Keith Mason, Research Technician

As a Research Technician for the Small Fruit Entomology lab, my primary duties involve managing on-farm research projects. Most of my time in the field season is spent running a long-term USDA-RAMP (Risk Assessment And Mitigation Program) project in blueberries. This research measures the response of pests and natural enemies to the reduction of broad-spectrum insecticide use in commercial blueberry. In other on-farm projects and small plot trials, we test the efficacy of new insecticides in controlling key insect pests in grapes, blueberries, strawberries, brambles and cranberries. I am also involved in the collection of phenological and climatological data that is used to construct and test growing degree-day based developmental models for grape berry moth, cranberry fruitworm and other pests of small fruits. During the winter, in addition to catching up on all the data analysis, reporting, manuscript writing, and grant proposal preparation, I also try to maintain this website.

Other Research Interests

I earned my Masters degree from Florida State University under the direction of Walter Tschinkel. Using a combination of flow-through respirometry and video data analysis, I investigated the relationship between respiration rates, levels of group activity, and tempo (speed of individual movement) in ant colonies. Ants will always hold my interest and I am very happy to now be working to demonstrate the role ants and other terrestrial arthropods play in the biological control of insect pests in blueberry.

Personal

My wife Julienne and I have two wonderful children, Lindsey (7 years) and Justin (5 years). As a family, we enjoy traveling, camping, cooking (and eating) and just plain goofing off. It is truly amazing how much fun you can have without cable TV! I also like to play the guitar, home-brew beer, garden and spend time in the woods kicking pine cones.

Publications

Isaacs, R., Mason K. S. Maxwell, E. (2005) Stage-specific control of grape berry moth, Endopiza viteana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by selective and broad-spectrum insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology 98(2): 415-422.

O'Neal, M.E., Mason, K.S., and Isaacs, R. (2005) Seasonal abundance of ground beetles in highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) fields and response to a reduced-risk insecticide program. Environmental Entomology 34, 378-384.