IPM Experience House
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8 Hour Pest Control Technician Training

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The Technician Training Course will satisfy the Structural Pest Control Services requirements for certification of Commercial/Noncommercial and Technician licensing of pesticide applicators (8 hours of training). This is the technician general training, and not a category training. The class is from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with an hour lunch (lunch is not provided). The $150 course fee includes the required category training manuals, the general manual (AES-5073), and the SPCS Laws and Regulations manual (AES-6135), an $45 value, and instruction from experienced Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service trainer, Dr. Don Renchie.

 

8 Hour Technician Training

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The Technician Training Course will satisfy the Structural Pest Control Services requirements for certification of Commercial/Noncommercial and Technician licensing of pesticide applicators (8 hours of training). This is the technician general training, and not a category training. The class is from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with an hour lunch (lunch is not provided). The $150 course fee includes the required category training manuals, the general manual (AES-5073), and the SPCS Laws and Regulations manual (AES-6135), an $45 value, and instruction from experienced Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service trainer, Dr. Don Renchie.

Announcing General Household Pest In-Depth Training at the IPM House

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people at spray box

Class participants will have a chance to try new application methods to help aid in learning new skills.

Did you know that over the past five years the pest control industry has seen 20% annual growth?

The $14 billion U.S. pest control industry needs well-trained, new technicians

Professional development and growth in competence are key factors to employee retention, according to PCT magazine.

The global pest control market size was valued at $20.6 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $30.0 billion by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 5.2% in the forecast period, according to market research.

IPM Experience House Course invites you to attend this one day general household pest training.

 

When: Tuesday, June 29, 2021, From  8:30AM to 4:30 PM

Where: Texas A&M AgriLife  Research & Extension Service, Water/Land Resource Building

Indian meal moth trap

Stored Product pests are hard to spot this is one way to monitor for them.

A great introduction to entomology, integrated pest management and pesticides, this class is ideally suited for relatively new employees, IPM coordinators, registered sanitarians, and code enforcement officers who need to better understand modern pest control. The class will be held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center on Tuesday, June 29th.

This one-day course will be an introduction to entomology, integrated pest management and pesticides, this class is ideally suited for apprentices, technicians, certified applicators, registered sanitarians. This course will cover an in-depth look at some of the more common insects that are found in kitchens, pantries, and homes. Hands-on activities include use of various sprayers and dusters, bait applications and situational problem solving. In addition, we will use microscopes to look at different life stages and species of stored product pests, flies, cockroaches, bed bugs and more. There will be special combined session on insecticide classes – the session will part lecture and part hands on understanding on how to read a label and SDS documents to know what type of product you are using.

Instructors: Dr. Santos Portugal, Travis Gates, Dr. Christopher Bibbs, Janet Hurley

Classes at IPM House are a combination of hands-on demonstrations and classroom instruction. (CEUs: 6 hours verified training in Pest Category and 4 CEUs for Certified Applicators {2 Pest, 1 L&R, 1 IPM).

Registered Sanitarians and Code Enforcement will receive 6 hours of classroom training.

Early registration (up to June 18) is $75. Late registration is $90. No refunds after the June 28 final registration deadline.

Lunch and snacks will be provided, plus educational materials.

To register, and for more information, go to https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3418

To see what will be covered open this PDF file 2021GHP Agenda

New in-person IPM Experience House Class: Understanding Termites and Wood Destroying Insects

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termite mud tubes

Now is the time to train new staff on how to manage situations like this.

May 25, 2021 at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Dallas, TX

This class is designed to orient new apprentices, technicians, and certified applicators to a better understanding of termite biology and control, as well as some of the most common wood destroying insects as well. As with all IPM Experience House classes, instruction is a combination of classroom and hands-on demonstrations. Dr. Robert Puckett, Assistant Professor and Urban Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension College Station will be joined by Dr. Janis Reed, BCE, Technical Services Manager with Control Solutions, Inc. (CSI), Mr. Ronnie Holder of BASF Corporation, Mr. Kevin Keim, of Corteva Agriscience, along with Dr. Brittny Jones and Ms. Janet Hurley from AgriLife Extension.

It is expected that course participants have read the Control of Termites and Other Wood Pests study manual and have a basic knowledge of this topic. This course will cover a more in depth look at this species as structural pests and educate the participant about how to better identify, diagnose, and recommend practical and economical treatments. Participants will also learn about how to complete a WDI report, types of treatments available and when/where to use, plus time looking at these structural pests under a microscope.

This is a great opportunity to train new or old employees in the field of wood destroying insect control. Half of this class will be held in the classroom, and half will be in the field, conducting WDI inspection, reviewing types of treatment methods, and microscope work. Students must wear long pants and closed toe shoes to participate in all the exercises.

Cost for the course is $75, includes lunch, snacks, and water. Registration must be completed online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3388

Questions about the class or about registration can be directed to Mary Mays (972-952-9258) or email (mary.mays-delamater@ag.tamu.edu).

Don’t delay! Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions we are having to limit this class to the first 10 people to sign up. However, don’t fret too much if we have adequate demand, we will compile a waiting list to make sure if someone drops out another person can fill their place.

Here is the tentative Agenda (we are working out the hands-on sections) but this should give you an idea of how the day will go.

8:30 – 9:30 Review of termites

Biology of termites as social insects; most common termites in TX

Speaker: Robert Puckett

 Water Education Bldg.
9:45 – 10:45 Review of wood destroying insects

Biology of Beetles, Borers, Carpenter ants and bees

Speaker: Janis Reed

 Water Education Bldg.
11: 00 – noon Lab exercise: Identifying termites and beetles to family

Using microscopes each class participant will view a variety of WDI pests at various stages in life cycle

Speakers: Puckett, Reed, Hurley, Jones

 Water Education Bldg.
12:45 – 1:45 Control Options for termites and WDI pests

Types of treatments and products used – soil applied, repellent vs. non-repellent products, baiting options

Speakers: Ronnie Holder and Kevin Keim

 Water Education Bldg.
2:00 – 2:30 WDI Inspections

What to look for, what to report and how to report

Speakers: Reed and Puckett

 IPM House
3:00 – 4:15 Hands on Demonstrations

Making a diagram of the structure [Reed, Hurley]

Calculating termiticide/bait station requirements [Keim, Jones]

Application of soil- and void-applied termiticides [Holder, Puckett]

 IPM House

Understanding Termites and Wood Destroying Insects

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This class is designed to orient new apprentices, technicians, and certified applicators to better understanding of termite biology and control, as well as some of the most common wood destroying insects as well. As with all IPM Experience House classes, instruction is a combination of classroom and hands-on demonstrations. Dr. Robert Puckett, Assistant Professor and Urban Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension College Station will be joined by Dr. Janis Reed, BCE, Technical Services Manager with Control Solutions, Inc. (CSI), Mr. Ronnie Holder of BASF Corporation, Mr. Kevin Keim, of Corteva Agriscience, along with Dr. Brittny Jones and Ms. Janet Hurley from AgriLife Extension.

Welcome to 2021 Everyone Do you need CEUs

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Not much has changed as we begin the new year, if you are needing those CEU credits for your license you will find most of it has moved online via Zoom or other Cloud based software.

For those of you who are licensed with TDA either as a commercial or noncommercial applicator you still must obtain your CEU credits. Over the holiday break the Department of Agriculture sent out this notice to all CEU providers.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current rise in cases across the state, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is extending its allowance for Department approved CEU courses and Technician Training Courses, normally held in-person, to be given as a web-based interactive and live courses, where the audience can ask questions of the instructor and exchange information. To address the CEU and licensure requirements for Structural Pest Control Certified Applicators (CA’s) and Technicians, the TDA will work with the CA’s, prospective Technicians, CEU Course providers, and Technician Training Course providers of Texas to make CEUs and training available during this critical time. Licensed CA’s needing CEU’s and Apprentices needing to become Technicians will be allowed to take CEU Courses and Technician Training Courses as online, web-based interactive and live courses to meet their CA CEU requirements or eligibility requirements through December 31, 2021.

TDA will continue to enforce requirements for CA’s to obtain their CEU’s for their respective license and categories each calendar year. CA’s must complete their calendar year 2020 CEU’s by 12/31/2020 and their 2021 CEU’s by 12/31/2021. Per 4 TAC § 7.134, self-study online CEUs may be used every other year to meet CEU requirements. Web-based interactive and live online courses as authorized by this notice are not considered self-study online courses.

Commercial and Noncommercial Structural Pest Control

If you have a structural pest control license, you must receive your continuing education credits each year, which is Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Those credits are so you can renew your license the next year. For example, my license expires in May, but I need to obtain 2 General, 1 Pest, 1 Lawn & Ornamental, and 1 Weed as those are the categories, I’m licensed in between Jan 1 and Dec 31 each year. Everyone who is licensed in structural MUST obtain 2 general category CEUs, plus 1 CEU in every category you are licensed in.

The above provision also applies to those Agricultural Pesticide Applicators who are Private, Commercial, Noncommercial, Noncommercial Political Subdivision license holders as it pertains to obtaining your CEU credit to renew your license.

Commercial, Noncommercial, Noncommercial Political:

These licenses must be renewed annually. TDA interprets annually based on licensing period, so if you are licensed from May 2020 to May 2021, your CEUs must be obtained between that 12-month licensing period for you to be able to renew. The license holder must complete 5 CEUs each year to be eligible to renew, with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization.

Each applicator will be required to maintain proof of the number of CEUs necessary to renew a license or certificate. Certificates of completion verifying attendance at approved activities during the previous licensing period must be maintained by the applicator for a period of 12 months after the most recent renewal of their license or certificate. The department may audit the CEUs an applicator has obtained during an onsite inspection or by letter requesting that copies of certificates of completion be mailed to the department. Certificates of completion will be compared with course attendance rosters on file with the department. Credits obtained at a single course cannot be split or divided between licensing periods.

Private, Certified Private:

Private applicator licenses and certificates are valid for five years, and the applicator must obtain 15 CEUs during that time to renew, including two (2) credits in laws and regulations and two (2) credits in integrated pest management (IPM).

Testing:

The Texas Pesticide Law requires that persons must be licensed or certified by TDA to lawfully use a restricted-use pesticide, state-limited-use pesticide, or regulated herbicides. For more information on Agricultural Applicator licensing and testing check out this website link

The Structural Pest Control Act (Chapter 1951 of the Occupations Code) requires licensing of businesses and individuals that perform structural pest control for hire. Additionally, employees of units of state government who apply pesticides as part of their job duties, and persons performing pest control at an apartment building, day-care center, hospital, nursing home, hotel, motel, or lodge, warehouse, food-processing establishment (other than a restaurant, retail food, or food service establishment), or school must be licensed. Structural pest control includes but is not limited to pests that may infest parks, buildings or structures and adjacent areas, industrial plants, streets, docks, railroad cars, trucks, ships, or airplanes. Structural pest control includes the following activities for compensation:

  • identifying infestations,
  • making inspection reports,
  • providing recommendations,
  • submitting estimates or bids,
  • contracting,
  • performing services to prevent, control or eliminate infestations, or
  • advertising such services.

How To Schedule SPCS Licensing Exams can be found at this website link

Looking for CEUs Here is what I have found for the next two months, I added the Purdue Annual CEU workshop because they are offering TX CEU credit and it’s not something you will get a chance to attend unless you travel north. At the same time, the annual spring CEU program we offer through the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Dallas, is going virtual as well, we are working on our registration now.  You can always check out TDAs CEU website search for classes that are being added weekly.

Name of conference Website to register Dates
Purdue Pest Management Conference https://www.extension.entm.purdue.edu/urbanconference/assets/pdf/brochure_2021.pdf January 11-14, 2021
2021 Professional Grounds Keepers Conference https://bell.agrilife.org/2021-professional-grounds-keepers-conference/ January 21, 2021
Bexar County Virtual CEU Workshop https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3305 January 29, 2021
North Texas Pest Management Virtual Conference https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3303 January 29, 2021
Spring IPM Seminar Save the Date – we are working on registration website February 23, 2021

Finally, if you did not take any on demand courses last year (2020) you can take them this year visit our AgriLife Learn website https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/catalog?pagename=Pest-and-Weed-Control to see all the CEU courses we offer.

2020 is the Year of the Rat and Rodent Academy is going Virtual

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The Texas 2020 Rodent Academy is going virtual!

Register early to join us for this unique urban rodent management virtual workshop. Come spend two-days with experts from around the country discussing better ways to understand rodent ecology and integrated pest management (IPM). Learn about rodent disease, monitoring, trapping, urban rodent surveys and much more.

This event will be December 1 & 2, 2020 via Zoom and will be from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM with time for you to chat with our speakers.

Cost is $75 per person and we ask that you register by Nov. 30th at 3:00 PM to give us time to send you the video link for the meeting.

Who Should Attend?

This course is intended for pest management professionals, municipalities, universities, public schools, and food safety personnel involved in the rodent control programs.

Curriculum Content

The 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
  • Rodent Sensing Systems – which one is right for your business

 Class Size:  since we are going to be virtual, we will allow for a larger class than our in-person events. However, it will still be limited to 75 people to keep the group somewhat small so we can chat at the end of each day.

Academy Completion Certificate and CEU Credits

To Receive a Certificate of Academy Completion

  • Students will be expected to participate in class activities via chat or online polling.
  • Both sessions must be attended and completed by the same student from each company.
  • All students must also pass a final exam, which will be given via an online survey software.

Video or audio taping of any session of the Academy is prohibited, except with the express and prior permission of Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension

Meet some of our speakers:

Dr. Claudia Riegel, Director, New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board. She is currently leading a city-wide program of rodent baiting not only considering the increased pressure from the coronavirus pandemic, but out of concern that the higher pressure could spread disease among the homeless population.

Dr. Niamh Quinn, Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension Area Vertebrate Pest Advisor, based at the UC ANR South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine.CA. She facilitates interactions and information exchange among campus-based academics, CE advisors and community stakeholders. Her focus is directed on the coordination of Cooperative Extension programming regarding human-wildlife conflicts, particularly within the residential and industrial areas within Southern California where significant human-wildlife conflicts are occurring, with concentration in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties.

Timmy Madere, Pest Control Specialist, New Orleans Mosquito, Rodent and Termite Control Board. Madere has worked on research studies and urban pest issues concerning everything from termites and bed bugs to coyotes and raccoons, but his primary focus is on commensal rodents and urban rodent control.

Sylvia Kenmuir, BCE Sylvia is an Industrial Entomologist and chair of the West Coast Rodent Academy. She is currently the Western US Technical Specialist with BASF where she is responsible for product support.

Dr. Michael H. Parsons is a Visiting Research Scholar in the Department of Biological Sciences at Fordham University in the Bronx, NY. His work focuses on creating novel biological field assays to explore how scents influence risk assessment, disposition and decision making in small mammals. As a multi-disciplinary researcher, his assays with wild, city rats have been adapted into neuroethological assays and have been utilized for urban pathogen surveillance.

There will also be a discussion about the banning of rodenticides in California, how they got there and what steps everyone should learn from this.

Have you heard about rodent remote sensing?  Are you unsure what it is or how to use? Then Wednesday afternoon will be the day to learn more about this new technology.

Both days will end will a roundtable discussion that will allow participants to ask questions and share ideas with others.

Here is the Rodent academy agenda I will have more detailed information closer to the event.  In the meantime, get registered now.  If you need SPCS CEUs or a certificate of training you must register Online Here  I will notify each participant with the Zoom invite for the meeting.  Once you receive the invite from Zoom, you will have to register again to get the room code.  Please do not share the link.

I look forward to “seeing” you on December 1 and 2, 2020 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

 

2020 Fall IPM Virtual Conference

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For anyone who needs structural or ag CEU credits in turf and ornamental pest management, 2020 Fall IPM Conference registration is now open, and we are going virtual.

We understand this year has been a challenge and getting your CEU credits is still required, so like everything else there is a Zoom meeting for that.

Never Fear AgriLife Extension is Here. You can trust us to have speakers that will help keep you engaged and teach you a thing or two.

When: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 – Zoom conference room will open at 7:45 AM. We will break for lunch (on your own) and begin right at 1:00 PM with Dr. Renchie and will be done by 3:30 PM.

Our speaker lineup includes Dr. Becky Bowling talking about water and how that impacts pests – too much or not enough is that is needed to stress an area out. Dr. Eric Reasor will discuss herbicide resistance, this applies to all of us as we watch products drop off the market. Dr. Sonja Swiger will be discussing a topic we haven’t heard from in a while – flies and that’s not just mosquitoes, but flies are always problematic in certain areas. To ensure you are awake after the lunch break, we have Dr. Don Renchie scheduled to cover laws and rules, yes, he will still get you to say an Amen or Hum at least once during his session. Our final speaker of the day will be Erfan Vafaie, discussing some of the smaller insect pests that occur outside on vegetables and ornamentals.

Did you realize a couple of names were not listed as speakers? No, we didn’t all retire, only Dr. Mike Merchant retired in August, Dr. Chrissie Segars and Janet Hurley will be part of the program only we will be monitoring the chat box and you the participants to make sure you are there. online! 

How to Register

This virtual conference brings some changes to our normal registration process. All payment and registration will be done through our registration link only. You MUST register here  and have your payment to College Station by November 16th. This is a hard deadline and no exceptions will be made. We are unable to take registrations on the day of the conference due to the nature of the virtual format. We appreciate your patience with this process. All necessary information will be sent to your email once registration is complete. You must have an email to access the zoom webinar information.

To qualify for CEU’s, you must enter your correct license number and be present for the entirety of the virtual conference. The online platform will monitor your presence at the conference and CEU’s will be awarded accordingly. More explanation will be given the day of the conference.

Wednesday, November 18

Webinar Register online! scroll to the webinar section http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/IPM

Registration/Payment Questions: agriliferegister@tamu.edu  979-845-2604

Cost $50 through November 16 Please enter your current pesticide license at registration!

Cancellations received no later than Nov. 16 will receive a refund minus a $10 administrative fee

Seminar questions: Sharon Harris 972-952-9201 SRHarris@ag.tamu.edu

Mosquito Control for PMPs

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IPM Experience House provides regular classroom and hands-on training courses for persons in the pest control industry.  This class provides essential information for pest control technicians providing mosquito control services to the public. Topics to be covered include: an introduction to mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit; the role and tools of surveillance; how to conduct a backyard mosquito inspection, and general methods of mosquito control.  In addition, we will use microscopes to look at different mosquito life stages and species.  Hands-on demonstrations will be conducted with various sprayers and applicators.

Registration is open until the day of the class; however, class size is limited to 21, so register early.  Lunch is provided.

Instructors:

  • Mike Merchant
  • Sonja Swiger
  • Israel Garza
  • Scott Sawlis

CEUs: 7 hours verified training in Pest Category

Save the dates for ants, equipment, safety and bed bugs

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The IPM Experience House has three new advanced training courses on the calendar.  These are not just any classes.  Board Certified Entomologists and experienced professionals share their insights and knowledge in the most personalized training you can find anywhere in the state of Texas.  You will definitely want to add these classes to your calendar.

Ants! Ants! Ants! Register Now!

On July 30 we are offering advanced training in ant identification for pest management professionals.  Topics to be covered include an introduction to ant biology, taxonomy and morphology, how to monitor ants, and general principles of fire ant and other ant control.

We will make extensive use of microscopes to learn to recognize the key aspects of ant structure and develop the ability to identify ants to the genus level with a microscope. Students will collect ants from the field and identify their catch.

Details. Cost $60 in advance and $80 after July 26. Lunch is provided.  Depending on availability, registration will remain open until the day of the class; however, class size limited to 15.  No refunds after July 26.  Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Building E Classroom.  8 am to 3:30 pm.  Instructors: Drs. Mike Merchant and Robert Puckett.  (CEUs: 6.5 hours verified training in Pest Category, 1 CEU Pest, 1 CEU IPM).  Register now at Conference Services Website

Getting the Bugs Out – Register now!

On September 25, long-time bed bug specialist for ABC Home and Commercial Services, Alan Brown, will be providing his insights into best practices for bed bug control. In  addition to classroom training on the finer points of the “modern bed bug,” the class will get hands on experience with inspecting, treating and developing practical and effective follow-up plans for your customers. Register now at Conference Services Website 

Details. SAVE THE DATE. More details coming soon.