gss26: Week 2 Resources

Links to Resources on Scouting

Elise's list of items you need when scouting a greenhouse:

tool belt

optivisor

hand lens

camera

N-DEX nitrile gloves

garbage bag

small zip-lock bags

yellow sticky cards

clothes pins

stakes

flagging tape

pen & paper ( old school) or whatever technology you are using to record your data

Sharpie

lens cleaning wipes

hand sanitizer

water bottle

my growers provide the stakes, I bring everything else

Here's a great video with professional scout, Elise Lobdell, describing how to visually inspect a plant while you are scouting. This video with Elise describes how to count insects on sticky cards.

There are a variety of techniques for recording data after you have scouted in the greenhouse. Below are several examples of forms you could use to record data - some designed for particular crops and one for recording pesticide applications. You could use one of these forms, modify it as you need to, or develop your own system of recording data. The most important thing is to find a recording system that works for you.

Some additional thoughtsfrom Elise Lobdell on using sticky cards

Oklahoma State resource on scouting and monitoring greenhouses with scouting sheets

University of Vermont Establishing a Scouting Program - Step by Step

UMass - IPM section of Greenhouse Best Management Practices - scroll down for scouting section but all is useful

Resources on sticky cards

An e-Gro alert on using yellow sticky cards

Resources on sources of beneficial insects

Newly updated (2024) resource on commercially available biocontrols from MSU

Reputable insectaries - this list is from Suzanne Wainwright-Evans who works with them a lot. They tend to sell to producers and not necessarily for sales to homeowner/consumers.

Another list from the Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers