Norway rats active during daylight hours in a NYC park. Photo by Bobby Corrigan
The IPM Experience House will be offering a Rodent Academy course for the first time this fall. Based on the popular New York City Rodent Academy, the 3-day course will be held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas on December 5-7. Special guest trainer for the training is nationally recognized “rodentologist”, Dr. Bobby Corrigan. Bobby will lead the class through a highly focused, science-based approach to managing rodent populations through IPM.
Goals for the course include improved management of rodent populations through better understanding of the biology, behavior, and habitat of rodents; helping students better understand factors that contribute to rodent infestations; and training students to develop better site-specific problem solving skills and more effective communication with customers.
Who Should Attend?
This course is intended for pest management professionals, municipalities, universities, public schools, and food safety personnel involved in rodent control programs. This is an advanced course, so students should already have a basic understanding of rodent control principles. The Academy is not designed, or appropriate, for new-hire training. We suggest that supervisors, managers, and owners attend the class with the intent to be better prepared to teach their own employees.
Curriculum
Critter cams offer new insights into rodent behavior. Video still shot by J. Hurley
The course will include both in-class and field training components. Classroom
topics will include:
- Health significance of rodents
- Rodents and allergens
- Biology and behavior of rodents
- Overview of Integrated Pest Management
- Pesticide labels and federal regulations
- Exterior bait boxes – what, where, how?
- Alternative tools & techniques for rat control
- Mouse IPM in apartment/private homes
- Rodent control
Hands-on, field training will involve small group interaction at real field sites. Topics addressed by the group will include:
- Evaluating the account: what to look for
- Proper placement of bait stations and snap traps
- Rodent exclusion techniques
- Site-specific best management practices
Tuition
Tuition for the 3-day class is $300, which includes cost of a class notebook, other handouts, snacks and lunches.
Course Requirements
Students should plan to attend all days of the class. To receive a certificate of Rodent Academy Completion, each student will be expected to:
- Participate in all class activities
- Complete two homework assignments
- Participate in a field trip that involves team work and team analysis for designing a real-world control exercise for a few different rodent infestations.
- Pass a final exam
Other
Structural Pest Control CEU credits will be available in IPM and Pest for participants who need them. Please, limit your registration to two employees per company. To ensure quality and good instructor-to-student interaction, the Academy can only accommodate approximately 35 students per session. Please wear comfortable shoes, and clothes appropriate for the field.
Registration
If your company is interested in the Rodent Control Academy, please complete and submit the online registration form: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/2392
If you are unable to register because the class has reached it’s maximum enrollment, and you wish to be added to a waiting list, send an email to class organizer, Janet Hurley at (jahurley@ag.tamu.edu). You will be given first notice about subsequent Rodent Academy classes. To join our IPM Experience House mailing list and receive alerts for future Rodent Academies and other IPM Experience House-sponsored training classes, click here.