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CPCA Train-A-Tech

Join CPCA on February 26, 2015 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. where we will be hosting Richard Spigler, BCE, FMC Structural Solutions as he speaks on insect identification and controlling occasional invaders. Three credits will be offered in the general pest category.

Registration and access to the free continental breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. followed by the seminar at 9:00 a.m. 

 

This seminar is free to CPCA member companies whose dues are paid current. Non-members will be charged $35 at the door. 

 

For more information, click here.

 

To make a reservation, call Joe Giaimo at 203-468-1444 by February 24, 2015. 


If you have any questions please contact CPCA at [email protected].


Improved Rodenticide Labels Coming Soon

In a Jan. 21 letter to the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to lift the target pest restriction on rodenticides that removed the ability of applicators to control pest rodents other than house mice, Norway rats and roof rats in and around homes and other man-made structures. NPMA voiced concerns about the lack of rodenticide products available for professional use against important pests like white footed mice, pack rats, and voles, which prompted the ASPCRO inquiry. According to ASPCRO President John Scott, "this is an important step to ensure professionals have the tools they need to manage rodents that pose a significant public health risk, while still meeting the intent of EPA's rodenticide mitigation decision to ensure rodenticides do not pose a significant risk to children and non-target wildlife." Click here to read more.

Identifying Pollen Sources from Foraging Honey Bees 

Managed honey bees are of vital importance to our agricultural system and have multiple threats facing them, including a loss of foraging land and poor diet. Foraging honey bees may travel several miles in search of pollen and nectar and it is very difficult to track great numbers of bees over such distances. To address this question, a team of scientists from Ohio State University led by Dr. Rodney T. Richardson recently published a research paper exploring honey bees and their foraging patterns with the intention of being able to identify the sources of pollen brought by worker bees back to the hive. The researchers engaged in melissopalynology, the study of bee-collected pollen, by using a new molecular technique (metabarcoding) to determine the plants frequented by managed hives in Madison County, Ohio. 19 families of plants were identified via pollen samples and trees (maple, ash, and others), dandelion, and mustard made up the bulk of the foraged pollen.

This paper was published in the most recent volume of Applications in Plant Sciences under the title, "Application of ITS2 Metabarcoding to Determine the Provenance of Pollen Collected by Honey Bees in an Agroecosystem"



Identification of Bed Bug Pheromones 

A team of entomologists and chemists from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, led by Dr. Regine Gries, recently published a bed bug research paper that has been several years in the making. Gries and her coauthors investigated the complex of chemicals that can potentially be used to lure and trap bed bugs in the field. The aggregation pheromones that bed bugs use to attract one another are comprised of several unique chemicals that have long been studied, but never completely isolated and identified until now. Chemical analyses of bed bug cast-skins and feces led to the identification of five volatile components and one not-so-volatile one (histamine). When the proper blend of all six chemicals is present, the research team had great success in luring bed bugs to a desired location and keeping them there (the histamine appears to act as an arrestant).

This paper was published in the most recent volume of the journal Angewandte Chemie under the title, "Bed Bug Aggregation Pheromone Finally Identified".


NPMA and PCT Release Business Profile Survey

One of NPMA's most important objectives is to support our members by providing information to help them become more knowledgeable and profitable. Our most recent initiative in support of this objective is the creation of a business profile study that we conducted in partnership with PCT magazine. Based on nearly 600 responses, the survey results provide insight into how your finances compare to those of similar companies. With a focus on key expense areas such as wage and benefits, operating costs, vehicle costs, and material costs, NPMA members have exclusive access to crucial industry specific information to compare their business operations with other companies of similar size. The preview of the report will be available in this month's issue of PCT Magazine. The full survey report can be accessed by clicking here.

Majority Leader McCarthy to Speak at NPMA Legislative Day 

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy - the second highest-ranking member of the 435-member body - will be the special guest speaker at the Tuesday lunch at NPMA Legislative Day on Tuesday, March 17. A small business owner before he was elected to Congress in 2006 to represent a Bakersfield, CA area district, Leader McCarthy is deeply committed to eliminating unnecessary paperwork requirements and other government regulation and increasing government efficiency. He will discuss the House Republican agenda for the 114th Congress. Click here to read more about Leader McCarthy and here to register for NPMA Legislative Day.

 PWIPM Now Accepting Nominations for the Professional Empowerment Grant 

PWIPM is now accepting nominations for their annual Professional Empowerment Grant. This grant will be awarded to one female who is interested in advancing or securing a career in pest management. This grant may be used by the recipient to defer costs related to advancing their career or education in the pest management industry. The grant will be a minimum of $1000. It also includes $500 towards travel expenses to attend the National Pest Management Association's PestWorld in Nashville, TN in October 2015. Click here for more details and requirements.
CPCA
10460 North Street
Fairfax, VA 22030
(800) 678-6722