Through keyword searches and other queries, ScaleNet site provides comprehensive information including the insects' biology, classification, naming history, distribution, plant hosts, economic importance, controls and scientific literature about them. Miller describes ScaleNet as a treasure house of information generated by researchers worldwide on all scientific and common names of scale. These names are hot-linked with key words. Reference information includes journal titles, dates, annotations and authors. Homeowners can use ScaleNet to hunt for names of the scale insects on their hibiscus.
Farmers can use it to find out what scale insect is frolicking in the alfalfa.
Federal regulatory officials at U.S. ports of entry can log onto the site as well. USDA 's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service officials will use it to get instant information on which scales occur on what U.S. crops and where they are known to occur. This information is vital to keeping unwanted foreign pests from sneaking into the U.S., where they have no natural enemies. ARS is the principal research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.