We are HIRING for May 2025!

We are currently looking for FULL-TIME Post-Secondary students to start May 5, 2025! 

If you're interested in working in the Insect Pest Management Program, please send a resume to Jennifer.OtaniATagr.gc.ca indicating your interest. Candidates must hold a valid Class 5 Driver's License to be considered. 

Find more information here About the Farm and see the types of activities IPM Students do.

Sweep-net monitoring in canola grown in the Peace River region in 2019.

We use three student hiring streams:

1. Federal Student Work Employment Program (FSWEP) – an online application process (have resume ready to attach) that all federal departments use to seek students. Access that link: https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/srs-sre/page01.htm?poster=1&lang=en 
2. COOP/Internship Student Programs – Universities often have COOP or Internship programs. Students enrolled with a nationally accredited program should contact us directly with a resume.
3. Research Affiliate Program – also an online application process specific to our site but applicants must complete an online application as seasonal Government of Canada job postings become available.  It's best to contact us directly with a resume. 

BC Peace Professional Agrologist Tour August 16, 2024

Here's a list of items and links mentioned by Jennifer at today's field tour: 

INSECT MONITORING IN FIELD CROPS

• Permission to Access by AAFC Staff (posted Jun 3, 2024). 
• Field bio-sanitation protocol (posted May 1, 2024).

• Annual canola survey of the Peace River region (link here); Agreements: 102; Fields: 1170; Targeted survey sites: 110. 
• Aphids in field crops (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Bertha armyworm (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Cereal leaf beetle (Weekly Update; Wk10).
• Cutworms (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Diamondback moth (Weekly Update; Wk12). 
• Fall field scouting in grasses grown for seed (IPM Blog; 2023Sep13)
• Field heroes (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Flea beetles (Weekly Update; Wk04).
• Grasshopper monitoring (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Lygus bug (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Pea leaf weevil (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Wheat midge monitoring (Weekly Update; Wk11).
• Weekly Update for Week 15 (view list of posts) by #PPMN.

FIELD GUIDES

• Alberta Forage Manual (2009; Ag-Dex120/20-1; ISBN 0-7732-6082-X; pdf in English). Includes Forage Insects and Natural Enemies of Forage Pest Insects chapters. 
• Arthropods of legume forage crops (2011; ISBN 978-0-9689321-5-5; pdf in English). 
• Cutworm field guide (2017; ISBN 978-0-660-08051-2; pdf in English, pdf en français). 
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf in English, pdf en français). 
• Guide to pest wireworms in Canadian prairie field crop production (ISBN 978-0-660-39114-4; pdf in English, pdf en français).

PRAIRIE-WIDE NETWORKS

• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (homepage); Weekly Update, Insect of the Week, Subscribe, Risk Maps, Insect Monitoring Protocols
• Prairie Weed Monitoring Network (homepage). 
• Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (homepage).

INSECT PEST MONITORING PROGRAM AT AAFC-BEAVERLODGE

• X  @bugs5132  with in-season updates.
• Insect Pest Management Lab Blog updated seasonally. 
• Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab
• Peace Region Living Lab

North Peace Applied Research Association Annual Field Tour - July 31, 2024

Here's a list of items and links mentioned by Jennifer at today's field tour: 

INSECT MONITORING IN FIELD CROPS

• Permission to Access by AAFC Staff (posted Jun 3, 2024). 
• Field bio-sanitation protocol (posted May 1, 2024).

• Annual canola survey of the Peace River region (link here); Agreements: 102; Fields: 1170; Targeted survey sites: 110. 
• Aphids in field crops (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Bertha armyworm (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Cereal leaf beetle (Weekly Update; Wk10).
• Cutworms (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Diamondback moth (Weekly Update; Wk12). 
• Fall field scouting in grasses grown for seed (IPM Blog; 2023Sep13)
• Field heroes (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Flea beetles (Weekly Update; Wk04).
• Grasshopper monitoring (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Lygus bug (Weekly Update; Wk12).
• Pea leaf weevil (Weekly Update; Wk05).
• Wheat midge monitoring (Weekly Update; Wk11).
• Weekly Update for Week 12 (view list of posts) by #PPMN.

FIELD GUIDES

• Alberta Forage Manual (2009; Ag-Dex120/20-1; ISBN 0-7732-6082-X; pdf in English). Includes Forage Insects and Natural Enemies of Forage Pest Insects chapters. 
• Arthropods of legume forage crops (2011; ISBN 978-0-9689321-5-5; pdf in English). 
• Cutworm field guide (2017; ISBN 978-0-660-08051-2; pdf in English, pdf en français). 
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf in English, pdf en français). 
• Guide to pest wireworms in Canadian prairie field crop production (ISBN 978-0-660-39114-4; pdf in English, pdf en français).

PRAIRIE-WIDE NETWORKS

• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (homepage); Weekly Update, Insect of the Week, Subscribe, Risk Maps, Insect Monitoring Protocols
• Prairie Weed Monitoring Network (homepage). 
• Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (homepage).

INSECT PEST MONITORING PROGRAM AT AAFC-BEAVERLODGE

• X  @bugs5132  with in-season updates.
• Insect Pest Management Lab Blog updated seasonally. 
• Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab
• Peace Region Living Lab

Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab: Peace Region Field Tour - July 10, 2024

 Here's a list of items and links mentioned by Jennifer at today's field tour: 

• Annual canola survey of the Peace River region (link here); Agreements: 102; Fields: 1170; Targeted survey sites: 110.
• Bertha armyworm (Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's Weekly Update).
• Diamondback moth (Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's Weekly Update).
• Field bio-sanitation protocol (posted May 1, 2024).
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf version). 
• Grasshopper monitoring (Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's Weekly Update).
• Pea leaf weevil (Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's Weekly Update).
• Permission to Access by AAFC Staff (posted Jun 3, 2024). 
• Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (link here).
• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network website (link here). 
• Prairie Weed Monitoring Network (link here).
• Weather synopsis for Week 9 (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Weekly Updates (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Wheat midge monitoring (Prairie Pest Monitoring Network's Weekly Update).
• X  @bugs5132 

Peace Region Forage Seed Tour - July 9, 2024

Here's a list of items and links mentioned by Jennifer at today's field tour:

• PDF copy of notes including CRF larval pests, cutworms, grasshoppers (posted 8, Jul, 2024).

• Alberta Forage Manual (2009; Ag-Dex120/20-1; ISBN 0-7732-6082-X; pdf version). Includes Forage Insects and Natural Enemies of Forage Pest Insects chapters. 
• Annual canola survey of the Peace River region (link here); Agreements: 102; Fields: 1170; Targeted survey sites: 110.
• Arthropods of legume forage crops (2011; ISBN 978-0-9689321-5-5; pdf version). 
• Cereal leaf beetle (link here).
• City of Grande Prairie Youth Career Discovery Expo (posted Mar 21, 2024).
• Cutworm field guide (2017; ISBN 978-0-660-08051-2; pdf version). 
• European skipper information (posted Jan 19, 2017). 
• Fall crown-feeding insect larval pest species (posted Sep 13, 2023). 
• Field bio-sanitation protocol (posted May 1, 2024).
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf version). 
• Field Heroes YouTube channel
• Pea leaf weevil (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Permission to Access by AAFC Staff (posted Jun 3, 2024). 
• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network website (link here).
• Red clover casebearer (posted Feb 5, 2019). 
• Weather synopsis for Week 9 (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Weekly Updates (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• X  @bugs5132

Visit by Alberta Pulse Growers Commission - July 9, 2024

 Here's a list of items and links mentioned by Jennifer at today's field tour: 

• Today's notes as PDF copy (posted Jul 8, 2024).

• 2017 Centennial: Project 200 School-aged field tour (posted 2017)
• 2019 School-aged field tour (posted 2019) 
• Annual canola survey of the Peace River region (link here); Agreements: 102; Fields: 1170; Targeted survey sites: 110.
• City of Grande Prairie Youth Career Discovery Expo (posted Mar 21, 2024). 
• Cutworm field guide (2017; ISBN 978-0-660-08051-2; pdf version). 
• Alberta Forage Manual (2009; Ag-Dex120/20-1; ISBN 0-7732-6082-X; pdf version). Includes Forage Insects and Natural Enemies of Forage Pest Insects chapters.
• Arthropods of legume forage crops (2011; ISBN 978-0-9689321-5-5; pdf version). 
• Field bio-sanitation protocol (posted May 1, 2024).
• Field crop and forage insect pests and natural enemies in western Canada (ISBN 978-1-100-25768-6; pdf version). 
• Field Heroes YouTube channel
• Pea leaf weevil (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Permission to Access by AAFC Staff (posted Jun 3, 2024). 
• Prairie Pest Monitoring Network website (link here).
• Weather synopsis for Week 9 (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• Weekly Updates (posted by Prairie Pest Monitoring Network)
• X  @bugs5132

Permission to Access Land by AAFC's Pest Management Staff

As of 2023, Agriculture and Agri--Food Canada requires staff members to obtain signed Permission to Access from landowners. Even if verbal permission is provided, staff members are accompanied, or urgent risk is involved, AAFC staff are still required by managers to first obtain a signed form before entering a field.

Please - we need help from producers across the Peace River region to help collect the vital data that keeps our agricultural region informed and prepared to deal with insect pest risk!  

Please scan the QR code below if you are interested in finding out more about the insect pests in your fields. Technical staff working at AAFC-Beaverlodge in the IPM program (Otani) will then follow-up with you by phone or email to set up Permission to Access forms but also to  describe what research projects your land can contribute towards to help!