Noted entomologist and biological control specialist Lester Ervin “Les” Ehler, emeritus professor of entomology, died Sept. 2 in Vacaville. A resident of Leisure Town, a retirement community in Vacaville, he was 70.

“Dr. Ehler had a remarkable career at UC Davis,” said Steve Nadler, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. “In his research he built upon fundamental investigations in integrated pest management (IPM) to provide practical biological control for many different systems. Les was both a national leader in the discipline of biological control, and an outstanding citizen of the department and university.”

Ehler, who joined the Department of Entomology in 1973 and retired in January 2008, was the first biological control specialist on campus and was known as the “quintessential biological control researcher.”

For four decades he championed the use of natural enemies to control agricultural pests and warned of the dangers of pesticides.

Ehler co-edited the 1990 book, Critical Issues in Biological Control, and served four years as president of the International Organization for Biological Control. He also chaired the Entomological Society of America’s Biological Control Section.

Read the complete obituary.

Celebration of life for Kentaro Inoue

A celebration of life for plant sciences professor Kentaro Inoue is scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday (Sept. 16) in the AGR Room at the Buehler Alumni Center. A reception will follow.

Inoue was riding his bike the morning of Aug. 31 when he was struck down and killed in a collision with a truck in West Sacramento. Read earlier coverage.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked suggested memorial contributions to the Department of Plant Sciences. Checks should be made payable to “UC Regents” with “Kentaro Inoue Memorial Bench Fund” in the memo line, and sent to Dena Gilday, Department of Plant Sciences, 1035 Wickson Hall, University of California, Davis 95616.

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.