APPLIED BIOLOGY CENTER NAVFAC Atlantic Pest Management Challenges for NAVFAC

1. APPLIED BIOLOGY CENTERNAVFAC AtlanticPest Management Challenges for NAVFAC Mrs. Sherrie Bartku Applied Biology Section Head Entomologist, B.C.E.

2. NAVFAC APPLIED BIOLOGY CENTER • A uniquely qualified network providing high-quality, cost effective, responsive solutions to a wide variety of biological challenges to Navy/Marine Corps operations, warfighters, quality of life, property, material and the environment.

3. Structure • NAVFAC Applied Biology Center provides comprehensive shore-side pest management support to Navy and Marine Corps installations around the world • Headquartered at LANT due to BRAC decisions • 11 entomologists/biologists provide required pest management support: • LANT entomologists • 7 at LANT (Program Manager temp doing NEPA for Guam) • 1 forward deployed to FEC SW • PAC entomologists • 2 at PAC • 1 forward deployed to FEC FE

4. NAVFAC Applied Biology Center • NAVFAC Atlantic: • Mr. Dan Cecchini - Applied Biology Program Manager (temp assigned to Guam Nepa, Karen Wilson acting) • Ms. Sharon Bartku – Applied Biology Section Head • Mr. Kirk Williams • Mr. Jack Markham • Dr. Steve Holmes • Ms. Sabra Scheffel • Dr. Denise Thomas • Mr. Michael Medina (NAVFAC SW) • NAVFAC Pacific: • Mr. Stephan Lee • Mr. Cory Campora • NAVFAC Far East: Mr. Akira Masui (Japan only)

5. Products and Services • Regulatory oversight of installation pest management programs • Ensure proper handling, storage and usage of pesticides, DoD or state certified pesticide applicators, reporting • On-site technical review/follow-up report • Minimum once every 3 years • Approve all pesticides and pest control contracts • Training • Give recertification course for all Navy/USMC pesticide applicators • Assist with initial DOD certified pesticide applicator training • Teach initial Pest Control PAR/QAE/Pest Management Coordinator course • Prepare, on a cost reimbursable basis, required installation-specific integrated pest management plans • Collect/Collate pesticide data • Report annual metrics to OSD • Measures of Merit • Phone/email consults as needed • On-site consults (reimbursable) • Write technical specs (reimbursable)

6. Drivers for Program • FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act • Addresses labeling and handling of pesticides • Training • DoDINST 4150.07: DoD Pest Management Programs • Requires services to establish and maintain pest management programs • Establishes Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB) • OPNAVINST 6250.4 (series): Pest Management Programs • Implements Navy pest management program • OPNAVINST 5090.1C Chap. 17: Pesticide Compliance Ashore • MCO 5090.2 Chap. 15: Pesticide Pollution Prevention

7. How is the Navy Unique? • Operationally – ships and planes • Engineering side of the house (NAVFAC ABC) does recertification traing instead of Schoolhouse • Have “traveling” schoolhouse • Give classes in Jacksonville, Va. Beach, Okinawa (initial cert), Italy, Bahrain, Guam • Assist with Phase II portion of initial cert • Also put on Initial Pest Control Quality Assurance Evaluator/Performance Assessment Representative and Integrated Pest Management Coordinator training • Normally one each year in Pac, Lant and SW areas • BUMED handles shipboard pest control

8. How is the Navy Unique? • Location – Most bases are close to large bodies of water (makes it easier on the ships!) • Leads to pest problems including • Mosquitoes – especially in spoil areas • Invasive weeds • Invasive species arriving by ship • Rodents Phragmites

9. How is the Navy Unique? • Large concentration of bases in warmer climates • Ant problems • Fireants – Followed me from SC to VA! • Caribbean crazy ants – in Jacksonville, FL area • Argentine ants • Odorous house ant

10. Caribbean Crazy ants at Fuel Depot,Jacksonville, FL

11. How is the Navy Unique? • Fireants now in Hampton Roads, Va • Naval Station Norfolk, Va • Under Quarantine, city was treating but overwhelmed so base is treating their areas (demo of earthstar tm unit- another tool)

12. How is the Navy Unique? • Termites – • Formosan – New Orleans is the “formosan capital” of the us • NAS and NSA New Orleans • Drywood termites – Key west • Eastern subs – eastern coastal and gulf areas Formosan termites USDA • Drywood termites • termitesgonewild.com

13. BASH • Alligator strikes in fl • Cow strikes in ms • Sea gulls, geese, migratory birds Bird droppings in hangers

14. Recent Issues – NAVFAC Atlantic • Mosquito reduction at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti • Recommendations significantly reduced breeding locations • Improved safety/quality of life for deployed warfighter • Uniform treatment assistance for the deploying warfighter • Bedbug assistance for Marine Barracks in DC

15. Disease Vectors – Djibouti Dump Bedbugs In Jax Rabbits in Rota

16. Unique projects • NAVFAC Southwest • Invasive species at Naval Radio Station (T) Jim Creek, WA • Ants in least tern nesting areas in San Diego, CA

17. The mission of Jim Creek is to operate a very low frequency (VLF) antenna that is used to communicate with submerged submarines in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

18. Antenna Field Brush Management • Must Maintain brush height to less than 6 feet; primarily scotch broom • Aerial spray method of choice • Target – woody and broadleaf plants, Scotch broom • Herbicide – Garlon 3A- Triclopyr (triethylamine salt

19. 2009 Ant Control Program at California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover Nesting Sites, Naval Base Coronado, California • 3 sites on NB Coronado used by endangered California Least Terns (CLT) for nesting and breeding designated for ant surveillance and control • Birds vulnerable to attack by ants: ants may prey upon unhatched eggs and newly hatched chicks, or ant invasion of nests may harass adults and cause nest abandonment • Long term goal: develop an effective, environmentally sound ant management strategy • 2009 focus on managing Argentine ants, but other ant sp. monitored to assess risk

20. 2009 Ant Control Program at California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover Nesting Sites, Naval Base Coronado, California

21. NAVFAC PAC - Surveys for Hawaiian picture-wing flies at NAVMAG Lualualei and the Kokee Sites Native, non-endangered Hawaiian picture-wing fly, Drosophila flexipes Baited sponge used to attract the flies Multi-liure trap commonly used for tephritid fruit fly trapping

22. NAVFAC PAC - Surveys for Hawaiian picture-wing flies at NAVMAG Lualualei and the Kokee Sites • The Hawaiian picture-wing flies are species of Drosophila that have evolved with native plants in Hawaii. • feed on sap from native trees and breed in decaying native plant material. • name comes from the patterns on their wing. • Invasive species and loss of habitat have affected their populations, but not all of these flies are endangered. • Due to the proximity of endangered fly designated critical habitat to Navy installations, the Navy is obligated to conduct surveys for the endangered flies. • The survey in December 2009 at NAVMAG Lualualei captured three species of Hawaiian picture-wing flies, D. flexipes, D crucigea, and D. gradata, but none were endangered species.

23. Various Applied Biology Projects NAVFAC Pacific and NAVFAC Far East • Natural Resources Insect Surveys • Commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands Survey for Mariana eight-spot butterfly • nymphalid • Endangered species candidate • Host plant surveys • Survey for predators including paper wasps • Surveys on island of Tinnea • INRMPs • Joint-basing

24. paper wasp nest Mariana eight-spot butterfly - USFWS candidate species in Guam Surveying for the host plant of the butterfly in Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

25. Programmatic Challenges • Consistent source of reimbursable funding for IPM Plans • No law that says IPM Plan required – low priority • Inconsistent reporting of pesticide use • PPV • Contractors now performing significant % of work • NEXCOM • Displays • MWR • Golf courses • Relatively small staff responsible for pesticide compliance for all Navy/Marine Corps shore facilities around the world • Keeping up with technical reviews, calls and plans is a challenge

26. NAVFAC PEST MANAGEMENT THE END