Ants and the Pests They Support Workshop

Aug 11, 2023

Are you interested in learning about the management of sap-sucking pests and ants in citrus orchards? Lindcove is organizing a full-day workshop to bring you recent research advances on sap-sucking insects and ant management. The workshop will focus on ants.

 

Ants

 

Ants, especially the invasive Argentine ant and the native grey field ant, are serious pests because they protect sap-sucking pests infesting citrus, grapes, and other perennial tree and vine crops, from their natural enemies. In return for protection, hemipteran pests like Asian citrus psyllid mealybugs, soft scales, aphids, and whiteflies reward ants with honeydew, a sticky sugar-rich waste product that ants imbibe and return to nests to feed nest mates. This is an example of food-for-protection mutualism that is highly disruptive to biological control and IPM programs. This workshop will cover the latest developments in ant monitoring and management and will provide overviews of the benefits of ant control and how reductions in ant densities result in very high levels of biological control of important hemipteran pests.

When: 19 September 2023

Where: Conference room, Lindcove Research and Extension Center, 22963 Carson Ave, Exeter, CA 93221

Meeting Registration Link: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=41086

 

Workshop Agenda:

Time

Presenter

Topic

8:30am

 

Registration

9:00am

Mark Hoddle, UC Riverside

Overview of the Asian citrus psyllid biological control program and the need to control pest ants

9:30am

Mark Hoddle, UC Riverside

Use of biodegradable hydrogel beads and bait stations for controlling pest ants in citrus

10:00am

Mike Lewis, UC Riverside

Infrared sensors and the Internet of Things to automate ant counts in orchards

10:30am

 

Coffee Break

10:45am

David Haviland, UCCE Farm Advisor, Kern County

Ant management research and applications in the San Joaquin Valley

11:15am

Soon Il Kwon, UC Riverside

Cultural control of ants in orchards

11:45am

Nicola Irvin, UC Riverside

Flowering cover crops to promote natural enemy ecosystem services

12:15pm

 

Lunch

1:00pm

Sandipa Gautam, UCCE Area Citrus IPM Advisor

Hemipteran pests and their management in SJV citrus

1:30pm

All presenters

Table visits and posters to observe technologies that were discussed and to interact with presenters and ask questions

2:00pm

David Haviland/Hoddle Lab

Field demonstration of hydrogel applications for ant control

3:00m

 

Workshop Ends

 


By Sandipa Gautam
Author
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