The Silver State has its fair share of pesky pests that bug residents every year.

But Bryant McDowell, the 33-year-old newly appointed state entomologist, says it’s generally on humans to adapt — not the critters.

“There’s a joke I tell people: It’s the insects’ world, and we’re living in it,” McDowell said in an interview this month.

The state official, who works within the Nevada Department of Agriculture out of Sparks, is a Texas native who is responsible for spreading awareness about how to better live alongside insects.

McDowell will work on initiatives to protect Nevada farms and natural resources from invasive pests, assist with statewide plant health programs, and manage the department’s entomology laboratory and collection.

In September, McDowell took the mantle from longtime

See Full Page