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Termite University

Termite University is a recurring 2-day event held on campus at Mississippi State University to provide training and recertification for termite technicians, pest control company owners and managers and other members of Mississippi’s structural pest control industry.  (10 training hours) 

This training is co-sponsored by the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Structural Insect Management Program and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry in cooperation with the Mississippi Pest Control Association.

June 20-21, 2023 (Registration closes June 16, 2023)

Begins 10:00 AM, Tuesday, June 20
Ends 4:00 PM, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 21

Location: Bost Extension Conference Center, Mississippi State University

Enrollment limited to 40 attendees
Registration Fee: $160, payable online by credit card or electronic check
(Includes on-site lunch on both days and continental breakfast on Day 2)

Register Here 

If you are attending for recertification, be sure to provide your license/card number
If you have problems registering, please call 662-325-3226

Termite University agenda (PDF)

Participants completing the webinar will receive a Termite University Training Certificate, a Termite University cap and shirt patch, and a USB drive containing relevant publications and information.

This training is also approved for Mississippi recertification credit in the following categories: Category WDI, (Wood-destroying Insects), Category VII-A (industrial, institutional, structural and health-related pest control), or Registered Technician Card renewal. License or card must be expiring within one year to receive recertification credit.

Hotel Rooms: Starkville has numerous hotels located near the MSU campus.  Be sure to book rooms early as sporting events and other MSU events can result in limited room availability, even on weekdays.

Cancellation Policy:

Cancel 7 or more days before Day 1 of workshop to receive full refund.

May transfer registration to someone else up to Day 1 of the workshop (please email)

Email Dr. Blake Layton: blake.layton@.msstate.edu

Location

Classroom Training: Bost Extension Conference Center, Mississippi State University

Day 1 classes begin at 10:00 AM in Theater of Bost Conference Center

Field Training: Redd Pest Training Facility at MSU Horse Park

Training facility is approximately 5 miles from Bost Extension Center

Benefits of participation in Termite University:

  • Recertification for wood-destroying insect category (if card expires within 1 year)
  • Training for new technicians
  • Training enhancement for experienced technicians, managers, and owners
  • Training for persons preparing to take structural insect pests licensing or permit exams

Topics Covered

  • Lab ID specimens
  • Termite identification and biology
  • Termiticide testing methods
  • Termite treatment regulations 
  • WDIR Inspections and Reporting
  • Pesticide safety
  • Tools and methods for control
  • Termiticide efficacy review
  • Field Training at Redd Pest Training Facility
  • Types of construction and how to treat
  • Volume calculations and graphs
  • Formosan termites and drywood termites
  • Wood-destroying Fungi

Questions:  Contact Dr. Blake Layton
Email: blake.layton@msstate.edu
Phone: 662-325-2960

Future Termite University Dates:

To be arranged

Resources and Literature:

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Publications

Publication Number: P2568

News

A man stands outside a structure.
Filed Under: Termites September 29, 2022

The word “termite” strikes fear in the hearts of homeowners because this insect is the most economically damaging pest in Mississippi, is very common and requires constant vigilance. Blake Layton, entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the cost of termites is so large that it is hard to pin down.

Filed Under: Insects, Termites January 20, 2022

Can you tell the difference between a termite and an ant? Termites and ants share a number of similar physical characteristics, and it can be hard to distinguish between the two at first glance. Since termites can be active long before they are properly identified, mistaking them for ants could be a costly error!

Several worker eastern subterranean termites eat a piece of dead wood.
Filed Under: Termites, Insects-Home Lawns April 2, 2019

Termites are probably not something you consider when you are gardening. But many landscaping tasks, including digging and mulching, can put your home at risk for termite damage. (Photo by Blake Layton)

A paper wasp on a multi-cell nest.
Filed Under: Insects-Crop Pests, Insects-Forage Pests, Fire Ants, Household Insects, Insect Identification, Termites, Insects-Home Lawns, Insects-Pests July 31, 2018

Mississippi has an abundance of bugs, especially in the warmer months. We are all familiar with mosquitoes, bumblebees, and house flies. But I bet there are bugs around your house and yard that you can’t identify. (Photo by Blake Layton)

A group of more than a dozen people in hard hats break ground with shovels.
Filed Under: Pesticide Applicator Certification, Termites April 10, 2018

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Officials with the Mississippi State University Extension Service broke ground on a termite application training facility alongside pest control industry sponsors during a ceremony April 6.

The Termite Technician Training Facility, or T3F, will be located near the Mississippi Horse Park in Starkville and is scheduled to be completed in early 2019.

Success Stories

Nine men and women stand in front of a metal building.
Insects, Termites, Lawn and Garden, Insects-Pests
Volume 5 Number 2

A dream of the Mississippi Pest Control Association and the Mississippi State University Extension Service is coming true after more than 20 years, thanks to a generous donation by one of Mississippi’s oldest pest-control companies.

Watch

Mulch and Termites - MSU Extension Service
Extension Stories

Mulch and Termites

Monday, April 24, 2017 - 11:45am

Listen

Select Your County Office

Contacts

Administrative Assistant I
Portrait of Dr. Blake Layton, Jr.
Extension Professor
Entomology; extension insect identification; fire ants; termites; insect pests in the home, lawn and

Your Extension Experts

Portrait of Dr. Blake Layton, Jr.
Extension Professor
Entomology; extension insect identification; fire ants; termites; insect pests in the home, lawn and