Peter Cranston (left) and Tom Miller

Two University of California entomology professors were among a select group of internationally known entomologists asked by the Royal Entomological Society, United Kingdom, to write a daily blog for the UK's National Insect Week.

The blogs by Peter Cranston of UC Davis and Tom Miller of UC Riverside are online. The society selected a total of 23 entomologists or insect enthusiasts to pen the blogs.

The bloggers ranged from cutting-edge leading entomologists and postgraduate students to an 11-year-old who rears hissing cockroaches. They were asked to post details about their everyday work and experiences "to give readers a valuable insight into the life and interests of a person in their specialist field," a spokesperson said. The blogs include witty observations about entomology and entomologists.

Cranston and Miller plan to continue their blogs. Cranston wrote a blog July 8 about "Bug Boot Camp," a summer insect study session coordinated by UC Davis entomology professor and ant specialist Phil Ward. Miller penned a blog July 7 titled "Fourth of July and ePermits."

Cranston, who teaches systematic entomology and biodiversity at UC Davis, serves as co-editor of the Royal Entomological Society's journal "Systematic Entomology" and is newly selected honorary member of the society.

His research interests include the systematics, ecology and biogeography of aquatic insects, particularly the Chironomidae (non-biting midges).

Cranston said he developed a fascination for insects during his childhood years in the West Midlands of the UK. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of London and during his student years, curated a collection of true flies (Diptera) at the London's Natural History Museum. For his doctorate, also at the University of London, he studied the development stages (larvae and pupae) of the dominant group of aquatic flies — the chironomid midges.

After 17 years working in London, Cranston relocated to the Australian National Insect Collection in CSIRO, Canberra, to work with others who wished to use aquatic insects for biological monitoring of waterways.

While in Australia, Cranston co-authored chapters on "Systematics" and "Biogeography" for the second edition of "The Insects of Australia." That experience led him and co-author Penny Gullan to write a college undergraduate textbook, "The Insects: An Outline of Entomology," addressing global entomological issues.

He and Gullan, also a professor of entomology at UC Davis, just published the fourth edition of "The Insects" earlier this year. Both plan to retire this year and return to Australia to pursue their interests in the systematics of austral insects.

Professor Miller teaches insect physiology, insect toxicology and first-year biology at UC Riverside. He completed his doctorate in entomology at UC Riverside in 1967 and served a year as research associate at the University of Illinois and a year as a NATO Postdoctoral Fellow at Glasgow University before joining the UC Riverside faculty in 1969.

Among his research interests: the structure and function of the insect circulatory system; the mode of action of insecticides; insect neuromuscular physiology; physiology, toxicology and behavior of pink bollworm in cotton fields; transgenic insects; applied symbiosis for crop protection; and biopesticides for crop protection.

In 2003 the Czech Academy of Sciences awarded Miller the Gregor J. Mendel Medal for Research in Biological Sciences. His other honors include presenting the Verrall Lecture at the Royal Entomological Society in 2005. Miller is now preparing to spend a year in Washington, D.C. as a Jefferson Science Fellow.

Chris Haines, former president of the Royal Entomological Society, organized the blog project. He served as the society president when Miller was asked to deliver the Verrall Lecture.