Pest Control Advisor
Rincon-Vitova Insectaries, Inc.
Ron Whitehurst, specialist in biological pest control and restoration of agro-ecosystems, consults for farmers, gardeners, consultants and practitioners. He facilitates learning about insect pests and solutions in field, greenhouse, landscape, garden, and animal rearing situations. His lively discussions about insect lifecycles and predator-prey relationships make the principles of biocontrol easy to understand for both lay and technical audiences. He is a member of the California Sustainable Pest Management Work Group, working with 25 stakeholders to develop a pathway to a future with less use of toxic pesticides.
Ron is a California licensed Pest Control Advisor and co-owner of Rincon-Vitova Insectaries, Inc. that produces and markets supplies for biological pest control and agroecology. With a BA in biology from Indiana University, Ron early on worked as an organic garden writer, and helped organize an organic grower association. He has been communicating about organic methods of farming and gardening for over 40 years. Since 1997 he has guided people through the steps of creating and biologically managing ecosystems to grow healthy plants to minimize and control pests, using insect habitat, cultural methods, beneficial insects, and soft pesticides when needed. He has led projects for the Dietrick Institute for Applied Insect Ecology, co-located with Rincon-Vitova. An avid gardener, he loves making compost, building soil, and creating bio-intensive food producing landscapes.
