Butterfly Diagnostic Screening Program AFB-BDSP

Basic diagnostic screening for any butterfly breeders’ larvae is now available at a reduced cost. Mississippi State University and the Association for Butterflies are working together to make this screening service more affordable for all butterfly breeders. More information is included in this powerpoint presentation.

Nosema in Lepidoptera, photo by Amanda Lawrence, MSU

“My Monarch and Painted Lady butterfly stock looks and acts healthy. Are they really healthy?”
“My larvae do not look good. What is wrong?”
“Oh-oh. NOW what do I do?”

The Association for Butterflies and the Mississippi State Pathology Department teams up to bring you a fantastic screening program at affordable prices.

What is this screening program?
It’s a program that enables a farmer to monthly send a few larvae to Mississippi State for testing to determine the health of his/her larvae. It enables a farmer to discover and address disease issues before disease causes major problems in his/her stock. The larvae are screened for occluded virus, microsporida, and bacteria. It is recommended that larvae be sent for regular screening every 4-5 weeks. Amanda Lawrence, at Mississippi State Pathology Department, will receive the larvae and screen them in the pathology lab.

Why would participating in this program save me money when shipping is so expensive?
Screening saves a farmer money by telling the farmer if a problem is starting to show up in his/her breeding stock. If the problem is undetected until it becomes an issue, the farmer normally has to buy eggs, larvae, pupae, and/or adults to fill his/her orders. Screening can prevent that expense as well as the expense and hassle of destroying stock, cleaning up the rearing area, and starting again. Of course if the problem is environmental or chemical (insecticides for instance) Amanda will not always be able to pinpoint the problem. She will be able to tell a farmer if he/she has a disease issue with his/her stock.

Discount on shipping!
The AFB is setting up an account with UPS that offers a significant discount for your shipments to the pathology department. This account is for shipments to Amanda Lawrence, Mississippi State Pathology Department only. During farming season the cost should be 25% to 30% lower than UPS’s normal shipping fee.

You can choose to:
1. prepay shipping and use the AFB Basic Diagnostic Screening Program shipping account or
2. use your own shipping account and pay the AFB the screening fee alone (fees are below)

How does the butterfly disease screening program work?
1. A farmer signs up for the program with the AFB. The AFB contact talks with the farmer to work the best schedule for the farmer. The contact schedules the farmer’s shipments on the Pathology Department’s calendar.
2. The farmer MUST ship his/her larvae on the dates selected. Amanda will have petri dishes and other necessary items ready to receive the shipment. If the larvae are shipped on any other day, the lab will not be ready to do the testing.
3. Two days later, Amanda will send an email to that farmer (NOT the AFB) sharing the results of the screening with that farmer only. If any problems are in the stock, Amanda will include that information and suggestions for the farmer. Amanda expressly asked that the AFB encourage all farmers who send in their stock for screening to email her in return if they have any questions about the reports she sends to them.
4. When an AFB full member farmer is enrolled in the program, an icon will be added to his/her name on http://www.butterflies4sale.org/. This icon will let potential customers know that the farmer is having his stock regularly screened for disease.

Note: Amanda Lawrence will talk to each farmer directly.  She will not contact the AFB about the results of a farmer’s individual screening shipment. The AFB schedules shipments and collects payments for screening. The AFB notifies Amanda of the schedule. Amanda prepares the lab for shipments as scheduled. Amanda will send a list of names of famers who sent larvae and the number of larvae each week to the AFB for billing purposes. The AFB makes payments to Mississippi State, easing the time and work that Mississippi State would normally be required to do for screening.

What does this program cost?
AFB Full Members
5 larvae: $10
10 larvae: $20
15 larvae: $30
20 larvae: $40
25 larvae: $50
Non-Members and Lower Level AFB Members
5 larvae: $15
10 larvae: $25
15 larvae: $35
20 larvae: $45
25 larvae: $55

Who is eligible for this program?
Any farmer, AFB member or not. This program is designed to help farmers individually and the industry as a whole.

For more information contact edith@buyabutterfly.com 352-485-2458 (or 1534) or Jodi@wishuponabutterfly.com 724-667-7107.