Extension Program Specialist – IPM
Harris County/Houston Metro Area
Education:
BS – University of Arkansas, 1974 – Plant Pathology
MS – University of Arkansas, 1978 – Crop Physiology
PH.D – Louisiana State University, 1983 – Weed Science & Entomology
Experience:
1982-1985 Uniroyal Chemical Company – Field Station Manager, Delta Research Station, Tunica, MS.
1985-1988 Uniroyal Chemical Company – Area Supervisor – Product Development, Little Rock, AR.
1988-1995 American Cyanamid – Field Research Agriculturist, The Woodlands, TX.
1995-1999 American Cyanamid – Senior Field Research Agriculturist, The Woodlands, TX.
1999-2006 Texas Cooperative Extension Service – Extension Agent-IPM, Harris County, TX.
2006-present Texas AgriLife Extension – Extension Program Specialist, Harris County, TX.
IPM Unit Description:
Dr. Nester serves the city of Houston and the Houston metropolitan area. Houston is the 4th largest US city and the Houston metropolitan area is the sixth largest in the US. The port of Houston handles more international waterborne tonnage than any other US port. It is the 10th largest port in the world. Houston is a rapidly growing city with an ethnically diverse population. Houston ranks 2nd in the US in Fortune 500 corporate headquarters.
Meetings and Publications:
Numerousmeetings for clientele education and agent training
Fire Ant – Community-wide Control Video
KIDzANTS Curriculum Development for youth education
Authored or Coauthored 11 extension publications
Selected Extension Publications:
Drees, B.M., C.L. Barr, S.B. Vinson, R.E. Gold, M.E. Merchant, N. Riggs, L. Lennon, S. Russell and P.R. Nester, D. Kostroun, B. Sparks, D. Pollet, D. Shanklin, K. Vail, K. Flanders, P.M. Horton, D. Oi, P.l Koehler, J.T. Vogt. 2000. Managing imported fire ants in urban areas. B-6043. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 20 pp.
Riggs, N, P.R. Nester and E. Brown. 2003. KIDzANTS Fire Ant Curriculum for Youth. B-6140. TX A&M University, College Station, Texas, 66 pp.
Nester, P.R. 2004. Pine Sawflies. EEE-00020. Entomology Department, Texas Cooperative Extension, TX A&M University, College Station Texas, 1 page.
Nester, P.R. and J. Hurley. 2006. Managing fire ants in Texas schoolyard and butterfly gardens. Fire Ant Fact Sheet #16, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, 2 pages
Drees, B.M., C.L. Barr, S.B. Vinson, R.E. Gold, M.E. Merchant, N. Riggs, L. Lennon, S. Russell and P.R. Nester, D. Kostroun, B. Sparks, D. Pollet, D. Shanklin, E. Brown, K. Engler, M. Keck, P.R. Nester, D. Kostroun, K. Flanders, F. Graham, D Pollet, L. Hooper-Bui, P. Beckley, T. Davis, P.M. Horton, W. Gardner, Kelly Loftin, J. Hopkins, K. Vail, R. Wright, W. Smith, D. Thompson, J. Kabashima, B. Layton, P. Koehler, D. Oi, A. Callcott. 2006. Managing imported fire ants in urban areas. B-6043. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 24 pp.
Drees, B.M, P.R. Nester. 2007. Broadcasting ant bait products for individuals with limited mobility or in rough terrain. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Fire Ant Fact Sheet #35, Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, 3 pages
Nester, P.R. 2007. Red imported fire ant control around bodies of water. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Fire Ant Fact Sheet #21, Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, 3 pages.
Nester, P.R. 2007. Flooding and fire ants: protecting yourself and your family! Fire Ant Fact Sheet #38, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, 2 pages
Drees, B.M., K. Schofield, E. Brown, P.R. Nester, and M. Keck, 2008. Fire ant control, the two-step method and other approaches. L-5496. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX, 2 pp p
Nester, P.R. 2008. Flooding and fire ants. ER-043. Entomology Department, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas, 2 pages.
Drees, B.M., P.R. Nester, and R.E. Gold. 2009. Rasberry Crazy Ant, A New Exotic Species Invading Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife. PWD BR K0700-1219 (3/09)
Collaborative Work:
Dr. Nester has developed strong collaborative programs inyouth education with the eXtension Community of Practice, fire ant control programming for nursing homes, community-wide fire ant management programs, Master Gardener and Master Volunteer programming, education for professional pest control personnel and he has worked to develop fire ant management technology and information with industry, County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists and land owners.
Dr. Nester has conducted community-wide fire Ant Suppression demonstrations with subdivisions (Lago Santa Fe and Alkire Lakes) churches, Girl Scout Camps and other organizations (FBI Firing Range, Lone Star Convention Center). He has worked with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and others to develop organic fire ant management methods. He worked with an Extension group on fire ants in Nursing Facilities in Texas and with the KIDzANTS curriculum for youth education through eXtension. Also, Dr. Nester is a lecturer for the Adult Lifetime Learning Lecture Series classes held at several of the Lone Star College campuses in Harris and Montgomery Counties.
Scholarly Presentations:
Since 1999, Dr Nester has been presenter or Co-presenter of 21 presentations at state (6) regional (4), national (7) and international (4) conferences.
Selected Presentations:
Nester, P. and B.M. Drees. 2002. Evaluation of “Organic” Products and Home Remedies to Eliminate Red Imported Fire Ant Colonies. Ann. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Athens, GA. March 25, 2002.
Nester, P.R .and B.M. Drees, C.P. Bowen. 2003. Community-wide imported fire ant management in Texas. Proc. 4th International IPM Symposium. Indianapolis, IN.
Nester, P., C.P. Bowen and B.M. Drees. 2003. The Lago Santa Fe Project: Community-wide Imported Fire Ant Management in Texas. Ann. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Palm Springs, CA. March 31, 2003.
Nester, P., C.P. Bowen, and B.M. Drees. 2004. Lago Santa Fe Fire Ant Project, Santa Fe, Texas: The Never Ending Story! Ann. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Baton Rouge, LA. March 22, 2004.
Nester, P. 2005. Above and Beyond the Community-wide Control Efforts in the Near Urban Areas of Texas. Ann. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Gulfport, MS. March 23, 2005.
Nester, P.R. and B.M. Drees. 2006. Evaluation of Metaflumizone for Red Imported Fire Ant Control, Southwestern Branch Entomol. Soc. America, Austin, TX.
Nester, P.R., B.M. Drees, 2006. Aerial and Ground Insecticide Application Technology for Large Area Imported Fire Ant Treatment Programs, Southwestern Branch Entomol. Soc. of America, Austin, TX. March 1, 2006.
Nester, P.R., W. Thompson, and B.M. Drees. 2006. Discussion of 2005 Texas Aerial Applicators Survey. Ann. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Mobile, AL. March 29, 2006.
Nester, P. R. 2006. KIDzANTS: Fire Ant Curriculum for Youth – A Curriculum Enrichment Program. Proc. 5th National IPM Symposium. St. Louis, April 4-6, 2006.
Nester, P.R. B.M. Drees. 2007 Aerial and ground insecticide application technology for large area imported fire ant control programs. International Pacific Invasive Ant Conf. Kona, HI
Merchant, M.E., K. Schofield, E. Brown, P. Nester, C. Helpert, J. Hurley and M. Keck. 2008. Fire ants in Texas nursing homes: Survey of staff attitudes and new training materials. Southwestern Branch Meeting of the Entomol. Soc. America, Fort Worth, TX. February 25, 2008.
Nester, P.R., B.M. Drees, M. Heimer, A. Calixto. 2008. Esteem® + fertilizers: Red Imported Fire Ant Suppression in Hay Pastures using Application of Esteem® (pyriproxyfen) Ant Bait and Granular Fertilizer Hopper Blends. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Charleston, SC. March 24, 2008.
Nester, P.R., A. Camerino. B.M. Drees, and A. Calixto. 2010. Evaluation of ARINIX® Permethrin Impregnated Nylon Plastic Strips in Preventing Fire Ant Invasion in RainBird Par + ES Irrigation Boxes at Bear Creek Golf World, Houston, Texas. Southwestern Branch Entomol. Soc. America. Cancun, Quintana Roo, MX. April 14 2010.
Nester, P.R., A. Camerino, B. Drees and A. Calixto. 2010. Evaluation of ARINIX® Permethrin Impregnated Nylon Plastic Strips in Preventing Fire Ant Invasion in RainBird Par + ES Irrigation Boxed at Bear Creek Golf World, Houston, Texas. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Little Rock, AR. April 20, 2010.
Nester, P.R. and T. Rasberry. 2011. Response of Nylanderia sp. nr. pubens to single broadcast application of 0.86% EC Esteem® Insect Growth Regulator. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Galveston, TX. April 6, 2010.
Camerino, A., P. R. Nester, B. Drees, and A. Calixto. Two year evaluation of ARINIX® for limiting invasion of fire ants into irrigation controller boxes at Bear Creek Gold World, Houston, TX. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Galveston, TX. April 6, 2010.
Nester, P.R., A.A. Calixto and B. Drees. 2011. Imported Fire Ant Management in Larger Landscaped Areas. Southwestern Branch Entomol. Soc. of America. Amarillo, TX. March 8, 2011.
Nester, P.R., A. Calixto and B. Drees. 2011. Imported Fire Ant Treatment Strategies in Larger Landscaped Areas. Red Imported Fire Ant Conf. Galveston, TX. April 6, 2011.
Recent IPM Emphasis and Accomplishments:
In 2009 the IPM Steering Committee for the Urban IPM Program in Harris and surrounding counties identified ant and other insect pest management, human health, environmental issues, quality of life issues and economic issues as their priority concerns. Dr. Nester’s work focuses primarily on the red imported fire ant and other invasive ant species. The fire ant and the hairy crazy ant, a recently introduced pest, are significant concerns in the Houston area. He presents information on the red imported fire ant to civic/homeowner groups in Harris and surrounding Counties. This is accomplished by participating in meetings, industry Safety Fairs, local community festivities such as Earth Day and Arbor Day and distributing various Texas AgriLife Extension educational materials pertaining to fire ant management and other insect control. In 2011 the IPM Steering Committee identified the presence of the bed bug in many housing facilities as a problem that could be addressed with educational programming for managers of the housing facilities. More emphasis is being placed on bed bug education.
During the years that Dr. Nester has been involved with Red Imported Fire Ant Research and Management, we have championed the development of several “products/processes” and demonstrated that they can be used in addressing the goal of eliminating the fire ant as a pest of major economic and health significance. Some of these “products/processes” are: community-wide fire ant management demonstrations, novel pesticide technology and products evaluation, fire ant bio-control, fire ant bait distribution systems, fire ant management in sensitive areas such as nursing homes and endangered species habitat, and development of management systems for the hairy crazy ant.
Scholarly Publications:
Nester, P.R., T.R. Harger and L.L. McCormick.1979. Weed watch – wild poinsettia. Weeds Today 10(2):24-25.
Harger, T.E. and P.R. Nester. 1980. Wild poinsettia: a major soybean weed. Louisiana Agriculture 23(3):4-7.
Nester, P.R., T.R. Harger and J. P. Geaghan. 1984. Itchgrass (Rottboellia exaltata) response to control practice in soybean (Glycine max). Weed Sci. 32:807-832.
Grichar, W.J., P.R. Nester and A.E. Colburn. 1992. Nutsedge (Cyperus spp.) control in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) with imazathapyr. Weed Technol. 6:396-400.
Grymes, C.F., J.M. Chandler and P.R. Nester. 1995. Response of soybean (Glycene max) and rice (Oryza sativa) in rotation to AC 263,222. Weed Technol. 9:504-511.
Grichar, W.J., P.R. Nester and D.C. Sestak. 1997. Peanut (Arachis hypogeae L.) response to imazathapyr as affected by timing of application. Peanut Sci. 24:10-12.
Grichar, W.J. and P.R. Nester. 1997. Nutsedge (Cyperus spp.) control in peanut (Arachis hypogeae) with AC 263,222 and imazathapyr. Weed Technol. 11: 714-719.
Grichar, W.J., D.C. Sestak and P.R. Nester. 1999. Imidazolinone herbicide effects on rotational corps following peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in south Texas. Texas J. of Agric. and Nat. Res. 12:18-27.
Thompson, A.M., E. Rosales-Robles, J.M. Chandler, P.R. Nester and C.H. Tingle. 2005. Crop tolerance and weed management systems in imidazolinone-tolerant corn (Zea mays L.). Weed Technol. 19:1037-1044.
Awards:
2004 Texas County Agricultural Agents Association – Communications Award, 1st Place (Team)
2004 National Association of County Agricultural Agents – State Winner, Communication
Award (Team)
2005 Epsilon Sigma Phi, Alpha Zeta Chapter – Certificate of Meritorious Service
2006 Epsilon Sigma Phi – Early Career Award
2006 Association for Communications Excellence – Bronze Award (Team)
2008 Outstanding State IPM Program Award – Southern Region IPM Center
2010 Texas County Agricultural Agents Association – Poster Award, 2nd Place (Team)