Are there any accounts or descriptions of the commercial production of
beneficial instect under outdoor conditions?  What beneficial insects
have been produced commercially outside and then collected for sale? 
Has anyone produced a machine or device for the field collection of
beneficial insects?

Hi dr_d,

Production of beneficial insects under outdoor conditions is known as
a "field insectary" and there are many, both commercial and those
managed by state and federal agriculture services.

"A field insectary is the rearing of living insects under field
conditions by manipulation of resources to favor multiplication but
not dispersal. This technique is suitable for rearing host specific
insects but not for generalists as the latter can easily find an
alternate food source and move out of the area."
Table 1. Some Examples of Field Nursery/Insectary for Rearing Natural
Enemies.
www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/fhp/hwa/ pub/proceedings/possible_use.pdf

Rincon-Vitova is the "world's oldest commercial insectary" and one of
the largest commercial insectaries today.

CONTACT:

RINCON-VITOVA INSECTARIES, INC.
PO Box 1555, Ventura, CA 93002-1555
3891 Ventura Ave (rear), Ventura, CA 93001-1243
GPS Coordinates: W119º 17’ 30" N34º 18’ 30"
805 643-5407 800-248-2847 Fax 805 643-6267
e-mail bugnet@rinconvitova.com

WEBSITE:

RINCON-VITOVA Insectaries, Inc: Biological Solutions For Pest
Management:
"RVI produces insects and distributes insects and other organisms for
biological control of pests of gardens, farms, stables, and compost
yards."
http://www.rinconvitova.com/

CATALOGUE: 

Rincon-Vitova Insectaries, Catalog of Beneficials:
Beneficial index lists insects for sale.
http://www.rinconvitova.com/beneficials.htm

Here are four examples of the work being done by agriculture services:

State of Colorado Department of Agriculture:
Biological Pest Control Weed Control Programs:
http://www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/insectary/Weed%20Programs.html

Missouri Agriculture Experimental Station:
The Cereal Leaf Beetle Biological Control Project:
Greenley Field Insectary, 2002:
http://aes.missouri.edu/greenley/fieldday/page25.stm

Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Field Insectary Sites:
"The Minnesota Cooperative Weed Biological Control Project (MCWBCP), a
group of county, state, and federal agencies is looking for
cooperators to help redistribute and annually monitor several
biological control agents approved for spotted knapweed management in
the state."
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/weedcontrol/knapweed.htm

Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Service:
"The goal of this field insectary is to rear large quantities of the
parasitoid wasp for release throughout CLB infested areas of Oregon.
Another tiny parasitoid wasp, Anephes flavipes, is also being reared
in a field insectary in Washington County."
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/wallowa/prompterranchersept02.pdf.


SUCTION COLLECTING MACHINE:

D-VAC Vacuum Insect Collectors:
http://www.rinconvitova.com/d-vac.htm

D-Vac History - Concepts, Prototypes, Insect sorting:
http://www.rinconvitova.com/history.htm


Additional Links:

Instructions on Insectary Establishment, Mass Rearing and Release of
Ophyra Aenescens: A House Fly Predator. (indoors):
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/entomology/444-769/444-769.html

Everett Dietrick's Five Features of IPM (Insect Pest Management):
http://dietrick.org/five.htm

Habitats on Farm:
Chart of perennials that attract beneficial insects:
http://dietrick.org/habitats.htm

How to Check the Quality of Biological Control Agents:
http://www.rinconvitova.com/check.htm

I hope this helps - sorry you've waited so long for your question to
be answered. If you have any questions or if I've misunderstood your
question, please post a clarification request before rating my answer.

Thank you,
hummer

Google Terms Used:

"Field Insectary"
d-vac
"field Insectary" collecting
"field Insectary" "collection machine"
"field Insectary" collection
Insectary outside
"beneficial insect farms"
"farming beneficial insects"
"beneficial insects" "commercial production"
"outdoor production" "beneficial insects"

The answer was what I needed to know.  All aspects of my question were
addressed.  This response will help me with the preparation of funding
requests for related work in Hawaii.  Keep up the good work.

Dear dr_d,

Thank you for your encouraging note and fine rating. I enjoyed doing
the research and I'm glad to hear that I was able to help you out.

Sincerely,
hummer