Welcome Jordon!

Greetings, I am Jordon Chan – currently a Research Assistant in the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I started with the program in early December and I will be working with them until late April 2022. 

In terms of my background, I studied at the Red Deer College/Polytechnic, earning a General Kinesiology Diploma in 2013 prior to initiating studies at the University of Alberta where I earned my Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Microbiology as well as a Research Certificate in Biological Sciences in 2017. I am currently focusing on an online M.Sc. in International Security at the Paris Graduate School and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration at Thompson Rivers University. 

My curiosity has led me to travel and new experiences. I've travelled to the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Eastern Canada, and the Southeastern Continental USA. As part of my current job, the processing of wireworm pitfall samples for the AAF-SRDP 2019E13R Biodiversity Project, has developed a new intrigue with the diversity in carabids, staphylinids, and elaterids. I like to be active and about with pursuits ranging from training, studying, SCUBA diving, dancing, hiking, or camping in my rooftop tent.

“We are small giants in this massive world”

Welcome Tanya!

My name is Tanya Proctor. I'm 46-yrs-old and Mom to two grown boys.

I recently joined the team at the Beaverlodge Research Farm where I am working in the Insect Pest Management (IPM) program. I am helping process wireworm pitfall samples collected as part of the AAF-SRDP 2019E13R Biodiversity  Project. I am busy familiarizing myself with the families of insects within the order of Coleoptera, or the beetles. Data collected from these samples will be used to determine which species of wireworms or click beetles (Elateridae) are present and active in field crops grown in the Peace River region. 

Figure 1. Tanya's family celebrating her youngest son's graduation.

I've worked in horticulture since 2007, when I started out as a seasonal temporary employee helping to sort tree seedlings to specific size, and get them packaged up and ready to ship out for planting. I realized this was something I wanted to know more about so I started with the company full time, joining the grow team as the irrigation specialist. Along with many other tasks, I would walk the crops of 10-12 million tree seedlings every day to monitor the watering needs, as well as watch for pests, diseases, irregular growth patterns. In 2008, I began online horticulture classes through the University of Guelph while continuing to work full time. In 2014 I completed my Horticulture Certificate. I intend to continue these classes and finish my full diploma in Horticulture.

I am interested and excited to learn more about all insects and how they affect the crops grown in our area!

Cutworm and Wireworm Information

Growers are hopefully scouting their fields both BEFORE, AS and AFTER they seed!  

Bare patches or slow to grow areas should be investigated and especially within the 5-10 days following seeding.  Cutworms and wireworms are often the first insect pests of the season so don't be afraid to dig in that top 3-4 cm of the soil near the base of emerging plants OR within the seed row.  You could find cutworms or wireworms and here's more information to help:

1.  NEW Cutworm Guide - a free downloadable full-colour guide to cutworm identification, biology and management in field crops grown across the Canadian prairies. A screen shot is provided below but the guide is available in both English and French.

2.  Wireworm pages from recent Insect Field Guide - below you can download ONLY the wireworm pages from this guide published in 2015 which is available in both English and French.