U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2003





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News
- Search News & Events
- Pesticide Drift May Endanger Pollinators
- ARS Seeks a Fire Ant Fix
- Scientific Discoveries 2024
- ARS Featured Photos
- Down on the Farm
- Facebook Live Events
- Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- News Archive
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Social Media
- Under the Microscope
- AgResearch magazine
- ARS at Work
- ARS Memorial Lectures
- ARS Science Hall of Fame
- Citrus Disease (Huanglongbing)
- Contact Office of Communications
- Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Mobile Apps
- Public Affairs Contacts
- Publications and Other Resources
- USDA Blog
- Videos

Archived Page
 This page has been archived and is being provided for reference purposes only. The page is no longer being updated, and therefore, links on the page may be invalid.
 ARS, Company Work on New Insect Marking Kit By David ElsteinJanuary 8, 2003 Agricultural Research Service entomologist James R. Hagler has developed a simple, effective way of marking insects and is working with Indiana-based Agdia Inc. to make this technique available in an easy-to-use test kit. Hagler, with the ARS Western Cotton Research Laboratory in Phoenix, Ariz., is working with Agdia as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The company produces diagnostic test kits for researchers and growers. There are many reasons for marking insects, such as to determine where insects migrate or to track the movement of particular insects. But marking can be time consuming and expensive, and conventional insect markers do not work well on very small insects. Hagler has spent the last 10 years perfecting his technique of feeding insects diets mixed with a protein known as immunoglobulin G (IgG). He then releases the marked insects. When he finally recaptures the insects, he analyzes them using an immunological test called ELISA. Agdia is working with Hagler to make the test even easier and quicker--with results in a few minutes rather than a few hours. Hagler has been testing other ways of marking insects more efficiently. One way is to simply spray them with a hand sprayer or an airbrush. However, this can be difficult since some of these insects are microscopic. For the really small ones, he is trying to "fog" them with a nebulizer that creates vapor similar to that released by dry ice when it's placed in water. At the end of the CRADA, Hagler hopes that through the partnership, a simple-to-use test kit will be on the market so individuals can easily test whether their insects contain the IgG and other markers. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov