Life Sciences Commons^™

The Mojave Poppy Bee (Perdita Meconis) And A Primary Plant Host, The Las Vegas Bear Poppy (Arctomecon Californica): Status And Interactions, Sarit Chanprame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Mojave Desert is one of the most biodiverse places in North America. A harsh environment with many species results in complex relationships between animals and plants. This study focuses on one bee-plant relationship, the Mojave poppy bee, and the Las Vegas Bear Poppy.

The Mojave poppy bee is rare and has only been collected from Las Vegas Bear Poppy, Dwarf Bear Poppy, and a few species of prickly poppies. A 1995 report suggested the bee was a major contributor of pollination for the Las Vegas Bear Poppy in Clark County, Nevada. More recently (2019), their local extinction in southwestern …

Insecticide Susceptibility And Resistance Detection In Phlebotomus Argentipes Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), Shawna M. Hennings

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Leishmaniasis is an understudied disease found predominantly in high heat and humidity areas. The disease is transmitted by sandflies which are blood-feeding, biting insects. There is currently no known vaccine for any form of leishmaniasis and treatment imposes a significant economic impact on already poor and marginalized populations, as well as severe, lingering side effects for afflicted individuals. Annually, there are millions of people around the world afflicted with a form of Leishmaniasis that is transmitted by species of sandflies. The primary sandfly population control method for over half a century has been indoor residual spraying using insecticides. The selective …

An Evaluation Of Landscape, Climate, And Management Impacts On Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) In Agroecosystems, Morgan Elizabeth Christman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bumble bees play pivotal roles in pollinating wild and cultivated plant communities. Unfortunately, bumble bee populations are declining due to disturbances such as landscape conversion and climate change. Additionally, traps used to monitor pest insect populations often capture bumble bees, leading to a concern that trap captures increase bumble bee mortality. First, I studied bumble bee communities based on land cover and weather variables in agricultural fields in Utah. Bumble bee communities were more diverse in agricultural fields with more agricultural land in the surrounding area, low temperatures, and high humidity during the growing season, and less diverse in fields …

Historical Biogeography Of Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) In The North American Deserts And Arid Lands, Joseph S. Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For centuries, scientists have been intrigued by the high amount of biodiversity that is found in the deserts of North America. Recently, several studies have investigated the causes of the high diversity found in desert-dwelling mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. These studies have found that many of these organisms seem to have diversified in response to the same historical events. Little work has been done, however, on diverse desert-dwelling insect groups. In this dissertation, I investigate the patterns of genetic diversity in four groups of nocturnal wasps called velvet ants. I compare the patterns of genetic diversity to the historical events …

Evaluation Of Semiochemical Strategies For The Protection Of Whitebark Pine Stands Against Mountain Pine Beetle Attack Within The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Greta Katherine Schen-Langenheim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

High-dose verbenone, verbenone plus nonhost volatiles (NHVs), and both semiochemicals in combination with aggregant-baited funnel traps were tested for stand- level protection against mountain pine beetle attack for two consecutive years (2004-2005) at three seral high elevation whitebark pine sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In 2004, two 0.25-hectare treatments comprised of 25 high-dose verbenone pouches or verbenone pouches combined with single baited funnel traps were tested in a push-pull strategy. In 2005, 25 high-dose verbenone and 25 NHV pouches, or verbenone and NHV in combination with baited funnel trap clusters were tested. In both years, treatments were compared to …

Asymmetric Interspecific Competition Between Specialist Herbivores That Feed On Tamarisk In Western Colorado, Nina P. Louden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Four closely related species of leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have been introduced into the western United States as biocontrol agents for the invasive Eurasian shrub tamarisk (Tamarix spp.; Violales: Tamaricaceae). These beetles have since continued to spread and establish throughout the western United States. Another exotic insect, the tamarisk leafhopper (Opsius stactogalus, Fieber; Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), had previously become established in these areas and now shares tamarisk as a host plant with the beetles. To assess more carefully the potential for interactions between leafhoppers and beetles, field censuses and cage studies were conducted to determine …

Reproductive Ecology Of Astragalus Filipes, A Great Basin Restoration Legume, Kristal M. Watrous

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Astragalus filipes Torrey ex. A. Gray (Fabaceae) is being studied and propagated for use in rangeland restoration projects throughout the Great Basin. Restoration forbs often require sufficient pollination services for seed production and persistence in restoration sites. Knowledge of a plant's breeding biology is important in providing pollination for maximal seed set.

Reproductive output from four manual pollination treatments (autogamy, geitonogamy, xenogamy, and distant xenogamy) was examined in a common garden. Pod set, seed set, and seed germination were quantified for each of the treatments. Seed set from four wild populations was compared to that of an openly visited common …

Development Of A Laboratory Based System For Selecting Insect Pathogenic Fungi With Greatest Potential For Success In The Field, Chad Alton Keyser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many insects are important agricultural pests, and active control is necessary to keep them at abeyance. The naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium is a promising tool to control pest insects, and its use avoids the well-known harmful side effects of chemical pesticides. Thousands of unique isolates of Metarhizium exist throughout the world. These isolates vary widely in their ability to cause infection and to tolerate stressful habitats. The research reported here tests the THESIS: A laboratory-based system can be devised that identifies, from among many Metarhizium isolates, those isolates with the greatest potential for successful biological control of pest insects …

Diets Of Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) In Utah Alfalfa Fields, Lynette Nicole Davidson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Aphidophagous lady beetles rely on multiple sources of food in their environment. Alfalfa fields provide both aphids and many alternate foods, such as other arthropod prey, pollen, and fungi. Alfalfa fields (Medicago sativa L.) in Utah have low aphid densities, which may require lady beetles to consume alternative sources of food. Many methods can be used to determine these diets; frass analysis is used here to compare the diets of the introduced species Coccinella septempunctata L. with two native species, C. transversoguttata richardsoni Brown and Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville, that occur in the Utah alfalfa habitat.

In initial laboratory experiments …

Reproductive Tactics Of Aphidophagous Lady Beetles: Comparison Of A Native Species And An Invasive Species That Is Displacing It, Yukie Kajita

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) has been introduced to North America in recent decades, raising concerns of adverse impacts on native lady beetles, including the congeneric C. transversoguttata richardsoni (Brown). The central focus of my dissertation is to understand the importance of reproduction, in particular, in promoting invasion of C. septempunctata and its replacement of native lady beetles in alfalfa fields of western North America.

Studies were conducted to compare reproductive tactics of the invasive C. septempunctata and the native C. transversoguttata, by addressing: 1) maximum rate of reproduction of overwintered lady beetles, 2) population dynamics of the invasive …

Ponderosa Pine Mortality And Bark Beetle-Host Dynamics Following Prescribed And Wildland Fires In The Northern Rocky Mountains, Usa, Ryan Stephen Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ponderosa pine delayed mortality, and bark beetle attacks and emergence were monitored on 459 trees for 3 years following one prescribed fire in Idaho and one wildland fire in Montana. Resin flow volume (ml) was measured on 145 fire-injured ponderosa pine 2 and 3 years post-fire. Logistic regression was used to construct two predictive ponderosa pine mortality models, and two predictive bark beetle-attack models. Post-fire delayed tree mortality was greater with the presence of primary bark beetles independent of diameter at breast height (DBH) (cm), and was greater in smaller diameter trees most likely due to direct effects of fire-caused …

Factors Affecting Feeding Injury To Grasses By Adult Billbugs (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Dale C. Nielson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Factors associated with feeding injury to grass plants by two species of adult billbugs, Sphenophorus gentilis and S. parvulus, were evaluated. Early season tests utilized adult bluegrass billbugs while later studies involved wildrye billbugs. Types of feeding injury were determined and preferred feeding locations on host plants were identified for each billbug species. Greenhouse and field studies compared different species of grasses, individual plants within a species, and plants from different locations, for billbug susceptibility. The effect of grass plant age and stem size were also tested using bluegrass billbugs.

Using analysis of variance and multiple comparison tests, significant …

Effects Of Diflubenzuron When Fed To Adult Female Alfalfa Weevils, Mohamed M. Middib

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this project was to evaluate diflubenzuron ovicidal effects on adult female alfalfa weevils Hypera postica in the laboratory. There was little relationship of weevil mortality to dosage or length of exposure of the adult to the chemical. An indirect result of diflubenzuron was an increase in muscardine fungus (Beauveria Sp.). Other effects of the chemical on the adults were yellow deposits and tissue extending from the tip of the abdomen.

The main effect of dilfubenzuron when fed to female alfalfa weevils was on the eggs. The effects were dosage related, especially on eggs viability. The viability was …

A Revision Of The North American Species In The Genus Euodynerus (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae), Ali Shallan Moalif

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Twenty-eight species of Euodynerus Dalla Torre are recognized from the Nearctic Region, of which one is Holarctic. Literature on the biology of fourteen species is reviewed and new biological information discussed for four species. The phylogenetic relationships of the genus Euodynerus to other genera and the classification and relationships of the species of Euodynerus are discussed. Seven subgenera are recognized of which four are new: Euodynerus, Pareuodynerus Bluethgen, Leucodynerus Bohart, Annodynerus new subgenus, Gonodynerus n. subgenus, Holodynerus n. subgenus and Plecodynerus n. subgenus. Their comparative morphology, phylogeny, and distrubution are discussed. Larval instars of E. hidalgo (Saussure), E. scutellaris …

Larval Biology Of Some Utah Chrysididae, Bakary Vassery Ouayogode

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Biologies of eight chrysidid species were described. These wasps parasitized bees and wasps collected in trap nests set at several sites in two canyons near Logan, Utah. The completed nests were taken to the laboratory and the parasitized ones were kept for study of the development a l biology and behavior of both host and parasites.

The larval stages of Chrysura smaragdicolor, Chrysura sonorensis, Chrysis parkeri, Chrysis derivata, Chrysis coerulans, Cerotachrysis enhuycki, Trichrysis doriae and Hedychridium solierellae were studied. Omalus iridescens and Omalus purpuratus larvae were observed only in the fifth instar. The major …

A Study Of Insects Attacking Pinus Flexilis James Cones In Cache National Forest, Thomas Evan Nebeker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Six species of insects were found attacking limber pine cones from July 26, 1968, through October 4, 1969, in Cache National Forest. The three species considered of major importance are: Conophthorus flexilis Hopkins, Dioryctria abietella (D. & S.), and D. sp. near or disclusa Heinrich. The three minor species encountered are; Bradysia sp., Trogoderma parabile Beal, and Asynapta keeni (Foote). In addition to the major and minor cone pests three parasites, Apanteles sp. prob. starki Mason, Elacherus sp., and Hypopteromalus percussor Girault were found associated with the cone pests.

C. flexilis, which completely destroys the cone, was ranked as …

Factors Influencing Population Growth Of Tribolium Brevicornis In The Laboratory, Amin Gulla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To determine the effect of the factors of the environment (temperature, relative humidity, and food) on the population growth of Tribolium brevicornis, different levels of temperatures from 17.5°C - 37.5°C were used. Effect of these IeveIs of temperatures was tested upon both pre-embryonic and post-embryonic development. No hatching occurred at 17.5°C, but the threshold temperature (the minimum temperature for the development) was just before 17.5°C. The optimum temperature for the embryonic development was found to be between 32.5°C - 35°C.

With the use of the saturated salt solution according to Buxton (1931) and Buxton and Melanby (1934), certain humidity …

Behavior Patterns Of The Adult Alfalfa Weevil In Cache Valley, Utah, J. Wanless Southwick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), was first found in the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah, during 1904 (Titus, 1910b). It spread form this point of original introduction and partially infested Cache Valley by 1912 (Titus, 1913).

A Revision Of The Bee Genus Epeolus Latreille Of Western America North Of Mexico, Richard L. Brumley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Members of the genus Epeolus are small to medium-sized wasp-like bees which parasitize the colletid genus Colletes. Twenty-two species and two subgenera are recognized in this work.

Cuterebra (Diptera: Cuterebridae) Of Utah And The Neighboring States, Charles L. Graham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cuterebra are robust flies, which in flight resemble large black bees. Little is known about the bionomics of most of the species included in this genus. Nearly all members of this group parasitize rodents and lagomorphs. Some species have a wide host range, others seem to be specific or semi-specific to a single host. Accidental parasitism of animals other than specific host animals does occur. In such cases the larvae or the host usually die before the larvae can mature. There is a wide variation in the effect of of the parasite on its host. If the parasite is found …

Fluctuations Of The Clover Seed Chalcid, Bruchophagus Gibbus (Boh.), And Other Alfalfa Insect Populations In Cache Valley, Utah During The Summer Of 1958, Keith C. Tilley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The clover seed chalcid Bruchophagus gibbus (Boham) as it is presently classified, was originally described by Howard, in 1879 as Eurytoma funebris Howard (Comstock 1880). Kolobova (1950) reported different races of chalcid on clover and alfalfa in Russia. Studies are presently being conducted in the United States to see if these are applicable to our fauna, Burks (1960).

Insect Pests And Predators In Relation To Alfalfa Seed Setting In Southern Alberta And The Effects On These Insects Of Three Chlorinated Hydrocarbons, Gordon A. Hobbs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Alfalfa-insect investigations, because of necessity, had been neglected in the province of Alberta during the war years. Work was resumed on this project in the spring of 1946 by the writer.

So much progress has been made in the field of insect pest control since the advent of war-born chlorinated hydrocarbons, that it was thought advisable to design an experiment which would test under Alberta conditions the results obtained in Utah where most of this type of research had been previously carried out, and would thus serve to bring investigations in this part of Canada up to date.

It is …

A Taxonomic Study Of The Scolytidae (Coleoptera) Of The Logan Canyon Area Of Utah, Stephen L. Wood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In spite of the great economic importance of north American Scolytidae, many taxonomic descriptions remain inadequate for the identification of species, and existing keys have been made obsolete by the recent description of new species. To bring these keys up to date and make them useful to students and practical foresters, detailed studies of the morphological structure of the various species are necessary. The purpose of the present investigation has been to clarify and revise existing keys and to describe briefly the species of Scolytidae occurring in the Logan Canyon area of Utah. The following keys and descriptions will be …

The Life History Of The Dewberry Fruit Worm Cacoecia Rosaceana (Harr.) In Utah, Merlin W. Allen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study has been to determine the identity and the life history of certain larvae attacking dewberry fruits and foliage in a few sections of Utah. The dewberry fruit worm as it was called until it was definitely identified the oblique-banded leaf-roller, was first observed by farmers at Granite and Butlerville in 1932. Since 1934 it has been found affecting dewberries in other parts of northern Utah.

This investigation was begun in the spring of 1935 and continued until the fall of 1936, being made possible through the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Entomology, and with …

A Study Of The Oviposition And Nymphal Development Of Paratrioza Cockerelli (Sulc) Upon Various Host Plants, Wylie L. Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The potato psyllid, Paratrioza cockerelli (Sulc) as stated by E. O. Essig, (1917) is a native of the western states.

Since the great outbreak of psyllid yellows in Utah potato fields in 1927 much interest has been given to this insect. The close relationship between the nymphs of P. cockerelli and the disease, psyllid yellows, is a well known fact, but as yet the causative factor by which this disease is produced still remains unknown.

Because of the severity of the disease to potatoes and the importance of knowing something of the host plants of P. cockerelli, the writer, …