NEWSLETTER
05/29/98 Entomology and Nematology News - Vol. 3, No. 8
A University of Florida Publication

"To a rough approximation and setting aside vertebrate chauvinism, it can be said that essentially all organisms are insects."--R.M. May (1988)

CONGRATULATIONS

Marjorie Hoy was awarded the National Award for Agricultural Excellence April 17 in Dallas, Texas by the National Agri-Marketing Association.

Dr. Jerry Butler is this year's winner of the Eastern Wyoming College alumni award. He returned to his alma mater on May 16 to receive the award and give a speech at commencement.

Pauline Lawrence's research on parasitic wasp virus and host interactions is one of six projects selected by the Office of Research Technology and Graduate Education (ORTGE) for presentation to members of the US Congress in Washington, DC. This is part of the University's campaign to solicit Congressional support for scientific research funded by the National Science Foundation. She has also been invited to accompany selected faculty and ORTGE staff to Washington on May 20th for the presentation.

Dr. Phil Koehler and Tim McCoy, along with Dr. Norm Nesheim (Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition) have received a $4,500 grant from the USDA as part of the Smith-Lever Water Quality Extension Awards program. The grant will be used to develop four televised public service announcements intended to educate the public about the safe handling and proper disposal of household pesticides. Jeryl Gahlhoff, Tim McCoy, and Dina Richman each received one of the five national Pi Chi Omega scholarships for 1998. Pi Chi Omega is a fraternity of pest control industry professionals who sponsor a $1000 scholarship to graduate students whose research is determined to be particularly beneficial to the pest control industry.

Zhongxiao Chen has accepted a position as the research director for Pest Pros, Incorporated. He will leave Gainesville on May 30 for the balmy environs of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. His future responsibilities include precision and not-so-precise IPM, and development of new strategies including biological control for soybean cyst nematodes. We all wish him the best in his endeavors.

Chris Tipping passed his written/oral qualifiers on April 27th.

Best Booth The Certified Pest Control Operators (CPCO) of Florida is the third largest structural pest control association in the United States. Clay Scherer represented the department this year, at CPCO's annual meeting in late April, by setting up and manning the departmental booth. The display for the booth was created by Jane Medley and Tom Fasulo. Exhibitors at the meeting represent all of the major companies in this industry, but it was our display that won the prize for "Best Booth.".

WELCOME!

Prestwich Continues Cricket Song Studies
Dr. Ken Prestwich, who got his degree in Zoology in 1982, but adopted Entomology as his second home, is once more using Tom Walker's laboratory for his studies of energetics and mechanics of cricket calls. He will be here until about the middle of June. Next fall and again next spring, as part of his sabbatical year, he will return for longer periods of research and writing. Ken has taken an active interest in the Natural Area Teaching Lab from its start and has contributed many hours toward restoring the longleaf pine ecosytem--mostly by girdling and felling laurel oaks (which satisfies his pioneering instincts). When not torturing crickets or trees, he is an avid bike rider and SCUBA diver. Ken is an Associate Professor at Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA, teaches physiology and animal behavior.

Ms. Claire Stokes has recently been employed as the biological scientist in the insect pathology laboratory. Claire Stoke comes to our department from the College of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Claire, having a background in the molecular biology and physiology of vertebrate neuroreceptors, brings a tremendous amount of technical expertise into the pathology lab and to the department.

Kathryn Jones begins her M.S. program with Dr. John Zenger this summer. Please introduce yourself to Kathryn and make her feel at home.

IN OUR THOUGHTS

Gene Gerberg's wife Jo passed away Thursday May 14, 1998. She was an entomologist and scientific illustrator, as well as a homemaker, who received her B.S. from Cornell.

PUBLICATIONS

D.L. Johanowicz and M. A. Hoy. 1998. Experimental induction and termination of non-reciprocal reproductive incompatibilities in a parahaploid mite. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 87: 51-58.

The Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, has just issued two new publications of interest to coleopterists and general entomologists:

Peck, S.B., and M.C. Thomas. 1998. A distributional checklist of the beetles (Coleoptera) of Florida. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas 16: i-viii + 1-180. ($5.25 + postage)

Skelley, P.E. 1998. Revision of the genus Ischyrus Lacordaire (1842) of North and Central America (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Tritominae). Occasional Papers of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods 9: i-viii + 1-134. ($5.00 + postage)

Orders should go to Michael C. Thomas, Ph.D. voice: (352) 372-3505

Core Tutorials Tom Fasulo, Phil Koehler, and Norm Nesheim (UF Pesticide Coordinator) have just released new versions of the Core2: Pesticide Labeling, and Core6: Harmful Effects and Emergency Response computer-verified training tutorials that are authorized for two CEUs in Core for pesticide application recertification. These versions greatly simplify the testing process and allows users who pass to print diplomas. Details are on the UF Buggy Software WWW site at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/fasulo/pests/software/

Here to stay?
The Medfly count at Bradenton is now up to 372. Dr. Marion Fuller of DACS has posted an update to Pest Alert on the situation at Bradenton and Umatilla, including the current air and ground bait applications and future plans.

Dr. Fuller has also posted the recommendations of the Medfly Science Advisory Panel. These recommendations could have expensive and far reaching effects if implemented. Pest Alert is available on the WWW at http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert

RECENT EVENTS

The Southeast Pest Management Conference was held in the Reitz Union from May 4-6 and was hosted by the Extension Pest Control Advisory Committee. About 200 of the most influential pest control operators in Florida and Georgia attended, and about 24 manufacturers and distributors of pest control supplies and equipment exhibited their newest innovations. On May 4, the topics were General Household Pests and Fumigation. The keynote speaker was Dr. Rick Brenner, USDA who addressed "Hazard Reduction in Pest Management". Dini Miller and Tim McCoy talked about "Using Cockroach Behavior to Improve Management", and Clay Scherer presented the latest information on "IPM for School and Public Buildings". Other presenters were Drs. David Oi and Dave Williams, USDA; Dr. John Mangold, Terminix; and Dr. Janet Anderson, US-EPA.

On May 5, the topic was the problem of termite damage to structures. Dr. Richard Kramer, Innovative Pest Management and former UF entomology student, was the keynote speaker addressing "Hot Topics in Termite Control: Federal Trade Commission, Foam Insulation, and Labeling". Jeryl Gahlhoff and Tom Powell talked about "Solving the Problem of Termiticide Failures", and Weste Osbrink, USDA, presented new techniques for "Detecting Termites and Mapping Their Distribution". Roland Holt, Chief building Official for St. Johns County presented "Construction Issues that Affect Termite Control".

On May 6, the topic was lawn and ornamental pests featuring a keynote address by Dr. Russ Mizell, Entomology & Nematology, on "Moving Toward Environmentally Sound Landscape Management". Other speakers were Dr. Don Short, UF Entomology & Nematology; Dr. Gary Simone, UF Plant Pathology; and Dr. Bill Kern, UF Wildlife.

Every day Paul Hardy, Technical Director for Orkin, and Ray Meyers, President Cypress Products, presented a program on Tool Time so that the newest tools and products for the pest control industry could be demonstrated. Additionally, evening training programs were held about pesticide safety and pest identification. Jerry Gahlhoff, Hussein Sanchez-Arroyo, Deanna Branscome, Tom Powell, Dina Richman, Clay Scherer, Weste Osbrink, Dr. Gary Simone, and Dr. Don Short coordinated the sessions.

NEWS FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

All graduate students on an assistantship of less than .74 FTE (All entomology/nematology graduates) must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours in the fall and spring terms to be eligible to receive a fee waiver.

From the Graduate Coordinator's Office:
The following students have applied for graduation in August: Jennifer Anderson - M.S., Douglas Burkett - Ph.D, Tim McCoy - M.S., Dini Miller - Ph.D, John Petti - M.S., Mark Pomerinke - Ph.D, Tina Rivera - M.S., Lane Selman - M.S., Xin-Hua (Annie) Yan - M.S.

from the Advisor of the Year
Considering all the time I spend trying to keep all of you from doing ANYTHING late, now it's my turn to be guilty of being late with this THANK YOU! I want you all to know how much I appreciate the honor of being named Advisor of the Year, and that I will cherish my plaque always. We are fortunate here in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, to be blessed with the best students, faculty and staff to work with. You all show your appreciation for my efforts every day, and that makes my work a pleasure not a job. Have a great summer. (Did you apply to graduate in the summer? Are you registered for the fall? Why not!)
Debbie Hall
Student Services Office

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Job opportunities are posted to the Entomology Discussion List ENTOMO-L. The messages are maintained in their entirety at http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/jobs/jobs.html

Closer to home
Nancy Peterson, Coordinator for the Center for Natural Resources is looking for a few students who would be interested in attending the Natural Resource Forum '98: Linkages in Ecosystem Science, Management and Restoration, June 9 -10, 1998, at the Radisson in Gainesville, FL. The conference fee will be waived in lieu of work. Two lunches and one dinner are provided at the conference. We will need assistance in working AV equipment and controlling the lighting and audio during the sessions. We also need assistance in some logistical aspects (e.g., help with on-site registration or assisting the poster presenters in setting up their display). Information on the forum can be found on the UF conference web site in the "brochure" section of the menu bar.

IN OTHER NEWS

Dini Miller claims no responsibility for any of the text printed in the article "UF Duo Aims to Kill Bugs Dead" from the Thursday May 21 edition of the Alligator, particularly any direct quotes. Miller claims to have been so miserably misinterpreted and misquoted that she has vowed never to speak with any journalist under the age of 30. She asks that the faculty, staff and students ignore or preferably destroy the article.

A Reminder
The new Entomology T-shirts are ON SALE NOW! The proceeds raised help to fund ENSO activities.


The next newsletter will be published Thursday, June 25. Deadline for contributions is Monday, June 22.

This version of the newsletter is edited and published for the Web by Tim McCoy.

Hardcopy Editor: Tim McCoy


May 1998. Updated March 2003.