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Michael F. Potter

Extension Professor
Urban, Medical & Horticultural Entomology
Ph.D. University of Arizona (1982)

 

Department of Entomology
S-225 Agricultural Science Center N
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
Ph: 859.257.2398
Fax: 859.323.1120
Email: mpotter@uky.edu

Biography

Michael F. Potter, Professor of Entomology at the University of Kentucky, specializes in pests infesting buildings, people, pets and property. He received his B.S. degree in entomology from Cornell University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in entomology with a specialization in integrated pest management from the University of Arizona. Before joining the University in 1991, Potter was national technical director for Orkin, the world’s largest pest control company. Prior to that, he worked in the agrichemicals industry as a research entomologist and manager of insecticides.

 

Dr. Potter’s extension and applied research program at the University of Kentucky provides cutting-edge information and advice to homeowners, multi-unit housing, hospitality, health care, food and manufacturing industries, regulatory, legal and consumer protection agencies, national and international news media, and the professional pest control industry. Dr. Potter is a frequent industry speaker, writer and educator. He’s been an invited lecturer in more than 30 states, and has been Keynote Speaker at pest control conferences throughout the world. Mike has been recognized as one of the ‘25 Most Influential People in the Pest Control Industry’ by Pest Control Technology Magazine, and received the Leadership Award for career contributions to the pest management industry.

 

Program

The mission of my urban entomology program at the University of Kentucky is to protect the health, food, property and quality of life of the public­. The program provides information and assistance to citizens, businesses, institutions and agencies in Kentucky, throughout the United States and beyond.

 

Extension Activities

Much of my time is spent working with the professional pest management industry and their customers. On-site inspections are often made to assess pest problems and prescribe solutions.

 

 

Annually, the Entomology Department hosts the University of Kentucky Pest Control Short Course, recognized as one of the premier educational events in the industry. More than 400 practitioners attend from about 20 states to hear the latest insights on pest management. 

 

 

Information on pests of public importance is provided on our Department website. in “ENTfacts: Insect Advice - Home and Health.” Our publications on termite control, bed bugs, carpenter ants, brown recluse spiders, etc. are also listed toward the top of Google™. Consumers and news organizations often cite these articles as being among the most useful on the Web. Publications are also written for the pest management industry, including the most comprehensive, current reference on termite control published in the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control.

 

 

The extension urban entomology program at the University of Kentucky is a leading resource for news organizations. Interviews are frequently provided to such organizations as the Associated Press, The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, CNN, Dateline, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Report, Reader’s Digest, and National Public Radio.

 

 

Applied Research

Termites inflict billions of dollars in damage annually and cause anguish to property owners. A primary research focus has been finding new ways to eliminate infestations. A seminal study funded by the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General showed that most buildings can be protected by applying certain termite control chemicals around foundation exteriors, with only minor treatment indoors. Benefits to consumers include lower cost, less disruption of household items, negligible drilling of floors, and reduced risk of exposure to pesticides. In 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began amending termiticide labels to accommodate the more environmentally responsible use pattern, which is having a profound influence on the way termites are managed in the United States and major termite areas of the world.

 

 

Bed bugs are fast becoming the most serious urban pest threat in a generation. After a 50-year virtual absence, infestations are reappearing in homes, apartments, hotels, dormitories, patient care centers, modes of transport, and elsewhere throughout the world. The University of Kentucky entomology department is working on the front lines of this epidemic, and considered one of the premier academic institutions for information, advice, and relevant research.

 

 

In 2006, we documented the first resistance to modern-day insecticides in U.S. field populations of bed bugs, which will have profound implications for future management. We also published the first field trial utilizing existing products to control apartment infestations. Collaborations with pest control firms have helped us establish several colonies for future study of this important public health threat.

 

 

Mosquitoes are a perennial problem for property owners in Kentucky and other states. A study conducted with UK colleague Dr. Grayson Brown’s laboratory revealed that populations of nuisance Aedes mosquitoes could be reduced by applying residual (pyrethroid) insecticides to resting sites of adult mosquitoes in residential yards. Potential disease-transmitting Culex mosquitoes, however, were unaffected unless applications were directed high into tree canopies. The seminal findings are important to mosquito managers throughout the country who are providing such services to homeowners.

 

 

The Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, is a frequent fall invader of homes and buildings in Kentucky and other states. Working with a team of allergists at the University of Louisville Medical School, we conducted the first study estimating the prevalence of ladybug hypersensitivity among people whose homes were infested. Results suggest that Asian lady beetles can be a significant cause of respiratory allergy in heavily infested homes, casting new importance on a pest formerly considered only a nuisance.

 

 

Selected Publications

 

Book chapters

• Potter, M.F. 2004. Termites. pp. 216-361. In Handbook of Pest Control. (9th ed.). Franzak & Foster. Cleveland, OH.
• Potter, M.F. 1997. Termites. pp. 233-333. In Handbook of Pest Control. (8th ed.). Franzak & Foster, Cleveland, OH.
• Potter, M.F. 1997. Controlling subterranean termites. pp. 251-56. In Troubleshooting Guide to Residential Construction. J. Light Construction (ed.), Richmond, VT.
• Potter, M. F. 1995.  Biting and stinging pests. pp. 91-94.  In Entomological Society of America Handbook of Turfgrass Insect Pests. Entomological Society of America, Lanham, MD.

 

Journal Articles

• Potter, M.F. 2007. (Cover Story) The state of termite management. Pest Control Technol. 35(2): 38-40, 43,44,46,49,51,54, 56.
• Potter, M.F., A. Romero, K.F. Haynes and E. Hardebeck. 2007. Killing them softly: battling bed bugs in sensitive places. Pest Control Technol. 35(1): 24,25,27,29,30,32.
• Romero, A., M.F. Potter, D.A. Potter and K.F. Haynes. 2006. Insecticide resistance in the bed bug: a factor in the pest’s sudden resurgence?  J. Med. Entomol. 44(2): 175-78.  
• Potter, M.F., A. Romero, K.F. Haynes and W. Wickemeyer. 2006. Battling bed bugs in apartments. Pest Control Technol. 34(8): 44-52.
• Potter, M.F. 2006. Mystery bites: diagnosis and management. Pest Control Technol. 34(6). 7pp.
• Potter, M.F. 2006. The perfect storm: an extension view on bed bugs. Am. Entomol. 52(2): 102-4.
• Potter, M.F., K. Sharma, H.L. Pence and S.B. Muldoon. 2006. Ladybugs are a new source of allergy. Pest Control. 74(3).
• Sharma, K., S.B. Muldoon, M.F. Potter, and H.L. Pence. 2006. Ladybug hypersensitivity among residents of homes infested with ladybugs in Kentucky. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 97(4): 528-31.
• Potter, M.F. 2005. A bed bug state of mind: emerging issues in bed bug management. Pest Control Technol. 33(10): 82-85,88,90,92-93,96-97.
• Hubbard, J.L., R.T. Trout, G.C. Brown, and M.F. Potter. 2005. Do backyard mosquito sprays work? Pest Control Technol. 33(5).
• Potter, M.F. 2004. Bedbugs: understanding and control. Pest Control Technol. 32(8): 13-17.
• Potter, M.F. 2004. Termite tendencies. Pest Control Technol. 32(2): 34-36, 38-40, 98.
• Potter, M.F. and A.E. Hillery. 2003. Termite trench warfare. Pest Control Technol. 31(2): 42-55.
• Potter, M.F. and A.E. Hillery. 2003. Nonrepellent strategies for odorous house ants. Pest Control. 71(5): 32-34.
• Potter, M.F. and A.E. Hillery. 2002. Exterior-targeted liquid termiticides: an alternative approach to managing subterranean termites in buildings. Sociobiology 39: 373-405.
• Potter, M.F., A.E. Hillery and S. Sims. 2001. (Cover Story) Termite inspections: active or inactive? Pest Control Technol. 29(2):32-34,42.
• Potter, M.F. and A.E. Hillery. 2001. Thinking ‘outside’ the box. Pest Control Technol. 29(3):68,69,72,74,76,78-82,84,112.
• Potter, M.F., E.A. Eliason, K. Davis and R.T. Bessin. 2001. Managing subterranean termites in the Midwest with a hexaflumuron bait and placement considerations around structures. Sociobiology. 38: 565-585.
• Potter, M.F., E.A. Eliason and K. Davis. 2001. Targeting termites with baits. Pest Control Technol. 29(7):58-60,63.
• Potter, M.F., T. V. Myers and C. Asberry. 2000. A watery termite tale. Pest Control. 68(2):54,56,60.
• Potter, M.F. and R.T. Bessin. 2000.Termites and public attitudes. Pest Control Technol. 28(2):38-43,46,48,50,52,56.
• Potter, M.F. and A.E. Hillery. 2000. The new termite killers. Pest Control Technol. 28(5):54,55,58-63.
• Potter, M.F. 1999. (Cover Story) The changing face of termite control. I. Pest Control Technol. 27(2): 23,26,28,30,110.
• Potter, M.F. 1999. The changing face of termite control. II. Pest Control Technol. 27(3):32-34,36,38,39,42,90.
• Potter, M.F. and R.T. Bessin. 1998. Pest control, pesticides and the public: attitudes and implications. Am. Entomol. 44(3): 142-47.
• Potter, M.F. 1998. Do-it-yourself termite baits: do they work? Pest Control Technol. 26(10):34,36,38.
• Potter, M.F. 1997. Overview of diffusible wood preservative use by the U.S. pest control industry. Proc. 2nd Intl Conf. Diffusible Wood Pres. Mobile, AL. pp. 7-13.
• Potter, M.F. 1997. Termite baits: a status report. Pest Control Technol. 25(2) 24-26, 28,29,35-37,97,105-106,110.
• Potter, M.F. 1997. Controlling termites. J. Light Construction. 6: 47-52.
• Potter, M.F. 1996. Talking “termites” with customers. Pest Control. 64(4) 42,44,46.
• Potter, M.F. and R.T. Bessin. 1995. People, pests & poisons: an attitudinal survey. Pest Control Technol. 23(6) 84,88,92,93.
• Potter, M. F. 1994. Still fighting termite retreats? Pest Control 62(2) 45-48.
• Potter, M. F., T. V. Myers, and T. Blake. 1994. Termites and foam: a field report. Pest Control Technol. 22(2) 34, 38,39,40,44,46.
• Potter, M. F. 1994. The coming technology: a wild ride.  Pest Control Technol. 22(10) 35-45.
• Potter, M. F.  1993.  The trend towards termite foam.  Pest Control Technol. 21(3) 46-52.
• Potter, M. F.  1993. Diagnosis and management of powderpost beetles.  Pest Control Technol. 21(4).
• Potter, M. F.  1992.  Pesticide application:  a self-portrait.  Pest Control Technol. 19(6) 72-74.
• Potter, M. F., J. P. Hardy, and S. E. Richardson.  1990.  Foam Technology:  effective new tool against subterranean termites.  Pest Control 59(6): 72-77.

 

University Extension Articles

• Potter, M.F. Bedbugs.
• Potter, M.F. Termite control: answers for the homeowner.
• Potter, M.F. Protecting your home against termites.
• Potter, M.F. Termite baits: a guide for homeowners.
• Potter, M.F.  Powderpost beetles.
• Potter, M.F. How to pest-proof your home.
• Potter, M.F. Ant control for homeowners.
• Potter, M.F. Carpenter ants
• Potter, M.F. Cockroach elimination in homes & apartments.
• Potter, M.F. Eliminating spiders around homes & buildings.
• Potter, M.F. Brown recluse spider.
• Potter, M.F. Ticks & disease in Kentucky.
• Potter, M.F. and M. Beavers.  Public health pest management: a training guide