Tennessee Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education Courses

This course will provide turf managers with an understanding of the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on turf and how to properly calibrate the equipment.

Aquatic ecosystems are extremely complex and fragile. This course covers the many aspects necessary for managing aquatic pests, from site evaluation and pest identification to pesticide application and treatment evaluation. Risk communication strategies are included, along with a variety of control methods in addition to aquatic pesticides.

Managing aquatic weeds revolves around proper plant identification. Tailoring management strategies to address specific aquatic plant life is only possible through accurate identification. This course teaches the basics of aquatic weed identification and the different approaches to aquatic plant management.

This course looks at the history of bed bugs, current integrated pest management approaches to preventing and managing an infestation, and several of the chemical options available when your non-chemical controls and methods have failed.

Proper application of pesticides and fertilizers on turfgrass is only possible with accurately calibrated equipment. These lessons discuss the calibration of three types of application equipment: handheld or back-pack pump-up sprayers, large acreage sprayers, and fertilizer or “dry-granular” spreaders as well as several different calibration techniques.

Pest management of ornamental plants involves multiple steps from growing a healthy plant that is more resistant to pest damage to correctly identifying the problem when present. This course will cover the most common pests of ornamental plants.

This online video course teaches pest managers in Tennessee how to control exterior and interior pests that can damage property, infect people, and affect one's quality of life.

Managing weeds in a turf stand can be a tricky proposition. Often times the client fails to recognize that the presence of weeds in a turf stand is the result of poor turf, not the cause. This course will provide applicators with a working knowledge of weed biology, weed identification, and how herbicides work.

Unwanted birds can pose a problem for applicators and their clients. Some people love to feed the birds and spend hours watching birds. Once birds have become established in an area they can be difficult to control or deter. Though this course will focus on the control and management of unprotected birds, some of the techniques covered will help with the management of protected birds when a permit is issued.

This course discusses managing pests in aquatic environments. It contains extensive plant identification, discussing common weed types and species. Other pests, such as insects or birds, are also covered. In addition, this course explains a variety of control methods, outlining how to use pesticides safely and the necessary first aid for any exposure. Finally, calibration of equipment is explained and example scenarios are explored.

This course covers the dos and don'ts of good cultural practices that will result in a healthy vigorous turf that will be enjoyed for years.

This course is designed for Tennessee interiorscape pest control professionals. Review topics like Integrated Pest Management strategies for interiors, pesticide safety protocols, techniques for supporting indoor plant health, and more.

Pesticides are a key factor in pest management but it is important to understand what happens to those pesticides after the application. This course will review some key characteristics of environmental factors that can affect how pesticides move and degrade in the environment.

Pesticides are regulated to utilize their benefits while protecting public health and welfare and preventing harm to the environment. This course addresses the federal pesticide laws that control the labeling, sale and distribution, storage, transportation, use, and disposal in the best public interest.

Pesticides protect plants and animals from insects, weeds, and diseases; improve the efficiency of food, feed, and fiber productions; and provide for greater crop yields. This course outlines various invasive pests of field crops and how an applicator can effectively treat pest invasions while protecting themselves and the environment from the adverse effects of pesticides.

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.

Certified or licensed professionals we have legal responsibilities they must fulfill in every job. Not only do they have to control pests, but they also have to do the paperwork and legwork that documents our applications. This course reviews the basics of general structural pest management.

Managing noxious weeds can be a tricky proposition. Applicators need to be aware of both the federal and state noxious weed lists and how that affects management tactics. This course covers several weeds on the federal noxious weeds list as well as other noxious weeds found throughout the southeastern United States.

Pesticides protect plants in your interior landscape from insects and diseases; maintain the aesthetic appeal of indoor plants, and provide a good image for your clients' establishments. This course outlines various invasive pests and diseases of interior plants and how an applicator can effectively treat pest infestations while protecting themselves and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of their clients' businesses.

This course will talk about surveillance methods, mosquito anatomy, and touch on the diseases that are most commonly vectored by mosquitoes in the United States.

This course teaches the basics of pest and disease management for ornamental plants, and the different tools and techniques needed to successfully provide your clients with a healthy and attractive landscape.

Termites are one of the most destructive pests in the United States. This course will provide a review of IPM principles, termite biology, and several IPM practices to make any structure less attractive to termites.

As a turf manager, you'll need to be more than someone who just applies pesticides. Good turf management requires the use of all the tools in the toolbox. This course will touch on the best practice cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical controls for turf management.

This Effective Pesticide Applications in Landscape and Turf Settings course discusses benefits and considerations for developing an integrated pest management (IPM) program in Tennessee. Topics include a variety of pest-management methods, such as sanitation, augmentation, mechanical and cultural control, and pesticide use.

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. This course will cover the basics of pocket gopher management including biology, damage, trapping, and toxicant use.

This course teaches the basics of disease management for landscape plantings, cost-minimizing strategies, and tools and techniques needed to successfully control disease in the highly competitive world of landscaping.

Moles can be the bane of a well-kept lawn. But is it really a mole? Moles, voles, shrews, 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.

This course covers the preferred habitat, breeding ground, and physiological differences between five major species of mosquitoes found throughout the United States.

This course discusses common methods of mosquito control, everything from physical controls to pesticides, to record-keeping, all as part of a solid integrated pest management approach to mosquito control.

This course is for agricultural pesticide applicators who want to become certified as commercial or public applicators of restricted-use pesticides for the control of natural areas. It outlines various invasive weeds in natural areas and how an applicator should go about treating natural areas with respect to wildlife and the environment.

This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on ornamental plants, the way to calculate the volume of solution needed, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.

Wearing PPE can reduce exposure (dermal, inhalation, ocular, or oral) and thereby lower the chances of pesticide injury, illness, or poisoning. It is important that all pesticide applicators and handlers understand the protections and limitations of PPE.

Take this course to learn about safe, effective, and budget-friendly pest control methods that will enable you to manage Tennessee pests that can harm property, people, or quality of life. You can effectively control pests and prevent further damage by minimizing risks to yourself, others, and the environment.

Understand how to identify and control the various pests that threaten landscape, turf, and interiorscape settings. Tennessee pest control specialists who take this course will learn how to treat and prevent pest-related problems that threaten vibrant and healthy plant settings.

This course gives Tennessee pest managers tools to protect people and the environment from pesticide emergencies. Explore elements of safe and legal pesticide handling, emergency planning and first aid. This course challenges pest managers to consider safety at every step of pesticide use.

Pesticides are formulated to make them safer or easier to use. There are many formulations available for various pest control sites and situations and it is important that applicators choose the best one for the job.

Pesticides are designed to be toxic so they can control pests (e.g., plants, insects, rodents, fungi, and bacteria) while not harming non-target organisms and anyone else exposed to the product. Pesticide users need to be concerned with the hazards associated with exposure to the chemical and not just the toxicity of the pesticide.

Pesticide labels and safety data sheets (SDS) appear to contain much of the same information. While the label is the law, an SDS is not considered the law. As an applicator, it is important to understand the difference between a pesticide label and a safety data sheet and know what information can be found in each document. This course reviews the various parts of pesticide labels and safety data sheets to identify the similarities and differences.

Applicators and the public share concerns about how pesticides may harm the environment. Initially, hazards to humans were the primary reason the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to classify a pesticide as a restricted-use product.

Public health pests affect humans through discomfort and disease and can be found in homes and other buildings and structures. This course will outline control techniques and requirements for the most common public health pests which includes mosquitoes, flies, fleas, lice, bed bugs, cockroaches, wasps, ticks, mites, spiders, and rodents.

Labels are increasing in complexity and depth of information. By reviewing parts of a label and recognizing label language and use, you will feel more comfortable with the information on pesticide labels and feel confident in understanding the information present.

When the pesticide label requires a respirator it's important to know how to use a respirator safely. This course outlines the types of respirators available, proper fit, and inspection/maintenance requirements.

Learn to recognize pesticide hazards with this course for Tennessee pest managers. You will learn how to recognize the toxicity danger pesticides present to humans, wildlife, pets, and the environment. This course also teaches the classification and designations of pesticides and hazard mitigation strategies.

Pest management in right-of-way situations can be a challenge. The economic thresholds are different in right-of-way situations compared to either a landscape setting or an agricultural setting. This course provides an overview of pests common to rights-of-way, management solutions, a look at the equipment commonly used to treat rights-of-way, and a review of calibration steps for that equipment.

This course will review the methods and techniques to manage vegetation on right-of-ways and non-cropland industrial sites safely without damage to non-target species, sites, objects, or the environment.

An animal with a backbone or spinal column is called a vertebrate. A few vertebrates, such as rats and mice, are common pests in urban and industrial areas. Others are not pests in their normal habitats but may occasionally become pests when they conflict with humans. This course looks at the basic management of common vertebrate pests. Be sure to understand all the regulations that apply in your geographic area before attempting to control vertebrate pests.

Having a clear understanding of the hierarchy of insect classification is important. It helps us better understand the background of our pest decide the best course of action in controlling the pest. This course will cover some of the structure infesting pests commonly encountered by structural pesticide applicators and technicians.

As a pest control technician, it's important to be familiar with the pests in the region as well as where they reproduce. In some cases, it is difficult to determine if the designated living space is inside or outside. This course covers the identification and management of pests that generally live outside but will invade a structure if the conditions are favorable.

Inspecting and treating termites can be a difficult process. Being familiar with common types of construction is extremely helpful. This course is a tour of the Mississippi State University Extension termite training facility. The facility consists of 12 different stations, each representing an area of a building or home where termites could enter the structure.

This course discusses safety and security issues that may arise when pesticides are moved or stored, under what conditions uncertified people can make applications of restricted use products, and how to communicate these issues with customers.

There are a variety of diseases, disorders, insects, and vertebrate pests that can cause problems in turfgrass. This course will give applicators and turf managers an overview of these common pests and strategies for their management.

This course teaches the basics of pest and disease management for various turfgrasses, the multiple steps involved, and the different tools and techniques to successfully control the environment.

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 vegetable crops and how an applicator can effectively treat pest infestations while protecting themselves and maintaining productive vegetable crop yields intended for human consumption.

Termites are just one of the many wood-destroying pests found throughout the United States. This course will cover the primary wood-destroying pests found through the country, the recommended treatments for each of those pests, and the primary sources of excess structural moisture.