Gale E. Ridge
Department of Entomology
The
Voice: (203) 974-8478 Fax: (203) 974-8502
E-mail: Gale.Ridge@ct.gov
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:
M.S. Southern Connecticut State University (Biology Department) 1998
B.A. Hons. Trinity College of Music (Piano performance and teaching) 1980
Station career:
Assistant Agricultural Scientist 1 2/02/2007
Agricultural Research Technician 1 8/10/2001
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 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 publications available from author, Gale.Ridge@ct.gov or on our fact sheet page.
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
Ground Nesting Bees
Carpenter ants (Camponotus sp.). Translated into two languages.
Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa spp.)
Brown Marmorated Sting Bug
Cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche).
Adult Heteropteran Thoracic Endoskeleton (Insecta: Hemiptera) A Family-Level Study. pp. 950. PhD. thesis. 2008
Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche))
Cluster Flies (Pollenia rudis (Fabricius))
European Earwig (Forficula auricularia Linnaeus)
The Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica Newman (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera))
Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann)
Moth Flies (Psychodidae)
Pepper Maggot (Zonosemata electa (Say))
Yellowjackets (Vespula sp. Thompson)