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Headshot of Jonathan Cammack

Dr. Jonathan A. Cammack

Dr. Cammack is the State Extension Specialist for Livestock Entomology & Parasitology, and the principal investigator of the group. He is a native Texan and received his B.S. in Entomology (2007) from Texas A&M University, M.S. in Entomology (2009) from Clemson University, and Ph.D. in Entomology (2013) from North Carolina State University. His interests lie at the intersection of entomology and microbiology, or what has been termed Interkingdom Interactions, particularly in decomposition systems. He is interested in studying how microbes utilize decomposing resources (such as manure, food waste, or carrion) and produce the volatile organic compounds (or smells) that ultimately attract insects such as flies, to consume these resources, and how these interactions are regulated by the nutrient content of the resource. Through studying these systems and interactions, we can develop novel methods for pest management, waste management and recycling, and enhance our understanding of the biology and ecology of insects that are important to livestock and forensic entomology. He is also a Diplomate with the American Board of Forensic Entomology. Research articles authored by Dr. Cammack can be found on his Google Scholar Profile.

Current Lab Members

Undergraduate Students

Jared Saufley

Jared Saufley, B.S. 2025

Jared is a senior from Houston, Texas pursuing his B.S. in Entomology with a minor in Pest Management. He is a member of the Sanborn Entomology Club, and served as Treasurer in 2023-24. Jared is working projects assessing the efficacy of insecticidal ear tags for control of horn flies on Oklahoma beef cattle, and determining the impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases on Oklahoma cattle producers.
Prior to attending OSU, Jared served as a medic in the U.S. Army. After graduation, he wants to attend graduate school to study the epidemiology of arthropods (ticks or mosquitoes) of medical and veterinary importance, and wants to pursue a career in Academia.

Rachel Seay, B.S. 2025

Rachel is a senior Bioforensic Entomology major with a minor in Pest Management, from Ponder, Texas, who will be graduating in December, 2025. She is a member of the OSU Beekeeping Club and currently serving as the Treasurer. After graduation, she wants to attend graduate school to study decomposition biology and forensic science, to lead to a career with the FBI.

 

Rachel is in charge of maintaining blow fly (Cochliomyia macellaria and Phormia regina) and house fly (Musca domestica) colonies for a collaborative project aimed at determining the vector potential of flies for pathogens that are harmful to livestock.

 

Rachel Seay
Kylie Spradling holding a cow by the leadline of a halter.

Kylie Spradling, B.S. 2028

Kylie is a sophomore from Stillwater, Oklahoma, double majoring in Entomology and Animal Science, with a minor in Rangeland Ecology and Management. After graduation, she wants to get into extension and research as a livestock entomologist with a focus on cattle-related issues. Kylie is a member of Sigma Alpha, the Sanborn Entomology Club (2024-25 Treasurer, 2025-26 President), and the Residential Housing Association at Oklahoma State University.
Kylie is currently working on projects focused on determining the impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases on Oklahoma cattle producers, cataloguing the blister beetles of Oklahoma, and assisting with fly colony maintenance.

Previous Lab Members

Undergraduate Students

Connor Huffstetter, B.S. 2025

Connor is from Arlington, Texas and recently graduated with his B.S. in Entomology. Connor has started an M.S. Degree with Dr. Andres Espindola in the Oklahoma State University Institute for Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics, where he will be studying the horizontal transmission of pathogens between bumble bees, sunflower specialist bees, and sunflowers.

Connor Huffstetter
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