rodent academy

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

November 12, 2020 by janet.hurley

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

Rodent Academy sign up

October 11, 2018 by mike.merchant

Personal attention is one of the benefits of Rodent Academy and other IPM Experience House classes. Here Dr. Corrigan advises during a rodent problem-solving session.

Registration for our Fall Rodent Academy is now open. One of our most popular courses, this class is 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 11-13. 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.

This year’s class is sponsored by Target Specialty Products.

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 ideally 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

The course will include both in-class and field training components. Instructors include Dr. Bobby Corrigan, Janet Hurley (AgriLife Extension), Sylvia Kenmuir (Target Specialty Products) and Emory Matts (Rentokil). Classroom topics 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. Registration and a detailed class agenda is available here.

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

Note that class size is limited to 30, but we will keep a waiting list. Any companies who miss getting into this class will remain on the waiting list for inclusion in subsequent Academies.

Spring 2018 IPM House classes now open for registration

February 20, 2018 by mike.merchant

A combination of classroom and hands on learning is what distinguishes IPM House classes.

Three new courses will be offered over the next two months at IPM Experience House. Below are descriptions and links to register for these classroom/hands-on classes.

Rodent Academy

Rodent Academy will be offered March 6-8. A reprisal of a very successful class held last December, the Spring 2018 Texas Rodent Academy will feature guest trainer, Tim Madere with the City of New Orleans. With sponsorship from UNIVAR USA, Texas A&M AgriLife will be offering an intensive three-day, advanced rodent control training course. Tim is one of the leading rodentologists in the country today, and has a lot to offer.

The goal of the Texas Rodent Academy is to provide a highly focused and standardized approach to managing rodent populations through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). After completing this course, graduates will be able to manage rodent populations more effectively, because they will have a better understanding of the biology, behavior, and habitat of rodents, contributing factors to infestation, effective ways of evaluating site-specific responses and strategies, and effective communication strategies with the public to achieve lasting change and improvements.

Who Should Attend?

The course is intended for pest management professionals, municipalities, universities, public schools, and food safety personnel involved in the rodent control programs. Class size is limited, so register soon.

Speakers: Mr. Tim Madere, City of New Orleans Rodney Specialist, Dr. Mike Merchant, Emory Matts, Janet Hurley and other experts on rodenticides and rodent control. A topic we are still looking into is drones and inspections, so sign up early this class will fill up fast. Click here to learn more and for a link to registration. Cost of the three-day class is $300.

Introduction to Termite Control for New Technicians

Introduction to termite control for new technicians on March 15 is designed to orient new termite technicians to the art and science of termite control (an additional class will be offered on March 16 if there is demand). Termite control expert, Dr. Bob Davis, will be demonstrating practical field skills for setting up and executing a soil termiticide job. Kevin Keim, with Dow Agroscience, will provide an overview of termite baiting, including practical aspects of bait placement and installation. They are joined by Dr. Mike Merchant in the classroom to provide some of the basic biology of termites you need to know if you are to be on the top of your game.

Owners, this is a great opportunity to get new or old employees ready for termite season. Half of the class will be classroom, and half will be in the field (at IPM House) demonstrating skills for performing a termite treatment. One termite CEU will be offered for those who complete the class. $55 Early registration. Click here to learn more and for a link to registration.

Trainers: Dr. Bob Davis, BASF; Mr. Kevin Keim, Dow AgroSciences; Dr. Mike Merchant, Texas A&M AgriLIfe Extension. Class size is limited to 21, so register early.

ACE Prep Class

Coming to north Texas by popular demand, we are offering a souped-up, two-day version of the ACE Prep Class on April 12-13. This class is designed to help candidates prepare for the ACE exam. It provides a concise, well-rounded overview of the science of entomology and of the major pests that a PMP must know for the exam. The class provides 10+ hours of intensive classroom and lab training in pest control topics for any interested technician. You do not have to be pre-approved as an ACE candidate to take the Prep Class; however, it does serve as an excellent review and confidence booster for candidates who have been preparing for the exam. The exam will be offered at the end of the class to anyone who has applied for certification and paid the examination fee. Students wanting to sit for the exam are responsible for making arrangements with ESA prior to the class. Early registration cost of the two-day course is $100.

Achieving the title of “Associate Certified Entomologist” (ACE) is one of the top professional achievements for a pest management professional. The ACE certification program is overseen by the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and is available to anyone with five years of experience in the pest control industry. The successful applicant must also be willing to subscribe to the ACE Code of Ethics, and able to pass the certification exam.

Click here to learn more and for a link to registration. Class size is limited to 30, so register early. Principal trainer: Dr. Mike Merchant.

We hope to see many of you this Spring.

Sign up for Texas Rodent Academy

October 9, 2017 by mike.merchant

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.

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.