FAIRFAX, VA. — The National Pest Management Association's Pest Management Foundation recently awarded grants to the University of Florida's Dr. Faith Oi to determine the effectiveness of canines as bed bug detectors and Clemson University's Dr. Patricia Zungoli to study the giant needle ant, an invasive species that is emerging as a major pest problem in the Southeastern United States.
"The Foundation is very pleased to fund these very worthwhile research projects and proud that the results will benefit pest management professionals," said Foundation Executive Director Gene Harrington.
Dr. Oi and Dr. Zungoli will highlight the preliminary results of their research at an educational session at the PestWorld 2007 Conference in Kissimmee, Fla., in October. Both projects should be completed next year, the Pest Management Foundation reports.
The results of another project the Foundation funded — a study of the efficacy of yellow jacket traps by Cornell University Extension Associate Lynn Braband — will be published in the August edition of NPMA's PestWorld newsletter. A World Health Organization project the Foundation helped fund will also be completed before the end of the year.
"I truly appreciate all of the pest management professionals and other important industry stakeholders who have so generously donated to the Foundation the last several years," said Harrington. “These and the Foundation’s other ongoing projects would not have been possible if so many industry members had not pitched in and worked together to fund important, cutting edge research. We are now reaping the benefits of lots of hard work”
A 501(C)(3) organization, all contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible. To contribute, go to http://www.npmapestworld.org/PMFoundation.
Foundation Funds Bed Bug Detector, Invasive Ant Research
The Pest Management Foundation recently awarded grants to the University of Florida and Clemson University.