Instructor:

Dr. Scott M. Salom, Dept. of Entomol. 311 Price Hall - office hrs. by appointment or just drop by and try to catch me. (Phone: 231-2794; e-mail: salom@vt.edu)

Teaching Assistant:

Ashley Lamb, Dept. of Entomology, 208 Price Hall (e-mail: (aslamb@vt.edu).

Meeting Time:

Lecture M,W 1:25 - 2:15, 400 Price Hall; Laboratory M 2:30 - 5:15, 220 Price Hall

Description and Purpose:

Forest managers are constantly faced with potentially destructive factors that can damage or kill trees. These factors include insects, pathogens, and fire. In this section we will focus on insects of the forest. First, you are required to gain a fundamental knowledge of entomology before you can learn how to minimize their impact on our forests. We will learn how to identify some general insect families, study the biology of some of the more important insect pest problems in the region, learn the concepts of pest management, and study examples of cultural, biological, and chemical control tactics. There is insufficient time to cover these topics adequately, but we will do the best we can.

Student Evaluation:

Each section of the course will be worth 1/3 of your grade. Within the Entomology section, the lab will be worth 50% (lab assignments will total 20% and the lab final 30%). Pertaining to lectures, three weekly quizzes will be worth a total of 15% and the final will be worth 35% of your grade for the section.

Any late submission of an assignment will be docked 10% of the grade each day it is late. If you miss a lab due to illness. please contact me for a make-up. In such a case, the illness must be documented by a doctor. Other reasons for missing lab such as field trips, meetings, or work must be brought to my attention and approved at least 1 week prior to the event.

Required Textbooks:

All class material is online. The lectures are in outline form in powerpoint and can be downloaded as .pdf files. You must type in the class PID and Password to access the lectures. Ideally, you will print the pages out and bring them to class with you. You should take notes on those pages, and with the outline format and images they will make a strong set of notes for yourself to refer to for years to come. The laboratory material is also available online. Bring the printed sheets for each lab to class as well.

Most class readings will come from websites assigned in class for each lecture. 10 - 20% of the lecture quiz and exam questions will come directly from those readings.

Please note: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with us, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with use as soon as possible.

THE HONOR CODE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED IN THIS COURSE. ALL ASSIGNMENTS SUBMITTED SHALL BE CONSIDERED GRADED WORK, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR COURSEWORK ARE COVERED BY THE HONOR SYSTEM. ANY SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS OF THE HONOR CODE WILL BE PROMPTLY REPORTED TO THE HONOR SYSTEM. HONESTY IN YOUR ACADEMIC WORK WILL DEVELOP INTO PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY. THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS OF VIRGINIA TECH WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY FORM OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY.