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. Erlandson, M.A., Holowachuk, J., Sieminska, E.A., Hummel, J., Otani, J., Floate, K.D. (2017). Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for the identification of common cutworm species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infesting canola in western Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 149(4), 540-548. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.5

    2017 - View publication details

  2. Mason PG, De Clerck-Floate RA, Gallant B, Gillespie DR, Floate K, Bourchier R, Douglas H, Vincent C, Boivin G (2017) Guide for the Importation and Release of Arthropod Biological Control Agents in Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada A42-122/2017E.

    2017 - View publication details

  3. Noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pests of canola in North America

    2017 - View publication details

  4. Otani, J.K., Gavloski, J.E., Hervet, V.A.D., Meers, S., Barkley, S., Hartley, S., Hummel, J.D., Erlandson, M.A., Reid, P., Broatch, J.S., Laird, R.A., and Floate, K.D. (2016). "Cutworm Update.", 2016 Agronomy Update, Red Deer, AB, Canada, January 19-20, 2016, Presentation (~350 people), pp. 42.

    2016 - View publication details

  5. Dufton, S., Otani, J., Laird, R., Floate, K. 2016. Effects of crop rotation and canopy cover on orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) and assemblages of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Peace River region. LeRDC Graduate Symposium, November 30, 2016, held at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre in Lethbridge, AB. (~80 attendees – scientists, technical staff, and students from LeRDC).

    2016 - View publication details

  6. Wilches, D., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2016. Low and high temperature treatments as alternatives to methyl bromide control of Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). 10th International Conference on Controlled Atmosphere Storage and Fumigation. New Delhi, India, November 7-11. [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  7. Nieman, C. and K.D. Floate. 2016. LongRange® (eprinomectin), faecal residues, and dung-breeding insects. 64th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Calgary, AB, October 27-29. [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  8. Floate, K.D., P. Coghlin, B. Dunlop, D. Ostrander, L. Lesage and R. Bourchier. 2016. Assessment of the diversity of Aphthona flea beetles for biological control of leafy spurge on the prairies. XXV International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL, September 25-30. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.111113 [poster]

    2016 - View publication details

  9. Hervet, V.A.D., R.A. Laird and K.D. Floate. 2016. Ecology of a hymenopteran parasitoid, Cotesia vanessae (Braconidae). XXV International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL, September 25-30. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.113328 [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  10. Wilches, D., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2016. Controlling Trogoderma granarium with extreme temperatures. XXV International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL, September 25-30. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.91845 [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  11. Floate, K.D., Düring, R.A., Hanafi, J., Jud, P., Lahr, J., Lumaret, J.P., Scheffczyk, A., Tixier, T., Wohde, M., Römbke, J., Sautot, L., Blanckenhorn, W.U. (2016). Validation of a standard field test method in four countries to assess the toxicity of residues in dung of cattle treated with veterinary medical products. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, [online] 35(8), 1934-1946. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.3154

    2016 - View publication details

  12. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D., Fields, P.G., 2016. A review of diapause and tolerance to extreme temperatures in dermestids (Coleoptera). Journal of Stored Products Research 68, 50-62.

    2016 - View publication details

  13. OTANI, J., Giffen, D., Weiss, R., Svendsen, E., Floate, K., Olfert, O. 2016. Prairie Pest Monitoring Network e-Bulletin – June 29, 2016 edition. 2016-9:1-15. http://goo.gl/HLlAO1

    2016 - View publication details

  14. OTANI, J., Giffen, D., Weiss, R., Svendsen, E., Floate, K., Olfert, O. 2016. Prairie Pest Monitoring Network e-Bulletin – June 22, 2016 edition. 2016-8:1-19. http://goo.gl/chPkMR

    2016 - View publication details

  15. Li, Y.Y., Fields, P.G., Pang, B.P., Floate, K.D. (2016). Effects of tetracycline and rifampicin treatments on the fecundity of the Wolbachia-infected host, Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, [online] 109(3), 1458-1464. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/tow067

    2016 - View publication details

  16. Floate, K.D. 2016. The changing diversity and ecosystem function of dung beetles on the Canadian prairies: A never-ending story. 100th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Branch of the Entomological Society of America. Honolulu, HI, April 3-6. [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  17. Floate, K.D., Godbout, J., Lau, M.K., Isabel, N., Whitham, T.G. (2016). Plant-herbivore interactions in a trispecific hybrid swarm of Populus: Assessing support for hypotheses of hybrid bridges, evolutionary novelty and genetic similarity. New Phytologist, [online] 209(2), 832-844. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.13622

    2016 - View publication details

  18. Hervet, V.A.D., R.A. Laird and K.D. Floate. 2016. A review of the McMorran diet for rearing Lepidoptera species with addition of a further 39 species. Journal of Insect Science (http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iev151)

    2016 - View publication details

  19. Hervet, V.A.D., Laird, R.A., and Floate, K.D. (2015). "Multitrophic interactions influencing parasitism success and larval development of the parasitoid wasp Cotesia vanessae.", Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and Quebec, Montreal, QC, Canada, November 7-11, 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  20. Römbke, J., Düring, R-A., Wohde, M., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Lumaret, J.-P., Tixier, T., Floate, K.D., and Lahr, J. (2015). "Effects of ivermectin application to cattle on dung fauna and dung degradation.", Dung beetle workshop, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, April 14-15, 2015.

    2015 - 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