Florida Category 1A2 - Agricultural Tree Crop Pest Control Bundle

This course bundle is designed for the Florida Agricultural Tree Crop commercial applicator but also counts towards 6 CEUs for Category 1C, and 3 CEUs for categories 1A1, 02, and 03. This bundle should be paired with a core bundle to meet recertification requirements. All courses are approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Agricultural Environmental Services. Please click on course details for a list and description of courses.

BUNDLE CONTENTS:

Agricultural Tree Crop (Category 1A2) CEUs:

  • Fruit Crop Pest Management – 5 CEUs
  • Mole Management – 1 CEU
  • Management of Pocket Gophers – 1 CEU
  • Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control – 1 CEU

 


Fruit Crop Pest Management

Course Description

Pesticides protect plants and animals from insects, nematodes, weeds, and diseases; improve the efficiency of food productions, and provide for greater crop yields. This course outlines various invasive pests of fruit crops and how an applicator can effectively treat pest infestations while protecting themselves and maintaining productive fruit crop yields intended for human consumption.

After completing this course users will be able to:

  • Identify invasive pests of fruit crops, including insects, weeds, diseases, and nematodes.
  • Operate and properly calibrate various types of application equipment.
  • Outline effective practices for the management of various pest populations.

Mole Management

Course Description

Moles can be the bane of a well-kept lawn. But is it really a mole? Mole, vole, shrew, and pocket gopher damage can look the same to the untrained eye. This course covers the physiological differences between moles and other look-alike vertebrate pests, trapping techniques, and toxicant options.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

  • Correctly identify mole damage.
  • Distinguish the differences between moles, voles, shrews, and pocket gophers.
  • Describe the different traps and toxicants available and when best to use each one.

Management of Pocket Gophers

Course Description

The site of a fresh mound of soil in an otherwise manicured lawn or alfalfa field can be enough to send a landowner into a tizzy. Pocket gophers can be devastating to both lawns and agricultural fields if they are not properly controlled. The damage caused by pocket gophers can sometimes be confused with either moles or ground squirrels. There are multiple control methods available to management pocket gophers. This course will cover the basics of pocket gopher management including biology, damage, trapping, and toxicant use.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

  • Correctly identify the difference between molehills, ground squirrel mounds, and pocket gopher mounds.
  • Describe the different types of toxicants labeled for pocket gopher management and the pros and cons to each.
  • Locate the different parts of pocket gopher burrow systems and correctly place traps in each tunnel.

Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control

Course Description

Voles are known by a variety of names, meadow mice or field mice for example. Voles are rodents, meaning they like to chew on things, but they rarely enter structures and are primarily a pest in landscape settings. But they are often confused with mice by many homeowners. The damage caused by voles is to the grass and other plants in the landscape and garden and is most noticeable after the snow melts in northern climates. This course will cover the basics of vole identification, biology, and damage as well as several control methods including trapping and rodenticide use.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

  • Correctly distinguish between a vole, a shrew, and a mouse.
  • Identify vole damage in grass, garden, and landscape areas.
  • Outline the different types of rodenticides labeled for controlling voles.
  • Discuss the different types of traps and how to set them.