Gale E Ridge

Gale E. Ridge

Department of Entomology

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

123 Huntington Street

New Haven, CT 06511

Voice: (203) 974-8478 | Fax: (203) 974-8502

Expertise:

Dr. Ridge is an expert in human feeding bed bugs in the family Cimicidae. Her primary research is with bed bugs. Dr. Ridge is also a systematist with expertise in insect morphology, behavior, and ecology. She is also a natural science illustrator specializing in pen and ink illustration. Dr. Ridge overseas the daily activities of the insect inquiry office, which receives thousands of inquiries each year.

Education:

Ph.D. The University of Connecticut (Ecology and Evolution) 2008

M.S. Southern Connecticut State University (Biology Department) 1998

B.A. Hons. Trinity College of Music (Piano performance and teaching) 1980

Station career:

Associate Agricultural Scientist 8/07/2019

Assistant Agricultural Scientist 2 4/25/2008

Assistant Agricultural Scientist 1 2/02/2007

Agricultural Research Technician 1 8/10/2001

Agricultural Research Assistant 3 5/22/1998

Service activities and responsibilities:

The Department of Entomology insect inquiry office serves to diagnose and assist citizens of Connecticut with insect problems. Stake holders include, health departments, hospitals, others in the medical professions, housing authorities, the real estate industry, pest control operators, nurseries, arborists, landscapers, homeowners, schools, colleges and universities, orchards, Christmas tree growers, and numerous other commercial and private entities. Her office also acts as a first responder in monitoring for exotic insects with identification and response. Exotic insects have been intercepted by the office, with many new state, sometimes national records being written. Outreach by her office includes the authorship of numerous fact sheets, written articles, workshops, lectures, and speeches presented at national, regional, and local conferences and meetings.

Dr. Ridge has taken a leadership role in educating, organizing, and empowering housing interests, health departments, and pest management professionals in the management of the Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius in the State of Connecticut. Dr. Ridge is the chair of the Connecticut Coalition Against Bed Bugs (CCABB). This multidisciplinary board consists of members from the Pest Management Professionals of Connecticut, State and Local Health, Research, DEEP, and the Connecticut Chief States Attorney’s Office. It has functioned in an advisory capacity for state legislators; it has sponsored numerous bed bug training forums, built a web-site, published numerous informational articles, has a 400 member list-serve service, and produced an award winning bed bug video among many other its activities. Dr. Ridge is an EPA FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel member, curator of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station insect collection, and identification entomologist for exotic pests entering Connecticut including Agrilus planipennis, Sirex noctillio, Anoplophora glabripennis, Operophtera brunnata, Tomicus piniperda (L) etc.

Some Discoveries by Dr. Ridge:

2012 Male reproductive behavior with Cimex lectularius L.

2009 Crytotermes brevis, first state record; Bostrychoplites cornutus, interception; Aleurodicus disperses, interception; Anomis commode, first state record; Eupteryx decemnotata, first state record; Hylastes opacus, first state record

2008 Halyomorpha halys Stål. First Connecticut state record; Cepaea nemoralis (L). first Connecticut state record

2007 Myrmica rubra L. First Connecticut state record (nursery shipment)

2007 Trionymus americanus (Cockerell). First Connecticut state record

2006 Trogoderma granarium Everts. First Connecticut state record

2005 Thanasimus formicarius Polski. First Connecticut state record

2000 Exotic Bostrychidae spp. in furniture shipped from Egypt

1998 Callidiellum rufipenne (Motschulsky). First United States record

Research:

Research in efficacy of an entomopathogenic fungus on bed bug mortality
Research into delivery of an entomopathogenic fungus to bed bugs in buildings

Research on entomopathogenic natural compounds for management of bed bugs

Bed bug reproduction

Taxonomy and systematics of a species complex in human feeding bed bugs

Viability tests of Symbiotes lectularius in Cimex lectularius L.

Ivermectin use in Cimex lectularius L. management

Cockroach predation on Cimex lectularius L.

Publications: Selected publications available from the author, Gale.Ridge@ct.gov

Insect identification and inquiries in Connecticut. A state Perspective on the Evolution and Future of an Entomological Service. American Entomologist.

Identification Guide to the Mosquitoes of Connecticut. Illustrator. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin 966.

Distribution of the western conifer seed bug Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Heteroptera: Coreidae) in Connecticut and parasitism by a tachinid fly Trichopoda pennipes (F) (Diptera: Tachinidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington: Vol. 103, No. 2, pp. 364-366

Fly management handbook. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin 1013. Contributing author and illustrator

Best Practices for Bed Bug Management of Mattresses, Bedding, and Upholstered Furniture. Guidance Document for the Reuse/Resale and Recycling Industries in Connecticut

Fact Sheets: Selected fact sheets available from the author, Gale.Ridge@ct.gov or our fact sheet page.

Bed Bugs:

A Home Owner’s Guide to the Human Bed Bug Cimex lectularis L., C. hemipterus Fabr. (Cimicidae; Heteroptera). Translated into three other languages

Bed Bugs, How to Deal with Them

Got Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Guide for Connecticut Day Care Services

Bed Bug Guide for Connecticut Schools

Connecticut Health Department Bed Bug Identification Guide

Bed Bug Training Video for Health Departments titled “They’re Back” (YouTube Feb. 2012; winner of the Bronze Tally Award for short educational video

The Home Owners Guide to Bed Bugs (translated into three languages)

First Steps to Manage Bed Bugs in Bed

Insect Fact Sheets: