I was born in Maine and lived there until the age of ten, at which point my family moved to Mississippi. I spent many of my young days in Maine collecting insects, exploring the woods, and drawing everything I could see (and many things that no one ever sees). When we moved to Mississippi my interests in art and nature continued. After graduating from High School, I attended the Memphis College of Art for a while, but decided it wasn't for me. I worked the night shift at a local grocery and did some free lance artwork on the side for the next few years. In March of 1988, I started working part time at the Mississippi State Entomological Museum doing basic museum tasks. Eventually, this job became a full time permanent position (for more personal info, go to my other website).

Photograph of the head of Pyramica hexamera, an exotic Japanese ant now found in the southeastern United States. The photo was taken with a digital camera on a microscope using Image Pro Plus software, then manipulated in Adobe Photoshop to emphasize the peculiar setation, which is thought to be sensory in nature.

I have a wide variety of job responsibilities here at the Museum and everyday is a learning experience. One of my many tasks is specimen preparation and specimen labeling for the collection. Since I started working here I have pinned, pointed, and labeled hundreds of thousands of insects. Our museum director, Richard Brown, is interested in micro-lepidoptera, and that means that I have spread the wings of many thousands of micros. Part of our collection is stored in alcohol and I also label these and help maintain our alcohol collection. After the labeling is completed I help sort the insects to either order or family at which point they are placed in the collection. There are times when I identify insects for the public, or other people in our department. One aspect of the job here that I find very rewarding is the curation of select families of insects. I currently curate our scarab collection, which numbers over a hundred drawers at the present time, and the Culicidae and Formicidae collections. Another integral part of the job is collecting insects (and their relatives) for our collection. We have conducted several arthropod surveys in threatened habitats in the Southeast that I have participated in. I have been a member of our annual William H. Cross collecting expedition 17 times. I also collect insects on my own whenever the opportunity arises and enjoy watching the activities of insects in my spare time. I draw all of the scientific illustrations needed for publications done by, and associated with, the museum, and occasionally others in our department (for more info on scientific drawings). These drawings range from tortricid genitalia to habitus drawings of scarabs, hydrophilids, nitidulids, etc., to termite wings. Ocassionally, I talk to groups of students about either entomology or scientific illustration. Currently, I am doing a survey of Mississippi ants, as well as Alabama ants, in an effort to better understand our ant fauna, and in fact, much my time these days is directed toward the study of ants in our region. Most recently I am the webmaster for the Mississippi Entomological Museum site. I have also done various botanical and other illustrations and have exhibited non scientific artwork in regional exhibitions.

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

MacGown, J. A. and M. J. MacGown.  1996.   Observation of a nuptial flight of the horned Passalus beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (Illiger) (Coleoptera: Passalidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 50: 201-203. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. and J. A. Forster.  2005.  A preliminary list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Alabama.  Entomological News 116: 61-74. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A., R. L. Brown, and J. G. Hill. 2005.  An annotated list of the Pyramica (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae:  Dacetini) of Mississippi.  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society.  78: 285–289.[pdf]

MacGown, J. A.  2005.  A Collection of Poecilocrypticus formicophilus Gebien (Coleoptera:  Tenebrionidae) from a mound of the imported fire ant hybrid, Solenopsis invicta X richteri (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae) in Mississippi, USA. Entomological News 116: 367-368. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. 2006. New State Records of Myrmosinae (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from Mississippi, U.S.A. with Notes on Interactions between Myrmosula parvula (Hymenoptera: Myrmosinae) and Lasioglossum imitatum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Entomological News 117: 313-318. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. and J. G. Hill. 2006. The Eastern ant cricket, Myrmecophilus pergandei Bruner (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae), reported from Mississippi, U.S.A. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. 51: 180-182. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. and  R. L. Brown.  2006. Survey of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Tombigbee National Forest in Mississippi.  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society.  79: 325-340. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. and  R. L. Brown. 2006. Observations on high diversity of native ant species coexisting with imported fire ants at a microspatial scale in Mississippi. Southeastern Naturalist 5: 573-586. [pdf] [web version at BioOne]

MacGown, J. A., J. G. Hill, and M. A. Deyrup. 2007. Brachymyrmex patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an emerging pest species in the southeastern United States. Florida Entomologist 90: 457-464. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A., R. L. Brown, J. G. Hill, and B. Layton. 2007. Carpenter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Camponotus) of Mississippi. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 1158. 28 pp. [pdf]

Stone, W. D., T. E. Nebeker, W. A. Monroe, and J. A. MacGown. 2007. Ultrastructure of the mesonotal mycangium of Xylosandrus mutilatus (Coleoptera:  Curculionidae).  Canadian Zoology 85:  232-238.

Trager, J. C., J. A. MacGown and M. D. Trager. 2007. Revision of the Nearctic endemic Formica pallidefulva group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). In: Snelling, R. R., P. S. Ward, and B. L. Fisher (editors), Advances in ant systematics. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 610-636. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A., J. G. Hill, L. C. Majure, J. L. Seltzer. 2008. Rediscovery of Pogonomyrmex badius (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in mainland Mississippi, with an analysis of associated seeds and vegetation. Midsouth Entomologist 1 (1): 17-28. [pdf]

Hill, J. G., R. L. Brown, and J. A. MacGown. 2006. Environmental Variables Affecting Ant (Formicidae) Community Composition in Mississippi’s Black Belt Prairie and Flatwoods Regions [Abstract].  Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 51: 56. [pdf]

Hill, J. G., R. L. Brown, and J. A. MacGown. 2006. Environmental Variables Affecting Ant (Formicidae) Community Composition in Mississippi’s Black Belt Prairie and Flatwoods Regions [Abstract].  Southeastern Biology 53: 279.

MacGown, J. A., R. L. Brown, and J. G. Hill. 2006. Carpenter Ants (Camponotus) of Mississippi [Abstract]. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 51: 115. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A., J. G. Hill, and R. J. Jones. 2007. Ants in Mississippi State Parks [Abstract]. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 52: 153. [pdf]

NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS-EXTENSION PUBS, NEWSLETTERS, ETC.

Jarratt, J., J. Goddard, B. Layton, and J. A. MacGown.  2004. The Southern House Mosquito and related species: Biology and Control.  Mississippi State University Extension Service, Publication no. 2336. 10 pp.  [pdf]

Ward, R., K. Ward, J. A. MacGown, and K. Flanders.  2004.  Ant Identification and Fire Ant Biology.  CD Rom. Alabama Extension Service. 

Jarratt, J. H., B. Layton, J. Goddard, and J. A. MacGown. 2005. Insect Management Guidelines for Dairy Cattle and Dairies. Mississippi State University Extension Service, Publication no. 2357. 8 pp. [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. 2005. It's dirty work, but someones gotta do it...New discovery in Mississippi [p. 8]. In J. T. Vogt (ed.), Mississippi Entomological News Dec. 2005. 13 pp.

Layton, B. and J. A. MacGown. 2006. Control of Argentine Ants and Odorous House Ants in the Home.  Mississippi State University Extension Service, Publication no. 2407. 7 pp. [pdf]

Hill, J. G., with illustrations by J. A. MacGown. 2006. The life cycle of a mosquito and how I use it as a Betta Breeder. Flare 39: 13-14.

Layton, B. and J. A. MacGown. 2006.  Rover Ants. Mississippi Pest Control Association Newsletter. 2 pp.

MacGown, J. A. 2006. Hickory Nuts used as nesting sites by ants (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae). Marginalia Insecta 1: 1. (12 October 2006). [full text] [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. 2006. A collection of Myrmecosaurus ferrugineus Bruch (Staphylinidae:  Paederinae) from a nest of Solenopsis invicta X richteri (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae) in Mississippi. Marginalia Insecta 1: 3 (October 13, 2006). [full text] [pdf]

MacGown, J. A. and J. G. Hill. 2007. Rediscovery of the Florida harvester ant in mainland Mississippi. Mississippi Native Plants and Environmental Education Newletter 25 (2): 1 & 4. [pdf]

PRESENTATIONS

MacGown, J. A. 2002. Ant Identification Short Course, Mississippi State University. 16-20 Sept. 2002.

MacGown, J. A. 2003. Ant Identification Short Course, Mississippi State University. 4-6 March 2003.

Vogt, J. T., J. T., Reed, J. A. MacGown.  2003.  Temporal Foraging Activity of Selected Ant Species in Northern Mississippi. Poster Presentation. Southeast Branch of the Entomological Society of America.  Spring 2003. (Poster)

Forster J. A, Williams M. L, MacGown J. A. 2004. The Ant Fauna of Alabama. Ent Soc Amer. National meeting Salt Lake City, UT. (presentation)

Brown, R. L., T. L. Schiefer, and J. A. MacGown. 2005. Collecting methods and insect preparation workshop. Spring 2005.

Hill, J. G., R. L. Brown, and J. A. MacGown. 2005. Environmental Variables Affecting Ant (Formicidae) Community Composition in Mississippi’s Black Belt Prairie and Flatwoods Regions. Poster-presented to: Mississippi Entomological Society, 3-4 Nov. 2005; Entomological Society of America, 15-18 Dec. 2005; Mississippi Academy of Science, 22-24 February 2006; and Association of Southeastern Biologists, 29 March-1 April 2006. [power point poster]

MacGown, J. A., R. L. Brown, and J. G. Hill. 2005. Carpenter Ants (Camponotus) of Mississippi. Poster-presented to: Mississippi Entomological Society, 3-4 Nov. 2005; Entomological Society of America, 15-18 Dec. 2005; and Mississippi Academy of Science, 22-24 February 2006. [power point poster]

MacGown, J. A., J. G. Hill, and R. J. Jones. 2006. Ants in Mississippi State Parks.  Poster Presentation, Mississippi Entomological Society, 25-27 Oct. 2006. [power point poster]

Hill, J. G., K. S. Summerville, R. L. Brown, and J. A. MacGown. 2007.  The assembly of ant communities in a heterogeneous  landscape in Mississippi.  Poster Presentation, Fire Ant Conference, Gainesville, FL, 23-26 April 2007.

MacGown, J. A. and J. G. Hill.  2007.  Brachymyrmex patagonicus (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae), an emerging pest species introduced into the southeastern United States. Mississippi Entomological Society 24-26 Oct. 2007.  (poster)

Brown, R. L. and J. A. MacGown. 2007.  Specialized setae and spongiform lobes in Strumigenys and Pyramica ants (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae).  Entomological Society of America national meeting, San Diego, CA, 9-12 Dec. 2007. (Poster). 

MacGown, J. A. and J. G. Hill.  2008.  Brachymyrmex patagonicus (Hymenoptera:  Formicidae), an emerging pest species introduced into the southeastern United States. Mississippi Academy of Sciences 20-22 Feb. 2008.  (poster)

WEBSITES authored

Mississippi Entomological Museum: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/index.html

Ants of the Southeastern United States: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Formicidaehome.html

Hydrophilidae of Mississippi: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Hydrophilidaehome.html

Gelechiidae of Mississippi: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Gelechiidaehome.html

Joe MacGown's Site: http://www2.msstate.edu/%7Emacbug1/index.html

Scientific Illustration Methods: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Illustration.photography/scientific.illust.htm

Insect Collecting Methods: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/collecting.preparation.methods/Collecting.methods.htm

Vines of Mississippi: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Vines/MS.vines.htm

The Black Belt in Alabama and Mississippi: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/habitats/black.belt.prairie/BlackBeltPrairie.htm

William H. Cross Expeditions: http://www.mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/museumsites/CrossExpeditions.html

My new art web site- joemacgown.com

Joe MacGown's Insect Art-Gallery 1, Gallery 2, and Gallery 3

Joe MacGown's Weird Drawings-Gallery 1, Gallery 2, and Gallery 3

Joe MacGown's site on Deviant Art Website: http://neogothic-jam.deviantart.com

Joe MacGown on Beinart International Surreal Art Collective Site: http://beinart.org/artists/joe-a.-macgown

AntWeb-Alabama Ants: http://www.antweb.org/alabama.jsp

AntWeb-Mississippi Ants: http://www.antweb.org/mississippi.jsp

Discover Life, Ants of North America: http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Insecta/Hymenoptera/Formicidae/

Orkin Insect Zoo: http://www.insectzoo.msstate.edu/

DRAWINGS IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS

Brown, R.L. and J.A. Powell. 1991. A new species of Epiblema (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae) from coastal redwood forests in California with an analysis of the forewing pattern. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 67: 107-114. Tortricid genitalia drawings.

Cohen, A. C. 1998.  Solid to Liquid Feeding: The inside(s) story of extra-oral digestion inpredaceous arthropoda. American Entomologist. Summer 1998. 103-116.  Illustrations of extra-oral digestion. 

Cohen, A. C. 2000. The feeding behavior of Trichogramma brassicae: new evidence for selective ingestion of solid food. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 96: 1-8. Trichogrammatid larval drawing.

Davis, F. 2005. Advertisement designed for "Insect Rearing Workshop" in Entomological Society of America Journal. 

Davis, F. 2006. Advertisement designed for "Insect Rearing Workshop" in Entomological Society of America Journal.

Davis, F. 2007. Advertisement designed for "Insect Rearing Workshop" in Entomological Society of America Journal.

Hill, J. G. and B. V. Brown. 2006. New records of the rarely collected ant-decapitating fly Apocephalus tenuipes Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae). Southeastern Naturalist 5: 367-368.

Jarratt, J. 2001.  Pest-Management Principles, Industial, Institutional, and Structural Pest Control, Catagory 7-A, Mississippi State Extention Service Pub. Termite head and wing drawings. 

Jarratt, J. and B. Layton.  2003.  Pest Control Manual and Pest Management practices for Home and Landscape, Subterranean Termite Control. Mississippi University Extension Publication 531. 7 pp.  Drawings of termites and different foundation types. 

Jarratt, J., T. E. Nebeker, B. Layton. 2004. Asian Ambrosia Beetle Biology and Control. Mississippi State University Extension Service. Publication 2345. 3 pp.  Drawings of Xylosandrus crassiusculus.

Jarratt, J. J. Goddard, B. Layton, and J. A. MacGown.  2004. Southern House Mosquito and related species: Biology and Control.  Mississippi State University Extension Service, Publication no. 2336. 10 pp.  Drawings for cover and in paper.

Jarratt, J., B. Layton, J. Goddard, and J. A. MacGown.  2005.  Insect management guidelines for dairy cattle and dairies. Mississippi State University Extension Service. Publication no. 2357. 8 pp. Drawings of various dairy pests.

Lago, P. K. and S. Testa.  1994.  The Aquatic Hydrophilidae of Mississippi, Mississippi Entomological Museum, No. 5, 1994. Drawings of all genera.

Layton, B.  2001. Cotton Insect Situation:  Newsletters.  Mississippi State University Extension Service. Drawing of Lygus lineolaris for cover.

Layton, B. 2003.  A series of pest control papers in The Pest Monitor, Vol. 5, No.2-Vol.10. No. 3. Termite drawing for cover. 

Lee, S. M., and R. L. Brown. 2005. A review of Symmocinae (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) in North America with the description of a new species and new genus. Poster presentation, Mississippi Entomological Association, 3-4 Nov. 2005. Male genitalia and leg drawings.

MacGown, J. and M. MacGown.  1996.   Observation of a nuptial flight of the horned Passalus beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (Illiger) (Coleoptera: Passalidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 50: 201-203.  Drawing of mating passalid beetles, also on cover.

MacGown, J. A. and J. G. Hill. 2006.  The Eastern ant cricket, Myrmecophilus pergandei Bruner (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae), reported from Mississippi, U.S.A. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. 51: 180-182. 

MacGown, J. A., J. G. Hill, and M. A. Deyrup. 2007. Brachymyrmex patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an emerging pest species in the southeastern United States. Florida Entomologist 90: 457-464.

MacGown, J. A., R. L. Brown, J. G. Hill, and B. Layton. 2007. Carpenter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Camponotus) of Mississippi. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 1158. 28 pp.

Nebeker, T. E. 1996.  North American Forest Insect Work Conference. Drawings for cover, poster, cups, etc.

Nordlund, D.  1998.  A review of the scientific literature and methods for production offactitious hosts for use in mass rearing of Trichogramma spp. (Hymenoptera:  Trichogrammatidae) in the former Soviet Union, the United States, Western Europe and China. Journal of Entomol. Sci. Vol. 33, No. 1. Drawings of various pieces of insect rearing equipment. 

Pitre, H. 1997.  Annual Report of Research, 1997 and Termination Report (1992-1997). Cover illustration.

Pitre, H. 2002.  Soybean Looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Oviposition on cotton and soybean of different growth stages: Influence of Olfactory Stimuli.  Journal of Economic Entomology 95: 286-293. Schematic drawings. 

Schiefer, T. L. 2000. A new species of Astylopsis Casey (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Acanthocinini) from the southeastern United States. Coleopterists Bulletin 54: 533-539. Habitus drawing.

Schiefer, T. L. 2004.  A new record of an endemic cuban tiger beetle, Cicindela (Brasiella) viridicollis (Coleoptera:  Carabidae:  Cicindelinae), from the Florida Keys.  Florida Entomologist 87:  551-553.  Habitus drawing of Cicindela viridicollis.

Schiefer, T. L. and D. E. Bright. 2004.  Xylosandrus Mutilatus (Blandford), an Exotic Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera:  Curculionidae:  Scolytinae:  Xyleborini) New to North America.  Coleopterists Bulletin 58: 431–438. Dorsal and profile habitus, and legs and antennal drawings of  Xylosandrus mutilatus. 

Sikorowski, P. 1997.   Major Diseases of Heliothis virescens and Helicoverpa zea in Mississippi Fields and Insectaries, Mafes Technical Bulletin 318. Drawings.

Stebnicka, Z. T. and P. K. Lago. 2005. The New World species of Ataenius Harold, 1867. V. Revision of the A. strigatus group (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini). Insecta Mundi 19: 55-83. Two habitus drawings and genitalia drawings.

Stone, W. D., T. E. Nebeker, W. A. Monroe, and J. A. MacGown. 2007. Ultrastructure of the mesonotal mycangium of Xylosandrus mutilatus (Coleoptera:  Curculionidae).  Canadian Zoology 85:  232-238.

Trager, J. C., J. A. MacGown and M. D. Trager. 2007.  Revision of the Nearctic endemic Formica pallidefulva group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae).  In:  Snelling, R. R., P. S. Ward, and B. L. Fisher (editors), Advances in ant systematics. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 610-636.

Villeja, F. and M. Gray. 1997.  Puerta Rican Insect report. Drawing for cover. 

Wright, D. J., R. L. Brown, and L. D. Gibson. 1997. A new species of Phaneta, with taxonomic diagnoses and seasonal and geographical data on four related (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 51: 119-127. Tortricid genetalia drawings, male and female.

Drawings of insects for 1999 Mississippi State Entomology Calendar.

Drawings done annually for Entomology Department T-shirts, Christmas cards, etc (examples of some tshirt designs).  

DRAWINGS IN NON ENTOMOLOGICAL BOOKS

Leach, R. A. 1994. THe Chiropractic Theories: Principles and Clinical Applications. Third edition. Williams and Wilkens. Baltimore, MD. pp. i-xxiii, 1-413. Various drawings.

Perkins, G. K. 1999. Fern Tips: More Than Most People Want to Know About Ferns of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Kirtley-Perkins Productions. Starkville, MS. pp. i-iv, 1-235. Silhouette drawings of ferns species.

Savitch, W. J. and C. G. Peterson. 1992. Ada, an Introduction to the Art and Science of Programming. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Redwood City, CA. pp. i-xxii, 1-764, A 1-52, I1-61. Drawings of various people for chapter headings.

Trigiano, R. N., M. T. Windham, A. S. Windham. 2004. Plant Pathology: Concepts and Laboratory Exercises. CRC Press, LLC, NY. pp. 1-413 + Preface, Acknowledgments, Editors, and Table of Contents. Fungus drawings in Chapters 16, 17, and 19.

Peacock, E. and T. Schauwecker. 2003. Blackland Prairies of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Culture, Nature and Sustainability. Univ. Alabama Press.  pp. i-xii, 1-348. Cover illustration, drawing on back, and some maps.