upper-class as well as a part of the historical Protestant, mostly Mainline Protestant elite;[2][3] typically, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants are of British descent. "[98] The political scientist Theodore P. Wright, Jr., argues that while the Anglo ethnicity of the U.S. presidents from Richard Nixon through George W. Bush is evidence for the continued cultural dominance of WASPs, assimilation and social mobility, along with the ambiguity of the term, has led the WASP class to survive only by "incorporating other groups [so] that it is no longer the same group" that existed in the mid-20th century. [29] The term is used with more nuance in discussions by French writers on French decline, especially as an alternative model to which France should aspire, how France should adjust to its two most prominent global competitors, and how it should deal with social and economic modernization.[30]. Thousands of Oregon state employees are continuing to experience payroll problems three months after the state rolled out its new system. "[20], Citing Gallup polling data from 1976, Kit and Frederica Konolige wrote in their 1978 book The Power of Their Glory, "As befits a church that belongs to the worldwide Anglican Communion, Episcopalianism has the United Kingdom to thank for the ancestors of fully 49 percent of its members. Since 2014, the samurai wasp has turned up in 10 states and Washington, D.C. [108] However, asking "Is the WASP leader a dying breed? These ideals became institutionalized after the Second World War, and ethnic minorities started moving towards institutional parity with the once dominant Anglo-Protestants.[45]. Avoid perfumed soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. In 1972, students lobbied the legislature to designatethe praying mantis as the Florida state insect. In 1976, 2,000 Kansas schoolchildren wrote letters in support of makingthe honey bee their state insect. Utah was first settled by Mormons, who called it the Provisional State of Deseret. TheLorquin Entomological Society took a poll of Californiaentomologists in 1929, and unofficially declared the California dogface butterfly to be the state insect. Variations include the German Angelsachsen,[31] French le modle anglo-saxon,[32] Spanish anglosajn,[33] Dutch Angelsaksisch model[nl] and Italian Paesi anglosassoni[it]. They eat many kinds of insects, but they seem to especially enjoy feasting on bees. Neither must you think of us as Anglo-Saxons, for that term can no longer be rightly applied to the people of the United States.There are only two things which can establish and maintain closer relations between your country and mine: they are community of ideals and of interests. ", This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 17:29. In Hawaii, they call itpulelehua, and the species is one of only two butterflies that are endemic to the Hawaiian islands. Most white-shoe firms also excluded Roman Catholics. After the 1967 Detroit riot, they tended to congregate in the Grosse Pointe suburbs. ", Wald, Eli. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), I Tried a Hands-Free Dog Leash, and I No Longer Dread Walking My Dog, Control Summer Wasps by Eliminating the Queen in the Spring, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [citation needed], Anglo-Saxon refers to people of British ancestry, but sometimes, sociologists and others use WASP more broadly in order to include all Protestant Americans of Northwestern European and Northern European ancestry. Currently, Looney and other researchers are setting out lures to try to capture emerging queens. Bees, wasps, and hornets are found throughout the United States. In winter, nests go dormant, and if any queens have mated, they would disperse to form new hives. Twenty to 75 wasps of the colony will sting in defense of the nest. They are one of the largest parasitoid wasps, using their sting to paralyze their prey before dragging it to a brood nest as living food; a single egg is laid on the prey, hatching to a larva which eats the still-living host. It can be found in North America. Photograph by Atsuo Fujimaru, Minden Pictures. ", Mary Kenny, "Obama shaped more by his WASP heritage than the passion of Martin Luther King,", Inderjeet Parmar and Mark Ledwidge, "'a foundation-hatched black': Obama, the US establishment, and foreign policy. Colorado hairstreak (Hypaurotis crysalus). [82] Traditionally, the Upper East Side in Manhattan has been dominated by wealthy White Anglo-Saxon Protestant families. ", journalist Nina Strochlic in 2012 pointed to eleven WASP top politicians, ending with Republicans G.H.W. Answer (1 of 3): In such a situation, the wasp hangs around the place and waits for any other surviving member to return. (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=2ba02a33-c319-4410-bba7-f8321a13bed3&cid=877050e7-52c9-4c33-a20b-d8301a08f96d'; cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: "2ba02a33-c319-4410-bba7-f8321a13bed3" }).render("00499ba9282e4d1b985fa8af14d29c2b"); }); Ants are a nuisance pest. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. In 1974, students from Highland Park Elementary School in Upper Darby succeeded in their 6-month campaign to make the firefly (Family Lampyridae) the state insect of Pennsylvania. And they represent vast, untapped, economic potential. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Only the latter is true. The Massachusetts government website notes that the two-spotted lady beetle (Adalia bipunctata) is the most common species of ladybug in the Commonwealth. [23], Before WASP came into use in the 1960s, the term Anglo-Saxon served some of the same purposes. Fourth graders fromBeatty Elementary School in Las Vegas proposed the vivid dancer damselfly because it's found statewide andhappens to be the state's official colors, silver and blue. [131] Gurney told the Washington Post in 1982: WASPs do have a culture traditions, idiosyncrasies, quirks, particular signals and totems we pass on to one another. "[21], WASP is also used in Australia and Canada for similar elites. In overall balance, however, these insects are beneficial in their activities, particularly as predators of pest insects and as . You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. [14], A number of analysts have suggested that WASP dominance of the institutional order has become a thing of the past. The stereotype of the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) finds its fullest expression in the Episcopal Church. However, there are ways to get rid of spiders if needed. Wear light-colored, smooth-finished clothing. Missouri also chose the honey bee as their state insect. W. J. Rorabaugh, "Challenging Authority, Seeking Community, and Empowerment in the New Left, Black Power, and Feminism,", W.L. Stillman has been called the "WASP Woody Allen. The bill did not specify a species. Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org. (1996), Eli Wald, "The rise and fall of the WASP and Jewish law firms. [4] WASPs dominated American society, culture, and politics for most of the history of the United States. Published May 4, 2020 7 min read. Wasps can help us understand the evolution of social behaviours. Meanwhile, the Richmond Times-Dispatch made things worse by publishing an editorial mocking the legislature for wasting time on such an inconsequential matter, and proposing the gnat as state insect. (Sweat may anger bees.). "List of the 50 U.S. State Insects." They did so at the urging of second graders from the Kennedy School in Franklin, MA, and that school also adopted the ladybug as its school mascot. Wear clothing to cover as much of the body as possible. There were no white Protestants. Employers should protect their workers from stinging insects by training them about: Workers should take the following steps to prevent insect stings: If a worker is stung by a bee, wasp, or hornet: We take your privacy seriously. Senator Lewis Long tried to convince his fellow legislators to vote for the tick instead of the honey bee, but he failed to muster enough support and the bee prevailed. That invasive bee species arrived in Texas in 1990 and has colonized parts of the southern U.S. and caused human deaths. Three people . A beekeeper named Brady W. Mullinax led the effort to make the honey bee North Carolina's state insect. U.S. A few states didn't bother with a state insect, but did choose a state butterfly. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? [109] Mary Kenny argues that Barack Obama, although famous as the first Black president, exemplifies highly controlled "unemotional delivery" and "rational detachment" characteristic of WASP personality traits. Asian giant hornets have stingers a quarter-inch long, which can pierce protective clothing that beekeepers normally wear. I am very worried.. Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) have been spotted in Washington State, alarming officials. [10], Of the 46 Presidents the United States have had, only 7 were not White Anglo-Saxon Protestants: Martin Van Buren, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt (Dutch origin), Dwight Eisenhower (German origin), John F. Kennedy (Irish Catholic), Barack Obama (African American), and Joe Biden (Catholic). Fifth graders fromRidgecrest Elementary Schoolin Salt Lake County took on the challenge of lobbying for a state insect. American values bore the stamp of this Anglo-Saxon Protestant ascendancy. James D. Davidson et al. Governor Richard Snelling signed the bill that designated the honey bee as Vermont's state insect in 1978. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? The original law didn't name a species, a fact that didn't sit well with the Entomological Society of Pennsylvania. Hornets: A hornet nest has a football shape surrounded by smooth walls. (2021, February 16). The Wisconsin Legislature was lobbied vigorously to name the honey bee the state's favored insect, by both the third graders of Holy Family School in Marinette and by the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association. The White Anglo-Saxon Protestant upper class has largely held church membership in the mainline Protestant denominations of Christianity, chiefly the Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Congregationalist traditions. You can review and change the way we collect information below. Sharon {{ relativeTimeResolver(1667571857017) }} LIVE Points 12. In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or WASPs is a sociological term which is used to describe Americans who are a part of the white, upper-class as well as a part of the historical Protestant, mostly Mainline Protestant elite; [2] [3] typically, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants are of British descent. European praying mantid (Mantisreligiosa). Kingsley et al., "The College and the Church,". The roughly 5,000-year-old human remains were found in graves from the Yamnaya culture, and the discovery may partially explain their rapid expansion throughout Europe. But according to Google Trends, there are some pests that can be peskier, more prevalent or harder to get rid of than others, depending on where you live. One of Earth's loneliest volcanoes holds an extraordinary secret. Four-spotted skimmer dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata). Sociologists William Thompson and Joseph Hickey described a further expansion of the term's meaning: The term WASP has many meanings. ), If you are attacked by several stinging insects at once, run to get away from them. Photo: Leviathan1983, Wikimedia Commons, cc-by-sa license, Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org, Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org, Russ Ottens, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org, Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org. Update on May 29, 2020: Washington State officials have confirmed the discovery of a third Asian giant hornet, almost certainly a queen, found dead on a road near Custer, Washington. Students at Broken Ground Elementary School in Concord petitioned their legislators to make the ladybug New Hampshire's state insect in 1977. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. These social wasps form colonies, comprising one queen and many workers, which can fly half a dozen miles or more from the hive to find food. Bees, wasps, and hornets are most abundant in the warmer months. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. [19], The term was later popularized by sociologist and University of Pennsylvania professor E. Digby Baltzell, himself a WASP, in his 1964 book The Protestant Establishment: Aristocracy and Caste in America. RepresentativeIrene Nicholia, a sponsor of the legislation to recognize the dragonfly, noted that its remarkable ability to hover and fly in reverse is reminiscent of the skills demonstrated by Alaska's bush pilots. In 1977, the Idaho House agreed and voted for the kids' nominee. But the discoveries set off alarms and the insects began trending on social media as "murder hornets. These predators, native to East Asia and Japan, are infamous for decimating honeybee colonies. Scientists just confirmed a 30-foot void first detected inside the monument years ago. I worry people are already scared enough of insects for dubious reasons, Looney says. Much to their surprise, the Housewaged quite a political war over the measure, first referring the issue to committee and then proposing the creation of aState Insect Selection Board to hold hearings on the choice of an insect. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Geographic Region. Historically, almost all its justices were of WASP or Protestant Germanic heritage. The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. Efforts to establish onebegan as early as 1967, but the Oregon swallowtail didn't prevail until 1979. Lurking in rivers, swamps, lakes, and marshes in the southeastern United States, alligators are menacing predators with lizard-like bodies, muscular tails, and powerful jaws. Oregon swallowtail butterfly (Papilio oregonius). Bald-faced hornets European hornets Mud dauber wasps Paper wasps Tarantula hawk wasps Yellow jackets Unsure about what wasp you're seeing? As is the case with most animals which are threatened, there is the possibility that you could get stung during an encounter with . Although they briefly considering putting the matter up to a popular vote by schoolchildren across the state, in the end, the legislators honored the honey bee. [28], In France, Anglo-Saxon refers to the combined impact of Britain and the United States on European affairs. This species was so named because its colors match the heraldic colors of the first Lord Baltimore, George Calvert. Social wasps thrive in places where humans discard food. Colorado. [129], The 1939 Broadway play Arsenic and Old Lace, later adapted into a Hollywood film released in 1944, ridiculed the old American elite. [99][100][101][102] As late as 1950 there was not a single large Jewish law firm in New York City. The 17th Amendment to the US Constitution: Election of Senators, The Insect Index - Sorted by Scientific Names, The Original Bill of Rights Had 12 Amendments, Why No Term Limits for Congress? But if the children ran Idaho, the state symbol would have beentheleaf-cutter bee long ago. There are an. With smooth, striped, black-and-yellow bodies, these insects look very similar to yellow jackets, making it hard to tell them apart. Unfortunately, the Kamehameha butterfly population appears to be in decline, and the Pulelehua Project has just been launched to enlist the help of citizen scientists in documenting sightings of the butterfly. Nest is a single open-faced comb made of paper, often attached to building eaves. Led by Crestwood Elementary School in Kent, students from over 100 school districts helped select the green darner dragonfly as Washington's state insect in 1997. Two unusual hornetsstriking, with orange and black markings and long stingerswere spotted near Blaine, Washington, in late 2019. They have antennae and "pinched-in" or hourglass waists. Avoid bananas and banana-scented toiletries. 9-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella novemnotata). "[83] According to the essayist Joseph Epstein, WASPs developed a style of understated quiet leadership. All wasps build nests, although they vary in their nesting preferences. [74], The Boston Brahmins, who were regarded as the nation's social and cultural elites, were often associated with the American upper class, Harvard University,[78] and the Episcopal Church. ", Schatz, Ronald W. "The Barons of Middletown and the Decline of the North-Eastern Anglo-Protestant Elite. According to Scientific Elite: Nobel Laureates in the United States by Harriet Zuckerman, between 1901 and 1972, 72% of American Nobel Prize laureates have come from a Protestant background,[63] mostly from Episcopalian, Presbyterian or Lutheran background, while Protestants made up roughly 67% of the US population during that period. Oklahoma chose the honey bee in 1992, at the request of beekeepers. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. In Manhattan, where charity galas are at the center of the social season, the organizing committees are studded with luminaries from publishing, Hollywood and Wall Street and family lineage is almost irrelevant. Here's a list of where each household pest ranked No. Remain calm and still if a single stinging insect is flying around. The remaining 39 were all WASPs. "[128], American films, including Annie Hall and Meet the Parents, have used the conflicts between WASP families and urban Jewish families for comedic effect. [26] The depiction of the Irish in the films of John Ford was a counterpoint to WASP standards of rectitude. [113], In the 1970s, a Fortune magazine study found one-in-five of the country's largest businesses and one-in-three of its largest banks was run by an Episcopalian. Back in the 1970's, busloads of children from Paul, Idaho made repeated trips to their capital, Boise, to lobby for the leaf-cutter bee. The Alabama Legislature designated the monarch butterfly to be the state's official insect in 1989. I also read news accounts from historic newspapers to determine the timeline of events and parties involved in designating a given state insect.