"The course material features many detailed, high quality photographs to supplement learning. It also includes video of live aphids viewed through a microscope to give a close-up look at the pest," says Brent Brueland, agronomy instructional development specialist and CAI coordinator.

Available on CD-ROM, the course provides details on the insect's life cycle, identification, damage potential, geographical distribution and management. It contains an optional examination that may be completed for a continuing education unit (CEU) credit with the American Society of Agronomy.

Brueland co-authored the course with Marlin Rice, Iowa State extension entomologist; Palle Pedersen, Iowa State extension soybean specialist; and Todd Vagts and Brian Lang, both Iowa State extension crop specialists.

The course is available for CEU credit for $30; the non-credit version is $5 (plus shipping). The CAI is a partnership between departments within the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Iowa State University Extension. The institute offers a variety of other courses for CEU credit. To order a copy of the module or view a complete list of available courses visit http://www.cai.iastate.edu.