Two credit hours have been approved in WA, OR and ID.

Ryan Neff

Ryan Neff is the west coast technical field specialist at MGK. He holds an M.S. in Entomology from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. In Entomology from the University of California, Riverside. Ryan has been with MGK since April 2019 and resides in Livermore, California. Ryan provides support to those in the residential, commercial, and agricultural industries through technical advice, insect management protocols, and field-based research.

Ants

Controlling Ants with Pesticides​

​This introduction to ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is heavily geared toward familiarizing PMPs with all available tools used to control various pest ants. Students will briefly learn about key life history characteristics of common ants and how these can be used to effectively identify ants in the field. Students will then be introduced to the common ants found in urban environments, learn about their unique behaviors, and how these behaviors can be exploited to achieve control in an environmentally sound manner.

The following aspects of ant control will be discussed:

• Using repellents vs non-repellents
• Proper application to maximize treatment efficacy (using baits to lure ants over non-repellent products)
• Proper application of baits indoors
• When to use dusts
• Differences between granular and gel baits for ants

Pesticides & Formulations

In this course, students will be introduced to common pesticides used for residential and commercial pest management. Topics covered will include a history of pesticides used by humans, frequently-encountered chemical classes, a brief discussion on modes of action, formulation types & examples, the risks associated with their uses, and the pros and cons of using formulations in various environments.