Cotton scout trainings hosted by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are set for June.

UGA entomologists Phillip Roberts and Michael Toews will lead a pair of trainings, one in Tifton on June 9 and another in Midville on June 17. The cotton scout schools are designed to teach individuals about cotton growth and development, the structures of a cotton plant, pest insects, beneficial insects and how to report information to a grower.

The trainings will begin in a classroom and conclude with a short field trip. The classes will begin at 9 a.m. and adjourn at 12:30 p.m. They are free, and no registration is required.

“These trainings provide a great introduction to scouting,” Roberts said. “Cotton insect management is an evolving discipline; I still learn something each day. I believe this to be a really good introduction. We have scouting materials available, but we really encourage people to participate in this training if they can.”

The cotton scout schools are presented annually and the Tifton class typically attracts between 80-100 people.

For more information about cotton scouting or any other cotton related topic, see ugacotton.com.