Mite Workshop

Specialized Training for Entomologist

Gainesville, Florida

August 18-20, 2008

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The National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) was formed in June 2002 in response to agricultural biosecurity concerns. The Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) is one of five regions within the NPDN. Member states or U.S. territories of the SPDN include: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida (UF, regional center), Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The mission of the NPDN/SPDN is to enhance agricultural security and assist in protecting the U.S. from intentional or unintentional exotic pest introductions. Numerous endemic, introduced, and exotic species of mites (Order Acari) threaten agriculture in the southern U.S.

National taxonomic specialists will interactively lead participants through family, genus, and some species-level identification.  Proper preparation of slide-mounted specimens will also be an emphasis of the training.  Following training, participants should be comfortable with slide-mounting as well as general identification and use of taxonomic keys for mites.   As more than 45,000+ species of mites have been described, participants should not expect that all categories will be covered at an in-depth level for species-level determinations.

General entomology diagnostician and extension specialists in the southern region interested in mite identification should attend. Enrollment will initially be limited to no more than two participants per SPDN U.S. state or territory. Each state’s representation will be determined by their SPDN entomology representative. Any remaining spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact Amanda Hodges at achodges@ufl.edu .  The following groups would benefit from the workshop:

• General Entomology Diagnosticians
• Extension Specialists
• Federal and/or State General Insect Identification Specialists

1. Enhance your understanding of key morphological features for mite identification.
2. Be able to prepare a quality slide-mounted mite specimen.
3. Be more familiar with key characters for family and genus-level identification of pest mites of concern, major predatory mites, and some common non-pest plant associated mites.
4. Learn about exotic mites threats to the southern region, and be able to more effectively recognize a potentially exotic sample.
5. Know the specialists that can be contacted if you suspect that you have an exotic specimen.
6. Enhance your taxonomic identification skills through interacting with expert mite taxonomic specialists.

The Biology, Ecology, and Identification of Mites (Acari) will be covered.  Details on preparation of proper slide-mounted specimens will be included.  Due to their small size, appropriate slide-mounting techniques are essential to confirmatory diagnosis of mites.  Gender and/or life stage recognition is also an important component of identification.  Some of the common predator and vagrant, mites that are found on most plants will be covered.  Major pest and pests of concern will be included from the following families:

• Tetranychidae
• Tenuipalpidae
• Eriophyiidae
• Tarsonemidae

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Monday, August 18, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Cal Welbourn

Dr. Welbourn has been active in mite systematics for more than 30 years.  He has been an invited instructor at the annual Ohio State University Acarology Summer Program since 1979.  Dr. Welbourn was Curator of the Acarology Laboratory at The Ohio State University from 1978 to 1994.  In 1994 he took his current position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry in Gainesville, Florida where he is curator of Acari for the FSCA and specializes in plant feeding mites and their predators. Other research interests include systematics of the Prostigmata, especially the terrestrial Parasitengona (velvet mites and chiggers). Dr. Welbourn has traveled extensively and has worked with acarologists from around the world.  Dr. Welbourn is currently working on a computer-interactive key (Lucid software) to the mites found on palms.

Ron Ochoa

Dr. Ochoa has worked and studied in the field of acarology and entomology for the past 28 years, including 16 years of teaching and fieldwork responsibilities. During his career, he has traveled extensively and has had the opportunity to work and study with different entomologists and acarologists from around the world.  Most of his research includes systematic and ecological studies on plant feeding mites in the Eriophyoidea, Tarsonemoidea, Tetranychoidea, and Acaridae.  He has been working on plant feeding mite identifications, cladistics, ecology and plant interactions, as well as curation of the U.S. National Mite Collection at Beltsville, Maryland and the use of new low temperature scanning electron microscope (LT-SEM) techniques for the study and understanding of mite morphology.

Jenny Beard

Dr. Beard has been actively working full-time on the taxonomy and systematics of the Phytoseiidae since 1994 and on the Tetranychoidea since 2000, and has published extensively on these groups and other arboreal and soil-dwelling mites, including the description of many new species and several new genera.  Dr. Beard has worked, and developed strong and invaluable collaborative links, with the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service and the Northern Australian Quarantine Strategy as a mite expert.  Dr. Beard has developed several computer-interactive taxonomic keys using Lucid software, and is currently working on the Tenuipalpidae of Australia and the Tuckerellidae of the world.

Martha King

As a student at The Ohio State University, Ms. King worked in the Acarology Laboratory from 1986 through 1991 sorting samples and preparing mite slides. In 2003 she started her current position as a laboratory technician working with mites at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry in Gainesville, Florida. She has more than 10 years of laboratory experience processing of mite samples, including plant alcohol washes, sorting, and slide mounting techniques, Ms. King has involved in training of Division of Plant Industry inspectors. Ms. King has an interest on plant feeding mites and their predators found on palms.

The registration fee is $300 and includes expenses for instructor travel, lunches, refreshment breaks, a welcome reception, and printed course material. Payment is due by Friday, August 1, 2008. Payments received onsite will incur an additional $75.00 late fee. Space is limited to 25 participants, and onsite registration is not guaranteed. E-mail workshop coordinator Amanda Hodges for further details. Only check or purchase order payments are accepted.

Click Here for the Registration Form

Click Here for the Workshop Invoice and Payment Details

The training workshop will be held at the University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department in teaching classroom 3118. Click Here for Driving Directions from the University of Florida, Hilton, to the Entomology & Nematology Department. Some coordinated transportation will be provided to the workshop on an as needed basis. E-mail workshop coordinator Amanda Hodges for further details.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Univeristy of Florida-Hilton for $129.00/night + tax. Room reservation should be made no later than Thursday, July 17, 2008. You may complete your reservation by calling 1-800-HILTONS and requesting the UF Entomology & Nematology Mite Workshop. You may also complete your reservation online at www.uf.hilton.com , reference group code MIT . Participants are advised to complete hotel reservations as soon as possible.

Recommended air service is provided through the Gainesville Regional Airport, just north of Gainesville, Florida.  Additional airports within a 2 - 3 hour drive of the University of Florida are located in Jacksonville (85 miles), Orlando (110 miles), and Tampa (130 miles). 

The Univeristy of Florida-Hilton provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the Gainesville Regional Airportfor guests. Advance arrangements directly with the hotel are required.

The Univeristy of Florida-Hilton is located across the street from University of Florida Cultural Plaza, featuring the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Harn Museum of Art, and the University of Florida, Phillips Performing Arts Center.

The Florida State Collection of Arthropods, curated by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, is located with 0.5 mile of the Univeristy of Florida-Hilton.

Other nearby attractions include the historic Hippodrome State Theater, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park, and San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park

Additional area information regarding Gainesville activities can be viewed on the City of Gainesville Website.

For general questions regarding this workshop, E-mailAmanda Hodges

Please report any questions or problems with the webpage and/or associated registration linkages to Amanda Hodges or call (352) 392-1901 ext. 199.

The SPDN program is funded by the USDA, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). In addition to cost recovery from workshop registration fees, some expenses have been covered by the SPDN. The SPDN acknowledges the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, as well as the USDA, ARS, Systematic Entomology Laboratory for providing instructors for this training session. We also acknowledge the University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department, as serving as the host institution. SPDN Entomology educational programs are planned and coordinated by a regional committee. Committee members include: Carlos Bogran (Texas A&M University), Dale Pollet (Louisiana State University), Blake Layton (Mississippi State University), Charles Ray (Auburn University), Frank Hale (University of Tennesssee), Keith Douce (University of Georgia), Blake Newton (University of Kentucky), Eric Day (Virginia Tech), Eric Bensen (Clemson University), Steve Bambara (North Carolina State University), Catharine Mannion (University of Florida), and Amanda Hodges (University of Florida, SPDN Regional Center).