The DI has provided intensive field training to farm managers and pest control advisors for a combined total of over 35 seasons with 23 individuals. Women and Spanish-speaking farm labor are priority groups for our training programs and we have had beginning success recruiting such trainees.

We have trained numerous educators and Master Gardener’s to guide farmers, gardeners and others to manage their environments minimizing toxic pesticides.

Our educational media include vacuum insect collectors and microscope projectors to offer exciting, transformative field days and seminars. Participants gain deeper understanding of how applied insect ecology works and are more able to practice and teach others biological pest control techniques.

• Cotton: Providing monitoring and training for cotton farmers and their farmworkers to minimize pesticide use.

• Walnuts: Observing walnut husk fly using enhanced habitat and other on-farm biocontrol experimentation.

• Farmworker Training:: Training Spanish-speaking farmworkers about biocontrol monitoring and pest management techniques.

• Land Restoration for Areawide Biocontrol: Advising landfill operators on biocontrol of pests in a demonstration buffer zone.

• Biological Control of Glassy–winged Sharpshooter (GWSS): Observing ecology of GWSS and associated natural enemy complex

• Biological Control of Pepper Weevil: Releasing, recovering and expanding distribution of a parasitic wasp.