7:50am – 8:00am

Opening Remarks

8:00am – 8:55am

Commensal Rodents: Ecology, ID, and Management

Isabelle Lucero, Education and Compliance Officer, J.T. Eaton

This talk focuses on the two biggest rodent pests: Rats and Mice. These pests have the ability to spread over 35 known diseases to humans and cause structural damage to homes and buildings. In this session, attendees will learn how to identify commensal rat and mouse species, as well as their impact on human health. This session will also include inspection techniques and tools we can use to perform sustainable rodent management, as well as emerging information on commensal rodents.

9:00am – 9:55am

Nuisance Ants: Public Enemy #1
Presented by Timothy Husen, Ph.D., Technical Services Manager, Syngenta

This session will examine the significance of nuisance ant related revenue to our industry (and lack of profitability from reservices), the biology/lifecycle and nesting/foraging behavior of common nuisance ants, and IPM best practices for their control (identification, monitoring, physical control, mechanical control, cultural control, and chemical controls).

10:00am – 10:15am

Break

10:15am – 11:10am

WDI 101: Identification, Damage Recognition & Inspection Essentials
presented by Samantha Forrest, ACE, Territory Manager, Corteva
This session will explore the top four wood-destroying insects (WDIs), including an in-depth look at two different types of termites and their behaviors, with how to identify. Attendees will learn how to identify various types of wood damage caused by these pests and the key indicators that distinguish termite damage from other sources. The presentation will include visuals and real-world examples to enhance recognition skills in the field. We’ll wrap up with the top two conducive conditions that support WDI activity and what to watch out for during inspections.

11:15am – 12:10pm

Managing Mosquitoes in Residential Backyards
Brittany Campbell Ph.D., BCE, Technical Service Manager, Control Solutions
This presentation is going to cover some of the common mosquitoes found in Maryland and what you need to know about their biology to enhance control. Dive into this session to learn more about conducive conditions, IPM strategies for mosquitoes, and how to judiciously use pesticides for management.

12:15pm – 12:45pm

Maryland Department of Agriculture Update
Alex Lehmann, Certification and Training Coordinator, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Updates from the Maryland Department of Agriculture Pesticide Regulation Section. New laws and regulations, online testing options, CEU breakdown, violation occurrences, and how to solve them.

12:45 pm

Conclusion and Documentation