Site Index
- Introduction
- Guest Speakers
- Tentative Agenda
- Registration Information
- Travel Information
- More Information
Important Dates
May 1, 2019
Registration Deadline
June 3-8, 2019
Lectures and Laboratory Activities
Location
Ft. Lauderdale Research & Education Center
3205 College Avenue
Davie, FL 33314
Click here for directions.
Instructors
Dr. Thomas Chouvenc
University of Florida
Dr. Rudolf Scheffrahn
University of Florida
Dr. Nan-Yao Su
University of Florida
Dr. William Kern, Jr.
University of Florida
Student Assistants
- Sang-Bin Lee
- Aaron Mullins
- Joseph Velenovsky
Registration for the 2020 Termite Course for Professionals is now open! Visit Website »
Introduction
This course provides a unique opportunity to obtain in-depth knowledge about termite biology with a strong emphasis on ecology and evolution. This 40+ hours workshop will include extensive seminars provided by guests speakers from around the world, field collection and lab ID training sessions. If you are interested in social insects overall, this course is for you.
2019 Termite Course Guest Speakers
In addition to the four local FLREC faculties, additional guest speakers will come to provide a multitude of visions concerning termite biology:
- Dr. Kenji Matsuura
- Dr. Jan Šobotník
- Dr. Thomas Bourguignon
- Dr. Tiago Carrijo
- Dr. Gillian Gile
- Dr. Aram Mikaelyan
- Dr. Michael Engel
Course Objectives
- Students will learn about the natural history, ecology, evolution, behavior, and distribution of all major termite families.
- Students will be able to recognize major termite families and genera.
- Primary invasive termite pests must be recognized to the species level.
- Students will learn and gain experience in a range of techniques for the collection and control of subterranean and drywood termites pest species.
- Graduate students participating to the course will be given the opportunity to give a 10min presentation of their graduate research project in a student mini-symposium
Tentative Agenda
| Monday, June 3, 2019 | |
| 7:30am – 8:00am | Registration (Front Lobby) |
| 8:00am – 8:30am | Introduction and Presentation (30min) |
| 8:30am – 9:00am | Terminology, Life Cycle, Anatomy – Chouvenc (30min) |
| 9:00am – 10:00am | Termites of the World - Overview of Termite Diversity – Šobotník (60min) |
| 10:00am – 10:15am | Break (15min) |
| 10:15am – 11:30pm | Natural History of Termites – Scheffrahn (70min) |
| 11:30am – 12:00pm | Termite Phylogenetic Tools – Bourguignon (30min) |
| 12:00pm – 12:45pm | Lunch (provided) (45min) |
| 12:45pm – 2:00pm | Termite Phylogeny and Biogeography – Bourguignon (75min) |
| 2:00pm – 2:30pm | Termites at the Geological Time Scale – Engel (30min) |
| 2:30pm – 2:45pm | Break (15min) |
| 2:45pm – 3:30pm | Review of the Biology of “Minor” Families – Bourguignon (45min) |
| 3:30pm – 4:15pm | Biology and Classification of Kalotermitidae – Scheffrahn (45min) |
| 4:15pm – 5:00pm | Biology and Ecology of Rhinotermitidae – Su (45min) |
| 5:00pm – 5:20pm | Overview and Preparations for Tuesday Field Trip – Mullins (20min) |
| 5:20pm | Welcome Dinner (provided) / Social time / Movie Session “The World According to Termites” (Movie session and discussion) – Šobotník |
| Tuesday, June 4, 2019 | |
| 8:00am – 11:00am | Termite Collection Field Trip to Secret Woods Park (180min) |
| 11:10am – 12:00pm | Breakout session 1.1 Identification Laboratory Session 1 – Scheffrahn (45min) room 121 Termites in Florida, Lab Tour – Chouvenc (45min) room T103-104 |
| 12:00pm – 12:45pm | Lunch (provided) (45min) |
| 12:45pm – 1:45pm | Breakout session 1.2 Identification Laboratory Session 1 – Scheffrahn (45min) room 121 Termites in Florida, Lab Tour – Chouvenc (45min) room T103-104 |
| 1:45pm – 2:45pm | Biology and Ecology of Termitidae – Scheffrahn (60min) |
| 2:45pm – 3:00pm | Break (15min) |
| 2:45pm – 3:30pm | Microbiota in Cockroaches and Termites – Mikaelyan (45min) |
| 3:30pm – 4:15pm | Protozoa in "Lower" Termites – Gile (45min) |
| 4:15pm – 5:00pm | Termite Diversification: A Symbiont Perspective – Bourguignon (45min) |
| 5:00pm – 5:30pm | Parasites in Termite Nests and Host Manipulation – Matsuura (30min) |
| 5:30pm | End of Session (Dinner on your own or with your new friends) |
| Wednesday, June 5, 2019 | |
| 8:00am – 8:50am | Termite Evolution: Origin of Eusociality – Chouvenc (50min) |
| 8:50am – 9:40am | Evolution and Origin of Soldiers and Workers – Bourguignon (50min) |
| 9:40am – 9:55am | Break (15min) |
| 9:55am – 10:45pm | Evolution of Sexual Division of Labor in Termites – Matsuura (50min) |
| 10:45am – 11:30pm | Evolutionary Convergence in Eusociality – Chouvenc (45min) |
| 11:45pm – 12:35pm | Lunch (provided) (45min) |
| 12:30pm – 1:30pm | Termite Communication: Glands, Pheromones, Vibroacoustic – Šobotník (60min) |
| 1:30pm – 2:15pm | Termite Defenses: Mandibles and Defensive Glands – Šobotník (60min) |
| 2:15pm – 2:30pm | Break (15min) |
| 2:30pm – 5:00pm | Breakout session 2.1 Identification Laboratory Session 2 – Scheffrahn (150min) Rotations for an Overview of Termite Damage Types – Chouvenc (20min) Students Mini-Symposium (10min presentations) |
| 5:00pm | End of Session (Dinner on your own or with your new friends) |
| Thursday, June 6, 2019 | |
| 8:00am – 9:15am | Life Cycle, Developmental Pathways and Breeding Systems in Termites – Chouvenc (75min) |
| 9:15am – 10:00am | Termite Colony Foundation Strategies (overview) – Matsuura (45min) |
| 10:00am – 10:15am | Break (15min) |
| 10:15am – 11:05am | Parthenogenesis in Termites and Role of Asexual Reproduction – Matsuura (50min) |
| 11:05am – 11:55am | Epigenetic Regulations in Termites – Matsuura (50min) |
| 11:55pm – 12:40pm | Lunch (provided) (45min) |
| 12:40pm – 1:30pm | Termite Feeding Biology and Ecology – Šobotník (50min) |
| 1:30pm – 2:15pm | Evolution and Ecology of Neotropical Termites – Carrijo (45min) |
| 2:15am – 2:30am | Break (15min) |
| 2:30pm – 5:00pm | Breakout session 2.2 Identification Laboratory Session 2 – Scheffrahn (150min) Rotations for an Overview of Termite Damage Types – Chouvenc (20min) Students Mini-Symposium (10min presentations) |
| 5:00pm | End of Session (Dinner on your own or with your old friends) |
| Friday, June 7, 2019 | |
| 8:00am – 8:30am | Termite Pest Species of the World and Termite Control Research – Chouvenc (30min) |
| 8:30am – 9:20am | Drywood Termite Pests and Fumigation Techniques – Scheffrahn (50min) |
| 9:20am – 10:00am | Alternative Techniques for Control of Drywood Termites – Kern (40min) |
| 10:00am – 10:15am | Break (15min) |
| 10:15am – 10:40am | Use of Liquid Termiticides for Control of Subterranean Termites – Kern (40min) |
| 10:40am – 11:20am | Building Maintenance Practices to Reduce the Likelihood of Subterranean Termite Infestations – Kern (40min) |
| 11:20am – 11:50am | Review for the Practical Exam, Termite ID Exercise – Scheffrahn (30min) |
| 11:50am – 12:35pm | Lunch (provided) (45min) |
| 12:35pm – 1:05pm | Living with Termites, a New Orleans’ Perspective – Mullins (30min) |
| 1:05pm – 2:20pm | Principles of IPM and the Use of Bait Technologies for Control of Subterranean Termites – Su (75min) |
| 2:20pm – 2:35pm | Break (15min) |
| 2:35pm – 3:50pm | The Importance of Colony Demographics in Subterranean Termite Control Strategies – Chouvenc (75 min) |
| 3:50pm – 4:20pm | Potential Use of Termite Egg-Tending Behavior for Control Strategies – Matsuura (30min) |
| 4:20pm – 5:00pm | Open Discussion “Termites and Human Culture" – (40min) |
| 5:00pm – 5:30pm | Review for the Practical Exam, Termite ID Exercise – Scheffrahn (30min) |
| 5:30pm | Farewell Dinner/Social Time at Ye old Falcon Pub |
| Saturday, June 8, 2019 | |
| 8:00am – 9:00am | Breakout Session 3 Identification Practical Examination and Turn in Termite Collection (For students taking the class for credits only) room 121 – Scheffrahn (60min) Hybrid termites, a Floridian Story (For the rest of the group) room T103-104) – Chouvenc (60min) |
| 9:00am – 9:30am | Self-organization Systems in Termites – Mizumoto/Matsuura (30min) |
| 9:30am – 9:50am | Polyethism in Termites, Part I – Chouvenc (20min) |
| 9:50am – 10:20am | Polyethism in Termites, Part II – Matsuura (30min) |
| 10:20am – 10:35am | Break (15min) |
| 10:35am – 11:50am | Biocontrol vs. Termites Immunity – Chouvenc (75min) |
| 11:50am – 12:00pm | Student Awards and Concluding Remarks |
| 12:00pm | Final Lunch (provided) (45min) After Lunch: Project topic assignments (for credit students only) |
Please Keep in Mind That:
- We are 15min away from the beach
- We are 45 min away from the Everglades national parks
- We have a diverse fauna of social hymenoptera in various parks in the area, ready to be surveyed.
- The lab will be open for more identification sessions if needed.
- Butterfly World is 30 min away
- Fairchild Botanical garden is 45 min away.
If you plan on doing group activities, we can help you organize it, per your request.
Registration Information
Registration proceeds on a first-come, first serve basis.
Payment is due at the time of registration.
Pay using your credit or debit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
| Registration Costs | |
| Attendee Type | Cost |
| UF Student | Register to ENY 4221 / ENY 6248 |
| Non UF-Student | $250 |
| Post-Doctorate | $300 |
| Other (Faculty, staff, professional, termite enthusiast, etc) | $350 |
Registration Covers:
- Snacks and refreshments during breaks
- All lunches and the welcome dinner on Monday will be provided by the organizers
- A handbook with a printout of all lectures will be given to all participants
- A T-shirt of the event
Registration Does NOT Cover (and therefore on your own):
- Travel
- Lodging
- All dinners except the welcome dinner on Monday. The farewell dinner is at your own expense.
Refund Policy
Requests for registration refunds will be honored if written notification of cancellation is received by the Office of Conferences on or before May 10, 2019. A 25% processing fee will be deducted from all refunds. Sorry, no refunds will be honored for cancellations after the applicable deadline.
Email: kimmer72@ufl.edu
Travel Information
Local Airports
Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL)
8.3 miles (recommended)
Phone: 1-866-435-9355
100 Terminal Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Nearby Hotels
Holiday Inn Express
1.1 miles
Phone: 954-585-7071
2540 Davie Road
Davie, FL, US, 33317
WoodSpring Suites Fort Lauderdale
1.6 miles
Phone: 754-600-3366
5700 Reese Road
Davie, FL 33314
Extended Stay America
1.7 miles
Phone: 1-954-476-1211
7550 State Rd. 84
Davie, FL 33317
Sheraton Suites
3.9 miles
Phone: 954-452-3202
311 N University Drive
Plantation, FL 33324
More Information
For further information about the class, contact:
Thomas Chouvenc
Assistant Professor, Ph.D.
UF/IFAS
Ft. Lauderdale Research & Education Center
3205 College Avenue
Davie, FL 33314-7719
Phone: (954) 577-6320
Fax: (954) 475-4125
Email: tomchouv@ufl.edu