Wednesday, June 06, 2018

Are you fighting a never-ending battle with garden and lawn pests? Uncomfortable with using harmful chemicals? Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing, Ph.D., will offer What Bugs You? at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 7, at the Fond du Lac Public Library. The program is free; no registration required.

Ortiz-Ribbing is a specialist in the practice of integrated pest management, which focuses on long-term prevention of pests while minimizing risks to people, pets and the environment. She’ll explain that not all pests are created equal. Attendees will learn how to spot common garden diseases, how to identify beneficial insects and how to use integrated pest management principles to create a safer home environment while reducing unwanted pests.

Ortiz-Ribbing is an assistant professor for UW-Extension, with primary responsibility as the Crops & Soils Area Agent for Dodge and Fond du Lac counties and advising the Master Gardener volunteers. Formerly, she was a research scientist with the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, where she developed best-management practices for protecting pollinators and their habitat.