Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Zachary DeVries
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
Bed bugs remain one of the most challenging pests to manage indoors. While difficult to manage when treatments are performed correctly, these pests are nearly impossible to eradicate when inspections and treatments are not performed correctly. In response to a major bed bug problem in a historical high-rise apartment complex in downtown Paducah that serves elderly and disabled residents, I was invited by the Paducah City Fire Marshal to inspect the complex and determine why current m
Author: Zachary DeVries
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
Pest control and academia have grown apart over the past 20 years, where the research being conducted by urban entomology labs does not directly address the needs of the indoor pest control stakeholders. Therefore, I developed, organized, and ran a meeting involving technical directors of pest control companies from around the country, along with my trainees (6 students and 1 research scientist), to discuss the needs of the pest control industry. During this meeting (now in its thir
Author: Zachary DeVries
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
During Paris fashion week (one of the major annual fashion events in the world), a news story broke on a massive bed bug “epidemic” sweeping across Paris. In response to this, I spoke with reports from a number of major outlets (NY Times, TIME, CNN, National Geographic, Newsweek] [ABC Australia) to dispel some of the common misconception about bed bugs. Specifically, I emphasized that this problem is not new or sudden, but rather a problem that has bee
Author: Zachary DeVries
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
In November we hosted the 52nd annual University of Kentucky Pets Control Short Course. This 3-day program incorporated 15 1-hour talks from speakers located around the country who travelled to Lexington, >420 attendees from Kentucky and surrounding states, and a team of entomologists (faculty, staff, students) from the University of Kentucky. This meeting, hour-for-hour, is one of the top pest control meeting in the country, which many others states imitate due to the quality of the sp
Author: Jonathan Larson
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
Stone Crest Golf Course in Prestonsburg, KY contacted Kenneth Clayton (Extension associate in Plant and Soil Science) about ongoing issues with white grub management at their facility. They had spent considerable time and money trying to deal with the issue but were having breakouts that were affecting use of the facility. During a site visit, we were able to determine they were dealing with black turfgrass ataenius, a more difficult to control pest. Further, we worked with both Envu and Syngent
Author: Leann Martin
Major Program: Integrated Pest Management
Application of crop protection chemicals and lawn/landscape chemicals is an important industry in South Central Kentucky. Professional applicators must receive training to stay current on issues, pests, techniques, and safety for the products they apply. They need to receive continuing education to maintain their applicator license. The agriculture and horticulture agents around the Mammoth Cave responded to a need for a commercial training opportunity by developing the SOKY Pe
