Entomology Commons^™

Systematics And Comparative Genomics Of The Petaluridae (Odonata: Anisoptera), Ethan R. Tolman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Anisoptera (Insecta: Odonata), or dragonflies exhibit diverse life histories and diversification patterns, with the family Petaluridae standing out as particularly unique. Comprising only 11 extant species, all of which inhabit increasingly threatened fen habitats, Petaluridae are known for their longevity, which can exceed five years, semi-terrestrial lifestyle, and remarkable physical size, ranking among the largest insects on Earth. Despite the evolutionary peculiarities of this family, no previous genomic studies have investigated the Petaluridae. This work presents two high-quality genome sequences and a targeted enrichment dataset to explore the chromosome architecture of Petaluridae, identifies genomic adaptations associated with their distinctive …

Thematic Mapping Of Apidae Holdings Within The University Of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, Baylie Lenora Day

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Museum biological collections store species data that can be utilized in research on biodiversity, environmental change, invasive species, public health, and disease. The University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, which began in 1905, houses over 750,000 specimens and has not yet been digitized. Making data publicly accessible via the internet makes the data available to the entire scientific community. The goal of this project was to create a digital resource to allow greater access to the University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum holdings. To do so, data from Bombus (bumble bee) and Xylocopa (carpenter bee) specimens were databased in Excel and displayed …

Virus Del Marchitamiento Manchado Del Tomate En Tomates Y Pimientos, Claudia Nischwitz, Mariah Noorlander, Mary Ann Hubbell, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

En Utah, el virus del marchitamiento manchado del tomate (TSWV, por sus siglas en inglés) comúnmente afecta a tomates, pimientos y tomatillos.

Antimicrobial Activity Of Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis) Gut Proteins On Different Days After Blood Feeding, Dhruva K. Karnik

Honors College Theses

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are a blood-feeding ectoparasitic insect and a common domestic pest found throughout the world. Because of their reliance on host blood, fleas are exposed to blood-borne pathogens; however, the flea gut lumen is a hostile environment for microbial colonization. For example, the gut epithelia differentially express immune genes in response to feeding. In the present study, we measured the antimicrobial activity of gut proteins from cat fleas at different days after feeding (2, 5, 7, and 14). Dissected flea guts were homogenized, passed through a syringe filter, and measured in a protein assay kit. …

Water Lily Leaf Beetle Ecology On Hourglass Lake In Big Lake, Alaska, Haley Lloyd, Grace Beatty

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The Water-Lily Leaf beetle, Galerucella nymphaeae, is a beetle commonly found on Western Pond Lily pads, Nuphar lutea, in Hourglass Lake. Hourglass Lake is located in Big Lake, Alaska. This area is surrounded by boreal forest and bogs and is situated roughly twenty miles North of Anchorage. Within this ecosystem, the Water-Lily Leaf Beetle and the Western Pond Lily are intrinsically linked, as the lily pads serve as a site of feeding and reproduction for the beetles. Dr. Derek Rosenberger of Olivet Nazarene University noticed an abundance of these beetles as he was kayaking through Hourglass Lake, and a project …

Comparing Pollinator Communities: Onu’S Swanberg Sanctuary V. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Stephanie Clark

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Pollinators play a key role in both ecosystem diversity and agricultural productivity [1]. Declines for pollinators have been seen across the globe and have been linked to agriculture and urbanization [2]. Several species in Illinois have declined so severely, they are now endangered or of significant conservation concern [1]. Past ONU students have collected data on the bees in Northeast IL. However, there is no data for what species are at the Sanctuary. This study will provide baseline data for future studies and by comparing with Midewin, a mature restoration, we can gain an understanding of distinctiveness.

A Comparative Study Of Butterfly And Bumblebee Communities At The Onu Prairie And Perry Farm, Kathryn S. Bell

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The decline in many pollinator communities has been a topic of great concern for many years. The primary causes of these declines are habitat loss from urbanization and agriculture, pesticide usage, and climate change. Surveys of pollinator populations are important because they can help determine the health of the pollinator communities. No systematic surveys have assessed the pollinator populations at Olivet Nazarene University’s Prairie or at the LaGesse Prairie at Perry Farm Park in Bourbonnais Township, IL. Thus, little is known about the abundance or the species richness of bumble bees or butterflies in these areas. To address this lack …

Effects Of Fungal Biopesticide Doses On Mortality In Bumble Bees, Colton Burris

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Agricultural practices often include the use of pesticides to produce meaningful crop yields. While the pesticide may be used to target “pest” insects (e.g. thrips, aphids, whiteflies), it can also have negative effects on important pollinating insects such as bees. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been found responsible for widespread decline in bee biodiversity, and were even banned in Europe (Sgolastra et al. 2020) . Beauveria bassiana, sold as Botanigard, on the other hand, is a fungal biopesticide that is marketed to be a safer alternative for bees, and has been found to have other possibly harmful effects to the inner …

Ordinal-Level Biomass Of Insects Collected On And Off Prairie Dog Colonies, Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Ordinal-level Biomass of Insects Collected On and Off Prairie Dog Colonies

Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, and Lorelei Patrick

Recent work has shown that bats in Colorado and Kansas are more active over prairie dog colonies. It is hypothesized that the reason for this is increased abundance and richness of insects found on colonies versus off colonies. Sampling from 2022 indicated that insect biomass was not different between location types, but suggested that the relative abundance of insect orders may differ. Additional insect sampling was conducted in 2023. Light traps were deployed on the same nights, one on a prairie dog …

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

Preliminary Analysis Of Native Bee Community Adjacent To Sorghum And Wheat Fields In Western Kansas, Katelyn Strack, Sarah Elzay

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Agricultural practices have significant and often negative effects on native bee populations. It is imperative that we understand how current agricultural practices affect native bees. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is cultivated heavily in western Kansas and is grown in rotation with winter wheat. This analysis presents preliminary results from a study conducted in summer 2023 in which pan traps were placed adjacent to two sorghum and two wheat fields in Ellis Co. Kansas. This data is part of a larger study examining the relationship between native bees and sorghum in western Kansas.

Preliminary Analysis of Native Bee Community Adjacent …

Providing Pest Management Education For Home Gardeners In Utah, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

In January 2024, Utah State University (USU) Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program launched a three-part class series targeting Utah's home gardeners. The goal was to enhance their abilities in identifying and managing insect and plant diseases. With over 200 participants, the series notably increased the knowledge of attendees. This initiative aligns with the USU Extension IPM program's mission to promote sustainable pest management practices across Utah, evidencing its commitment to environmental stewardship and community education.

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (Cuo-Nps) As Larvicidal Agents Against Aedes Aegypti Larvae In A Laboratory Setup, Muhammad Ahsan Riaz, Ayesha Riaz, Muhammad Asif Mahmood, Muhammad Uzair Mukhtar, Waseem Akram, Ehtisham Arshad, Zaib Un Nisa, Beenish Ijaz, Muhammad Shahid Rasool

Journal of Bioresource Management

The control of Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti), the primary vector for dengue virus, requires effective larvicidal agents to target larvae breeding in various water sources. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) as larvicidal agents against A. aegypti larvae in a laboratory setup. Larvae were exposed to CuO-NPs at five contrasting concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mg/l). Twenty-five fourth instar larvae were subjected to each concentration with three replicates and one control with the same number (n=25) of larvae under optimum laboratory conditions. The larval mortality was calculated after 24 hours. …

A Review On The Role Of Tomatoes In Pakistan's Agricultural Economy: Challenges And Strategies For White Fly (Bemisa Tabaci: Hemiptera) Management, Muhammad Wahid Khan, Zahid Hussain, Shahid Sattar, Fazal Maula

Journal of Bioresource Management

The largest sector of Pakistan's economy is agriculture. Tomatoes, considered both vegetables and fruits, are an essential part of the daily diet for people in the economy class as well as those with limited means, with per capita food consumption of 8.00 kg recorded in Pakistan. Tomatoes are a rich source of essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, A, and Iron, and naturally contain Lycopene, known for its antioxidant properties that can help prevent cancer. In Pakistan, tomato crops yield approximately 40 kg per acre, which is below the world average of 4.00 tons per acre. The Pakistan renowned tomato …

Toxicity Of Three Species Of The Solanaceae Family Growing In Algeria Against Culiseta Longiareolata Mosquitos 4th Stage Larvae, Saliha Benhissen, Abdelmaddjid Yagoub Asloum, Nora Belkhiri, Zakaria Hedjouli, Siham Bounadji, Wafa Habbachi, Khellaf Rebbas

Journal of Bioresource Management

Mosquitoes have always been considered a source of harm to humans and animals mainly because they can be vectors of disease. This work represents a study on the effect of aqueous extract of three plants (Hyoscyamus albus, Solanum elaeagnifolium, Solanum nigrum) of the Solanaceae family on the mortality of 4th stage larvae of Culiseta longiareolata larvae. Extract of the high impact is of S. nigrum followed by H. albus and S. elaeagnifolium, respectivley of C. longiareolata larvae.

Species Delimitation, Discovery And Conservation In A Tiger Beetle Species Complex Despite Discordant Genetic Data., Daniel P. Duran, Robert A Laroche, Stephen J Roman, William Godwin, David P Herrmann, Ethan Bull, Scott P Egan

School of Earth & Environment Faculty Scholarship

In an age of species declines, delineating and discovering biodiversity is critical for both taxonomic accuracy and conservation. In recent years, there has been a movement away from using exclusively morphological characters to delineate and describe taxa and an increase in the use of molecular markers to describe diversity or through integrative taxonomy, which employs traditional morphological characters, as well as genetic or other data. Tiger beetles are charismatic, of conservation concern, and much work has been done on the morphological delineation of species and subspecies, but few of these taxa have been tested with genetic analyses. In this study, …

Major Northeastward Range Extension For A Western Grasshopper Species: New State Record For Trimerotropis Pallidipennis (Burmeister) In Wisconsin, Mathew L. Brust

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Trimerotropis pallidipennis (Burmeister) mostly occurs in the southwestern U.S., but is known to migrate significant distances periodically. It appears that some individuals of this species occasionally migrate very long distances. Here I present an extreme record for this species, over 480 km northeast of any previously known records, including any others recorded from 2022. A single male specimen was collected and photographed in Price County in north-central Wisconsin in June 2022.

Adult Neurocolpus Nubilus And Plagiognathus Sp. Dispersal On Tropaeolum Majus, Elyse Malamud

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Neurocolpus nubilus (Say) (Hemiptera: Miridae), commonly known as the clouded plant bug, is a species of plant bug. Widespread primarily across eastern North America, N. nubilus is known to feed on many types of plants. At least 43 host plants spanning 34 plant families have been recorded for N. nubilus and more may be possible. Plagiognathus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a genus of plant bugs that is widespread across the Holarctic region. Plagiognathus spp. are typically found on various woody host plants. This paper describes an instance of adult N. nubilus and Plagiognathus sp. feeding on a cultivar of Tropaeolum …

First Known Records Of The Specialist Bee, Colletes Aestivalis (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), In An Urban Area, Nina S. Fogel, Christine Kirmaier, Mike Arduser

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Here we report on the first known records of the Heuchera specialist bee Colletes aestivalis in an urban area. This bee was found by a participant in a citizen science project in a residential garden in a suburb that abuts St. Louis, Missouri. The females were found only visiting Heuchera richardsonii, and the males were seen scouting for females by hovering over the plants. This finding shows that urban areas can support uncommon specialist bees and the utility of engaging non-experts in cataloging biodiversity.

Willow Pollen Collection By A Blueberry Specialist Bee (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), James B. Watson, Keziah G. Bartel, Jason Gibbs

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Andrena (Conandrena) bradleyi Viereck (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) is widely regarded as a Ericaceae specialist bee due to its elongate head, plant records, and common collection in commercial blueberry fields. We provide evidence of A. bradleyi collecting pollen from willow (Salix, Salicaceae) L. in southeastern Manitoba. This indicates the bee is not obligately specialized on Ericaceae pollens and that early blooming plants may contribute to its early nutritional requirements.

Evidence Of Lilac Borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) Population On Mackinac Island, Mi, David Max Lowenstein

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Mackinac Island, Michigan, is a major tourism destination with its lilacs an important part of the local culture. Recently, the health of some lilacs has declined. It is uncertain if this is due to the lilac’s age, attack by lilac borer, Podosesia syringae (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), or a combination of environmental and biotic factors. The lilac borer is a clearwing moth whose larvae bore within ash and lilac, and there are minimal local records of the insect in Northern Michigan and none on Mackinac Island. This study deployed pheromone traps to identify the flight period of lilac borer, potential damage …

New Record Of The Pavement Ant, Tetramorium Immigrans (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), In South Dakota With Notes On Its Thermal Tolerance And Geographic Distribution, Karl A. Roeder, Skylar Drey, Jesse D. Daniels, Diane V. Roeder, Jackson A. Helms Iv

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The pavement ant, Tetramorium immigrans, is an abundant and widespread species across large portions of the United States. Yet despite its current distribution in Northeastern, Midwestern, Pacific, and Western states, there is a surprising lack of records from the Great Plains. Here we present an updated county list of T. immigrans from museum collections and research grade observations (459 counties; ~15% of US counties), highlighting the first records from one Great Plains state—South Dakota. Observations on community science platforms since 2006 have undoubtedly increased the awareness of T. immigrans (+329 counties; ~72% of all county records), however we posit …

Bee (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) Richness In Eastern Ohio Pipeline Right Of Ways, Malisa Spring, Gabriel R. Karns

The Great Lakes Entomologist

It is relatively unknown which species of bees utilize pipeline Right of Ways. Most recent Right of Way research focuses on bees found on electrical transmission Right of Ways instead. Ohio is also relatively understudied in terms of bee richness. This project sought to document bees that are found in these pipeline Right of Ways in 4 heavily forested counties in eastern Ohio. A total of 3950 specimens were collected, accounting for 140 species across two years of sampling (2016 and 2018). Overall bee abundance peaked mid-season, with the highest abundance observed in July. The majority of bees collected were …

Reevaluating Abrupt Biological Discontinuity In A Small Michigan (Usa) Stream – Differences In The Organic Biomass Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups Based On Benthic And Terrestrial Habitat, David C. Houghton, Danae Sollie, Daniel Votel, Elizabeth Potwardowski

The Great Lakes Entomologist

To examine the effects of habitat and benthic substrate differences on macroinvertebrate assemblages along a single continuum, we tested three sites along a small northern Lower Michigan stream over a four-year period. Terrestrial habitat along the stream abruptly changed from a cedar forest, to an open meadow, to a hardwood forest within a 1.4 km reach. Reflecting these changes, overhead canopy coverage and in-stream woody debris were higher at the two forested sites, whereas the organic biomass of periphyton was higher at the meadow site. The meadow site also had faster stream velocity and a greater volume of coarse benthic …

Observations On A Dendroctonus Simplex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Outbreak In A Rangewide Tamarack (Larix Laricina) Provenance Plantation In Michigan, Robert A. Haack, Richard W. Blank

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A tamarack [Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch] provenance plantation, consisting of 33 seed sources from the United States and Canada, was established in 1969 in southern Michigan (Kalamazoo County). About half of the trees were removed in fall 1984 when the stand was thinned, with the cut trees piled on the edge of the stand. The stand then experienced a severe ice storm in January 1985. The eastern larch beetle, Dendroctonus simplex LeConte, colonized the cut logs in 1985 and also infested many of the standing trees. By the end of 1986, over half the remaining trees had …

Observations On The Oak Twig Pruner, Anelaphus Villosus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), In Michigan: Size Of Twigs Pruned, Insect Survival, And Seasonality Of Twig Drop, Robert A. Haack

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The oak twig pruner [OTP; Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius)] is likely a species complex, with A. parallelus (Newman) recently recognized as a synonym. The parallelus form of A. villosus is considered the subject of this paper. In Michigan, OTP has a 2-year life cycle, with twigs pruned primarily in even-numbered years and adults emerging from the fallen twigs in odd-numbered years. During 1990 to 2011, I studied various aspects of OTP life history in southern Michigan (Ingham County). Based on measurements from over 300 infested oak twigs, they averaged 43.1 cm long, 9.4 mm in diameter at the pruned end, …

Flies Associated With Floral Canopies Of The New Oilseed Crop, Pennycress, In The Midwestern U.S.A., Frank Forcella, Matt Petersen, William L. Perry, Samantha S. Wells, Alex Hard, Russ W. Gesch, Yesuf Mohammed, Cody Hoerning, Tad L. Wesley, Emma Ambrosi, Winthrop B. Phippen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Flies are frequent visitors to flowers of many species of plants within the mustard family (Brassicaceae). They derive nutrition from these flowers, and some fly species are pollinators. Field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a mustard species that is being developed as a new “cash cover crop,” i.e., an autumn-sown cover crop whose oil-rich seeds can be harvested profitably in spring. Although pennycress is largely wind- and self-pollinated, its flowers also attract insect visitors. However, the extent of visitation to pennycress flowers by flies remains largely unknown, especially the identities of those flies. Thus, we examined flies associated with …

The Heteroptera (Hemiptera) Of North Dakota Ii: Enicocephalomorpha : Enicocephalidae, Alexander H. Knudson, Veronica Calles Torrez, David A. Rider

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Enicocephalomorpha of North Dakota is documented with the report of the unique-headed bug, Systelloderes biceps (Say, 1832) from North Dakota for the first time. We also discuss the geographic distribution of S. biceps and Systelloderes culicis (Uhler, 1892), provide color photographs, provide diagnoses for the separation of these species from all other North American species, and designate a lectotype for S. culicis (Uhler).

Cover Art For Tgle Vol. 56 Nos 3 & 4

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Art for TGLE Vol. 56 Nos 3 & 4

Cover Pages For Tgle Vol. 56 Nos 3 & 4

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Pages for TGLE Vol. 56 Nos 3 & 4