Sometimes there are so many news items I just feel the need to post some of them in a batch. So here are some recent or upcoming events and stories.
The Master Volunteer Specialist Training in Entomology training date in September is quickly approaching. Any Master volunteer in Texas interested in receiving specialist training in Entomology is encouraged to visit the website for details on registering for this course. Molly Keck, our AgriLife Entomology Program Specialist in San Antonio will be hosting this year, and has a great schedule planned. The four day plus training will prepare you to become your county’s insect expert, and develop effective entomology projects at the local level.
If you’re a Master Gardener in Texas and are interested in citrus, you might want to consider taking the new Master Gardener Specialist Training in citriculture. The MG Specialist-Citriculture training is a comprehensive educational program aimed at preparing Master Gardeners to grow citrus in the home orchard successfully and manage the challenging complex of associated insects and diseases, including citrus greening. Details of the course have recently been posted on the Texas MG website. Once there, link to Specialist Training 2010 to read more. The site is currently receiving preregistration requests. The two-day class size will be limited to 50 or less for each site. Two confirmed dates/locations are: July 29-30 (Thursday/Friday) at Fort Bend Co., and Sept. 2-3 (Thursday/Friday) in San Antonio. The third date/location is tentative, but hold Sept 23-24 open for a possible class in Conroe.
In case you haven’t seen it, our News Updates page on the Insects in the City website links to recent stories related to extension in the news. Some of this month’s stories include mosquito surges after tropical storm Alex, cricket outbreaks in San Antonio, and a story in the Dallas Morning News about a new citizen science program for gardeners interested in bees.
Finally, check out this animated piece on insect highways in the sky by Benjamin Arthur, Robert Krulwich, Maggie Starbard and Ellen Webber of National Public Radio. The artwork is great, the science is good and the story is pretty amazing. You may have to wait a few minutes for the animation to load, but it’s worth it.