Dr. Allan W. Hook
Office: 102 Fleck Hall
Telephone: (512)448-8466
Fax: (512)448-8764
E-mail: hook@admin.stedwards.edu

Education

• Ph.D. (Zoology and Entomology), Colorado State University
• M.S. (Entomology), University of Georgia,
• B.S. (Biology), University of Maine

Research Interests

My broad interests fall into the realm of animal behavior and systematics, although I have focused my research on the behavior and biodiversity of insects. Most of my research has focused on solitary wasps of the family Sphecidae (digger wasps; see publications link). Digger wasps are extremely diverse (about 8,000 species in the world) and exhibit a tremendous range of behaviors and lifestyles. Thus digger wasps are excellent subjects for comparative evolutionary studies that attempt to understand the selective pressures that have brought about such extreme variation in behavior and morphology. Most of my research has been done at field sites throughout Texas, although I have also studied wasps in California, British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Australia, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago, Nicaragua, and in the Amazon River basin in Brazil.

Publications

Teaching Interests

Courses I currently teach include Genes, Populations, and Organisms (Biol 1308, 1108), Evolution (Bio 4344), Entomology (Biol 2420), Vertebrate Zoology (Biol 2428), Research Methods (Biol 4147), and Senior Seminar (Biol 4149). For students in depth experiential learning I offer credit in Independent Study (Biol 4146, 4246, 4346), Undergraduate Research (Biol 4148), and Internship in Biology (Biol 4150, 4250, 4350).

Nonmajor courses taught include Contemporary Biology (Biol 1305) and Biology Principals (Biol 1306).

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Students may choose from a wide variety of research problems in biology that can be undertaken in the field or in the laboratory. Most of my student research is done in Austin at the University of Texas' Brackenridge Field Laboratory. For examples of undergraduate research projects I have supervised see "undergraduate research projects supervised".

Undergraduate Research Projects Supervised 

Publications

Schmidt, J. O. and A. W. Hook. 1979. A record population of Psedomethoca simillima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Fla. Entomol. 62:152.

Alcock, J., J. Carpenter, G. C. Eickwort, A. W. Hook, J. W. Krispyn, and R. W. Matthews. 1979. Observations on the mating behavior of the empidid fly, Rhamphomyia pectoris (Diptera). J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 14:351-354.

Matthews, R. W., A. W. Hook, and J. W. Krispyn. 1979. Nesting behavior of Crabro argusinus and C. hilaris (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Psyche 86:149-166.

Hook, A. W. and R. W. Matthews. 1980. Nesting biology of Oxybelus sericeus with a discussion of nest guarding by male sphecid wasps (Hymenoptera). Psyche 87:21-37.

Peckham, D. J., and A. W. Hook. 1980. Behavioral observations on Oxybelus in Southeastern North America. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 73:557-565.

Evans, H. E., R. W. Matthews, and A. W. Hook. 1980. Notes on the nests and prey of six species of Pison in Australia (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Psyche 87:221-230.

Evans, H. E., M. A. Evans, and A. W. Hook. 1981. Observations on the prey and nests of some Australian spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Aust. Ent. Mag. 8:9-12.

Hook, A. W. 1981. Hesperiidae as prey of Stictia carolina . J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 89:202-203.

Hook, A. W. 1981. Nesting biology of Tanyoprymnus moneduloides and Ammatomus icarioides (Hymenopteraa: Sphecidae: Nyssoninae). Ann Entomol. Soc. Am. 74:409-411.

Hook, A. W. 1982. Notes on the nesting behavior of Ectemnius centralis (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Ent. News 93:75-76.

Hook, A. W. 1982. Observations on a declining nest of Polistes tepidus (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 21:277-278.

Hook, A. W. and H. E. Evans. 1982. Observations on the nesting behavior of three species of Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 21:271-275.

Evans, H. E., A. W. Hook, and R. W. Matthews. 1982. Nesting behavior of Australian wasps of the genus Sphex (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). J. Nat. Hist. 16:219-225.

Evans, H. E., and A. W. Hook. 1982. Communal nesting in Australian Cerceris digger wasps. In: IX Cong. I.U.S.S.I., Boulder, Colo., Westview Press, pp.159-163.

Evans, H. E., and A. W. Hook. 1982. Communal nesting in the digger wasp Cerceris australis (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Aust. J. Zool. 31:557-568.

Evans, H. E., M. A. Evans, and A. W. Hook. 1982. Observations on the nests and prey of Australian Bembix sand wasps. Aust. J. Zool. 30:71-80.

Hook, A. W. 1984. Notes on the nesting and mating behavior of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum ) spinosum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 57:534-535.

Evans, H. E., and A. W. Hook. 1984. Nesting behavior of a Lyroda predator (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) on Tridactylus (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae). Aust. Ent. Mag. 11:16-18.

Evans, H. E., and A. W. Hook. 1986. Nesting behavior of Australian Cerceris digger wasps, with special reference to nest reutilization and nest sharing. Sociobiology 11:275-302.

Evans, H. E., and A. W. Hook. 1986. Prey selection by Australian wasps of the genus Cerceris (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). J. Nat. Hist. 20:1297-1307.

Hook, A. W. 1987. Nesting behavior of Texas Cerceris digger wasps, with emphasis on nest reutilization and nest sharing. Sociobiolgy 13:93-118.

Hook, A. W., and J. M. Carpenter. 1988. Eumenine wasps of Brackenridge Field Laboratory. Sphecos 17:14-15.

Hook, A. W., and D. G. Manley. 1989. Mutillid wasps of Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Travis, Co., Texas. Sphecos 18:12.

Hook, A. W. 1989. Comments on sphecid wasp stinging behavior. Sphecos 18:12.

Hook, A. W., Evans, H. E., and J E. Gillaspy. 1990. Pompilid wasps of Brackenridge Field Laboratory and of the greater Austin area. Sphecos 20:17-18.

Hook, A. W., and S. D. Porter 1990. Destruction of harvester ant colonies by invading fire ants in South Central Texas. The Southwestern Naturalist 35:477-478.

Hook, A. W., and H. E. Evans 1991. Prey and parasites of Cerceris fumipennis (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)from Central Texas, with description of the larvae of Dasymutilla scaevola (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 64:257-264.

Hook, A. W. 1991. (Book Review) The Social Biology of Wasps. K.G. Ross and R.W. Mathews eds., Cornell Univ. Press. In American Entomologist vol. 37:247-248.

Hook, A. W. 1991. Additional accounts of defensive stinging in sphecid wasps. Sphecos 21:13-14. Peckham, D. J. and A.W. Hook 1994. Nesting behavior of Enchemicrum australe (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 87:972-977.

Hook, A. W. 1998. New Distributional records of Aculeate wasps in Texas and Surroundings (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae, Pompilidae, Mutillidae). The Southwestern Naturalist 43:249-255.

Starr, C.K. and A.W. Hook (2003) The Aculeate Hymenoptera of Trinidad, West Indies. Occ. Pap. Dept. Life Sci. Univer. West Indies 12:1-31

Undergraduate Research Projects Supervised

1993 - "Chemical Ecology of Dasymutilla scaevola (Insecta: Hymenoptera; Mutillidae)", Karen Schuster, paper presented at the 96th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Denton, Texas.

1993 - "Reproductive Biology of Panorpa nuptialis , (Insecta: Mecoptera)", Kelly Cunningham, paper presented at the 96th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Denton, Texas.

1994 - "Prey selection in two species of Crabro digger wasps: is there a relationship between wasp size and size of prey taken?" Susette Thorpe, paper presented at the 97th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Houston, Texas.

1996 - "Nesting biology of Bicertyes fodiens (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)", Eva Mackey, paper presented at the 99th Annual Meetin of the Texas Academy of Science, Galveston, Texas.

1996 - "Aculeate Wasps of Dolan Falls Preserve, Devils River, Texas", Allan Hook and Oswaldo Hernandez, paper presented at the 99th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Galveston, Texas.

1999 - Nesting biology of Anacrabro ocellatus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) with an analysis of digger-carrier type behavior, Tshephang Selekanyo, paper presented at the 102nd Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Seguin, Texas.

2000 - Investigation of pit size versus larval size in an antlion, Tracy Cannon, paper to be presented at the 103rd Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Kingsville, Texas.

2001 - "Preliminary study of the mating system of Bemebecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)", Bernardo Nino, paper presented at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, San Marcos, Texas

2002 - Further study of the mating system of Bemebecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Bernardo Nino, paper presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Laredo, Texas

2003 - "Description of sleeping aggregations in Bemebecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)", J. Anthony Frisco, paper presented at the 106th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Nacagdoches, Texas

2003 - "Nesting Biology of Bemebecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Greg Palmer, paper presented at the 106th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Nacagdoches, Texas

2003 - "An ethological study of the entrance opening and closing behaviors of Bemebecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Melanie Payne, paper presented at the 106th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Nacagdoches, Texas