NPMA is committed to recognizing the contribution made by veterans of the U.S. Armed forces and engaging them in a successful transition to a productive and rewarding career in the pest management industry. To that end, we created PestVets to promote the recruitment of veterans into the industry and identify programs that support the pest management industry veteran community.

The organizational meeting of the group will be held during Legislative Day at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, March 16. Members that participate in the organizational meeting are invited to a private meeting with General Stanley McChrystal, the Legislative Day keynote speaker, sponsored by FMC. General McChrystal served most recently as Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan. He previously served as Director, Joint Staff from August 2008 to June 2009 and as Commander, Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008.

A team of scientists, led by Dr. Clint J. Perry of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, has been investigating possible mechanisms for colony collapse disorder, a so-far unexplained problem that has sporadically plagued managed bee colonies since it was described in 2006. CCD is not synonymous with bee decline. Rather, it describes a specific suite of symptoms in which the foraging worker bees disappear while the hive, queen, brood, and honey remain intact.

Krista Seraydar and Dr. Phil Kaufman, entomologists from the University of Florida, explored the potential role that house fly behavior can play in resistance to bait containing imidacloprid. The house fly, Musca domestica, is a ubiquitous, cosmopolitan pest that breeds in filth and often contaminates food and food-prep surfaces. Due to the sensitive environments in which they are often found, baits have become a popular control strategy against house flies. By putting flies in choice (imidacloprid-containing bait and sugar) and no-choice experimental chambers, the researchers reported evidence for heritable taste-aversion, a behavioral attribute that led to house flies to avoid bait containing imidacloprid. Insecticides can lose effectiveness due to genetic and physiological reasons (i.e. extremely high doses are needed to kill when generations ago a fraction of active ingredient was sufficient) or behavioral (i.e. bait avoidance), so it is recommended to rotate classes of chemistry and products when trying to control a pest. 

This paper was published in the most recent volume of the journal Medical and Veterinary Entomology under the title, "Does behavior play a role in house fly resistance to imidacloprid-containing baits?" 

PWIPM is now accepting nominations for its annual Professional Empowerment Grant, which will be awarded to one female who is interested in advancing or securing a career in pest management. A minimum of $1,000 will be granted to the recipient to defer costs related to advancing her career or education in the pest management industry. Additionally, up to $500 towards travel expenses to attend the National Pest Management Association's PestWorld in Nashville, TN in October 2015 will be provided. Click here for more details and requirements.

 The Pest Management Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission and purpose is to advance the pest management industry through education, research, and training, is pleased to announce the availability of up to $20,000 for pest management industry related research. Proposals should be submitted to Jim Fredericks via email by Friday, March 6, 2015. Click here to view submission requirements and additional information.