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Toews Biography
Michael Toews (Toews rhymes with Dave’s) received a B.S. from Fort Hays State University followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. After completing post docs at Kansas State University (2001-2002) and USDA-ARS (2002-2006), he joined the University of Georgia in 2006 as a research entomologist with responsibilities in applied insect ecology and pest management. In the past ten years, the University added statewide Extension responsibilities for stored product entomology, teaching responsibilities in graduate level ecology and Co-Director responsibilities at the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. The 2015 Southeastern Branch recipient of the ESA Award for Excellence in Integrated Pest Management, Toews has served on 23 graduate student committees (12 as major professor), secured $14.9 million dollars in competitive grant funding and published more than 60 research papers. Current model systems include thrips, stink bugs, kudzu bug and sugarcane aphid.
Research Overview
Research programs in the Toews Lab are designed to develop and test ecologically based strategies for sustainable pest management in cotton, corn and soybean. Many of our studies are conducted with phytophagous stink bugs (Nezara viridula, Euschistus servis, Halyomorpha halys, and Chinavia hilaris), but we also work with thrips, whiteflies, and kudzu bugs. Current projects integrate elements of insect behavior, sampling, monitoring, population ecology, basic biology, and movement across agricultural landscapes.
Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health Overview
The Center was founded in 2008 to serve a lead role in the development, consolidation and dissemination of information and programs focused on invasive species, forest health, natural resource and agricultural management through technology development, program implementation, training, applied research and public awareness at the state, regional, national and international levels. Dr. Toews leadership roles include grant writing, student advising, applied research, and developing programmatic content to support agricultural stakeholders. Together with Bugwood staff, he has developed and released smartphone apps and content for invasive species such as the kudzu bug and brown marmorated stink bug. Dr. Toews is currently leading efforts to integrate proper pest thresholds, IPM and insecticide application guidelines into a smartphone app for use by southeastern row crop growers and consultants.
Extension Overview
In addition to extending research findings to support Georgia cotton pest management stakeholders, we are responsible for providing statewide leadership and support in the areas of stored grain pest management and insect management in processing facilities.
Teaching Overview
Dr. Toews is responsible for teaching Insect Ecology (ENTO 8500, co-taught with Dr. Kerry Oliver), and Concepts in IPM (ENTO 8820, co-taught with Drs. David Buntin, and Will Hudson).
Georgia Pest Management Handbook Contributions
Lab Personnel
Summer 2017
Post Docs
Graduate Student Committees
- Allison Randell (ark09312@uga.edu) MPPPM at the University of Georgia
- Dilani Patel (Dilani.patel@uga.edu) Ph.D. at the University of Georgia
Lab Personnel
- David Griffin, Research Technician III (dlk@uga.edu)
- Sarah Hobby, Research Professional I (shobby@uga.edu)
- Kate Anderson, Research Professional (Katherine.anderson@usda.gov)
- Taylor Flemming, Research Professional (tfleming7219@gmail.com)
- Shardaya Weems , Temporary Hourly Professional (smweems1@uga.edu)
Former Lab Members
- Ian Knight, 2012-2017, M.S. Ph.D. student
- Whitney Hadden, 2015-2016, M.S. student
- Xing Wei, 2013-2016, visiting scholar/ MPPPM student
- Garrett Brown, 2014-2017, student worker
- James Murphy, 2014-2016, M.S. student
- Joni Blount, 2012-2016, Ph.D. student
- Brian Little, 2012-2014, M.S. student
- Jamal Hunter, 2011-2014, student worker
- Melissa Thompson, 2013-2014, Research Technician III
- Marchan Jackson, 2014, GIFT Teaching Fellow
- Ishakh Pulakkatu-thodi, 2010-2014, Ph.D. student/Post Doc
- Anne Horak, 2010-2014, Laboratory Technician II
- Barry Luke, 2011-2013, Student Worker
- Ta-I Huang, 2008-2012, Ph.D. Student
- Miguel Ferreira Soria, 2011, Visiting Graduate Student
- John Herbert, 2009-2011, Post Doc
- Wesley Stephens, 2010-2011, Research Technician III
- Breanna Daniel, 2011, Student Worker
- Kevin Frizzel, 2010, Student Worker
- Jessica Corbett, 2007-2009, Student Worker
- Blake Crabtree, 2007-2009, Student Worker
- Anna Perrin, 2009, GIFT Teaching Fellow
- Alton Hudgins, 2007-2008, Research Technician
- Seth Hamer, 2008, Student Worker
- Rebecca Luke, 2007, Student Worker
- April Rich, 2014-2017, Student Worker
- Lauren Perez, 2017-2019, MS student
- Sriyanka Lahiri, 2017-2019, Post Doc
- Nan Bostick, 2016-2018, MPPPM student
Publications
A. Book Chapters (6 total, 4 at UGA, 4 since 2012)
Toews, M.D., and P.M. Roberts. Stink bugs. In D. Kerns (ed.) Compendium of cotton diseases, pests and disorders. Pp. xxx-xxx. American Phytopathological Society Press, St. Paul, MN (In press).
Greene, J.K., E.P. Benson, J.A. Baum, C.S. Bundy, W.A. Jones, G.G. Kennedy, J.E. McPherson, F.R. Musser, M.D. Toews, and J.F. Walgenbach. General insect management. Pp. xxx-xxx. In J.E. McPherson (ed.), Biology of invasive stink bugs and related species. CRC Press, New York (In press).
Esquivel, J.F., J. Grazia, J. Greene, W.A. Jones, R.M. McPherson, D.L Musolin, W. Rabitsch, C.F. Schwertner, and M.D. Toews. Nezara viridula (L.). Pp. xxx-xxx. In J.E. McPherson (ed.), Biology of invasive stink bugs and related species. CRC Press, New York (In press).
Toews, M.D., and C. Nansen. 2012. Trapping and interpreting captures of stored grain insects. Pp. 243-262. In Hagstrum, D.W, T.W. Phillips, and G. W. Cuperus (eds.). Stored Product Protection, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
Hutchinson, J.M.S., J.F. Campbell, M.D. Toews, T.J. Vought, Jr., and S.B Ramaswamy. 2011. Designing a local-scale microsimulation of lesser grain borer population dynamics and movements. Pp. 207-232. In S. Clay (ed.) GIS Applications in Agriculture, Volume Three: Invasive Species, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Toews, M.D., and Bh. Subramanyam. 2002. Sanitation in grain storage and handling. Pp. 481-497. In Y.H. Hui, B.L. Bruinsma, J.R. Gorham, W. Nip, P.S. Tong, and P. Ventresca (eds.). Food Plant Sanitation. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
B. Peer Reviewed Publications
*Knight, E.A., P.M. Roberts, W.A. Gardner, K.M. Oliver, A. Jacobson and M.D. Toews. Effect of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and fungicide applications on 10 Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) in soybean. Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management (in press).
Evans, R.K., M.D. Toews, and A.A. Sial. 2017. Diel periodicity of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) under field conditions. PLOS ONE 12(2) DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0171718.
*Wei, X, P.M. Roberts, W.M. Porter, C.D. Perry, and M.D. Toews. 2017. A laboratory evaluation of chemigation to manage stink bugs. Journal of Economic Entomology 110: 471-478.
*Knight, Ian, G. Rains, A. Culbreath, and M. Toews. 2017. Thrips counts and disease incidence in response to reflective particle films and conservation tillage in cotton and peanut cropping systems. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 162: 19-29.
*Soria, M. F., P. E. Degrande, A. R. Panizzi and M.D. Toews. 2016. Economic injury level of the neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.), on cotton plants. Neotropical Entomology (in press) DOI 10.1007/s13744-016-0454-2.
Stubbins, F.L, J.K. Greene, M.D. Toews, and F.P.F. Reay-Jones. 2016. Assessment of a cross-vane trap as a tool for sampling the invasive Megacopta cribraria in soybean with associated evaluations of female reproductive status. Environmental Entomology 45:1262-1270.
Ni, X., Cottrell, T. E., Toews, M. D., Tillman, P. G. and Buntin, G. D. 2016. Diurnal activities of the brown stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in and near tasseling corn fields. Journal of Entomological Science 51: 226-237.
Blount., J., P. Roberts, M. Toews, W. Gardner., J. All., J. Davis, and D. Buntin. 2016. Season population dynamics of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) in kudzu and soybean, and implication for insecticidal control in soybean. Journal of Economic Entomology, 110:157‐167.
Marasigan, K., M. Toews, R. Kemerait, Jr., M.R. Abney, A. Culbreath, and R. Srinivasan. 2016. Evaluation of alternatives to carbamate and organophosphate insecticides against thrips and tomato spotted wilt virus in peanut production. J. Econ. Entomol. 109:544-557.
*Knight, I., G. Rains, A. Culbreath, and M.D. Toews. 2015. Conservation tillage and thiamethoxam seed treatments as tools to reduce thrips densities and disease in cotton and peanut. Crop Protection 76:92-99.
Pilkay, G.L., F.P.F. Reay-Jones, J.K. Greene, M.D. Toews, and W.C. Bridges. 2015. Spatial and temporal dynamics of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in southeastern farmscapes. Journal of Insect Science 15:1-13.
Ni, X., J.P. Wilson, M.D. Toews, G.D. Buntin, X. Li, Z. Lei, K. He, W. Xu, X. Li, A. Huffaker, and E.A. Schmelz. 2014. Evaluation of spatial and temporal patterns of insect damage and aflatoxin level in the pre-harvest corn fields to improve management tactics. Insect Science 21:572-583.
Ni, Xinzhi, M.D. Toews, G.D. Buntin, J.E. Carpenter, A. Huffaker, E.A. Schmelz, T.E. Cottrell, and Z. Abdo. 2014. Influence of brown stink bug feeding, planting date and sampling time on common smut infection of maize. Insect Science 21:564-571.
*Pulakkatu-thodi, I., D. Reisig, J.K. Greene, F. Reay-Jones, and M.D. Toews. 2014. Within-field spatial distribution of stink bug induced boll injury in commercial cotton fields of the southeastern USA. Environmental Entomology 43:744-752.
Kamminga, K., D.A. Herbert, M.D. Toews, S. Malone, and T. Kuhar. 2014. Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) feeding injury on cotton bolls. Journal of Cotton Science 18:68-74.
*Pulakkatu-thodi, I., D. Shurley, and M.D. Toews. 2014. Influence of planting date on stink bug injury, yield, fiber quality and economic returns in Georgia cotton. Journal of Economic Entomology 107:646-653.
Patents
Haidekker, M. A., M. D. Toews, and J. Xia. 2013. Non-invasive methods and apparatus for detecting insect-induced damage in a plant. United States Patent and Trademark Office patent no. 8,384,046 (issued February 26, 2013).
Haidekker, M. A., M. D. Toews, and J. Xia. 2011. Non-invasive methods and apparatus for detecting insect-induced damage in a plant. Full patent application in the following countries: Brazil, India, China, Egypt, and Australia.
Competitive Grant Support (last 3 years)
Competitive Grant Funding ($14,048,236 lifetime, $13,032,360 at UGA, $11,079,517 since 2012) (UGA budget $3,660,200 lifetime, $2,004,874 since 2012). Since 2012 only shown.
Tomberlin, J., K. Wooley and M.D. Toews. Microbial camouflage of valued resources as a mechanism for manipulating fungal pest response. US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. 7/1/2017 to 12/31/2018 ($613,835 total, $79,520 to UGA).
Toews, M.D. and P.M. Roberts. Collaborative efforts to manage insect pests of cotton in the southeast. 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017 ($16,969).
Toews, M.D. and P.M. Roberts (Understanding food webs to engineer more sustainable cotton production systems. 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017 (20,000).
Toews, M.D. and K.L. Flanders. Dissemination of grain storage information in the southeastern US. 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017 ($12,361).
Toews, M.D., K.L. Flanders, and X. Ni. Economics of safe corn storage in the southeastern US. Georgia Corn Commission 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017 ($18,943).
Tubbs, R.S., W.S. Monfort, M. Toews, T. Grey, P. Ji, A. Hagan, K.B. Balkcom, and K.S. Balkcom, Agronomic management and cropping systems research for peanut. National Peanut Board – Southeast Peanut Research Initiative. 1/1/2017 to 12/31/17 ($85,500 total, $81,000 to UGA).
Walgenbach, J., E. Beers, K. Daane, L. Gut, T. Kuhar, T. Leskey, M. Toews, D. Crowder, K. Hoelmer, A. Nielsen, J. Harper, S. Young, A. Agnello, P. Jentsch, A. Hajek, A. Sial, R. Bessin, R. Villanueva, J. Obrycki, P. Shrewsbury, C. Hoods, J. Wilson, B. Hutchinson, B. Koch, C. Philips, D. Reisig, G. Kennedy, C. Welty, N. Wiman, V. Walton, R. Hilton, C. Kaiser, G. Krawczyk, G. Hamilton, M. Cooper, L. Godfrey, F. Zalom, M. Hoddle, D. Weber, J. Lee, D. Alston, L. Spears, and C. Bergh. Management of brown marmorated stink bug in US specialty crops. USDA NIFA SCRI. 9/1/2016 to 8/31/2021 ($9,164,909 total, $275,924 to UGA).
Toews, M.D., and P.R. Roberts. An investigation of cotton pathogens transmitted by stink bugs. Cotton Incorporated. 1/1/16 to 12/31/16 ($21,208).
Toews, M.D., and P.R. Roberts. Collaborative efforts to manage insect pests of cotton in the southeast. Cotton Incorporated. 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016 ($16,777).
Toews, M.D., K. Flanders, N. Smith, and X. Ni. 2016. Research and economics of safe corn storage in the southeastern US. Alabama Wheat and Grain Feed Association. 1/1/16 to 12/31/16 ($19,397).
Toews, M.D., K. Flanders, N. Smith, and X. Ni. 2016. Research and economics of safe corn storage in the southeastern US. Georgia Corn Commission. 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016 ($26,374).
Toews, M.D., P.R. Roberts, and W. Porter. Efficacy and practicality of chemigation for managing stink bugs (Yr. 2). Georgia Cotton Commission. 1/1/16 to 12/31/16 ($21,400).
Toews, M.D., and G. Tillman. Establishment of a brown marmorated working group in the southern US. Southern IPM Center. 3/1/16 to 2/28/17 ($10,000).
Ni, X., J.E. Knoll, M.D. Toews, and G.D. Buntin. Screenings of unique inbred lines and experimental hybrids for resistance to whorl-, ear- and kernel-feeding insects and aflatoxin accumulation. Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Corn. 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016 ($13,750).
Toews, M.D., J.H. LaForest, C.T. Bargeron, T.B. Brenneman, J.M. Schmidt, A.K. Culbreath, and D.G. Buntin. Design and implementation of qualitative data networks. USDA-NIFA Crop Protection and Pest Management. 9/1/2015 to 8/31/2018 ($174,306).