1. The Basics of Quality Control for Insect Rearing
Norman C. Leppla
University of Florida Department of Entomology and Nematology

2. Leppla’s Career in Insect Rearing
University of Arizona- Insect Rearing Research, 2 years
USDA, ARS- Insectary Management, Florida & Texas, 17 years
USDA, APHIS- Methods Development, Washington DC & International, 7 years
University of Florida- Integrated Pest Management, 10 years

3. Countries of Workshop Students

4. Educational Background
Entomology
Agronomy
PhD MS BS
Plant Health
High School
Number of responses
On the Job

5. Maintaining the Quality of Colonized Insects
Collection of appropriate biotypes
Colonization and strain development
Rearing proficiency
Colony management
Optimization
Strain replacement

6. I. Introduction

7. II. Colony Establishment and Maintenance
II. A. Purposes for Rearing Insects II. B. Types of Insect Rearing Systems II. C. Options for Colonizing Insects II. D. Maintaining the Quality of Colonized Insects

8. II. A. Purposes for Rearing Insects

10. Small Scale Rearing: Butterflies
II. B. Types of Insect
Rearing Systems
Painted Lady
Monarch
Small Scale Rearing: Butterflies

11. Insect Rearing Facilities
Diet Preparation Building
General Rearing Building

12. State-of-the-Art Rearing Rooms

13. Medium-Scale Rearing: Lepidoptera
Cabbage Looper
Corn Earworm

14. USDA, ARS Rearing
Keith Halein
Clarence Green
Jack Rye
Bill Fisher

15. USDA, ARS Rearing
Fred Adams
Fred Adams
Steve Carlyle

16. Insect rearing is never a boring task; insects are always doing something interesting and pose new challenges all the time
Annie Lorie
Punky Rogers
USDA, ARS
Rearing

17. Mass Rearing: Medfly
Waimanalo, Hawaii
Metapa, Mexico

18. Honolulu, Hawaii
Nori Tanaka

19. II. C. Options for Colonizing Insects
Peter Ebling
Insect Producer Database Mgr.
Great Lakes Forestry Centre
1219 Queen St. East
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2E5
(705)

20. World-wide listing- 35 insect & 21 nematode orders Data submitted by
sources
Searchable
database
Expand clients
Adopt-a-colony

21. Field Collecting
Cabbage Loopers

22. Continuous Improvement of Insect Rearing Capability

23. II. D. Maintaining the Quality
of Colonized Insects

24. Specifications- Requirements for a product or service
Standards- The level of quality at which a specification is written

28. Bonus: Learning How to Rear High Quality Insects
Apprentice in an insectary
Network with other professionals
Literature plus trial-and-error
Visit other insectaries
Reviews by experts
Education and Training programs

30. First Training Program for Insectary Managers
Rearing Theory- Dietetics and nutrition, laboratory colonization, production, problems & solutions, quality assessment
& performance, future of insect rearing as a scientific discipline
Rearing Practical- Biology, colony maintenance, production management
Insectary Management- Insect rearing management concept (IRM), planning,
staff management

31. Insect Diet & Rearing Research, LLC
Rearing news
Research
Consultation
Educational programs
Quality control
Custom workshops

32. III. Monitoring Quality
III. A. Quality Control Criteria and Standardized Tests III. B. Sampling for Consistent Quality III. C. Production, Process and Product Control

33. III. A. Quality Control Criteria and Standardized Tests
Quantity- Number of Pupae/Adults
Size- Weight of Pupae
Fecundity- Oviposition and Egg Hatch
Rate of Development- Synchronization
Adult Behavior- Flight, Longevity
Field Performance- Achieve Purpose

35. III. B. Sampling for Consistent Quality
Count= Measurement (X)
Mean= Sum/Number of Counts (X)
Variance= Sum of Counts - X2 (V)
Standard Deviation= Square Root of V (S)

37. III. C. Production, Process
and Product Control

38. IV. Evaluation and Management
IV. A. Structured Diagnostic Procedures IV. B. Quality Control versus Methods Improvement IV. C. Periodic Review versus Crisis Review

39. IV. A. Structured Diagnostic
Procedures

40. IV. B. Quality Control versus Methods Improvement
Monitor indicator variables
Evaluate multiple variables
Troubleshoot using QC data
Conduct evaluations rapidly
Goal is to restore stable production
Methods Improvement
Conduct evaluations methodically
Test one variable at a time
Use controlled experiments
Test results in the production system
Goal is to optimize production

41. IV. C. Periodic Review versus Crisis Review
Terms of reference
Preparation
Seek to understand
Clarify
Reflect
Report
Feedback

42. V. Guidelines for Quality Systems
Policy, Planning and Administration
Design Assurance and Change Control
Control of Purchased Materials
Production Quality Control
User Contact and Field Performance
Corrective Action
Employees- Select, Train and Motivate

43. Global Quality Control Programs
Individual Companies Customers
International Standards ISO ASTM IOBC Guidelines
The Marketplace Quality Products

44. to facilitate and advance cost-effective rearing of high quality insects and other arthropods in support of biological control and integrated pest management

45. Workshops of the IOBC, WGQC (AMRQC)
1982 Gainesville, Florida E. F. Boller and D. L. Chambers
1984 Wadenswil, Switzerland E. F. Boller and D. L. Chambers
1986 Guatemala City, Guatemala C. 0. Calkins
1988 Vancouver, Canada C. 0. Calkins
1991 Wageningen, Netherlands F. Bigler and J. C. van Lenteren
1992 Horsholm, Denmark F. Bigler
1993 Rimini, Italy M. Benuzzi and N. C. Leppla
1995 Santa Barbara, California R. F. Luck and N. C. Leppla
Cali, Colombia N. C. Leppla and T. R. Ashley
Montpellier, France P. De Clercq, S. Grenier and N. C. Leppla
Montreal, Canada S. Grenier and C. S. Glenister
Vienna, Austria P. De Clercq and T. A. Coudron

46. *Model Business Plan for a Sterile Insect Production Facility
Improving Male Fruit Fly Performance
Abiotic environment
Holding Conditions
Release methods (knockdown, handling)
Biotic environment
Juvenile hormone (Methoprine, fenoxycarb)
Nutrients (sucrose, protein)
Semiochemicals (methyl eugenol, citrus oil)
Insect Pest Control (IPC)
*Model Business Plan for a Sterile Insect Production Facility

47. VI. Total Quality Management

49. Total Quality Management in Insect Rearing

50. Leppla’s Insect Rearing Quality Control References
Leppla, N. C The basics of quality control for insect rearing. In Principles and Procedures for Rearing Quality Insects. Mississippi State University.
Leppla, N. C The Basics of Insect Rearing. Encyclopedia of Entomology.
Leppla, N. C Guidelines for quality control of commercially produced natural enemies. In Quality Control and Production of Biological Control Agents, Theory and Testing Proc.
Leppla, N. C Rearing of Insects. Encyclopedia of Insects.

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