2011 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to train and develop students and research associates in the systematics of agriculturally important insects and mites. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) The agreement supports the training of students in the classification and identification of insects of importance to agriculture and quarantine. SEL systematists participated and worked with students in the Lepidoptera Tree-of-Life project at the University of Maryland. 3.Progress Report Research papers are currently being written to develop new higher classifications based on molecular characters. The results are on the University of Maryland website. A post doc was hired to work on the systematics of economically important Pyraloidea. A student was recruited for the fall term to work on the systematics of parasitic wasps important to biological control of pests. Research progress was monitored through e-mail, phone and face-to-face communication.