I develop extension education and research programming on the management of structural and household pests, including fire ants and Formosan termites, in support of the pest control industry, Georgia homeowners, and the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. I also coordinate the training activities for the Georgia Structural Pest Control Training Facility located at the Georgia Experiment Station, Griffin, GA. The training facility is a simulated home consisting of multiple construction types that technicians are most likely to encounter while treating for termites. Construction of the facility was made possible by a grant from the U.S.-EPA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

My research program is applied in nature, and focused primarily on control of house-infesting ants such as Argentine ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, Pharaoh's ants, and carpenter ants. Research projects are designed to address the needs of pest control operators, including the evaluation of current and evolving ant control products (e.g., baits) and the development of new strategies and tactics for pest ant control. For more information, go to the Urban Pest Management at Griffin website.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Suiter, D. R., B. M. Schneider, C. Riegel, M. S. Smith, and G. W. Bennett. 2006. Brood reduction in noviflumuron-fed Pharaoh’s ant, Monomorium pharaonis, and Argentine ant,Linepithema humile, colonies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 47: 149-164.

Sedenger, B. D., D. R. Suiter, and G. W. Bennett. 2006. German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) (Blattaria: Blattellidae), feeding activity in apartment kitchens. J. Entomol. Sci. 41: 49-56.

Nuss, A. B., D. R. Suiter, and G. W. Bennett. 2005. Continuous monitoring of the black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), trail behavior. Sociobiology 45: 597-618.

Suiter, D. R. and B. T. Forschler. 2004. Termite control services: information for the Georgia property owner. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service (CAES) Bulletin 1241. 16 pp. color.

Suiter, D.R. 2003. Biology and management of carpenter ants. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service (CAES) Bulletin 1225. 8 pp. color.

Suiter, D.R., S.C. Jones, and B.T. Forschler. 2002. Biology of subterranean termites in the eastern United States. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service (CAES) Bulletin 1209. 8 pp. color.

Suiter, D.R. Published annually. Household and structural insect control. In: Georgia Pest Management Handbook: Homeowner's Version. 29 pp.

Tripp, J.M., D.R. Suiter, G.W. Bennett, J.H. Klotz, and B.L. Reid. 2000. Evaluation of some control measures for black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 93: 1493-1497.

Tripp, J.M., D.R. Suiter, G.W. Bennett, and J.H. Klotz. 2000. Lincoln index derived forager population estimates in the black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 35: 109-117.

Ramakrishnan, R., D.R. Suiter, C.H. Nakatsu, R.A. Humber, and G.W. Bennett. 1999. Imidacloprid-enhanced Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) susceptibility to the entomopathogen Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin. J. Econ. Entomol. 92: 1125-1132.