Entomology training courses for food production facilities?

Hello IFSQN,

Unfortunately our facility is approaching the warmer months of the season and we are starting to see some bug activity. Fortunately we do have a pest control service provider however, it's not everyday that they are on-site to identify our findings. Has anyone had any luck with entomology courses for food production facilities? I'm looking for something brief about identification and major stored product pests and their behaviors, life cycles, etc;.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

I have never taken a course for this purpose. However speak with your pest control service provider first. I use Mahue & Mahue and they offer a service where I can mail in a dead bug sample and they will identify it and send all the information you are looking for.

You may want to check out your local university with an entomology department - especially your state extension service. They may have something for you. Working for the extension service in the past, I know in at least the state I worked in, you could take photos of bugs and they would identify them for you for free or at a low cost.

Have you discussed with your pest service provider about performing fogging in your facility? 

Why not send pictures of pest findings to the pest control company for identification? You are already paying for their services, so you might as well utilize them to know the habits of certain pests in the facility and exclude those pests from the facility.