The sample should be taken from the outside edge of a ring or patch and include healthy and unhealthy turf and the interface between. If symptoms are general, collect the sample from an area where they are of intermediate severity.
Dead material is inadequate for disease diagnosis.
Avoid shipping over the weekend. Soft bodied insects such as caterpillars, should be preserved in alcohol. Do NOT tape insect to paper or send them loose in an envelope. Live insects should have sufficient food to survive until arrival. Subsamples should be mixed in a clean pail or plastic bag.