Casey Kong is an ecology student originally from Kansas. His experience working with monarchs growing up helped him develop a deep interest in pollinators and insects as a whole. This summer, he is studying pollinators, specifically bees, in agricultural fields as well as surveying for fireflies.
What did you enjoy most about growing up in the Midwest? I spent most of my childhood in Kansas, and I think what I enjoyed most was the space I had. Going to college in the LA was a great experience, and the cultural and environmental diversity in California is amazing, but I think I prefer the smaller, less crowded, Midwest college town I grew up in.
Why did you choose Iowa State for your internship? I wanted to choose a place that wasn’t too far away from home, somewhere in the Midwest which I was more familiar with. I had a great interest in Monarchs, but also a great interest in pollinators more broadly and how we interact with them. With this internship I could work with pollinators in agricultural fields while also being around people who are also interested in Monarchs.
What’s the most useful thing that you've learned as a student? Being willing to take the time and learn something new has been a great skill. There are so many opportunities and paths that open by being present and having the motivation to just do something. It doesn’t have to be something hard, it could be something simple, but it adds up over time.
Why did you choose ecology for your major? I initially entered college as a pure math major, but I found quickly that I really missed biology. I missed working with nature. I never realized just how much I enjoyed biology as a subject until I stopped being involved. I spent a lot of my life advocating for pollinators, to protect our ecosystems, to spread awareness, and somehow, I just… never considered that I could keep doing this stuff as part of my future career. It’s been tough switching majors late, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far.
Why are you interested in pollinators? I grew up around pollinators. I was very interested in monarchs specifically from a young age, but it expanded over the years to other pollinators and insects in general. I’ve come to really enjoy working with them and now I want to contribute to research to better understand them, especially since insect populations are on a serious global decline.
Describe your field experience this year. This summer I have been working with Yuanwu Wang, primarily to survey pollinators in agricultural fields. We are using a variety of methods to survey sites across Iowa. I have also helped with some firefly surveys as well, mostly around the Yellow River State Forest.
How do you hope to apply what you have learned in the future? I think what I really lacked was a wider view/actual field experience. I had prior experience, particularly with monarchs, but I felt like my understanding was too narrow and wanted to branch out. There’s only so much you can learn by reading textbooks and papers and sitting in class. Now I feel like I’m familiar not with just the pollinator species we found, but more broadly speaking with different methods for trapping, best practices, and other principles to follow when doing research.
How can Iowans help butterflies? I think the easiest and best thing everyone can do to help butterflies (and other insects more broadly) is just finding the time to appreciate the bugs you come across in your day-to-day life. Planting a garden, getting involved in community science programs, these activities are great, but sometimes we don’t have the time, space, or money to be very active. Finding joy in just finding a bug and sharing with someone new helps spread the message, especially when so many people are afraid of bugs. Learn some new facts about the spider living in the corner of your room or try to identify the butterfly you saw outside. Take photos and share them or upload them to iNaturalist. There’s lots of ways you can help, but the first, easiest, and most important step is being able to enjoy it and share it with others.
Photo by Casey Kong