Story by David Livingstone

What is a bee telling the hive when it dances in a circle? What insect was used in military decorations in Egypt?

These are the types of questions the New Mexico State University Linnaean Team answered for its first place victory at the regional competition of the Linneaen Games.

Students aren’t bugged by questions

The quiz bowl tested students on “anything that could ever be asked about insects,” Scott Bundy, professor of entomology and team sponsor, said.

NMSU team members are all smiles in Cancun, Mexico, after their win. (Courtesy photo)

The competition was held during the Entomological Society of America Southwestern Branch meeting in Cancun Mexico, which ran April 11 – 15.

The five-member team is made up of undergraduate and graduate students. In preparation for the competition, they have been holding practice –complete with their own buzzer system, since early January.

Down to the wire

In Cancun, the NMSU team competed against West Texas A&M, University of Texas at Tyler, and Texas A&M.

“In the final round it came down to the wire, and we beat Texas A&M 70-60,” team Captain Sam Lowry said.

Each question is worth 10 points, with 16 tossup questions in a game and a bonus question for the team answering the question correctly.

“It was really fun. We haven’t won as a team yet,” said team member Joni Blount. NMSU’s previous win was in 2007 at Dallas.

The team, along with runner-up Texas A&M, will go on to the compete against 10 – 12 teams at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America in San Diego this December.