Dr. Kevin Floate

Image Kevin Floate
Senior Research Scientist

  • Crop and livestock entomology, insect-microbe (symbiont) interactions, biological control of insect pests, non-target effects of chemical residues in livestock dung.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Current research and/or projects

  • Characterization of invasive pests and exotic biological control agents. Collaborator (2019 – 2022)
  • Subtle cascade effects: the consequences of veterinary medicinal products to non-target microbiomes. Principle Investigator (2019 – 2022)
  • Managing wireworms in southern Alberta wheat fields with crop rotations and beneficial insects. Collaborator (2017 – 2021)
  • Diversity and ecosystem function of insects in cattle dung on pastures. Principle Investigator (2017 – 2019)
  • Biological control of agricultural pests. Collaborator (2017 – 2019)
  • Diversity, structure and role of field boundary habitats in agro-ecosystems. ​Collaborator (2017 – 2019)

Research and/or project statements

  • molecular barcoding for insect identification
  • non-target effects of parasiticide use on pasture ecosystems
  • parasitic wasps as biocontrol agents agains crop and livestock pests
  • next-generation sequencing to characterize insect microbiomes
  • field guides to transfer research results to farmers and ranchers

Professional activities / interests

  • community insect ecology
  • participation in regional and national entomological societies
  • identification of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
  • student training

Education and awards

  • B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 1983
  • M.Sc. Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 1987
  • Ph.D. Zoology, Northern Arizona University, 1992
  • C. Gordon Hewitt Award (2000), presented by the Entomological Society of Canada (ESC)
  • ESC Service Award, Editor (2007 – 2009), Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Canada
  • ESC Service Award, Editor-in-Chief (2014 – 2017), The Canadian Entomologist

International experience and/or work

  • Founding Member – Dung Organism Toxicity Testing (DOTTS – SETAC) (2002-present)
  • Transfer of Work – University of Queensland (2004 – 2005)
  • Scientific Advisor – European Medicines Authority (2018)

Additional links

Entomological Society of Alberta

Entomological Society of Canada

The Canadian Entomologist

ResearchGate

 

 

 

Key publications

  1. Floate, KD. 2023. Cow patty critters: An introduction to the ecology, biology and identification of insects in cattle dung on Canadian pastures. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. 224 pp.

    2023 - View publication details

  2. Liu, X.; Floate, K.D.; Gorzelak, M.A.; Holman, D.B.; Hrycauk, S.; Kubota, H.; Lupwayi, N.; Neilson, J.A.D.; Ortega Polo, R.; Petri, R.M.; Tran, L.; Wang, H.; Wilches, D.; Yang, X.; Zorz, J.; Guarna, M.M. Prairie Agroecosystems: Interconnected Microbiomes of Livestock, Soil and Insects. Agriculture 2023, 13, 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020326

    2023 - View publication details

  3. Moffat, C.E., Floate, K., De Clerck-Floate, R. Detection and implications of cryptic species in weed biocontrol systems. In: Inspiration from Hidden Diversity: Cryptic Species and the Future of Insect Taxonomy Symposium. 2022 ESA, ESC and ESBC Joint Annual Meeting. November 13-16 2022. Vancouver, BC.

    2022 - View publication details

  4. Otani, J., Weiss, R., Trudel, S., Rounce, T., Giffen, D., Gavloski, J., Floate, K., Barkley, S., Soroka, J., Baute, T., Hueppelsheuser, T., Tansey, J., Duval, B., Liu, S., Congdon, C., Holden, D., Olfert, O., Vankosky, M. 2022. Prairie Pest Monitoring Network “Weekly Update” Webpage-bulletin, May 20, 2022 edition (Issue 2). url: https://prairiepest.ca/2022/week-2/#post_12501 (retrieved 2022Nov16).

    2022 - View publication details

  5. Dufton, S.V., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D., Otani, J.K. (2021). Diversity, rate, and distribution of wheat midge parasitism in the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 153(4), 461-469. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2021.7

    2021 - View publication details

  6. Backmeyer, S., K.D. Floate and C. Goater. Assessing the non-target effects of LongRange® eprinomectin on dung-breeding insects. 68th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 22-23 [videoconference]

    2020 - View publication details

  7. Noriega, J.A., Floate, K.D., Génier, F., Reid, C.A.M., Kohlmann, B., Horgan, F.G., Davis, A.L.V., Forgie, S.A., Aguilar, C., Ibarra, M.G., Vaz-de-Mello, F., Ziani, S., Lobo, J.M. (2020). Global distribution patterns provide evidence of niche shift by the introduced African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, [online] 168(10), 766-782. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eea.12961

    2020 - View publication details

  8. Finch, D., Schofield, H., Floate, K.D., Kubasiewicz, L.M., Mathews, F. (2020). Implications of Endectocide Residues on the Survival of Aphodiine Dung Beetles: A Meta-Analysis. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, [online] 39(4), 863-872. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.4671

    2020 - View publication details

  9. Shivananjappa, S., Fields, P., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D. (2020). Contributions of diet quality and diapause duration to the termination of larval diapause in khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Journal of Stored Products Research, [online] 85 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2019.101535

    2020 - View publication details

  10. Jiménez-Padilla, Y., Esan, E.O., Floate, K.D., Sinclair, B.J. (2020). Persistence of diet effects on the microbiota of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 152(4), 516-531. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2020.37

    2020 - View publication details

  11. Wilches, D., P. Coghlin, A. Smith and K.D. Floate. 2019. Status of the Aphodius fimetarius / A. pedellus complex in Canada. 6th Joint Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Elkwater, AB, 3-5 October.

    2019 - View publication details

  12. Shivananjappa, S., D.M. Wilches, K.D. Floate, R. Laird, P. Fields and V. Hervet*. 2019. Diapause, desiccation and cold tolerance in khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium. 12th Conference of the IOBC-WPRS Working Group Integrated Protection of Stored Products (IPSP), Pisa, Italy, September 4-6.

    2019 - View publication details

  13. Bezanson, G.A., Floate, K.D. (2019). An Updated Checklist of the Coleoptera Associated with Livestock Dung on Pastures in America North of Mexico, 73(3), 655-683. http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-73.3.655

    2019 - View publication details

  14. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D., Fields, P.G. (2019). Control of Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) Using High Temperatures. Journal of Economic Entomology, [online] 112(2), 963-968. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy379

    2019 - View publication details

  15. Dufton, S., J. Otani, K.D. Floate, R.A. Laird and O.O. Olfert. 2018. Effects of crop type and canopy cover on wheat midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) and assemblages of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Peace River region. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of America / Entomological Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 11-14 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  16. Wilches, D.M., R.A. Laird, P. Fields, K.D. Floate and P. Coghlin. 2018. The microbiome of Trogoderma granarium: First report on the presence of Spiroplasma bacteria. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of America / Entomological Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 11-14 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  17. Bezanson, G.A., C.P. Goater and K.D. Floate. 2018. Assessing dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) diversity in open and forested pasture in southern Alberta, Canada. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of America / Entomological Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 11-14 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  18. Shivananjappa, S., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2018. Induction and termination of diapause in the quarantine insect Trogoderma granarium (khapra beetle). Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of America / Entomological Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 11-14 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  19. Floate, K.D. and R. De Clerck-Floate. 2018. A possible case of gall wasp speciation induced by endosymbiotic bacteria. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of America / Entomological Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 11-14 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  20. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Fields, P.G., Coghlin, P., Floate, K.D. (2018). Spiroplasma dominates the microbiome of khapra beetle: comparison with a congener, effects of life stage and temperature. Symbiosis, [online] 76(3), 277-291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13199-018-0560-5

    2018 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Lethbridge Research and Development Centre
5403 1st Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Ecology›Insect
Agriculture›Entomology›Population ecology

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor – University of Lethbridge
  • President (2018 – 2019), Entomological Society of Canada
  • Member (2019 – 2022), National Science and Ethics Committee, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Past Editor-in-Chief (2014 – 2017), The Canadian Entomologist, Subject Editor (since 2002)

  • Member – Entomological Society of Canada, Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Alberta, International Organization for Biological Control (Nearctic Regional Section)

Language

English