Researcher Spotlights

Ian Grettenberger

Ian Grettenberger is an Assistant CE Specialist in entomology at UC Davis. He conducts research at Intermountain REC.

What led you to become a cooperative extension specialist?

I was one of those stereotypical "interested in bugs since a kid" entomologists, but I became interested in agriculture and extension as I started grad school. I love working to address pest issues and helping advance IPM.

What brought your work to Intermountain REC?

Alfalfa weevils and aphids! That's the literal answer, but the truth really is that IREC has allowed me to work on management issues with these pests.

What do you hope to learn from your research at Intermountain REC?

We hope to learn a few things. First, we are working with IREC folks to learn about the scope of insecticide resistance in alfalfa weevil. We also are evaluating insecticides for the management of alfalfa weevils and aphids (especially blue alfalfa aphid, a tricky one to kill), which includes examining effects on natural enemies.

What is your favorite part about conducting your research at Intermountain REC?

The people. Across the board, I have loved interacting with the folks that work at IREC and they have been critical to getting these projects done. The views are pretty nice too.