MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Insects are not usually something people try to keep alive, but an international group of specialists met in Starkville recently to learn the best ways to raise bugs.

Rearing healthy insects is not as easy as it sounds. Elaborate systems and equipment are needed, along with climate- controlled environments, special diets and close monitoring. Most people in the business learn on the job and from colleagues, as little if any formal training exists.

Frank Davis, emeritus adjunct professor in Mississippi State University's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and coordinator of an insect-rearing workshop, said some insects are raised for research in developing new pest management techniques. Others are raised for release and eradication programs where millions of sterile adult insects released in an area eradicate the natural population of certain pests.

Some are genetically modified to produce pharmaceuticals useful in medicine. Insects are raised for medical and veterinary practices, and still others are raised for sale as bait or feed for captive animals.

"We offered an A to Z course, with training in all major areas of insect rearing, including diets, insect housing design, safety, health and management," Davis said of MSU's workshop. "We want all our students to walk out of here very enthusiastic about their insect rearing and to be able to rear higher quality insects at the lowest possible cost."

MSU hosted a five-day intensive workshop in mid-October on how to rear quality insects. This meeting was actually the second such workshop held this fall, as demand for the first workshop exceeded capacity. The workshops are thought to be the only ones of their kind in the world.

"We saw a need for some formal education in insect rearing," Davis said. "No universities or private companies offer instruction on how to raise insects, so most people learn on the job. At Mississippi State, we have experience in raising insects and some of our staff have studied insect rearing around the world. We want to make MSU a center of excellence in insect- rearing science and technology."

Among Davis' sessions during the workshop was one on rearing techniques and systems.

"The success of a rearing system depends on our knowledge of the insects' biology, behavior, nutritional needs, genetics and environmental requirements," Davis said. "It also depends on our ability to use this knowledge in the development of suitable rearing systems."

While insects are the main attraction in these labs, human involvement is critical. In addition to caring for the insect through its life cycle, the specialists also must improvise along the way and devise solutions to problems that arise.

For Adele Junfin, co-owner of Kunfin Insectaries in Quemado, Texas, the exposure to other insect-rearing professionals and their ideas was a very valuable part of the workshop.

"With insect rearing, you have to constantly invent your own equipment and technology and ways of doing things," Junfin said. "This workshop brings us together so we are able to share information and find better ways of doing things."

MSU hosted 23 participants at the September workshop and 26 in October. The classes planned for 2001 are already nearly full. In addition to U.S. industries, agencies and universities, participants represented Switzerland, England, Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands and Argentina.

Patricia Fournier is responsible for insect production at Zeneca Agrichemicals in Bracknell, England. She participated in the workshop to fill her need for formal training in the field and to establish contacts among international colleagues in the field.

"When I started my job last year, I realized I needed some training," Fournier said. "Usually, the only way to learn lab techniques is to visit other labs or work with a mentor."

The workshop was hosted by MSU in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to classroom instruction, workshop participants had hands-on experience working in labs and touring facilities at MSU and USDA's insect-rearing lab on campus.

In recent years, MSU has not had its own insect-rearing facilities, and university scientists have depended heavily on USDA facilities to provide them insects for research. Davis said that the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station is planning to fund a new insect-rearing lab for the university. The lab will be built at the Clay-Lyle Entomology Building, with construction set to begin in January.

Contact: Dr. Frank Davis, (662) 325-2983