Patrick (“PJ”) Liesch is a statewide entomology specialist within the UW-Madison Department of Entomology. PJ’s primary role is to serve as the director of the University of Wisconsin Insect Diagnostic Lab where he handles approximately 2,500 insect identification requests every year. PJ also teaches on the UW-Madison campus and provides entomology-related outreach throughout the state, including regular appearances on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Larry Meiller Show.
The ant expert E.O. Wilson said it best when he famously described insects and other invertebrates as, “the little things that run the world.” Wisconsin is home to over 20,000 different insect species and over a million are known from around our planet. PJ will discuss these amazingly diverse, complex, and fascinating creatures and the many roles they play in the world around us.
