Insect Rearing Education at Mississippi State University:

Past, Present and Future

John C. Schneider and Frank M. DavisDepartment of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology,

Entomology and Plant Pathology

Dr. Frank M. DavisMSU Adjunct Professor of Entomology (Emeritus)

USDA/ARS Research Entomologist (Retired)

4 October 2011

Total of 317 students from 26 countries, including 38 states within the USA

2011 MSU-IRC Workshop

Five favorable reviews; 352 copies sold/distributed by 31 October 2011

Insect Rearing Education at Mississippi State University Is Worth Your Attention

Italy

Switz.

Neth.

Costa Rica

Brazil

Canada

FrankDavis

LouellaCastrillo

MuhammadChaudhury

NormLeppla

JohnSchneiderMike

Caprio

TomRiddell

Instructors not shown: Bill Fisher and John Reinecke

Organization of Presentation

Past/Present:• History of MSU Insect Rearing Center (MSU-IRC)• Insect Rearing Workshop • Insect Rearing Book • Graduate Student Education • Pritam Singh Library

Future:• MSU Course in Insect Rearing• Insect Pathology Faculty Position• General Insect Rearing Workshop• Specialized Insect Rearing Workshops

History of MSU Insect Rearing Center (IRC) (www.irc.entomology.msstate.edu)

MSU IRCBasement, Lyle Entomology Building

[315 m2 (3,400 ft2)]

[22.6 m (74 ft)]

[15.

2 m

(50

ft)]

Diet Prep

Work Room (in vitro)

Work Room (in vivo)

Rearing Rooms (DDC)

Cold RoomAutoclaveClean Air Hood

(picture)

AH

AH

Reach-in, Environment- Controlled CabinetsFreezers

Stor. OfficeNook

MSU-IRC: Time Line

Visiting Scholar Arrives PhD Diss. Defended

2012 2013 2014 20152011

Book PublishedPhD Student Begins

20112008 2009 20102007

Book Begun

2004 2005 2006 20072003

Constr. Rearing Annex

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

MSU Rearing Committee Formed

CBBWorkshop Wkshop: I, II

WS: XIV

WS: X WS: XI WS: XII WS: XIII

WS: VI WS: VII WS: VIII WS: IX

WS: III WS: IV WS: V

Construct Basement Facility

Upgrade HVAC

Adiabatic HumidifiersInstall DDC System

Singh Library Donated

MSU-IRC Workshop:Principles and Procedures for Rearing High Quality Insects

John Reinecke Louella Castrillo

Bill Fisher Frank Davis Norm Leppla

Bill Fisher John Schneider Mike Caprio

MuhammadChaudhury

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop Enrollment

Year

Ru

nn

ing

To

tal 327

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 20120

100

200

300

400

Large Pool of Unmet Need for Insect Rearing Education

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop

Year

Frac

tion

Mal

e AVE = 0 .5 2 (p = 0 .6 6 )

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 20

0 .10 .20 .30 .40 .50 .60 .70 .80 .9

1

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop

Year

Frac

tion

Publ

ic

AVE = 0 .4 3 (p = 0 .6 7 )

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 20

0 .10 .20 .30 .40 .50 .60 .70 .80 .9

1

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop

Year

Frac

tion

Non

-USA

AVE = 0 .2 5 (p = 0 .6 8 )

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 20

0 .10 .20 .30 .40 .50 .60 .70 .80 .9

1

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop

Year

Ave

rage

Age

AVE = 4 0 .4 y r (p = 0 .0 4 8 )

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 22 0

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

7 0

8 0

MSU Insect Rearing Workshop

Year

Ave

Pos

t-HS

Educ

atio

n, Y

r

AVE = 4 .4 y r (p = 0 .0 7 8 )

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 20123456789

Why is the MSU Insect Rearing Workshop a Success?

• Focus on networking• Red carpet treatment at a reasonable cost

High Level of Satisfaction of Attendees

Workshop Evaluation: Overall Value?

Year

Ave

Rat

ing

(Sca

le: 1

-5)

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 21

2

3

4

5

AVE = 4 .7 5 (p = 0 .9 3 )

MSU EPP Insect Rearing BookPrinciples and Procedures for Rearing High Quality Insects

MSU Insect Rearing Book

Month/Year

Boo

ks S

old

or D

onat

ed 3 5 2

1 2 /0 93 /1 0 6 /1 0 9 /1 01 2 /1 0 3 /11 6 /11 9 /11 1 2 /110

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0 0

Self-publishing a Textbook

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

• Control of pricing retained • Greater percentage monetary return

• High demand on editor/coordinator’s time

• Start to finish requires a long time

• Control of “in print” decision

Graduate Education in Insect RearingSarah Self, Ph. D. (almost)

Tarn ished Plan t Bug in 16 :8 L:D

Observatio n Time (2 -h In tervals fo r 3 days)

No

. Mat

ing

Pai

rs (

AV

E, S

E)

D-D/L-------L/D-D/L-------L/D-D/L-------L/D

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3-2

0

2

4

6

8

Tarnished Plant Bug in DD

Observation Time (2-h Intervals for 3 d)

No.

Mat

ing

Pairs

(AV

E, S

E)

0 0 .5 1 1 .5 2 2 .5 30

0 .5

1

1 .5

2

2 .5

Supporting a Ph.D. Student in Insect Rearing(It wasn’t easy.)

Grad Teach. Asst. (MSU CALS): 1 VII 2008-30 VI ‘09

Grad Res. Asst. (MSU EPP-IRC): 1 VI 2007-30 VI ‘08

Grad Res./Teach. Asst. (MSU EPP-IRC): 1 VII 2009-31 VIII ‘10

Grad Res. Asst. (MSU BCH-EPP/MAFES): 1 IX 2010-31 VII ‘11

• Mississippi Cotton Incorporated State Support grant proposal: Denied• MSU Strategic Research Initiative grant proposal: Denied• Southern Region IPM Center grant proposal: Denied• Mississippi Cotton Incorporated State Support grant proposal: Denied

• National Cotton Inc. (Pat O’Leary) equip. grant: Funded

Dr. Pritam Singh Insect Rearing LibraryDedication: October 2006

Pritam Singh Insect Rearing Library

Decade

Cum

ulat

ive

No.

Rep

rints

4 0

7 ,0 1 4

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 20001

1 0

1 0 0

1 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0

MSU Undergrad/Grad Course on Insect Rearing• Resident and online?• Principles and Procedures for Rearing … used as text!

Future of Insect Rearing Education at the MSU Insect Rearing Center

Insect Pathology/Rearing Faculty Position• Position endowed by industry contributions?• Next generation of leadership for the MSU-IRC?• Specialty workshop: Microbial Control in Insect Rearing?

Specialty Workshop: Black Soldier Fly Mass Rearing?

Alfredo Llecha, Santiago de Compostela, SpainMSU Visiting Scholar

2010 MSU Insect Rearing Workshop student

June 2011-May 2012 MSU Visiting Scholar

Black Soldier Fly [Hermetia illuscens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)] Prepupae

1.7 kg/0.045 m3/18 d = 1 m-ton/4.8x102 m3/d(3.75 lb/1.6 ft3/18 d = 1 ton/1.5x103 ft3/d)

Conclusions

• The keys to success in insect rearing education include:(1) teamwork (2) enthusiastic/optimistic attitude

• The pool of persons willing to pay $1,050 for the 5-day MSU Insect Rearing Workshop is not close to being exhausted.

• The initial printing of 1,000 copies of the book Principles and Procedures for Rearing High Quality Insects should last (at least) until a revision is needed.• Funding a graduate student in insect rearing can be difficult.