Elena Rhodes
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Strawberries

Crystal Kelts
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Strawberries

Scott Weihman
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Grapes

Daniel Frank
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Cucurbits

Katora Long
BS Degree in Animal Sciences

Jeff White
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Strawberries

Lisa Myers
Doctor of Plant Medicine Degree

Erin Finn
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Blueberries

Alejandro Arevalo
Doctor of Philosophy
Integrated Pest Management in Thrips & Blueberries

Carolyn Mullin
MS degree in Education with minor in Religion

Teresia Nyoike
MS degree in Integrated Pest Management in Aphids & Whiteflies in Cucurbits

Aimee Fraulo
MS degree in Ecology

11/07 Aimee Fraulo has graduated with a MS degree in Ecology. Aimee's research dealt with investigating timed releases of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus as a biological control agent for the twospotted spider mite.

11/07 Teresia Nyoike has graduated with a MS in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), specifically investigating the effects of living and synthetic mulches in suppressing aphids and whiteflies in cucurbits. She is now a Research Associate in the Small Fruit and Vegetable IPM laboratory.

12/06 Hector Alejandro Arevalo got first prize in the student paper competition sub-section Crop Protection at the 2006 Entomological Society of America annual meeting in Indianapolis Indiana. His paper was entitled: "Field dispersion and hot-spot formation of flower thrips, Frankliniella spp. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in early-season blueberry plantings."

12/06 Craig Roubos received the prize for second place in the student paper competition sub-section Crop Protection at the 2006 Entomological Society of America annual meeting Indianapolis Indiana. His paper was entitled: "Evaluation of emergence traps for detecting blueberry gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) adults in a rabbiteye blueberry planting."

12/06 Carolyn Mullin is now an Education Coordinator with Farm Sanctuary, the nation's largest farm animal protection organization. She spends her days with 450 rescued animals, educating the public of their plight.

12/06 Alejandro Arevalo has graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Pest Management in Thrips & Blueberries

5/06 Kaytora Long has been accepted at Tuskegee University to further her education in Veterinary Medicine. Recently she was featured in UF's Journal of Undergraduate Research for the paper entitled "Evaluation of Various Mediums for Rearing Bigeyed Bugs Geocoris punctipes (Say) a Beneficial Predator for Controlling Insect Pest Populations"

1/06 Amy Fraulo has joined the lab as a MS student. She is investigating special dynamics of twospotted spider mites as well as predator-prey relationships in strawberries.

8/05 Teresia Nyoike is a new MS student working on cultural control of whiteflies and aphids in cucurbits.

8/05 Elena Rhodes and Crystal Kelts graduated with their Master's in Strawberry IPM.

7/05 Carolyn Mullin, our lab assistant, has graduated with her B.A. in Religion and will pursue a non-profit management career.

6/05 Scott Weihman has been hired to work at the North Carolina branch of the USDA.

2/05 We received from the Florida Grape Grower's Association $7500 to continue research on management of grape root borer in Florida vineyards.

1/05 Jay Cee Turner, a biological scientist, has joined the IPM lab as its new coordinator.

12/04 Scott Weihman successfully defended his thesis in December 2004 and continues to work for the lab investigating pests in grape production.

12/04 EPA Grant for $60,000 to continue to develop IPM programs for managing thrips and gall midge in blueberries.

7/04 Daniel Frank successfully defended his thesis on July 23, 2004. He will continue to work for Dr. Liburd as a research scientist.

7/04 Scott Weihman received 1st prize in the Florida Entomological Society Competition held July 25-29, 2004. His presentation was entitled "Monitoring and control tactics of grape root borer (GRB) in Florida vineyards". Daniel Frank won 2nd prize with his presentation "Effects of living and synthetic mulches on the population dynamics of homopteran pests, their associated natural enemies, and insect transmitted diseases". Both prizes were won in the Master's degree competition. Elena Rhodes and Crystal Kelts received mini travel and research grants to assist with their research and travel to the meeting.

9/03 New Masters students join the lab: Crystal Kelts and Elena Rhodes. Alejandro Arevalo has joined our lab as a PhD student.

7/03 The following students from the Fruit and Vegetable IPM program presented at the Florida Entomological Meeting:

• Scott Weihman. Monitoring for the presence of grape root borers in Florida vineyards.
• Rajya Pandey. Effects of imidacloprid-treated spheres on Caribbean fruit fly and its parasitoid in the laboratory.
• Alejandro Arevalo. Inventory and selection of plants that adults of Larra bicolor F. prefer as nectar sources under field conditions in the Gainesville, FL area.
• Jeff White. Effects of soil moisture and temperature on the reproductive rates of two-spotted spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its associated predator mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae).
• Daniel Frank. Evaluation of living and synthetic mulches in zucchini for control of Homopteran pests.

7/03 Jeff White, Daniel Frank, and Scott Weihman received travel grants from the Florida Entomological Society to attend the Eighty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society.

2/03 Dr. Liburd received a Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from Florida A & M University for his contributions to entomology during his early years as an assistant professor.

1/03 Dr. Liburd received a grant from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research & Education Foundation, Inc. in the amount of $39,692 for a project entitled "Developing an IPM Program for Management of Flower Thrips in Florida Blueberry Plantings".

11/02 Erin Finn won second prize in the Florida Entomological Society Meeting held in August 2002. Furthermore, Erin won second prize at the Entomological Society of America Meeting held in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in November 2002.

11/02 Dr. Liburd and Dr. Norm Leppla received funding from the Florida Grape Growers Association for grape root borer research in the amount of $7,500 to study the biology and mating disruption of borers in Florida grapes.

8/02 Dr. Liburd received first year funding of a T-Star Grant in the amount of $47,000 to study the impact of living and synthetic mulches on populations of homopteran pests.

4/02 Dr. Liburd recently received USDA PMAP Grant for $117,572 to develop blueberry pest management program in Florida.