Pest and Beneficial Insect Workshop 6/26/14

Have you wondered what type of whitefly you are looking at?   Ever have question about is that a predator mite or a pest?  What does a whitefly parasite look like?  Are those chili thrips or flower thrips?

This workshop is a hands-on workshop for ornamental or horticultural crop growers that will help you properly identify pests and beneficials commonly found in our area. We will have many live samples for you to view.   On-hand we will have the Florida experts on insect pests and beneficials, Drs. Catharine Mannion (Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead), Steven Arthurs (Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka), and Hugh Smith (Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Balm).  We will be focusing on whiteflies, thrips, mites, scales, and mealybugs.  We will also discuss strategies to conserve pollinators.  Resources for more information on pest and beneficial ID will be presented.  The workshop will be held at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm on June 26, 2014.  Sign in starts at 8:00 am.  The cost will be $25.00.  CEUs and lunch will be available.  Register online by following this link.  http://tiny.cc/pandb_insect_id
Here is the agenda
08:00-08:30 Sign-in

08:30-08:50 Introductions and Welcome (Shawn Steed)

08:50-09:20 Basic entomology review (Dr. Hugh Smith)

09:20-11:20 Hands-on identification of pest, beneficials and management

09:20 – 10:00 Whiteflies and whitefly beneficials (Bondar’s nesting, rugose, ficus, giant, silverleaf) 40 min. (Dr. Catharine Mannion)

10-:00 – 10:10 Break

10:00 – 10:35 Thrips (chilli, flower), mites (spider, two spotted, etc.) aphids and beneficials (Dr. Hugh Smith) 35 min.

10-:35 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:20 Scale and mealybugs and beneficials. (Dr. Steven Arthurs) 35 min.

11:20 – 12:00 Lunch

12:00 – 12:50 Managing Pests and Conserving Beneficials. (Drs. Smith and Mannion)

12:50 – 13:20 Available resources for ID- (Shawn Steed)

13:20 – 13:40 Wrap up and CEUs (Shawn Steed)