Bruce Congdon

Bruce has been fascinated by nature from early childhood, especially the small creatures who inhabit his gardens.  He began gardening at the age of five. He spent the summers of his youth capturing and observing praying mantises, spiders, lizards, and fish. He followed his childhood interests into three college degrees: B.S. in Biology from University of the Ozarks, M.S. in Entomology from Colorado State University, and PhD in Entomology from University of California-Riverside. He then taught college-level courses in general biology, zoology, ecology, and evolution full-time for twenty years and continued to teach after moving into administration for the next fifteen. He has taught the whole range of college courses, from introductions for non-science majors to graduate level courses in entomology. Inspiring curiosity and discovery in non-science students gives him great joy, but he has also published a dozen or so scientific articles.  The last one was titled “Phytoseiidae of Western Washington with the Description of Three New Species.”  Since retiring in 2020 he has focused on deepening his understanding of insects and other bugs, especially as they relate to growing healthy, vibrant organic gardens that attract a diversity of fascinating creatures.