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Insect Diagnostics and Problem Solving...
Insect identification and control recommendations are essential to a very diverse clientele including professional pest controllers, product manufacturers, food services, government and regulatory agencies, health care and protection, agribusiness, independent consultants, county extension staff as well as for residential homeowners. Specific solutions depend upon an understanding of and experience with a very broad range of pests and pest problems as well as an understanding of the working situation in which they must be managed. The Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (P&PDL) which combines the efforts of diagnosticians in the departments of Agronomy, Entomology, Horticulture, Nematology and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. A computerized database for recording, tracking, and reporting on the samples submitted to the P&PDL, was developed in Entomology. This database proved to be a model, which greatly reduced the development time and increased the efficiency of the P&PDL. This database is designed for logging diagnostic data as well as facilitating individualized replies. I now identify approximately 1100 insect pests each year, either through submission of samples through the PPDL, telephone calls or walk-ins. Many of these pests are common and can be described along with their appropriate control recommendations in fact sheets which I or other entomologists have written.
Professional Consulting
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