Entomology Commons^™

Inbreeding, Male Diploidy, And Complementary Sex Determination In The Solitary Wasp Euodynerus Foraminatus, Julie Kozaczka Stahlhut

Dissertations

In the insect order Hymenoptera, which includes wasps, bees, and ants, females normally develop from fertilized eggs and are diploid, while males develop from unfertilized eggs and are haploid. Underlying mechanisms of sex determination are more complex and vary among different hymenopteran taxa. One such method is single-locus complementary sex determination, or sl-CSD, in which sex is determined by a single gene locus with many alleles. In species with sl-CSD, diploid individuals that are heterozygous at the sex locus develop as normal females and hemizygous (haploid) individuals as normal males, but diploids homozygous at the sex locus will also develop …

Insects Associated With Southern Magnolia (Magnolia Grandiflora L.) In East Tennessee, Christopher Thomas Werle

Masters Theses

No comprehensive studies have been conducted to assess the insect fauna associated with southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora L. Thus, a two-year study was initiated in 2000 to: 1) determine the richness and abundance of insect species associated with southern magnolia in East Tennessee, 2) compare the insect fauna collected from upper and lower tree canopy levels during 2001, 3) compare the insect fauna collected from pitfall traps and malaise traps at two sites, 4) compare the floral insect visitors of southern magnolia, and 5) develop a species database for future studies.

The insect fauna associated with southern magnolia was evaluated …

Composition Of The Coleoptera And Associated Insects Collected By Canopy Fogging Of Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra L.) Trees In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park And The University Of Tennessee Arboretum, Danny D. Trieff

Masters Theses

Oak forests dominate the forested landscape of Tennessee. These forests are vital to the economic and environmental health of the state. Northern red oak (NRO) trees, Quercus rubra L., are crucial components of these forests. Information regarding the status of coleopteran diversity associated with NRO is scattered and fragmented within the literature. Because of this, the insect fauna on NRO was assessed at three sites (Bee Tree Ridge, Mount Sterling, and Rich Mountain) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), and at one site at The University of Tennessee Arboretum (UT arboretum) by using the fogging method. These four …

The Ecology Of Wolf Spiders (Lydosidae) In Low Bush Bluberry (Vaccinium Angustifolium) Agroecosystems, Darlene Maloney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ecology of spiders (Araneae) in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium (Aiton)) fields in Washington County, Maine, was studied during the summers of 2000 and 2001. The abundance and distribution of spiders was investigated, and predation by one family of spiders, the wolf spiders (Lycosidae) was evaluated. The abundance and distribution of spiders was examined by capturing spiders using pitfall traps. Traps were set in conventionally managed, reduced input, and organic fields at different distances from the field edge (forest border or windbreak). The most commonly captured spiders were in the family Lycosidae. More lycosids were captured in May, June, …

Mosquito Population Dynamics During The Establishment Phase Of A Constructed Desert Wetland, April Newman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Nature Preserve at the Clark County Wetlands Park is a constructed wetland that has the potential to produce new mosquito habitat. This thesis evaluates the potential for the development of a mosquito problem at the newly constructed wetland system by assessing the population dynamics of mosquitoes within the Nature Preserve. Based on data collected from May 2001 through January 2002, I describe fluctuations in mosquito genus and relative abundance during the first summer through winter period of wetland development.

Effects Of Fire Frequency And The Red Imported Fire Ant On Native Insects In A Louisiana Longleaf Pine Savanna, Deanna M. Colby

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ants and ground beetles were collected in pitfall traps from a longleaf pine savanna in the early stages of restoration. Insect abundance and species richness were compared among four treatment combinations of two fire frequencies and presence and absence of an exotic ant, Solenopsis invicta, the red imported fire ant. Amdro® was used to suppress S. invicta. Fire treatments consisted of a single fire in a two year period or two fires in a two year period, one applied each year. Fires were applied late in the growing season both years. Ten of the 28 ground beetle species …

Evaluation Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Transgenic Field Corn For Management Of Louisiana Corn Pests, Boris A. Castro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Efficacy of Bt corn hybrids expressing an insecticidal delta-endotoxin through different transformation events was evaluated in Louisiana. Efficacy levels were determined for southwestern corn borer (SWCB), Diatraea grandiosella Dyar; sugarcane borer (SCB), Diatraea saccharalis (F.); corn earworm (CEW), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie); and fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Insect (neonates and third instars) susceptibility was evaluated on Bt and non-Bt corn plants (V6 and R1 stages) in field plots and plant tissue in laboratory studies. Bt corn hybrids with MON810 and CBH351 transformation events sustained significantly (P < 0.05) less injury caused by SWCB, SCB, and FAW during infestations at mid-whorl stage. SWCB, SCB, and CEW infestations during silking stage were significantly reduced in Bt hybrids with the MON810 event. However, CEW infestations …

Development Of Diagnostic Tools For Detecting Expression Of Resistance-Associated Esterases In The Tobacco Budworm, Heliothis Virescens (F.), Huazhang Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Esterase-based metabolic resistance was studied using biochemical and biological assays with organophosphate (OP)- and pyrethroid (PYR)- resistant tobacco budworms, Heliothis virescens. In biochemical assays, results suggest that: (1) esterase activities toward all substrates used were enhanced in both resistant strains compared with the susceptible strain, suggesting that esterases were involved in resistance; (2) esterase profiles differed depending on the strain and substrate used, and these differences were visualized by using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; 3) esterase activities toward some pyrethroid substrates were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) in the PYR-R strain than those in the OP-R strain. These results suggest …

Screening And Characterization Of Pathogenic Fungi For Possible Control Of Coptotermes Formosanus, Jianzhong Sun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Coptotermes formosanus was used as “bait” to isolate pathogenic fungi from soil. Fifteen pathogenic fungal isolates were obtained, all either Metarhizium anisopliae (six isolates) or Beauveria bassiana (nine isolates). There were no differences in numbers of fungal isolates from the three sampling locations. However, significantly more isolates were found in woodlands (eleven) than in pastures (four). Median lethal doses (LD50s) of these fungal species to C. formosanus were interspersed, indicating that fungal isolates rather than species had the greatest effect on virulence. In vitro growth characteristics were significantly correlated with virulence against termites, suggesting that fungal virulence might be predicted …

Litter And Ground Dwelling Spiders Of Mixed Mesophytic Forest In Southeast Louisiana, Joyce Fassbender

LSU Master's Theses

During Pleistocene glaciation much of the southeastern United States was covered with mixed mesophytic hardwood forest. These forests are composed predominantly of magnolia, holly, and beech with a mixture of other tree species, such as oak and hickory, and a distinct understory. Remnants of mixed mesophytic hardwood forests occur in the southern United States and are important refugia for disjunct and habitat-restricted species. In Louisiana, the mixed mesophytic forest habitat is found mostly in West Feliciana Parish, particularly in the area around St. Francisville. I chose two sites to conduct a study of spider diversity in litter habitats of disturbed …

Organophosphorous Insecticide Contamination In Streams: Insects As Bioindicators, Brian M. Andersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Organophosphorous (OP) insecticides are widely used around the world to control pests. These insecticides can enter streams and rivers and impact nontarget aquatic organisms by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (ACE), a nervous system enzyme necessary for normal behavior and survival. However, these contamination events are usually brief and often missed by chemical analyses attempting to detect OP insecticides. Although ACE activity has been used as a bioindicator of OP insecticide exposure in humans and wildlife for many years, few studies have investigated using aquatic insect ACE activity as a potential bioindicator of OP insecticide contamination in streams. This study used the mayfly …

Improving Management Of Nuisance Midges (Chironomidae: Diptera) In Perth (Western Australia) Wetlands Based On Their Response To Temperature And Seditment Type, Kirsty Suffell

Theses : Honours

The eutrophication of wetlands has created ideal breeding and growth conditions for certain species of Chironomidae (midge). In urban areas, high abundances can cause adult midges to become a nuisance to nearby residents. The shallow and often eutrophic wetlands of Perth (Western Australia) provide ideal conditions for the growth of certain Chironomid species, resulting in common nuisance problems. To control nuisance plagues a range of management options are available, including light traps, biological controls, insect growth regulators and pesticides. In Australia, Abate00 is the only registered pesticide for the control of midges. Little is known about the life histories of …