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

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Office 
Indianapolis, IN
Friday, December 16th, 2016
9:00 am - 3:30 pm

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

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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 Thelma Heidel-Baker, Conservation Biocontrol Specialist at the Xerces Society, as she overviews 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 (6 CEUs) 
• 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
• Summary of conservation biocontrol case studies

Module 2 - 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)
• Farm case studies

Break

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
• Profiles of common predators and parasitoids and the insect pests they attack

Guest Speaker - Dr. Ian Kaplan - Purdue University

• Conservation Biocontrol Research in Indiana
  

Lunch - Please bring a sack lunch! 

 Module 4 -  Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects

• Supporting beneficial insects with farm practices
• Preventing potential negative impacts of conventional and organic-approved pesticides on beneficial 
  insects (e.g. exposure pathways, toxicity, residual activity)
• Mitigating pesticide risks to beneficial insects and other natural resources using IPM, PAMS, and 
  conservation practices (e.g. alternatives to pesticides, pesticide drift reduction, buffer practices)
• Protecting overwintering and nesting sites

 Guest Speaker - Shannon Zezula, USDA-NRCS

• USDA Conservation Programs and Practices for Pollinators and Beneficial Insect Conservation, presented by Indiana USDA-NRCS
  

Module 5 - Assessing Baseline Farm Conditions for Beneficial Insects

• Overview of habitat diversity values
• Introduction to the Beneficial Insect Habitat Assessment Guide to Inform CBC Planning
• Case study of farm assessment

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

INSTRUCTORS

Thelma Heidel Baker –  Conservation Biocontrol Specialist, Xerces Society  
Thelma Heidel-Baker is the insect pest management specialist for the Xerces Society. She has extensive experience in biological control and integrated pest management (IPM) in agricultural cropping systems and provides nationwide support for developing pest management programs with reduced risks to beneficial insects. She also develops technical materials to guide beneficial insect conservation on farms. Thelma received her Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Minnesota where she studied the role of beneficial insects in soybean IPM. She currently lives on her family’s organic dairy farm in eastern Wisconsin.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Dr. Ian Kaplan - Associate Professor, Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University
Ian Kaplan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at Purdue University whose lab specializes in basic and applied insect ecology. His research program focuses on ecological factors that contribute to the success of biocontrol, integrated pest management, sustainable agriculture, and pollinator conservation. Recent USDA funded projects include understanding how cover crops affect the function of ground beetle communities, using pest-induced crop volatiles to attract predaceous insects, and quantifying the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on beneficial arthropods.

Shannon Zezula –  Indiana State Resource Conservationist, USDA-NRCS
As the State Resource Conservationist in Indiana for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Shannon Zezula oversees the conservation planning and technical advice that NRCS employees provide to Indiana’s private landowners to address their resource concerns related to soil health, erosion control, water quality, wildlife habitat, and forest management.  He is a graduate of Purdue University and The Ohio State University, and enjoys hunting, trapping, fishing, and other activities with his wife and two kids.

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