New Orientation Program at IPM

With the internship at IPM now in the review mirror and the orientation power point project completed, I believe Integrated Pest Management research farm is now in a better place. With new interns coming in next summer, they will now be able to complete various tasks presented to them on a day to day basis. Since my experience at IPM was a successful one, I can separate the rights from the wrongs, giving me the ability to create a better orientation program with direct and visual information. The images that I took over the summer will also be provided to my supervisor for future research presentation for on the job experience. With the brunt of the job being involved with the Crop Sciences department, it is crucial that a sense of professionalism be installed into an organization such as this.

 

Putting up sticky traps is important to the research of these insects. These traps are put up in various bean fields across the state and trap different kinds of insects to see what insects are most populated in these areas. In this case, Corn Rootworm Beetle was main focus sense some of the population are found in soybean fields that are adjacent to corn fields.

On the job experience at IPM also means putting up tent traps for these Corn Rootworm Beetles as well. Sections of corn must be cut down for enough space to put up these tent traps. Once put up, Corn Rootworm Beetles will emerge from the soil and will have no where to escape so collection of these insects will be an easier process. This job is crucial to proper research of this corn dwelling pest.
 

In this picture, I am using a vacuum to suck the remaining beetles from the tent. During the time of this picture, most of the beetles were already caught since it was later in the summer. In this case, many of the beetles will tend to be at the upper corners of the tent. Most insects, when threatened, tend to fly upwards to escape, making their hiding spots easier to locate.

 

Now that the internship is over, I am excited that I had the opportunity study these beetles, design a new orientation program for future interns, and most of all; help farmers come up with new ways to maximize yield and minimize pests. Pest control is the name of the game in agriculture and I am satisfied that I could do my part to help.