GREEN GTBOP Webinar Series - Thursday, September 17, 2026

Welcome to the 2026 Green GTBOP Webinar series!
About this Event

GREEN GTBOP Webinar

Welcome to the 2026 Getting the Best of Pests - Green Webinar Series

This is an ONLINE Webinar!
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. U.S. East Coast Time
Registration closes at 2:00 p.m.Announcements will begin at 2:45 p.m.
The webinar begins PROMPTLY at 3:00 p.m. U.S. East Coast Time.
Price: $22 per participant for groups of 1 - 20 and $17 per participant for groups of 21 or more.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Speakers and Titles:How excluding ants from tree canopies can aid soft-scale insect management - Dr. Caleb Wilson, University of Kentucky

• Soft-scale insects such as magnolia scale, calico scale, and oak lecanium scale are common pests on urban trees that are hard to manage. Ants feed on the honeydew excreted from soft-scales and ants protect scales from predators and parasitoids that normally aid in scale regulation. Excluding ants from tree canopies can enhance scale regulation by predators and parasitoids. We tested the ability of basal trunk sprays of insecticides (bifenthrin and spinosad) as well as any baits (spinosad and Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate) to exclude ants from oak trees and increase scale regulation by natural enemies. In this presentation, I will share our research findings and suggest how ant exclusion can be used to effectively manage scales.

Pathological Issues affecting turfgrass in the southeastern US - Dr. Jim Kerns, University of Delaware

• This webinar will review major pathological issues affecting turfgrass in the southeastern US. The current and improved management tactics consistent with the identification and biology of the pathogen will be discussed.

GA - 2 hours Cats 21, 23, 24, 27, 31, 32, 41 and 1 hour in Private

The DAY OF the webinar:

• Log into the webinar using the unique link that appears in the zoom.us confirmation email or the Join or View Webinar button.
• Whether watching alone or with a group, each location must complete and return a sign-in sheet(s) to receive CEU credits. Complete the required sign-in sheet and return it via email to immediately following the webinar.
• Please make sure that when signing in to view the webinar, enter your first and last name.
• If you must use your phone for audio, make sure your sign-in sheet reflects the phone number that was used.
• Keep a copy of the sign-in sheet(s) for your records.

CEUs for this Webinar: NO CREDIT will be issued for those who do not meet the State's mandatory viewing time limitations.

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NOTE: Event registration is required for each location or CONNECTION that will be viewing the webinar. For further information on multi-location or multi-connection, please contact our office at 770-228-7214.

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2026 GREEN Webinar SeriesJanuary 15 - Tree health and proper pruning - Dr. Ryan Klein, University of Florida; and, Non-native and native pests targeting non-native and native trees: three stories- Dr. Ignazio Graziosi, University of Georgia

March 12 - Autonomous mowers in the landscape - Dr. Paul Bartley, Auburn University; and, W**d management in greenhouses and nurseries - Dr. Chris Marble, University of Florida

May 14 - Less Stress, Less Mess: the Hidden Link between Plant Stress and Disease - Dr. Jeremy Pickens, Auburn University; and, Tackling Nematode Concerns in Turfgrass Landscapes - Dr. Joseph Roberts, Clemson University

July 16 - Understanding seasonal biology and host preference of Spotted Lanternfly in Tennessee - Dr. Midhula Gireesh, University of Tennessee; and, Management of diseases in southeastern landscapes - Dr. Bikash Ghimire, University of Georgia

September 17 - How excluding ants from tree canopies can aid soft-scale insect management - Dr. Caleb Wilson, University of Kentucky; and, Dr. Jim Kerns, University of Delaware

November 12 - Industry update: Turfgrass 2026 - Dr. Ben Pritchard, University of Georgia and Dr. Alfredo Martinez, University of Georgia; and, Industry update: Ornamentals 2026 - Dr. Shimast V. Joseph, University of Georgia and Dr. Bikash Ghimire, University of Georgia

University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution. If you need a reasonable accommodation or language access services, contact the Center for Urban Agriculture at 770.228.7214 or [email protected], at least three weeks prior to the program date.