Michael L Ferro

Research
My earliest research was on dragonflies (Odonata) in Missouri, and this resulted in later research opportunities in Thailand (see pubs.).

My masters at the University of Missouri was chiefly a survey of the Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) of Missouri State Parks (see pubs.).

Presently my research is centered on beetles in rotting wood (saproxylic Coleoptera) and other ventures of interest (Neuroptera; Diptera (amazingly), etc.). See below for publications on completed projects.

Publications
D'Silva, A. J., M. A. Smith, J. B. Rehrig, and M. L. Ferro. 2025. The polypore fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Tetratomidae) of South Carolina, USA, including a bibliography for species of the USA and Canada. The Coleopterists Bulletin 79(3): 533–566. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and A. J. D’Silva. 2025. New state record for Pseudoholostrophus discolor (Horn) (Coleoptera: Tetratomidae) from North Carolina, USA. The Coleopterists Bulletin 79(3): 530–532. [PDF]

Wooden, P. L. S., N. K. Artley, C. M. Silva, and M. L. Ferro. 2025. From trash to teacher: Utilizing unlabeled, unsealed, and unprocessed specimens for community engagement. Natural History Collections and Museomics 2: 1–9. [PDF]

Globus, T. E., and M. L. Ferro. 2024. Cryptolestes pusilloides (Steel and Howe) (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) infesting commercial dried mushrooms. The Coleopterists Bulletin 78(2): 266–269. [PDF]

M. J. Skvarla, M. L. Ferro, and M. K. Thayer. 2023. Report of two rove beetle species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Oxybleptes kiteleyi Smetana, 1982 and Omalium rivulare (Paykull, 1789), collected in colored water traps. The Coleopterists Bulletin 77(4): 542–548. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2022. Coleoptera in floods: Biotic surveys, fish food, adaptation,

reconstruction of paleoenvironments, and preconstruction of neoenvironments. The Coleopterists Bulletin 76(2): 157–174. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2022. New state record for Tohlezkus inexpectus Vit, 1995

(Coleoptera: Eucinetidae) with a summary of distribution and collection data. The Coleopterists Bulletin 76(4): 532–536. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., D. R. Swanson, and M. D. Ulyshen. 2022. Aradidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) emergent from coarse and fine woody debris in Louisiana. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 124(4): 749–760. [PDF]

Plakidas, J. D., N. H. Nguyen, and M. L. Ferro. 2022. A new species of Neostenoptera Meunier (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae) from Hawai‘i. Insecta Mundi 0941: 1–12. [PDF]

Traylor, C. R., M. S. Caterino, M. D. Ulyshen, M. L. Ferro, and J. V. McHugh. 2022. Assessing the old-growth dependency of two saproxylic beetle species in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Insect Systematics and Diversity 6(3): 5; 1–13. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2021. Beetles collected in light-traps during the North American total solar eclipse of 21 August 2017 with a review of arthropod behavior during solar eclipses. Entomological News 129(4): 348–359. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2020. Homemade aspirators: They suck! Hamulli 11(2): 11–13. [PDF]

Lopes-Andrade, C., M. L. Ferro, and H. W. Keller. 2020. A new species of Cis Latreille (Coleoptera: Ciidae) from the USA, with comments on the use by Ciidae of Stereaceae fungi (Basidiomycota: Agaricomycetes: Russulales) as hosts. The Coleopterists Bulletin 74(1): 93–100. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and M. Summerlin. 2019. Developing a standardized list of entomological

collection methods for use in databases. ZooKeys 861: 145–156. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2018. Chapter 22: It’s the end of the wood as we know it: Insects in veteris (highly decomposed) wood [pp. 729–795]. In: Saproxylic Insects (M. D. Ulyshen, editor). Springer Nature. Zoological Monographs I: 1–904. [PDF]

Gimmel, M. L., and M. L. Ferro. 2018. Chapter 2: General overview of saproxylic coleoptera [pp. 51–128]. In: Saproxylic Insects (M. D. Ulyshen, editor). Springer Nature. Zoological Monographs I: 1–904. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2018. New state records for Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera) with an updated list of species in North America north of Mexico. Insecta Mundi 0668: 1–20. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2018. A $3 homemade Winkler sampler. Hamuli. Newsletter of the International Society of Hymenopterists 9(1): 5–6. [PDF]

Caterino, M. C., and M. L. Ferro. 2017. A checklist of the rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of South Carolina, based on published records. The Coleopterists Bulletin 71(3): 513–527. [PDF]

Plakidas, J. D., and M. L. Ferro. 2016. A new species of Neostenoptera (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae) from eastern North America. Insecta Mundi 0510: 1–9. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and A. J. Mayor. 2016. The ellusive citation for Haplocnemus subinteger Pic, 1902 (Coleoptera: Rhadalidae: Aplocnemini) and the evils of journal title abbreviation. The Coleopterists Bulletin 70(3): 654–655. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and N. H. Nguyen. 2016. Survey of twig-inhabiting Coleoptera in Louisiana, USA. The Coleopterists Bulletin 70(3): 551–558. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2016. Square inch science. American Entomologist 62(3): 181. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2016. Fourteen new species of Sonoma Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) with a key to species from western North America. Insecta Mundi 0472: 1–57. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and A. J. Flick. 2015. “Collection bias” and the importance of natural history collections in species habitat modeling: A case study using Thoracophorus costalis Erichson (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae), with a critique of GBIF.org. The Coleopterists Bulletin 69(3): 415–425. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., M. K. Thayer, A. F. Newton, Jr., and J-S. Park. 2015. Key to North American Staphylinidae subfamilies. Available from: http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/nastaphylinidae (20 March 2015).

Ferro, M. L. 2015. Review of the genus Thoracophorus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae) in North America north of Mexico, with a key to species. The Coleopterists Bulletin 69(1): 1–10. [PDF]

Bowles, D. E., A. Contreras-Ramos, M. A. Sarmiento-Cordero, and M. L. Ferro. 2015. New distributional records for pleasing lacewings (Neuroptera: Dilaridae, Nallachius spp.) in the Americas. Insecta Mundi 406: 1–10. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and M. L. Gimmel. 2014. Season of fine woody debris death affects colonization of saproxylic Coleoptera. The Coleopterists Bulletin 68(4): 681–685. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2014. A cultural and entomological review of the Osage orange (Maclura pomifera (Raf.) Schneid.) (Moraceae) and the origin and early spread of "hedge apple" folklore. Southeastern Naturalist. 13 (Monograph 7): 1–34. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and A. J. Flick. 2014. “Advertising” biodiversity to the public: Designing graphics to encourage active discovery and engagement. American Entomologist 60(2): 116–120. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2014. Two new species of Batrisodes Reitter (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from eastern North America. Insecta Mundi 0380: 1–21. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., N. H. Nguyen, A. Tishechkin, J-S. Park, V. Bayless, and C. E. Carlton. 2013. Coleoptera collected from rotting fishhook barrel cacti (Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton and Rose), with a review of Nearctic Coleoptera associated with succulent necrosis. Coleopterists Bulletin 67: 419–443. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and J-S. Park. 2013. Effect of propylene glycol concentration on mid-term DNA preservation of Coleoptera. Coleopterists Bulletin 67: 581–586. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2013. Common name selection in the Internet age: A crazy case study. American Entomologist 59(3): 136–137. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of the Coleoptera communities in leaf litter and rotten wood in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 0259: 1–58. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of Coleoptera emergent from various decay classes of downed coarse woody debris in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 0260: 1–80. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Comparison of three collection techniques for capture of Coleoptera, with an emphasis on saproxylic species, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Insecta Mundi 0261: 1–31. [PDF]

Klepzig, K. D., M. L. Ferro, M. D. Ulyshen, M. L. Gimmel, J. B. Mahfouz, A. E. Tiarks, and C. E. Carlton. 2012. Effects of Small-Scale Dead Wood Additions on Beetles in

Southeastern U.S. Pine Forests. Forests 3: 632–652. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and M. L. Gimmel. 2011. First record of Scolytogenes jalapae (Letzner) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Louisiana, U.S.A. The Coleopterists Bulletin 65: 363. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and M. L. Gimmel. 2011. New synonymies and range extension for North American Thoracophorus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 65: 403–404. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2011. A practical emergence chamber for collecting Coleoptera from rotting wood, with a review of emergence chamber designs to collect saproxylic insects. The Coleopterists Bulletin 65: 115–124. [PDF]

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Louisiana. 2010. Photography by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland, edited by M. L. Ferro, K. A. Parys, and M. L. Gimmel. [Amazon.com]

Park, J-S., C. E. Carlton, and M. L. Ferro. 2010. Diversity and taxonomic review of Leptusa Kraatz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A., with descriptions of four new species. Zootaxa 2662: 1–27.

Ferro, M. L., and C. E. Carlton. 2010. Fifteen new species of Sonoma Casey from the eastern United States and a description of the male of Sonoma tolulae (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). Insecta Mundi 0137: 1–44. [PDF]

Gimmel, M. L., and M. L. Ferro. 2010. “To Finish is to Win”: The first annual Louisiana State Arthropod Museum Mad Dog Marathon. American Entomologist 56(2): 74–77. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., R. W. Sites, and A. Vitheepradit. 2009. Contributions to the faunistics of Odonata in Thailand. Insecta Mundi 0104: 1–24. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., M. L. Gimmel, K. E. Harms, and C. E. Carlton. 2009. The beetle community of small oak twigs in Louisiana, with a literature review of Coleoptera from fine woody debris. The Coleopterists Bulletin 63: 239–263. [PDF]

Swenson, N. G., D. L. Mahler, M. Ferro, and A. Ritchie. 2007. The energetic determination, spatial dispersion and density dependence of Myrmeleon ant lion pits in Las Cruces, Costa Rica. Biotropica 39(6): 774–777. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and R. W. Sites. 2007. The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of Missouri state parks, with notes on biomonitoring, mesohabitat associations, and distribution. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 80(2): 105–129. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L., and R. W. Sites. 2006. Description of the larva of Gomphidictinus perakensis (Laidlaw) (Odonata: Gomphidae), with distributional notes. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108(1): 76–81. [PDF]

Ferro, M. L. 2005. The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of Missouri State Parks with notes on biomonitoring, mesohabitat associations, and distribution. Masters Thesis, University of Missouri – Columbia. 252 pp. [Available Here]

Ferro, M. L., and J. F. Belshe. 1999. The distribution of Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen) (Insecta, Odonata, Anisoptera, Petaluridae) in Missouri. Journal of the McNair Central Achievers Program – McCAP 8: 17–21. [PDF]