Because of the national health crisis surrounding the Coronavirus, VPMA has decided to cancel the VPMA Master Technician series scheduled for April 21st & 22nd. We hope to reschedule the event once the current health crisis is resolved. 

When: April 21, 2020
Where: Henrico Extension Office, Henrico Government Complex - Human Services Building, 2nd floor, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Henrico, VA 23228
Cost: $190 VPMA Member/$315 Non Member

Master Technician: Termites
Dr. Dini Miller will walk participants through the identification of the major termite species. Each participant will use a reference collection of specimens and a taxonomic key to identify pest termites by their physical characteristics under a microscope. Termite biology and behavior will also be discussed.
Afternoon sessions will provide technicians with hands-on training in calculating liquid applications, calibrating application equipment, evaluating construction types, and application techniques. Lab sessions will be conducted outdoors each day, so please dress accordingly.

Master Technician Program
This program provides technicians with in-depth, hands-on training using state-of-the-art microscopes. The series of eight workshops investigate eight major pest groups – Ants, Bed bugs, Blood Feeders, Termites, Occasional Invaders, Cockroaches, Rodents, and Pest Flies.

At the completion of each workshop, participants will receive a certificate designating them as a VPMA Master Pest Ants, Bed Bugs, Blood Feeders, Termites, Occasional Invaders, Cockroaches, Flies or Rodents Technician, respectively. Once a technician has mastered at least four of the pest groups, special recognition will be made at the final workshop designating them as a Master Technician.

The lead trainer for the VPMA Master Technician program is Dr. Dini Miller, assisted by her graduate students and staff from the Dodson Urban Pest Management Laboratory at Virginia Tech.

Because of the national health crisis surrounding the Coronavirus, VPMA has decided to cancel the VPMA Master Technician series scheduled for April 21st & 22nd. We hope to reschedule the event once the current health crisis is resolved. 

When: April 22, 2020
Where: Henrico Extension Office, Henrico Government Complex - Human Services Building, 2nd floor, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Henrico, VA 23228
Cost: $190 VPMA Member/$315 Non Member

Master Technician: Pest Flies
Dr. Dini Miller will walk participants through the identification of the major filth and small pest fly species. Each participant will use a reference collection of specimens, a species identifi cation guide and a taxonomic key to identify pest flies by their physical characteristics under a microscope.
The afternoon will be spent working conducting hands-on evaluations of fly baits, fly traps, and drain management techniques.

Lab sessions will be conducted outdoors each day, so please dress accordingly.

VPMA Master Technician Program
This program provides technicians with in-depth, hands-on training using state-of-the-art microscopes. The series of eight workshops investigate eight major pest groups – Ants, Bed bugs, Blood Feeders, Termites, Occasional Invaders, Cockroaches, Rodents, and Pest Flies.
At the completion of each workshop, participants will receive a certificate designating them as a VPMA Master Pest Ants, Bed Bugs, Blood Feeders, Termites, Occasional Invaders, Cockroaches, Flies or Rodents Technician, respectively.

Once a technician has mastered at least four of the pest groups, special recognition will be made at the final workshop designating them as a Master Technician.

The lead trainer for the VPMA Master Technician program is Dr. Dini Miller, assisted by her graduate students and staff from the Dodson Urban Pest Management Laboratory at Virginia Tech.

When: June 23, 2020, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Where: Comfort Suites at Virginia Center Commons, 10601 Telegraph Road, Glen Allen, VA 23509

Dr. Dini Miller and David Moore co-present the VPMA Jeffrey M. Johnson ACE Prep course to prepare individuals to take the ACE Exam to become and Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). To learn more about what an ACE certification could mean to you, read below. The course covers a vast array of pest groups, so also qualifies for recertification credits in categories 7-A, 7-B, 8 and 60. So, wether you are testing for the ACE, need recert credits before June 30th deadline, or both, this course if for you!

Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) certification can lead to better visibility, opportunities, and jobs. Why not begin the process of earning your ACE?
In today's increasingly complex and highly-specialized economy, credentials are important.

Sure, you know you’ve got the skills to do the job, but how do you convince potential customers and employers you're the best one for the job? For many career-minded pest management professionals, certification is often the answer.

The Entomological Society of America, long the industry leader in certification through its Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) program, also offers a certification option geared specifically toward the pest management industry. People become ACEs for a variety of reasons, but one thing is clear – the ACE program has become the benchmark for professionalism in the pest management industry.

When: June 24, 2020, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Dr. Dini Miller will proctor the ACE Exam on June 24, 2020 from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm.  When applying with the Entomological Society of America (ESA) to become an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) take the ACE Exam, please select VPMA as your proctor.

There is no cost to take the exam for individuals who have taken the VPMA Jeffrey M. Johnson Prep course. If you did not take the Prep Course, but would like to test please call Andrea or Kristin at 540-374-9200.