Ph.D. in Entomology, Louisiana State University (2021)

M.S. in Entomology, Minor in Applied Statistics, Louisiana State University (2017)

B.S. in Life Sciences, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Ateneo de Manila University (2012)

Assistant Professor, State IPM Coordinator, & Extension Field Crop Entomologist – LSU AgCenter, Dean Lee Research and Extension Center (Mar 2022–present)

Research Associate Specialist – LSU AgCenter, Entomology Department (Aug 2018–Mar 2022)

Greenhouse Services – LSU AgCenter, Central Research Station (Jul 2021–Mar 2022)

Graduate Research Assistant – LSU AgCenter, Entomology Department (May 2015–Jul 2018)

Researcher – International Rice Research Institute, Entomology (Mar 2013–Apr 2015)

Research Assistant – Ateneo de Manila University, Biology Department (May 2012–Feb 2013)

2024

Villegas, J., R. Diaz, M. Stout, F. Papitchaya, and B. Wilson. 2024. Influence of temperature and photoperiod on survival and development of Eoreuma loftini (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Insects 15 (12): 915. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15120915

Horgan, F., A. Ramal, J. Villegas, A. Jamoralin, J. Pasang, B. Hadi, E. Mundaca, and E. Crisol-Martinez. 2024. Rice bund management by Filipino farmers and willingness to adopt ecological engineering for pest suppression. Agriculture 14 (8): 1329. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081329

Wilson, B., T. Musgrove, J. Villegas, and K. Landry. 2024. Influence of insect pest infestations in the main and ratoon crops on rice yields in Louisiana. Crop Protection 184: 106855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2024.106855

Silva, T., G. Sword, A. Miller, J. Qureshi, G. Head, D. Kerns, J. Jurat-Fuentes, J. Villegas, T. Towles, X. Ni, F, Reay-Jones, D. Carillo, D. Cook, C. Daves, M. Stout, B. Thrash, S. Moraes, S. Lin, B. Patla, Y. Niu, C. Sakuno, F. Huang. 2024. Reversal of practical resistance in fall armyworm to Cry1F maize: a case report on the resistance to susceptibility in Bt crops from the southeastern USA. Journal of Pest Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-024-01804-y

Stout, M., K. McCarter, J. Villegas, B. Wilson. 2024. Natural incidence of stem borer damage in U.S. rice varieties. Crop Protection 177: 106565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106565

2022

Wilson, B., J. Villegas, and M. Stout. 2022. Economic returns on seed treatment combinations in Louisiana rice. Crop Protection. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2022.105983

Horgan, F., E. Crisol-Martinez, A. Stuart, J. Villegas, A. Penalver-Cruz, E. Mundaca, M. Perez, C. Bernal, M. Almazan, and A. Ramal. 2022. Direct and indirect effects of planting density, nitrogenous fertilizer and host plant resistance on rice herbivores and their natural enemies. Agriculture, 12(12), 2053. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122053

Wilson, B., L. Salgado, and J. Villegas. 2022. Optimizing chemical control for Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in sugarcane. Crop Protection 152: 105843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2021.105843

2021

Villegas, J., B. Wilson, and M. Stout. 2021. Integration of host plant resistance and cultural tactics for management of root- and stem-feeding insect pests in rice. Frontiers in Agronomy 3: 754673. https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2021.754673

Villegas, J., B. Wilson, and M. Stout. 2021. Assessment of tolerance and resistance of inbred rice cultivars to combined infestations of rice water weevil and stemborers. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 169: 629–639. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13054

Villegas, J., B. Wilson, M. Way, J. Gore, and M. Stout. 2021. Tolerance to rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), infestations among hybrid and inbred rice cultivars in the Southern U.S. Crop Protection 139: 105368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2020.105368

Wilson, B., J. Villegas, M. Stout, and K. Landry. 2021. Relative yield loss from rice stem borers (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and the rice water weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 114: 1159–1165. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab046

Villegas, J., B. Wilson, and M. Way. 2021. Management of stemborers (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) using foliar-applied chlorantraniliprole in rice. Florida Entomologist 104 (4): 274–281. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.104.0404

Salgado, L., B. Wilson, J. Villegas, R. Richard, and H. Penn. 2021. Resistance to the sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Louisiana sugarcane cultivars. Environmental Entomology 51: 196–203 https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvab118

Wilson, B., J. Villegas, M. Way, R. Pearson, and M.J. Stout. 2021. Cyantraniliprole: A new insecticidal seed treatment for U.S. rice. Crop Protection 140: 105410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2020.105410

2020

Holt, J., L. Bernaola, K. Britt, [et al., including J. Villegas]. 2020. Synergisms in science: Climate change and integrated pest management through the lens of communication – 2019 student debates. Journal of Insect Science 20(5): 31; 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaa077

2019

Villegas, J., B. Wilson, and M. Stout. 2019. Efficacy of reduced rates of chlorantraniliprole seed treatment on insect pests of irrigated drill-seeded rice. Pest Management Science 75: 3193–3199. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.5437

2018

Parker, C., L. Bernaola, B. Lee, [et al., including J. Villegas]. 2019. Entomology in the 21^st Century: Tackling insect invasions, promoting advancements in technology, and using effective science communication – 2018 student debates. Journal of Insect Science 19(4): 4; 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iez069

Vu, Q., A. Ramal, J. Villegas, A. Jamoralin, C. Bernal, J. Pasang, M. Almazan, D. Ramp, J. Settele, and F. Horgan. 2018. Enhancing the parasitism of insect herbivores through diversification of habitat in Philippine rice fields. Paddy and Water Environment 16: 379–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10333-018-0662-y

Horgan, F., Q. Vu, C. Bernal, A. Ramal, J. Villegas, and M. Almazan. 2018. Population development in rice black bug, Scotinophara latiuscula (Breddin), under varying nitrogen in a field experiment. Entomologia Generalis 37: 19–33. 10.1127/entomologia/2017/0468

2017

Villegas, J., M. Way, R. Pearson, and M. Stout. 2017. Integrating soil silicon amendment into management programs for insect pests of drill-seeded rice. Plants 6:33. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants6030033

Horgan, F., A. Ramal, J. Villegas, M. Almazan, C. Bernal, A. Jamoralin, J. Pasang, G. Orboc, V. Agreda and C. Arroyo. 2017. Ecological engineering with high diversity vegetation patches enhances bird activity and ecosystem services in Philippine rice fields. Regional Environmental Change 17: 1355–1367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0984-5

Horgan, F., J. Villegas, A. Ramal, M. Almazan, C. Bernal, A. Jamoralin, J. Pasang, M. Perez, and A. Naredo. 2017. Effects of bund crops and insecticides on arthropod diversity and herbivore regulation in tropical rice fields. Journal of Applied Entomology 141: 587–599. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12383

Jones, C., M. Lorica, J. Villegas, A. Ramal, F. Horgan, G. Singleton, and A. Stuart. 2017. The stadium effect: rodent damage patterns in rice fields explored using giving-up densities. Integrative Zoology 12: 438–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12251

2016

Horgan, F., A. Ramal, C. Bernal, J. Villegas, A. Stuart, and M. Almazan. 2016. Applying ecological engineering for sustainable and resilient rice production systems. Procedia Food Science 6: 7–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profoo.2016.02.002

A. Wilbert’s Sons Endowed Professorship in Agriculture & Natural Resources. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 2025.

John Henry Comstock Award, Outstanding PhD Student. Entomological Society of America, 2022.

The Boethel Scholarship Graduate Student Award in Entomology. Louisiana State University Department of Entomology, 2020.

Kirby L. Hays Memorial Award, Outstanding Master Student. Entomological Society of America Southeastern Branch, 2018.

Friends of IPM Master Student Award. Southern Region IPM Center, 2018.

Outstanding Master Student. Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association, 2018.

John and Grace Roussel Graduate Student Award, Outstanding MS Student. Louisiana State University Department of Entomology, 2017.

Departmental Research Award. Ateneo de Manila University Department of Biology, 2012.

Ten Outstanding Public School Student. Republic of The Philippines VP Noli de Castro Academic Scholarship Award, 2007–2012.

American Field Service Youth and Exchange Study Program. Albuquerque, NM, 2005–2006.