Meet Our 2023 Staff!

*Updated 05June2023* Help us welcome our newest student, Jadeyn!

Amanda Jorgensen - IPM Technician

I am one of the two technicians working in the Insect Pest Management (IPM) lab at AAFC-Beaverlodge. My name is Amanda Jorgensen, and I have 10 years of experience working in our lab now. You can read my previous posts here: 2019, 2017, and 2016. I have completed a B.Sc. in Biology and Environmental Sciences, and a M.Sc. comparing the effectiveness of different monitoring tools for detecting and estimating wheat midge populations in the Peace River region. If you want you can read more about my work on wheat midge monitoring or seasonal wheat midge emergence. For the last five years, I have been responsible for a number of projects in forage seed production (clover, alfalfa, creeping red fescue, timothy grass, etc.).

Figure 1. Amanda Jorgensen releasing R. pilosa (a weed biocontrol agent) in a patch of common yellow toadflax (Photo: AAFC-Dufton 2022).

These projects have had strong biodiversity components and have examined the seasonal patterns, population density, and distribution of both pest and beneficial insect species. We have also been monitoring for and tracking the introduction of invasive species in our area – including red clover casebearer moth, European skipper, cereal leaf beetle, and pea leaf weevil, as well as invasive species that aren’t here yet – like Japanese beetle and Agriotes wireworms.

Figure 2. A red clover casebearer moth larva standing on a red clover flowerhead (Photo: AAFC-Jorgensen 2020).

We still need to conduct statistical analyses on the data we collected over the last few years, but biodiversity as well as numbers of beneficial insects appear to be quite high in the perennial, flowering crops. We see plenty of parasitoid wasps, ladybird beetles, and pollinators such as hoverflies and native bees when we are sampling these fields. 

Figure 3. A hoverfly (Scaeva sp.) feeding on nectar from false soloman’s seal flowers (Photo: AAFC-Jorgensen 2020).

Going forward, I will be shifting gears to focus on annual crops for our Prairie Pest Monitoring Network and our canola survey. We will also be participating in two living labs projects that span a variety of crops – one focusing on enhancing ecosystem services, which includes an insect biodiversity component, and one focusing on agronomic best practices for sustainability. I’m looking forward to collaborating on these new projects.

Shelby Dufton - IPM Technician

Hello again! My name is Shelby Dufton and I am one of two technicians working in the Insect Pest Management Program (IPM) at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. Our upcoming field season will be my 10^th year with our program and I can’t believe how time has flown by (see my previous posts here: 2019, 2017, 2016, 2016). I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s of Science degree in Biology with the University of Lethbridge. While completing my degrees, I worked as a co-op student and then as a Master’s student with the Beaverlodge Research Farm, which inspired a lifelong passion for entomology. I was hired as a research technician in 2018.

Figure 4. Shelby taking a break somewhere in Alberta.

Over the past five years, I have worked with a number of our local producers and really appreciate the amount of work that goes into agricultural production throughout the Peace River region! For our program, I typically organize and run our monitoring of annual crops throughout the region during the field season. This includes monitoring with the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, the Canola Agronomic Research Program, and our annual canola survey. In the winter, I typically work on insect identification, data reporting, writing^1,2, and extension. Many of our recent projects have included a natural enemies component, with a focus on carabid beetles (ground beetles). I have been able to expand on my work from my Master’s thesis and continued assessing much of the carabid biodiversity throughout a variety of crops in the Peace River region (canola, creeping red fescue, peas, wheat, red and white clover, and timothy).

Figure 5. Working hard to collect one of our largest creeping red fescue samples of 2022.

This summer we are needing your help to complete our annual canola survey! We are looking for permission to enter canola fields all across the Peace River region. If you would like to help – more information can be found here!

Figure 6. Shelby participating in the 2019 Peace River Region Canola Survey.

Aarika Harpe - Casual Technician

You may have seen my first and second year introduction posts before, but I thought I should reintroduce myself. Hi again, I am Aarika Harpe! I have been here since May 2022 and I am looking forward to my fourth summer working with the Beaverlodge Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program as if it was my first. When I’m not working you can find me enjoying the outdoors, hiking, or painting prairie landscapes.

Figure 7. A rainy day of fieldwork in a 2022 canola Prairie Pest Monitoring site!

Throughout the winter, I worked on processing the wide variety of samples collected in the summer of 2022. For our 2022 CAP-AIP Creeping Red Fescue project, I weighed and germinated creeping red fescue seed samples to assess silvertop damage. I also worked on  identifying different species from pitfall traps in various crops (creeping red fescue, canola, clover, and peas). We use pitfall traps to monitor pests including wireworms and pea leaf weevil as well as biodiversity throughout the Peace River region. Learning insect identification has been very interesting and I am ready to identify more critters from all around the Peace! I enjoyed being able to see all of the behind the scenes work that happens in the winter months, and there is A LOT!

Figure 8. Always safety first when completing our bio-security sanitation protocol before entering the field.

This spring, I have been getting back into the swing of things fieldwork-wise and I am excited to be outside again! I look forward to a great summer with great people. The 2023 field season will be filled with new adventures and memories that I am ready for!

Madysen Jones - Student

Hi, my name is Madysen Jones and I am a returning student working within the Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) at the Beaverlodge Research Farm for the 2023 summer months. My educational background consists of a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and I am currently studying psychology at the University of Alberta in a Bachelor of Arts Program.

Figure 9. Maddy river boating on the Wapiti River.

This will be my second time working in a research setting. As a lifelong resident of Beaverlodge, I am excited to continue to learn more about the research that comes out of the Beaverlodge Research Farm! So far, I have been preparing for upcoming field work, and collecting our first of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and flea beetle (various Chrysomelidae species) traps for our 2023 Prairie Pest Monitoring project. I look forward to learning more about identification of arthropod species and how they affect the different crops in the Peace River region. 

Gareth Larsen - Student

Hello! My name is Gareth Larsen and I am a co-op student with the University of Victoria working in the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm from May to December 2023.

Figure 10. Gareth braves a cold Albertan winter.

I am a fourth year science undergraduate student majoring in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. I was introduced to entomology through a university course which piqued my interest in the subject and developed into my hobby of insect photography.

AAs a trained chef and biology student, food production and challenges that surround it (including the impact of insect pests) hold a great deal of interest to me. This interest inspired many questions during my co-op terms with the Cereal Breeding and Weeds and Agronomy departments with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Lacombe Research and Development Centre. While conducting field work with these groups, I was intrigued by the insects I saw in our research plots and would often try to identify them and their ecological roles.

Figure 11. Gareth mowing at the Lacombe Research and Development Centre.

I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about insect pests and become familiar with insects of the Peace River region through my work with the Beaverlodge IPM program!

Jadeyn Lunn - Student

Hello, my name is Jadeyn. I am a 20 year old student working with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I am the newest member of the team and will be working from May to August 2023, when I return for the last year of my degree! I am diving into the fourth year of my Bachelor of Science degree at The King’s University. Currently, I am majoring in chemistry and minoring in kinesiology and plan to pursue a career in education or pharmacy.

Previously, I did seasonal work sorting and packaging various tree seedlings. Although I do not have a  background in entomology, I am enthused at this opportunity to deepen my knowledge and gain experience in a different realm of science. I grew up on a farm in the hamlet of Elmworth and look forward to learning more about agriculture in my community through applicable hands-on practice and research. Outside of school, I played college basketball for three years, and enjoy other sports and activities including hiking and beach volleyball. I also enjoy gardening, painting, baking, camping, and reading.

Figure 12. Jadeyn enjoying a sunny autumn day at a pumpkin patch outside of Edmonton.