The following reports from the 2009 class of MVES was recently sent in to Jayla Fry by Dr. Paul Nester, organizer of last year’s class. Read them and get some ideas about how you might put entomology specialist training to work in your county.
Marilyn Pease – Kerr County
I am diligently doing my monthly articles for the newsletter and have been called upon on three occasions to identify insects for our members. I will continue to send you copies of my articles.
Linda Rowe – Tom Green Country
I am a probation officer at the Concho Valley Female Community Corrections Facility. This is a residential facility and we house approx. 150 women for a 6 to 9 month rehabilitation program. We presently have a horticultural program that was begun in June of this year. It is a 6 month program where myself as a volunteer MG, Allison Watkins who is our Extension Agent and another MG meet with a group of 12 of the residents weekly. We have a nice green house and plan to use it for propagation for plants to further beautify the center. After the residents complete the program, they are awarded a certificiate stating that they have completed the horticultural program, and are also given letters of recommendation in hopes that this will further aide them in acquiring jobs after their release. They also have a work period while they are here at the center, and we also hope these letters will help in their employment searches during their stay at the facility. I recently presented an hr. long program on buttterflies and butterfly gardening. I plan is to present a monthly program to the ladies on insects.
Dorothy Imel – Liberty County
I am in the process of collecting, identifying and mounting insects in order to put together a diverse collection that can be used in my MGA. I have learned a lot during this process and so have my grandsons. They are really getting into this entomology thing. On weekends we go to various places and collect. I plan on going to their school and giving a sort of show and tell about “good bugs and bad bugs” and that sort of thing. I will put together some pictures of our efforts and send them.
Gudrun Opperman – Harris County
I have started a new program at Oak Forest Elementary School in Atascocita. I volunteer there regularly and teach 5th grade gardening and plant and maintain butterfly beds and a wildlife habitat. The vegetable gardening experience is a part of every fifth grader’s science education. We garden with all the students (~160) on a two week rotation, so in effect, I meet with students every week. I have introduced a talk before every gardening session on insects that they may encounter in the gardens or around their own yards. This has proven to be wildly popular with the students and enthusiastically endorsed by the science teacher. This program is geared to a better understanding of the value of insects in our lives. I have recently thought to leave a collection of insects with the school so that this could be continued with future classes when I am no longer there.
Melanie Anderson – Parker County
I plan to start a new page on the Parker County Master Gardener website. I will be writing monthly articles on insects. There will be lots of other info on beneficial insects and spiders. Wehave a bee keeper in our membership and she is excited to help me with several aspects of bees. I have asked our group to give me ideas for insects that they want me to address in the months to come. I predict that I will be finished with my project at the end of 2010. I have already written an article on aphids.
Mary Barry – Wichita County
I have my project all worked out but am waiting for warm weather so I can get out side with the JMG’s and go bug hunting. Instead of making butterfly nets for each of the children Mrs. Huckabee, decided that four of the insect collecting kits with everything in it would work better. With the kids we can use them over and over every year and more than one class will benefit from them. I am also ordering a kit to make bug suckers. The only problem I have come across is finding an age appropriate identification book. If you have any suggestions I am all ears. I am also scheduled to be on a question and answer panel at our Home and Garden show this weekend. I am also scheduled to give a presentation for one of the Master Gardeners African Violet Group in March. That has really been interesting researching the insect problems they can have.
Margaret Bingham – Harris County
I have given several power point presentations on Butterflies in my garden, and at those talks touched on Insects with emphasis on Fire ants and other ants, Chili Thrips and Pink Hibiscus Mealy Bugs, On Thursday I am giving a presentation on Helpful garden insects, as well as the power point, I plan to take my insect collection and hand outs on fire ants, pink hibiscus mealybugs and chilli thrips.
Lance Jepson – Tarrant County
1. Fast Sheet Index Manual for the Tarrant County MG Office–(12.5 hours) Assemble the Current List of Entomology Fast Sheets–102 Fast Sheets. Completed (12 hours) I have formed a committee of three including two other Master Gardeners to redo the MG Office Entomology Gardener. We are working with Horticultural Agent to develop an electronic list of all Horticulture related entomology publications from Texas A & M. This list will be computerized and entered into the office computers. Analyze the availability of Fast Sheets from the Entomology Department—234 Sheet Available. Less than 50 % are in the MG Files Analyze the Insects in the City Fast Sheets 37 of the 51 are in the MG Files Analyze the First Ant Fact Sheets–of the 51 Fact Sheets only 3 or 4 are in the MG Files Previous Analysis, now complete (12 hours) #People Educated 253
2. MG Office insect Collection–I am working with another MG on this activity. She has undreds of insects to be pinned. So Far I have update one box, box number 3, in attached photos. (6 hours) Office collection boxes Updated #People Educated 21
3. Developing Articles for a monthly column in the Share Cropper. I am working with Dr. Mike Merchant. (We have completed one article to be published in January in the “Share Cropper) Previously sent (5 hours) You will see a narrative regarding my objectives in the attached
“ShareCropper” TCMGA newsletter page 10 and page 11 included in an article about
Specialist Training. Also the article has been published in Earthman of Arlington, (Men’s Garden Club)—-10 hours #People Educated –Estimated–350
4. Develop a Power Point Presentation presentation regarding Insects and their Control. The focus will be most for Garden Clubs with emphasis on Control. I am working with another Entomology Specialists on this activity. Power Point now 90 percent Complete, Needs to be field tested. Attached to this memo,. (12 hours) #People Educated–Estimated 45 to date.
Ed Barrios – Brazoria County
I have given 3 presentations on insects so far and have 3 more to give. Assume about an hour for each of them. I want to give more later in the year but they are not yet scheduled. Also I have a few folks that want to start an insect collection of local garden pests. I’m going to be giving them a presentation sometime in the next few months and get them started.
William Isbell, Dale Reid, Lisa Rawl, and Dianne Detrick – Harris County
These worked on the chilli thrips rose garden project and are working on collections to be used in landscaper training for Anthony Camerino, CEA-Hort-Harris County
Susan Kooiman, Ann Hall, and Dianne Detric (now with MCMG) – Montgomery County
Working on insect collection project with Tom Leroy, CEA-Hort_montgomery County