Farming With Beneficial Insects
for Pest Control:
Conservation Biological Control Short Course

West Tennessee Research & Education Center
Jackson, Tennessee
Monday, June 5th, 2017
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Learn a science-based strategy that seeks to integrate beneficial insects for natural pest control!

Learn about supporting beneficial insects that provide pest control in this full-day short course. Conservation biological control is a science-based pest management strategy that seeks to integrate beneficial insects back into cropping systems for natural pest control, ultimately reducing and in some cases eliminating the need for pesticides. Join Xerces Society's Thelma Heidel-Baker, Conservation Biocontrol Specialist, and Nancy Adamson, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, as they overview conservation biological control and beneficial predators and parasitoids that attack insect pests. Participants will learn how common farm practices can impact beneficial insects and how to assess and create farm habitat for beneficial insects.

In response to growing interest in promoting beneficial insects for their pest control services on farms, the Xerces Society has authored the book Farming With Native Beneficial Insects and developed the Conservation Biological Control Short Course to educate farmers, agriculture employees, natural resource specialists, land managers, and conservation organization staff.

SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES

This workshop will cover: 

• The importance of beneficial insects - predators and parasitoids that attack insect pests.
• Overview of conservation biological control and integrated pest management (IPM).
• Become familiar with the most common beneficial insect groups.
• How to recognize the habitat needs of beneficial insects and identify habitat deficiencies.
• The design and implementation of habitat improvements, including site preparation, insectary strip plantings, hedgerows, beetle banks, and more.
• The current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on beneficial insects and mitigate exposure to insecticides.
• How to access USDA conservation programs for financial and technical support.

Participants will receive the Xerces Society's Conservation Biological Control Toolkit which includes habitat installation guidelines and other relevant publications, and the Xerces' book, Farming with Native Beneficial Insects.

 *Continuing Education Credits Available*

• Certified Crop Advisor (TBD) 
• Society of American Foresters (5 CFE credits)
• The Wildlife Society (5.5 contact hours)   

COURSE AGENDA

Welcome and Announcements 

Module 1 - Farming with Beneficial Insects: Conservation Biological Control (CBC)

• Overview of conservation biological control and integrated pest management
• Status of beneficial insect conservation

 Module 2 -  Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects

Module 3 - Common Beneficial Insect Groups

• Introduction to beneficial insects and the ecological services they provide
• Overview of beneficial insect groups (predators and parasitoids)
• Summary of beneficial insect biology and habitat needs

Lunch - please bring your own (or travel to nearby venue) and a refillable water bottle.

Module 4 - Designing and Restoring Habitat for Beneficial Insects

• Conservation practices that support beneficial insects (e.g. beetle banks, buffers and windbreaks, cover crops, field borders, hedgerows, insectary strips, wildflower meadows, and more)
• Habitat conservation methods (e.g. site preparation, propagation, and maintenance)

Guest Speaker - Conservation Biocontrol Research and Use in IPM in Tennessee
     Dr Scott Stewart, Professor of Entomology, University of Tennessee

Guest Speaker -  USDA Farm Bill Programs to Support Beneficial Insects
     Matt Walker, State Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (Tennessee)

Break

Module 5 - Assessing Baseline Farm Conditions for Beneficial Insects

Field Exercise

Module 6 – Q&A, additional resources, and course evaluations 
 

INSTRUCTORS

Thelma Heidel-Baker, PhD, Conservation Biocontrol Specialist, Xerces Society, Random Lake, WI
Thelma is the insect pest management specialist for the Xerces Society, with extensive experience in biological control and integrated pest management (IPM). She provides nationwide support for farming with reduced risks to beneficial insect. Thelma received her Ph.D. in entomology from University of Minnesota where she studied the role of beneficial insects in soybean IPM.

Nancy Lee Adamson, PhD, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, East Region, Xerces Society and USDA NRCS, East National Technology Support Center, Greensboro, NC
Nancy supports pollinator and other agriculturally beneficial insect conservation with Farm Bill Programs. She teaches about native bees, other wildlife, and native plants that are vital to our natural and cultivated landscapes. Nancy received her PhD in entomology from Virginia Tech where she studied native bee crop pollinators.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Scott Stewart, PhD, Professor of Entomology, IPM Specialist and Coordinator, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee Extension
Dr. Stewart is the leader of UT Extension’s insect pest management programs for field crops including cotton, corn, soybean, sorghum, wheat and pasture. Common duties include developing and presenting educational IPM programs, publishing pest control publications and related information (including on-line resources), preparing newsletters and articles related to IPM. Scott also performs applied research to support these Extension efforts including the evaluation of insecticide efficacy, GMO technologies, and other IPM tactics. He frequently cooperates regionally and nationally in educational and applied research efforts and actively participates in professional societies including the Entomological Society of America.

Matt Walker, State Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (Tennessee)
Matt received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Murray State University and a M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Mississippi State University. He worked for both the Kentucky and Montana state wildlife agencies before starting his career with NRCS. While working for NRCS, Matt has served as District Conservationist, Area Biologist, State Biologist, Area Conservationist, and is currently the Tennessee State Resource Conservationist. He oversees the Ecological Sciences Staff, which provides statewide leadership for conservation planning and science.