NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9
Local researchers focus on ‘good’ insects
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
When people think about
insects, they often think of
them as unwelcome guests,
from the line of ants lead-
ing into their pantry to the
swarming mosquitos ruining
their barbecue.
While some scientists
at the Hermiston Agricul-
tural Research and Exten-
sion Center do study pests,
Sandra DeBano, an associ-
ate professor specializing in
invertebrates, focuses on the
bugs people actually want
around.
Benefi cial invertebrates
she studies include pollina-
tors, composters and nat-
ural predators that can be
unleashed against pests
attacking a crop. Levels of
certain types of insects can
also be used to measure the
health of a stream or other
ecosystem.
“I study how we can
enhance the services of these
invertebrates,” DeBano said.
Bees are a good exam-
ple. Growers often rent dif-
ferent types of bees to help
pollinate their crops, placing
them in the small tent-like
structures that can be seen
popping up in fi elds around
Hermiston each summer.
DeBano works with them
on how to attract more native
pollinators to their fi elds,
Contributed photo by Scott Mitchell
A bee lands on a willow in Eastern Oregon.
through measures, such as
planting certain types of
bushes along the edges or
planting cover crops that
will encourage pollinators to
stay around when there isn’t
a cash crop blooming in that
fi eld. She said native bees
pollinate about $3 billion in
crops in the United States
every year.
“I look at how we can
enhance that pollination
they can get for free from
nature,” she said.
Beyond attracting the
pollinators in the fi rst place,
farmers also need to be care-
ful about not killing them
off while trying to fi ght
pests. DeBano said some-
times small changes, such
as switching to a different
type of insecticide or spray-
ing in the evening when bees
aren’t active, can make a big
difference.
She said the same princi-
ples apply to people’s yards
and home gardens.
“Using pesticides wisely
is really important, hav-
ing people aware that when
they’re spraying and what
they’re spraying has effects
on pollinators,” she said.
“People just see pests in their
garden and start spraying a
broad spectrum pesticide.”
Those actions can have
inadvertent consequences,
killing off not only the
unwelcome insects but also
ones that are benefi cial to a
garden or landscaping.
In addition to working
with the agricultural indus-
try, DeBano also works
with the U.S. Forest Ser-
vice on forestry projects, as
Contributed photo by Scott Mitchell
Graduate student Katie Arstingstall and intern Coltyn Kidd collect bee samples from a fi eld in
Eastern Oregon for a Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center project.
does David Wooster, another
HAREC associate professor
who studies invertebrates.
Wooster’s specialty leans
more toward aquatic inver-
tebrates. He measures the
prevalence of mayfl ies,
stone fl ies, beetles, leeches,
fl atworms and other inver-
tebrates to gauge a river’s
health. An increase in num-
bers or in dominance of spe-
cies that are especially sen-
sitive to human impacts
indicates that a river resto-
ration project by the For-
est Service or Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation has succeeded
in improving the health of
the ecosystem there.
He also studies the spread
of invasive species, such as
the rusty crayfi sh that has
invaded the John Day River
system.
One thing Wooster has
been studying for years is
how much surface water
irrigators can remove from a
river before they start to see
signifi cant impacts on the
health of that river.
“It’s a much trickier ques-
tion to answer than I thought
when I fi rst started out,” he
said. “Rivers are very idio-
syncratic and they respond
very differently to the same
treatment.”
While the COVID-19
pandemic has canceled
school fi eld trips and in-per-
son educational programs at
HAREC for now, Wooster
said one part of his job he
usually enjoys is helping
students explore the world
of aquatic invertebrates
through hands-on fi eld trips.
“A lot of kids play in riv-
ers, but they don’t usually
pay attention to the creepy
crawlies there,” he said.
Libraries are now open for in-person visits
By NADA SEWIDAN
STAFF WRITER
Libraries have now
reopened for in-person vis-
its in Hermiston and neigh-
boring cities with slight
modifi cations.
Some restrictions include
limiting the number of peo-
ple in the library at one time
and adjusting hours.
Hermiston Public Library
is only allowing entry
through their back door and
is limiting the number of
people inside the building at
a time. The library’s website
states that curbside pickup
will still be available for
those not comfortable with
going inside.
Hours are from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Monday through
Thursday and 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Friday. For more
information contact 541-
567-2882 or library@herm-
iston.or.us.
City Library in Umatilla
reopened on Wednesday,
June 10 and has also modi-
fi ed event schedules to limit
gatherings. The library will
continue with events, such
as their summer reading pro-
grams and teddy bear work-
shops, but limit the amount
of reservations available.
Library Director Kellie
Lamoreaux said sign-ups
are required and gatherings
for events are limited.
“We’re not going to do
anything big,” she said.
“Only 10 people at a time
for events.”
To sign up for Umatil-
la’s summer reading pro-
gram, visit umatilla-city.org/
library or call 541-922-5704.
HH fi le photo
Bricks at the Hermiston Public Library display the names of donors who helped build it.
EASTERN OREGON
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211 S.E. Byers Ave.
333 E. Main St.
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EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
157 Events
301 RVs & Travel
Trailers
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BC Fireworks Tent
In front of Grocery Outlet
SHOP WHILE SUPLIES LAST
204 Automobiles
360 Garage Sales
VINTAGE & OLD STUFF
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Exit 285 Off I-84
Located in the Heart of
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Open 10 AM - 6 PM
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Many new items!
2007 Dutchmen Express: Low
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or best offer;
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360 Garage Sales
2005 Jeep Cherokee Laredo,
$2000/OBO 541-720-3446
Estate/Yard Sale
Saturday July 4th
from 8:00-2:00
at 203 Cowlitz ave in Umatilla
Lots of houshold items, furniter,
and tools including dinningroom
table, couches, kitchen items
and some clothes.
BUY IT!
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Classifieds
631 For Rent
*Mention ad for discount.
504 Homes for Sale
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FOR QUICK CASH
Use a classified ad to sell items around
your home you can no longer use.
Disponible ahora!
Irrigon Farm Labor
Aceptando solicitudes para
viviendas financiadas por el
gobierno federal. 2 y 3 dor-
mitorios con alquiler basado
en los ingresos cuando es-
tén disponibles. Se aplican
restricciones de ingresos y
de estudiantes. Se requieren
ingresos de Agricultura.
Para el español puedes lla-
mar Lorie Aguilar al 541-938-
6661 para más información.
Irrigon , OR. 541-938-6661.
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101 Legal Notices
HH-5818
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID
HERMISTON PUBLIC LIBRARY REMODEL – PHASE 1
Sealed bids will be received by the City of Hermiston, at the Build-
ing Department, 215 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston, OR 97838, for the
construction of the Hermiston Public Library Remodel – Phase 1.
Sealed Base Bids must be received by 3:00 pm local time on July
22, 2020 and must be marked “Sealed Base Bid – Hermiston Pub-
lic Library Remodel – Phase 1”. Bids received after this time will
not be considered. Sealed Bids will be opened and publicly read
at 3:00 pm on July 22, 2020.
Project documents are available at www.architectswestplans.com
. Bidders may download digital files at no cost; Hardcopy sets
are available with a refundable deposit of $300.00 per set plus a
non-refundable fee of $30.00 per set for handling to be submitted
by separate checks. General Contractor may obtain two (2) sets
of documents;
Mech/Elec/First Tier subcontractors may obtain one (1) set of
documents via checks payable to Architects West and mailed to
Abadan Reprographics, 603 E. 2 nd Ave., Spokane, WA 99202.
Deposits will be returned on receipt
of documents for a period of ten days after bid opening, provided
they are complete and in clean, usable condition. Additional or
partial sets may be purchased. Bidders are encouraged to regis-
ter as a plan holder at www.architectswestplans.com , and select
“Add me as a Plan Holder”. Questions regarding the plan room
contact Auron (509) 747-2964 or repro@abadanspokane.com . A
complete set of contract documents will also be filed with the Plan
Centers listed at www.architectswestplans.com .
A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Conference has been scheduled for
10:00 am local time on July 7, 2020, at Library at
235 E. Gladys, Hermiston, OR.
No bidder may withdraw his bid after hour set for opening there-
of, unless award is delayed for a period exceeding 60 days. The
City of Hermiston reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to
waive informalities or irregularities in any bid.
For the City of Hermiston, By Byron Smith, City Manager
Publication Dates: July 1 of 2020
IT WILL SELL
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