Presenter 2027
Don Weber
USDA ARS Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory
Session
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Behavioral control for cucumber beetles – how do we best deploy our pheromones?
Don Weber, USDA ARS Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory
Sunday · 11:15 am–12:30 pm
The striped cucumber beetle, key pest of cucurbits, has an aggregation pheromone (vittatalactone), a powerful attractant that not only attracts striped but also spotted cucumber beetles and squash bugs! The pheromone holds promise for…
Don Weber grew up in northern Virginia with a knowledge of plants, insects and birds imparted by Burgundy Wildlife Camp. After obtaining his BA (Biology at Williams College), and MS (Entomology, UC Berkeley), Don pursued his interest in fruit and vegetable integrated pest management. Don's PhD work researched the biology and dispersal of the Colorado potato beetle, a notorious pest in North America and Eurasia. After stints at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Ocean Spray Cranberries, in 2002, he joined what is now the Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory of USDA ARS in Beltsville, Maryland, as Research Entomologist. He is Lead Scientist there for the current 5-year project, “Bio-based Solutions for Sustainable Insect Pest Management” His lab researches non-pesticidal pest management alternatives such as natural enemies and pheromones for major vegetable pests, especially beetles and true bugs.