Hodges
Contact:

Steinmetz Hall
1881 Natural Area Dr.
Gainesville, FL 32611

(352) 273-3957
achodges@ufl.edu

Amanda C. Hodges
Associate Extension Scientist
Director, Doctor of Plant Medicine

Education

(50% Teaching, 50% Extension)

  • Ph.D., University of Georgia (Entomology), 2002
  • B.S., University of Georgia (Biology), 1997

Relevant Employment History

  • Associate Extension Scientist & Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) Program Director, (2012-current), University of Florida
  • Associate Extension Scientist, Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) Program Director, & Interim Co-Associate Director of the Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) (2012-2013), University of Florida
  • Assistant Extension Scientist & Co-Associate Director of the Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) (2003-2012), University of Florida

Program Overview

Dr. Amanda Hodges serves as the Director of the interdisciplinary Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) program http://dpm.ifas.ufl.edu/. As the DPM Director, Dr. Hodges is the primary faculty point-of-contact for prospective students, coordinates the DPM faculty advisory committee, coordinates public relations components, interfaces with external stakeholders, provides instruction for some DPM-specific courses, reviews all program of study documents, prepares annual reports, authors a DPM blog, supervises and edits the DPM Newsletter (DPM News), supervises the DPM Program Assistant, and completes other administrative tasks as issues arise.

Dr. Amanda Hodges is also the leader for the University of Florida, Biosecurity Research and Extension Laboratory. Her research and extension interests focus on invasive arthropod species of potential concern to Florida’s landscape, natural areas, and agriculture. The research and extension activities of Dr. Hodges are supported primarily through external grants and contracts. Currently, Dr. Hodges only accepts graduate students enrolled or co-enrolled in the DPM Program in her laboratory.

Extension

Dr. Amanda Hodges has authored or co-authored over 100 extension publications related to arthropod diagnostics and invasive species. During the 2012 meeting of the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America, Dr. Hodges was presented with the Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension. Specifically, Dr. Hodges is known for delivering innovative, hands-on plant pest diagnostic workshops in Florida, the southern region of the U.S., and the Caribbean. Dr. Hodges also provided initial key leadership for the launch of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) online First Detector training program (https://firstdetector.org/) and the Protect U.S., Community Invasive Species Network Program (http://protectingusnow.org/). During the 2011 meeting of the NPDN, Dr. Hodges was recognized as one of the team members involved in establishing the NPDN Partner Program, the Sentinel Plant Network (http://www.publicgardens.org/content/sentinel-plant-network). Dr. Hodges currently coordinates the Florida First Detector project (http://www.flfirstdetector.org/), the Protect U.S. Program, and taxonomic training in support of the University of Florida, SPDN regional center mission (https://www.youtube.com/user/npdnchannel). Dr. Hodges' projects often encompass interdisciplinary teams and multiple institutions.

Teaching

  • Integrated Plant Medicine, ALS 6925
  • Exotic Species and Biosecurity Issues, ALS 4161 and ALS 6166
  • Principles of Plant Pest Risk Assessment and Management and Challenges in Plant Resource Protection, ALS 6942 and ALS 4163
  • Colloquium of Plant Pests of Regulatory Significance, ALS 6921
  • Plant Medicine Program Seminar, ALS 6931
  • Survey Methods in Plant Health Management, ENY 6905

Grants and Contracts (Total value of projects: ~$6.1 million)

  • Principal Investigator-Value: $1.5 Million
  • Co-Principal Investigator-Value: $4.6 Million

Professional Activities

  • DPM Faculty Advisory Committee Chair, 2012-current
  • National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) Training and Education Subcommittee Chair, 2006-2012
  • Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) Entomology Working Group Chair, 2003-2012
  • USDA Chilli Thrips Technical Working Group Committee Member, 2007-2012
  • NPDN Exercise Scenario Subcommittee Member, 2008-2012
  • USDA-APHIS and NPDN Eastern and Western Lepidoptera Workshop Planning Committee, 2007-08
  • Co-Chair for the 2009 NPDN National Meeting, 2008-2011
  • Ad-Hoc NPDN Entomology Working Group Chair, 2007-08
  • Ad-Hoc NPDN Colony Collapse Disorder Working Group Chair, 2008
  • Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (PIPE) Soybean Aphid Working Group Chair, 2006
  • NPDN Operations Committee Member, 2004-2013
  • NPDN Diagnostics Subcommittee member, 2004-2013
  • Entomological Society of America (ESA)Member, 1996-present
  • Southeastern Branch of ESA, Chair of Local Arrangements for 2008 meeting
  • Southeastern Branch of ESA, Member Awards Committee Member, 2004-05
  • Southeastern Branch of ESA, Member Awards Committee Chair, 2005-06
  • American Phytophytopathogical Society (APS) Member), 2005-present
  • Florida Entomological Society, 2003-present
  • Georgia Entomological Society, 1999-present

Biosecurity, Research, and Extension Lab Personnel

  • Jennifer Carr, Lab Manager
  • Nicole Casuso, DPM Graduate Research Assistant
  • Lisbeth Espinoza, DPM Student Assistant
  • Arjun Khadka, MS/DPM Graduate Research Assistant
  • Ploy Kurdmongkoltham, DPM Graduate Research Assistant
  • Eric LeVeen, MS/DPM Graduate Research Assistant
  • Ariane McCorquodale, MS/DPM Graduate Student Assistant
  • Cory Penca, PhD/DPM Graduate Research Assistant
  • Sage Thompson, Undergraduate Student Assistant

Biosecurity, Research, and Extension Lab Alumni

Publications

Extension Books, Booklets, Apps, and Online Resources

Arthurs, S., A. Hodges, and J. Xin. (eds.). (2014). Landscape Pests. UF, Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, UF/IFAS Office of Information Technology, National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) First Detector Program, Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) Regional Center, Protect U.S., the Community Invasive Species Network, UF/IFAS Distance Diagnostics and Identification System (DDIS), UF/IFAS Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center. 268 fact sheets and topics. Mobile Website available at: http://pest.ifas.ufl.edu/ (7 January 2015).

Brar, G. S., C. Burkle, A. Minott, N. Kooram, and A. Hodges. (2013). Citrus pests and diseases. Department of Entomology and Nematology, Protect U.S., University of Florida/IFAS (Mobile app and website)

Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) Director’s Blog, http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/plantmedicine/

Florida Whitefly Website Co-Author, http://flwhitefly.org/

Guerrero, S., J. Weeks, A. Hodges, K. Martin, and N. Leppla. June 2012. Citrus Pests. Department of Entomology, University of Florida and Identification Technology Program, CPHST, PPQ, APHIS, USDA; Fort Collins, CO. http://idtools.org/id/citrus/pests (24 June 2012).

Guerrero, S., J. Weeks, A. Hodges, K. Martin, and N. Leppla. (2013). CPests Apple and Android Application for Citrus Pests. Hodges, A.C. project release and revision coordinator. Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida and Identification Technology Program, CPHST, PPQ, APHIS, USDA; Fort Collins, CO. http://idtools.org/id/citrus/pests (7 July 2015).

Hodges, A.C., S.D. Stocks, and L. Whilby. (2012). Collaborative and Enhanced First Detector Training for Florida. http://www.flfirstdetector.org/ (7 July 2015).

Hodges, A.C., S.D. Stocks, S. Ratcliffe, and M. Draper. (2010). Protect U.S., Community Invasive Species Network. http://flwhitefly.org/ (7 July 2015).

Hodges, A., E. Buss, and R. Mizell. June 2006. UF/IFAS Extension for sale publication. Insect galls of Florida. 130 pgs.

Hodges A, G. Hodges, L. Buss and L. Osborne. 2008. Mealybugs and mealybug look-alikes of the Southeastern United States. North Central IPM Center. 40 species included.

Hodges, A., S. Ludwig, L. Osborne, and G.B. Edwards. 2009. Extension Booklet. USDA-CSREES IPM Centers. Pest Thrips of the United States: Field Identification Guide.

National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) First Detector Training Site Co-Author. (2007). http://www.firstdetector.org/ (7 July 2015).

National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) YouTube Channel Co-Author. (2011). https://www.youtube.com/user/npdnchannel (7 July 2015).

Protect U.S., the Community Invasive Species Network, YouTube Channel Co-Author. (2010). https://www.youtube.com/user/protectingusnow/ (7 July 2015).

Redford, A.J., T.W. Walters, A.C. Hodges, F.W. Howard, and M.D. Trice. 2010. Screening Aid to Pests. In A Resource for Pests and Diseases of Cultivated Palms. Identification Technology Program, CPHST, PPQ, APHIS, USDA; Fort Collins, CO. http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/palms/sap/index.html (24 June 2012).

Serrano, D., Serrano, E. and Dewdney, M. (2013). CDiseases Apple and Android Application for Citrus Diseases. Hodges, A.C. project release and revision coordinator. Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida and Identification Technology Program, CPHST, PPQ, APHIS, USDA; Fort Collins, CO. http://idtools.org/id/citrus/diseases (7 July 2015).

UF/IFAS EDIS publications, review the author search list available at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_a41214118

UF/IFAS Pest Alert Blog, http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pestalert/

Selected Refereed Publications

Medal, J., T. Smith, A. Fox, A. Santa Cruz, A. Poplin, and A. Hodges. 2012. Rearing the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Florida Entomologist. 95(3): 800-802.

Hodges, A.C. 2011. Digital identification and diagnostics using the platforms of SPDN/NPDN/CPDN: Progress and opportunities. American Entomologist. 57(4): 231- 233.

Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., N.C. Leppla, A.C. Hodges, and J.L. Merritt. 2009. Education and Training to Increase Adoption of IPM for Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Florida Entomologist 92 (1): 18-23.

Hodges, G.S., A.C. Hodges, and C.M. Unruh. 2008. A new exotic pest for Florida's natural areas: Crypticerya genitsae (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae). Florida Entomologist. 91: 335-337.

Hodges, G., S.J. Suh, and A.C. Hodges. 2007. Notes on the longan scale, Thysanofiorinia nephelii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) in Florida. Fl. 90: 407-409.

Hodges, A. and G. Hodges. 2006. Pink hibiscus mealybug identification. Plant Health Progress. Doi: 10.1094/PHP-2006-0414-01-DG.

Jenkins, D., T. Cottrell, D. Horton, A. Hodges, and G. Hodges. 2006. Hosts of plum curculio, Contrachelus nenuphar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in central Georgia. Environ. Entomol. 35: 48-55.

Hodges, A. C. and G. C. Wisler. 2005. The importance of taxonomic training to the early detection of exotic pests in the order Hemiptera (Auchenorrhycha, Sternorrhycha). Fl. Entomol. 88: 458-463.

Hodges, G., and A. Hodges. 2004. New invasive species of mealybugs, Palmicultor lumpurensis and Chaetococcus bambusae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) on bamboo in Florida. Fl. Entomol. 87(3): 396-397.

Hodges, A. C., G. S. Hodges, and K. E. Espelie. 2003. Parasitoids and parasites of Polistes metricus Say (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Northeast Georgia. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 96: 61-64.

Hodges, A. C. and G. S. Hodges. 2000. Notes on members of the Vespidae foraging on honeydew secretions from the European fruit Lecanium, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche). J. Entomol. Sci. 36(3): 312-314.