- Author: Cheryl Reynolds
UC ANR Statewide IPM Program, Writer/Editor, (530) 750-1237
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. If you work in agricultural, turf, landscape, or structural settings, you are probably at your busiest. If you handle pesticides as part of your work, you most likely wear some sort of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, do you know if you are wearing the right type for the job that you do? Wearing the appropriate PPE, taking it off the right way, and correctly cleaning it prevents unnecessary pesticide exposure to yourself and others. Learn the steps so you don't expose your family members or those around you to pesticide residues by viewing a brand new online course on Proper Selection, Use, and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment from the UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM).
The course is approved by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) for 1.5 hours in the Laws and Regulations category. This course is designed for all pesticide handlers with the goal to provide them with information on pesticide labels and the California Code of Regulations (CCR) to help them select, wear, remove, and dispose of or store PPE.
In California, all pesticide handlers (applicators, mixers, loaders, those who transport pesticides, or those who fix application equipment) are legally required to wear PPE. However, in order to get the most protection from PPE, it must be used correctly. Violations involving the incorrect use of PPE were the second most commonly reported type of agricultural-use violation in 2017 as reported by DPR (PDF).
The new PPE online course opens with a scenario describing a real example of an accident reported to DPR that led to an incident of pesticide exposure because the correct eye protection was not worn. The content that follows is divided into six instructional modules, highlighting types of PPE, how to select it, and when certain items should be worn. Answer short questions about the different types of PPE. Open pesticide labels to learn how to select the right PPE and learn when certain items should be worn. Short how-to videos and animated sequences demonstrate the proper way to put on or remove items such as gloves, coveralls, respirators, and eyewear. You must pass a final test with 70% or higher to receive your certificate of completion and continuing education hours.
If this is the year to renew your license with DPR, get a jumpstart on it. Take this new course and all the other UC IPM online courses to refresh your knowledge and get the CEUs you need. There is a $30 fee for taking Proper Selection, Use, and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment. You are welcome to view the content for free on YouTube, but without the activities, final exam, and continuing education credit. For more information about license renewal, visit DPR.
- Author: Ben Faber
Where sufficient habitat is available, wild native bee species often provide all of the pollination services needed for high crop yields and fruit quality. Depending on the species, native bees may nest in underground tunnels, hollow plant stems, and tunnels in wood. Bumble bee colonies favor small cavities under lodged grass, in abandoned rodent burrows, in trees, or old bird nests. These unmanaged pollinators are an on-site natural resource, and unlike honey bees, cannot be moved from the field when pesticides are used. In fact, many ground-nesting species, such as squash bees, long-horned bees, mining bees, and sweat bees, construct their nests in the midst of annual and perennial crop fields. To protect these bees, ensure that drifting pesticides never contact adjacent habitat, even when crops or wildflowers are not in bloom. Scout crop fields, and protect ground nests of solitary bees and bumble bees from insecticide spray. Learn more about managing pesticides and protecting bees at:
UC-IPM: http://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/beeprecaution/
Oregon State University Extension: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw591.pdf
Xerces Society: www.xerces.org/
Bee Book: http://www.helpabee.org/
- Author: Lisa Blecker
(Español abajo)
Registration is now open for Spring 2018 Pesticide Safety Instructor Training workshops
UC IPM is partnering with AgSafe to offer up-to-date instructor training programs that are approved and partly funded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Updates to the Federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) that will have the most impact on California pesticide users include:
- Annual pesticide safety training for all fieldworkers
- Instructors in agriculture must attend an updated and approved Train-the-Trainer course, and
- Expanded training content for fieldworkers and pesticide handlers
Upcoming southern California training dates and locations:
Ventura
February 21, 2018
This class will be conducted in ENGLISH
Santa Paula
February 23, 2018
This class will be conducted in SPANISH
San Diego
March 20, 2018
This class will be conducted in SPANISH
Participants who complete this training will become qualified to provide pesticide safety training to fieldworkers and pesticide handlers, as required by California state regulations and the revised Federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Visit the workshop website for specific date/location information and to register. Spring 2018 Pesticide Safety Instructor Workshops
(English above)
Se Abrió la Registración para 2018 Capacitaciones de Instructores de Seguridad de Pesticidas
UC IPM en conjunto con AgSafe ofrece un programa actualizado de capacitación para instructores que es aprobado y co-patrocinado por el Departamento de Regulaciones de Pesticidas de California (DPR). Las actualizaciones en el Estándar de Protección del Trabajador (WPS) que tendrán más impacto sobre los que se usan pesticidas en California incluyen:
- Entrenamiento anual de seguridad de pesticidas para los trabajadores
- Instructores en agricultura deben asistir a un curso actualizado y aprobado (Entrenamiento de Entrenadores), y
- Contenido de capacitación ampliado para trabajadores de campo y manipuladores de pesticidas
Próximas fechas y localidades en el sur de California:
Ventura
21 de febrero 2018
Esta clase será en INGLÉS
Santa Paula
23 de febrero 2018
Esta clase será en ESPAÑOL
San Diego
20 de marzo 2018
Esta clase será en ESPAÑOL
Los participantes en este programa serán calificados para entrenar a los trabajadores de campo y a los manipuladores de pesticidas, como es requerido por las regulaciones del estado de California, he incluso el Estándar de Protección del Trabajador revisado por EPA.
Visite el sitio web de capacitaciones para obtener información sobre fechas/localidades y para inscribirse. 2018 Capacitaciones de Instructores de Seguridad de Pesticidas
Thank you, Gracias,
Pesticide Safety Education Program Team
- Author: Sonia Rios
The University of California Cooperative Extension conducted an Avocado Pest Management Round Table grower meeting in Fallbrook, CA on September 28, 2017. Approximately 64 growers, industry, Pest Control Advisors, and other stakeholders were present. Sonia Rios, Subtropical Horticulture Farm Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), Riverside/San Diego Counties gave a talk on “Introduction to Avocado Weed Management.” Tim Spann from the California Avocado Commission (CAC) spoke on a potential threat to California's avocado industry, “A Review: Redbay Ambrosia Beetle & Laurel Wilt Disease.
Growers were able to participate in 2 round table discussions, one on “Old challenges/possible new solutions - pesticide resistance, proper spray application, new pesticides” and another on New Challenges in the Avocado industry. Round Table panel members were: Mary Lu Arpaia, University of California, Riverside/CE, Frank Byrne, University of California, Riverside/CE, Kevin Turner, CAL FIRE, Tim Spann, CAC, Enrico Ferro, Avocado Grower/PCA, Sonia Rios, UCCE, Victor Lopez, Crop Production Services.
The growers will be looking forward to the next Round Table meeting in the Spring. If you missed the meeting, below is a link to a recording of the meeting https://soundcloud.com/user-95194984/controlling-pests-in-avocado-roundtable-meeting
- Author: Ben Faber
Argentine Ant is a very aggressive invader that disrupts native ant populations and at the same time disrupts biocontrol agents that help control, such pests as scale, aphids and mealy bugs in citrus and other tree crop species. They defend these sugar producing sources of energy from attack by predators and parasites, like parasitic wasps and predatory assassin bugs and lady bugs. They increase the threat of Asian Citrus Psyllid and HLB by protecting the psyllid from attack by parasitic Tamarixia.
A careful, well placed chlorpyrifos spray has been used to control Argentine ants. A trunk spray and/or spray on irrigation lines has disrupted their activity with minimal impact on beneficials. This protectant spray keeps the Argentine ants out of the canopies and allows the beneficials access to the pests. Controlling this one species, can have significant impact on biocontrol and the whole need for controlling pests.
Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide that might lose registration and other materials and techniques have been examined over the years as a replacement. A recent procedure has been proposed and used successfully on Santa Cruz Island to control introduced Argentine ants. The ant has caused tremendous disruption in biocontrol and it appears to have been controlled by this new technique. We are in the process of evaluating it's use in citrus. The application technique, costs and materials would need to be modified for use in citrus orchards. The current procedure would not be considered an organic practice since the pesticide material is not registered organic. It might be possible to use an organically registered material in the future.
Protocols for Argentine ant eradication in conservation areas
L.Boser1,C.Hanna2,D.A.Holway3,K.R.Faulkner4,I.Naughton3,K.Merrill5,J.M.Randall1,C.Cory1,D.-H. Choe6 & S. A.Morrison
Journal of Applied Entomology
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jen.12372/full
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is a widespread, abundant and ecologically disruptive invader that is present throughout major portions of coastal California and on half of the California Channel Islands. On Santa Cruz Island, the Argentine ant had invaded about 2% of the island's area in four distinct locations as of 2012. Given the negative ecological effects resulting from Argentine ant invasions,we sought to develop a cost-effective method of eradication. Here, we describe the results of large-scale, field-tested methods for Argentine ant eradication and post-treatment detection. Our eradication protocol employs a novel toxicant-delivery system: an aqueous solution of sucrose and 6 ppm of thiamethoxam mixed with hydrating polyacrylamide beads. Ants feed on the solution present on the bead's surface for about 24h after which time bead dehydration prevents feeding. We distributed hydrated beads by helicopter over 74 ha of infested areas plus a 50-m buffer on 14 occasions between June 2013 and September 2014. Treatments reduced Argentine ant activity to subdetectable levels within four months. In 2014, we conducted a high-intensity detection protocol using lures (n = 55 363) in areas treated in 2013.This effort did not detect Argentine ants. In 2015, we conducted a medium-intensity detection protocol using lures (n=2250) in areas treated in 2013 and 2014 but not searched in 2014; this sampling effort did not detect Argentine ant activity except for a single remnant infestation (c.0.3ha in area),which was retreated in2015.Thec ost of treatments was approximately $1400 per ha; this cost is comparable to other ant eradication efforts. The cost of our preferred detection method, which used lures spaced every 10m,was $500 per ha.These results demonstrate sufficient protocol efficacy to justify expansion of treatments to other infested areas in ecologically sensitive areas.
Photo: Argentine ant and scale