Success StoryPremier Pest Control Training at the UK Short Course



Premier Pest Control Training at the UK Short Course

Author: Zachary DeVries

Planning Unit: Entomology

Major Program: Integrated Pest Management

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

Despite the continuing challenges of COVID-19, we successfully developed and executed the 50th annual University of Kentucky Pest Control Short Course.  This 3 day program incorporated 15 1-hour talks from speakers located around the country who travelled to Lexington, >420 pest control operators from Kentucky and surrounding states, and a team of entomologists (faculty, staff, students) from the University of Kentucky.  This meeting, hour-for-hour, is the top pest control meeting in the country, which many others states imitate due to the quality of the speakers and the overall level of education they receive.  This meeting is also vital to ensure pest control operators maintain their licensee and certification by receiving continuing education units (CEUs).  This year, >6,300 CEUs were awarded to attendees, ensuring safe and effective pest control practices will continue in Kentucky and surrounding states.  Feedback is still being processed, but >92% of attendees indicated learning something new and attendees showed high satisfaction with the meeting (8/10).  In addition, this year included an online option for attendees not able to attend in person which we intend to incorporate in future meetings to allow our training to reach a broader audience.






Stories by Zachary DeVries


Cockroaches and Bourbon

about 3 years ago by Zachary DeVries

Bourbon is one of the most important commodities in the state of Kentucky. In recent years, there ha... Read More


Drain Flies and Upper Administration

about 3 years ago by Zachary DeVries

Often times urban pests are thought to only affect those with dirty homes or of lower socio-economic... Read More


Stories by Entomology


Delivering of information on sampling and studies on the South American Palm Weevil for Dominican Republic

about 2 years ago by Raul Villanueva

I was solicited to present in-person however to avoid risk this task was conducted online using zoom... Read More


Ambrosia beetles in nursery and fruit Detection, Identification and management

about 2 years ago by Raul Villanueva

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are boring insects that inoculate species s... Read More