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. Bezanson, G., C.J. Dovell and K.D. Floate. 2018. The attractiveness of fresh and frozen cattle dung to coprophagous insects. 66th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, September 27-29 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  2. Shivananjappa, S., R. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2018. Induction and termination of diapause in the quarantine insect Trogoderma granarium. 66th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 27-29 September [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  3. De Clerck-Floate, R.A. and K.D. Floate. 2018. Bacterial symbionts as potential drivers of biotype formation within the hawkweed gall wasp Aulacidea pilosellae. XV International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. Engelberg, Switzerland, 26-31 August

    2018 - View publication details

  4. Shivananjappa, S., K.D. Floate, R. Laird and P. Fields. 2019. Cross tolerance to desiccation and cold in khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium. Joint Meeting Acadian Entomological Society, the Entomological Society of Canada, and the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution. Fredericton, NB, August 18 – 21, 2019

    2018 - View publication details

  5. Nieman, C.C., Floate, K.D., Düring, R.A., Heinrich, A.P., Young, D.K., Schaefer, D.M. (2018). Eprinomectin from a sustained release formulation adversely affected dung breeding insects. PLoS ONE, [online] 13(8), http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201074

    2018 - View publication details

  6. Goater, C.P., Dyck, J., Proctor, H., Floate, K.D. (2018). Hyperparasitism of an Avian Ectoparasitic Hippoboscid Fly, Ornithomya anchineuria, by the Mite, Myialges Cf. Borealis, in Alberta, Canada. Journal of Parasitology, [online] 104(2), 111-116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1645/17-171

    2018 - View publication details

  7. De Clerck-Floate, R.A. and K.D. Floate. 2018. A possible case of gall wasp speciation induced by endosymbiotic bacteria. 7th International Symposium on Cecidology. Huisun Experimental Forest Station, Nantou County, Taiwan, March 3-8 [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  8. Soden, C, Hao X, Thomas BW, Stoeckli K, Floate K, Lupwayi N. 2018. Could dung pats treated with and without ivermectin affect insect activities and impact soil available nitrogen on native pasture? 2018 Alberta Soil Science Workshop, Edmonton AB, Feb 20-22, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  9. Floate, K.D., Huber, D. (2018). Congratulations to the Canadian Entomologist on this, its sesquicentennial anniversary!. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 150(1), 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.64

    2018 - View publication details

  10. Hao, X., C. Soden, J. Stoeckli, B.W. Thomas, K.D. Floate and N. Lupwayi. 2018. Could insect activities reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dung pats? 71st Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management, Sparks, Nevada, 28 January – 02 February. [oral presentation]

    2018 - View publication details

  11. Hervet, V.A.D., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D. (2018). Siblicidal behaviour by larvae of the gregarious parasitoid Cotesia vanessae. Journal of Hymenoptera Research,(67), 55-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.67.28978

    2018 - View publication details

  12. Floate, K.D., Shorthouse, J.D., Giberson, D.J., Cárcamo, H.A. (2017). Arthropods of Canadian grasslands: A retrospective of a 40-year project of the Biological Survey of Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 149(6), 702-707. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.46

    2017 - View publication details

  13. De Clerck-Floate, R.A., and K.D. Floate. 2017. Evidence for Wolbachia-induced speciation in a gall-forming wasp. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 22-25 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  14. Bezanson, G., and K.D. Floate. 2017. Assessing the diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in pasture and forested areas in southern Alberta. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 22-25 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  15. Dufton, S., J. Otani, K.D. Floate & R. Laird. 2017. Effects of crop rotation and canopy cover on assemblages of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Peace River Region. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 22-25 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  16. Lahr, J., N. Adler, J. Bachmann, W.U. Blanckenhorn, R-A. Düring, K.D. Floate, J. Römbke, J-P. Lumaret & J. Jensen. 2017. Proposal for a “standard” field study for the evaluation of the effects of parasiticides on dung and soil organisms. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 22-25 [poster]

    2017 - View publication details

  17. Wilches, D., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2017. Effects of extreme temperatures on the survival of the quarantine stored-product pest, Trogoderma granarium (khapra beetle) and on its associated bacteria. Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada / Entomological Society of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 22-25 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  18. De Clerck-Floate, R.A., and K.D. Floate. 2017. Evidence for Wolbachia-induced speciation in a gall-forming wasp. 65th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada, September 28-30 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  19. Bezanson, G., and K.D. Floate. 2017. Assessing the diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in pasture and forested areas in southern Alberta. 65th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada, September 28-30 [oral presentation]

    2017 - View publication details

  20. Floate, K.D., Watson, D.W., Weiss, R.M., Olfert, O. (2017). Bioclimatic analyses for the distributions of Onthophagus nuchicornis, Onthophagus taurus, and Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in North America. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 149(4), 504-524. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.20

    2017 - 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