Michelle Opela: A Journey from Sea Turtles to Plant Pests

What do sea turtles, corpse flowers, aphids, and philodendrons have in common? For Michelle Opela, they’re all part of a career journey that somehow led to horticulture. In this episode of I Dig Your Story, Michelle shares how she went from marine biology adventures in Alaska and Australia to becoming deeply involved in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), biological controls, and plant health in the horticulture industry. Michelle also shares some of her pest and disease expertise. She breaks down complicated topics in a way home gardeners and industry pros alike can understand, including how to spot plant problems before bringing them home, why beneficial insects aren’t always simple for consumers to use, and the growing pressure to produce “perfect” plants. We also talk about: Growing up obsessed with insects in rural New York Working aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea Tagging sharks and sea turtles in Australia Beginner-friendly biological controls Fungus gnats and dramatic houseplants Michelle’s obsession with corpse flowers and other unusual plants Most importantly, Michelle reminds listeners that every gardener deals with pests eventually — and that it doesn’t make you a bad plant parent. Mentioned in This Episode Cornell University NOAA Fisheries Costa Farms BioWorks Learn More BioWorks Costa Farms