This handbook gives a comprehensive and copious illustrated description,
with original art work, of the most common diseases in laboratory reared
insect colonies, comprising Viruses (Baculoviridae, Reoviridae,
Poxviridae, Iridoviridae); Bacteria (Bacillaceae, Pseudomonadaceae,
Enterobacteriaceae); Rickettsia; Fungi and Microsporidia and Protozoa.
Gregarine and Coccidian parasitoids are also depicted. Manuals for the
diagnostic of insect diseases have been published in the 90's, however,
these were intended for professional insect pathologists or for
proficient training in invertebrate pathology, hence requiring some
scientific background in insect pathology. Currently, most guides are
web based, not comprehensive and solely addressing the most common
diseases in a particular insect, or group of insects, reared in
laboratory facilities. A comprehensive and proficient practical handbook
for students and technicians working with insect reared colonies is
lacking in the current literature.