Surveying the American prairie with the Smithsonian Institution
Nicholas Rodriguez (he/him)
Major: BA Biology, '25, MA Biology, '26
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
Internship: Smithsonian institution
Nick Rodriguez spent his summer with the Smithsonian in Montana studying the many species that populate the American prairie. Among the critters he researched were dragonflies, prairie dogs, and especially grasshoppers.
Over the last nine weeks, I have been working for the Smithsonian institution in Phillips county Montana. My work here has taken me all over the eastern side of the state, revealing breathtaking views of the American prairie. The horizon seems to stretch on forever in some areas – a vast sea of grasses and shrubs as far as the eye can see. Yet the endless grassland has not run out of surprises for me during my months here.
My role as a Smithsonian intern has placed me into many projects – seeking out dragonflies alongside the creeks, trapping ants to see how many species are present, and measuring prairie dog towns that stretch for miles in all directions. I could devote entire blog posts about each of the projects I’ve worked on this summer, but grasshopper surveying has been the main focus of my internship!
The grasshopper project is assessing how a recently applied pesticide is affecting the grassland. We measure grasshopper densities using metal rings placed onto the ground and counting how many have entered since we dropped them. Samples are collected using sweep nets to see what species are flying around in the prairie. We also measured how pollinators were affected using brightly colored bowls to attract bees, wasps, and other flying insects in the area. I had the pleasure of working under a graduate student named Calla Sopko who taught me a multitude of ways to sample insects that I had never been exposed to prior to coming here. Working alongside such a knowledgeable entomologist has been such a privilege, and I am leaving this internship with a much greater idea of what it means to do insect research.
On a similar note, the people working for the Smithsonian have been incredible. I have never met such hardworking and dedicated ecologists, and I am grateful for every day that I have spent driving around the prairie (often for many hours!) with such inspirational scientists. All of them come from such different backgrounds and come from all over the world, bringing their own unique experiences into the work we do every day. The Montana grassland unites us all, and the dirt roads are soaked in the memories of laughter, the local radio, and delightful conversation. Not to mention lots of rain!
A few weeks ago, our team took a trip to Sidney, Montana to visit the USDA office. Here we had the opportunity to talk to government researchers working on countless projects. We got to see Mormon crickets being raised in the facility, vacuums designed to collect insects inside prairie dog burrows, and a new biological control agent meant to combat invasive weeds throughout the United States. This trip was a huge highlight to my summer, and I’ve begun to imagine what governmental research could look like in my own career. We also got to sample the local Thai food, which despite what you might think, was actually fantastic! My summer has been colored by these moments of small local wonders that dot the American grassland: coffee shops, breweries, gas stations, and farmland. It might look like empty fields to many who pass through this region, but Montana has repeatedly shown that it is full of life.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity this internship has given me. As I close out this summer, I am walking away with a greater understanding of the prairie and myself. I will carry the memories of working in these fields for the rest of my life. Reading the papers is one thing, but being a part of the team collecting that data is something that I hope many others get to experience for themselves.
