BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Before moving to the Agricultural campus of the University of Delaware in 1973, this unit, then known as the Beneficial Insects Research Laboratory, was located at Moorestown, NJ. Successful projects completed since the laboratory was moved to Newark include the following:

• The alfalfa weevil, once the no. 1 pest of alfalfa in the U.S., is now controlled by several introduced parasites in the 13 NE States, for yearly savings in control costs of $122 million.

• The alfalfa blotch leafminer was controlled by parasites introduced from Europe soon after the pest spread beyond its New England entry port, preventing yield losses of $20 million per year. Benefits from both projects on alfalfa pests approximate $142 million per year.

COOPERATION

Since moving to Newark, we have benefited from the availability of university facilities and interactions with the faculty. Many support services are obtained under the terms of a research support agreement with the University of Delaware. In addition, we currently have specific cooperative agreements with Delaware State University (Dover), Cornell University (Ithaca, NY), Chinese Academy of Forestry (Beijing), and Warsaw Institute of Forestry (Warsaw Poland), Texas A&M University, University of Minnesota, Illinois Natural History Survey (Champaign-Urbana), and University of Vermont (Burlington), as well as informal cooperation with other land grant colleges and universities. Over the years, we have cooperated closely with many state, federal, and international organizations. A partial listing includes the following:

State: New Jersey Dept. Of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Dept. Of Environ. Res., Virginia Dept. Agric. & Consumer Safety, Delaware Dept. Agric.

Federal: Animal and Health Plant Inspection Service, Forest Service

International: International Organization for Biological Control, CSIRO, Forestry Canada, Agriculture Canada.

Laboratory Brochure (PDF file) (Print page 2 on back of page 1 and fold page 2 inward at panels to make trifold brochure.)

 (Download Adobe Reader software )

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