More Lady Beetles, Fewer Aphids - Why?
Program Description:?Wildlife in your garden--especially insects--can be natural pesticide alternatives. From mantids to beetles to wasps, spiders, and everything in between, entomologist Mary Gardiner tells you how to identify these beneficial bugs, how to enhance your home landscape as a habitat, and how to work with them to grow and enjoy your garden.
Presenter: Mary M. Gardiner, PhD, OSU Department of Entomology and author of Good Garden Bugs: Everything You Need to Know about Beneficial Predatory Insects,?received her?PhD from Michigan State University in 2008 and established the Agricultural Landscape Ecology Laboratory (ALE Lab) as an Assistant Professor in 2009. ?The ALE Lab is interested in understanding how the design and management of an urban greenspace or agroecosystem influences food web structure and function. They?are particularly interested in understanding mechanisms that explain the biodiversity-ecosystem function patterns found within these habitats. The?goal with this research is to advance the sustainability of food production and urban ecosystem management. They?are also actively engaged in outreach related to enhancing home landscapes, greenspaces and small-scale farms as habitats for beneficial arthropods and work with the public to survey lady beetle populations across the state annually. She?teachs two graduate courses: Insect Ecology and Evolutionary Processes and Presentation Skills for Scientists.
Book signing from 11:30 ? 12:00 ?Good Garden Bugs? is an easy-to-follow reference to beneficial insects that provide pest control, allowing your garden to grow full and bountiful. Mary?s quotes,? It?s easy to lose sight of how helpful insects can be.?