I became interested in biology/ecology with a particular emphasis on entomology back in the mid-1960's (about third grade when I made my first insect collection). I decided to pursue a career in Entomology so obtained a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. at University of Maine, Michigan State University and University of Idaho, respectively. In 1982, after finishing my last degree, my life took a few unexpected turns, with that career in Entomology put on hold for a while - until 2014, when I became the Entomologist for the Idaho State Dept of Agriculture! In the interim I did a lot of avocational entomology "in my spare time" to keep active in the field, including over two decades as an insect collector/curator for the Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History at The College of Idaho in Caldwell, ID, leader of the annual Boise Front 4th of July Butterfly Count from 1998 to present and volunteer work at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge in Nampa, ID, including an insect biodiversity survey project begun in 2006, in which over 1,300 insect taxa have been collected/recorded as being resident on the refuge.