Monica has nailed 3 firsts in one finding. While doing her research down in the Hocking Hills she found a number of millipedes that were being parasitised by nematomorph worms.
Her finding was the first sighting of the specific species in North America, the first sighting of that species having a parasitic life-stage (others in the genus were already known to be parasitic), and the first time that any member of that genus is known to parasitise millipedes.
As part of one of her Entomology classes Monica was given a batch of eggs for some sort of insect which she was charged with rearing. To provide food for the larva she was also provided with aphids and termites. To feed the aphids she was given a small Broccoli plant. Tending to the well being of the ecosystem, she placed the plant in a sunny window where, unfortunately, the cat found it and did as cats do to tasty, tasty houseplants.
Educators take note: sometimes "The cat ate my homework" should be taken at face value.
