The Penn-Del IPM Research Group consists of many “Cooperators”, who act as scouts to obtain the information used in weekly reports. They also serve as peers for their industry or sector. The group has also contributed several fact sheets, newspaper articles, and magazine articles to the trade as a result of member interest. Several students associated with the group have gone on to find careers in horticulture, entomology, and the sciences.

Several devices that track growing degree days have been tested and utilized by the cooperators, and these devices vary in their accuracy. Plant phenology data for the Mid-Atlantic region has also been gleaned for many different woody plant species from the cooperator’s efforts.

I will speak about the mechanics of how the group itself functions. I will also focus on how the group’s findings have been used in pinpointing monitoring efforts for several major pest species. I will also talk about the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of growing degree days and plant phenologies in ornamental plant pest monitoring.