Life Sciences Commons^™

Regional Variation And Epidemiological Insights In Malaria Underestimation In Cameroon, Sarafa A. Iyaniwura, Qing Han, Ngem Bede Yong, Ghislain Rutayisire, Agnes Adom-Konadu, Okwen Patrick Mbah, David Poumo Tchouassi, Kingsley Badu, Jude Dzevela Kong

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Despite significant global effort to control and eradicate malaria, many cases and deaths are still reported yearly. These efforts are hindered by several factors, including the severe underestimation of cases and deaths, especially in Africa. Methods: We used a mathematical model, incorporating the underestimation of cases and seasonality in mosquito biting rate, to study the malaria dynamics in Cameroon. Using a Bayesian inference framework, we calibrated our model to the monthly reported malaria cases in ten regions of Cameroon from 2019 to 2021 to quantify the underestimation of cases and estimate other important epidemiological parameters. We performed Hierarchical Clustering …

Pretreatment Methods For Organic Waste Management As Feed For Black Soldier Fly, Mube K. Hervé, Gatchueng F. Lionel, Ndomou C.H. Serge, Dzepe Daniel, Shaphan Y. Chia, Kana Jean Raphael, Kenfack Augustave, Djouaka Rousseau, Sali A. Ndindeng

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Amidst escalating global urbanization and population growth, revolutionizing food systems and redefining waste management strategies has become essential. This study contributes to protein resource diversification in animal feed and offers a sustainable solution for organic waste management using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in Bafia, Cameroon. A survey characterized waste production in restaurants and households to assess quantity and quality. Collected organic wastes underwent two pre-treatments: heating, (60°C) and fermentation (4 days), while another batch was used fresh as a feeding substrate for BSFL, in contrast to a broiler starter diet over a 17-day larval feeding experimental period. Various parameters …

Integrating Metabolomics And Physicochemical Analysis In Black Soldier Fly Bioconversion Of Schizochytrium Residue: A Pathway To High-Value Ω-3 Products, Yaru Zhang, Jing Liu, Yan Xiao, He Yang, Yanzhou Zhang, Chrysantus Mbi Tanga, Dawei Huang, Jinhua Xiao

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global microalgae processing industry generates substantial residues rich in ω-3 fatty acids, presenting both a waste management challenge and an untapped resource for innovative food biotechnology. This study investigated the potential of bioconversion of Schizochytrium residue (SCR) by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to enrich ω-3 fatty acids and evaluated the industrial applicability of the resulting BSFL products. SCR supplementation enhanced larval growth performance (7.5 % increased weight, 19.9 % higher bioconversion rate) and protein quality, while enabling exclusive accumulation of EPA and DHA in BSFL. The total ω-3 content increased from 1.18 % to 17.37 %, achieving a …

Insect Frass Fertilizer Upregulates Maize Defence Genes And Resistance Against An Invasive Herbivore Pest, Daniel Munyao Mutyambai, Johnstone Mutiso Mutua, Abdul A. Jalloh, Dennis Beesigamukama, Andre Kessler, Sevgan Subramanian, Thomas Dubois, Sunday Ekesi, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) has gained global attention as a multipurpose input for soil fertilization and pest and disease management. However, there are limited studies that have examined its effects on insect pest resistance and the underlying mechanisms. We investigated the impact of amending soil with BSFFF on maize growth, defense gene expression and resistance to a polyphagous insect herbivore, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) through larval feeding assay. Maize growth was evaluated by measuring plant height, chlorophyll concentration, and biomass accumulation in soils amended with BSFFF, synthetic fertilizers (Di-ammonium phosphate and Calcium ammonium nitrate) and unfertilized soils …

Population Dynamics, Host Range, And Impact Of The Naturalized Weevil Ochyromera Ligustri: A Potential Biological Control Agent Of Invasive Ligustrum Sinense, Brandi H. Misiaszek

LSU Master's Theses

Invasive woody plants have become dominant components of many forest understories in the southeastern United States. These species can displace native species, disrupt ecosystem processes, and reduce biodiversity. Chinese privet (Oleaceae: Ligustrum sinense Lour.) is an invasive shrub distributed through the Southeastern United States. The ligustrum weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Ochyromera ligustri Warner) is a non-native insect that was first found in the U.S. on Ligustrum in 1959. This weevil is considered a potential fortuitous biological control agent of invasive Ligustrum spp. in the U.S. The objectives of this study were to evaluate O. ligustri as a potential biological control agent …

Understanding Perceptions About And The Practice Of Integrated Pest Management And Biological Control Of The Filth-Breeding Flies By Individuals Involved In The Equine Industry In The United States, Virgillia Adele Beyer-Junfin, Theresa Pesl Murphrey, David Lawver, Barry Boyd, Amy Boren-Alpizar, Rilee Hall, Audra W. Richburg

Journal of Extension

Filth-breeding flies pose significant health risks and costs in the equine industry. Although an arsenal of management strategies exists, integrated pest management (IPM) utilizing biological control (BC) offers cost and labor efficient pest control for equine facilities. Yet, little data exists on IPM adoption across the equine industry in the United States. This quantitative study examines the knowledge, perceptions, and adoption of IPM of those involved in the equine industry. Findings reveal knowledge barriers and time constraints as major preventatives. Preferred communication channels for IPM information are also identified. Recommendations are made for further research and practice in IPM and …

Population Structure Analysis Of Four Basal Higher-Attines Using Bioinformatic Approaches, Gabriel Mcdanield

Biology Theses

Metapopulations within the family Formicidae are unique among other animals due to the large colonies they build, and the mating strategies required to fertilize a specialized reproductive caste that will often produce young for the life of the colony. One group of ants, the fungus-gardeners (tribe Attini). The population structure of North American non-leafcutting, fungus-gardening ants has been understudied, especially in the southwest of the United States. Additionally, not much is known about their dispersal biology, so the dynamics of dispersal of these species and how they affect population structure is likewise not well known. To shed light on the …

Comparing Machine Learning, Deep Learning, And Reinforcement Learning Performance In Culex Pipiens Predictive Modeling, Wei Yin, Sanad H. Ragab, Michael G. Tyshenko, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Tamer Oraby

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Several machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods have been used to predict the presence of species in classification problems. Another set of methods, called reinforcement learning (RL), has been used in training agents to perform various tasks, but not in predicting species distribution. Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae), commonly known as the common house mosquito, is a globally distributed species prevalent in temperate and subtropical regions. They serve as a primary vector for West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen that affects humans and other animals. The study objective is to compare the performance of logistic regression, random forest …

Correcting Class Imbalance Through Synthetic Training Data And 3d Modeling For Carabid Pitfall Trap Sampling, Blair Mirka

Geography ETDs

Crowdsourced biodiversity data provide an accessible foundation for large-scale ecological monitoring, but class imbalance limits automated species identification, particularly for rare taxa. This research explores the use of synthetic training data generated from 3D models of carabid beetle museum specimens to improve detection and classification performance for underrepresented species in crowdsourced datasets. High-resolution 3D models were created to simulate variation in lighting, orientation, and background. These synthetic images were incorporated into convolutional neural network training datasets at varying synthetic-to-real ratios to assess their impact on classification accuracy. Models were evaluated using controlled pitfall-trap imagery to examine the influence of scene …

Native Bee Assemblages In Prescribed Fire-Managed Prairies: A Case Study From Arkansas, United States, Coleman Z. Little, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Native bee communities in Arkansas remain poorly documented, particularly within fire-managed prairie ecosystems that provide critical habitat for pollinators. This study surveyed bee assemblages at two native prairie remnants in the Arkansas River Valley, one large (Cherokee Prairie Natural Area, CPNA) and one small urban fragment (Jewel Moore Nature Reserve, JMNR), both managed using prescribed fire. Using pan trapping, we recorded 599 individuals representing 96 species across 25 genera, including 49% singletons. Despite differences in size and landscape context, both prairies supported similarly rich bee communities per sample day, with JMNR and CPNA averaging 16.1 and 13.75 species, respectively. However, …

New Butterfly Taxa And Findings From Genomic Analyses, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Continuing our genomics-driven exploration of butterfly taxonomy, we integrate phylogenetic trees from all protein-coding genes with existing taxonomic and phenotypic knowledge and uncover further insights into butterfly systematics. As a result, one subgenus, 44 species, and 11 subspecies are proposed as new (type species in original combinations or type localities are listed in parentheses): Porphaurea Grishin, subgen. n. (Phoenicops porphyropis Meyrick & Lower, 1902) of Chaetocneme C. Felder, 1860 in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809; Dione (Agraulis) lamasi Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco) in Nymphalidae Rafinesque, 1815; Lasaia (Lasaia) chiapis Grishin, sp. n. (Mexico: Chiapas), Lasaia …

Nebline, November/December 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Contents

Nebraska Extension celebrates 25 years of nutrition school enrichment kits

Recipe of the month: Fruit & yogurt parfait

Celebrating the season with American persimmon by Rachel Anderson

Love gardening? Become a master gardener by Mary Jane Frogge

Extension master gardener volunteer spotlight: Carol Rustad

Garden guide: Things to do this month by Mary Jane Frogge

Choosing child care: What parents should know by Jaci Foged

Commercial/noncommercial pesticide license

Little black bugs, big bite by Kait Chapman [about pirate bugs]

What you need to know about having a well drilled by Becky Schuerman

2026 nebraska custom rates survey by Glennis …

Flea News 96 (November 2025), R. L. Bossard

Flea News

Flea News is a twice-yearly newsletter about fleas (Siphonaptera). Before including in publications any of the citations given here, please review for accuracy and correct formatting. Many of our sources are abstracting journals and current literature sources, and editors have not necessarily checked citations.

Announcements

Obituary: Lane Douglas Foil (June 16, 1949 - June 22, 2025)

Siphonaptera Literature (2025): Taxonomy, Conservation, Hosts and Distributions, Physiology and Morphology, Evolution, Ecology, Pathology and Control, Microbial Symbionts

Muffled Olfactory And Sensory Cues From The Reproductive Stage Soybean Selectively Reduce Oviposition Of A Major Polyphagous Herbivore, Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda), Krishnarao Gandham, Manish Gautam, Justin George, Gadi V.P. Reddy, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

BACKGROUND

While the mother knows best/preference performance hypothesis has been well tested in natural ecosystems, how these ecological principles differ in agroecosystems is less explored. In this study, we investigated the ovipositional preference and offspring performance of fall armyworm (FAW) across vegetative and reproductive stages of soybean.

RESULTS

We examined trichomes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and assessed electroantennogram (EAG) measurements to understand how olfactory responses are affected by volatiles at different phenological stages during photoperiodism (photophase and scotophase). We found that gravid FAW preferred the vegetative compared to reproductive stage of soybean. Although VOC and EAG responses was not statistically …

Distribution Of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes In Missouri And Arkansas, Usa, Vineyards, Andrew L. Thomas, Robert T. Robbins, R. Andrew Allen, Terry Kirkpatrick, Elijah A. Bergmeier

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A nematode survey was conducted from 30 vineyards in Missouri and Arkansas (USA) comprising 107 samples among 21 grape cultivars (Vitis aestivalis, Vitis labruscana, Vitis vinifera, Vitis hybrids, and Muscadinia rotundifolia). All the samples tested positive for nematode presence. Eleven different nematode taxa were isolated and identified, five of which have economic importance to grapevines: Xiphinema americanum, Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp., Criconemoides spp., and Tylenchulus spp. Xiphinema americanum was detected at all but two sites, with 58% of sites having populations at or above levels with expected biological and economic impact. This is primarily a concern because of the ability …

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Malaria Vector Niche Overlaps In Africa, Eric Ali Ibrahim, John Odindi, Mark Wamalwa, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, with transmission heightened by the dynamics of primary and secondary mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium parasites. Regions where both vector types co-exist face heightened likelihood of intensified malaria transmission. Hence, understanding vectors' ecological interactions, especially their niche overlaps in geographic or environmental space, is crucial for targeted malaria control and elimination strategies. We employed a dynamic cellular automata (CA) model to map niche overlaps among primary (Anopheles gambiae complex, An. funestus group) and secondary (An. pharoensis, An. coustani) malaria vectors across African, using open-access environmental and vector occurrence datasets sourced from …

Assessing The Impact Of Trap Type, Fluon Treatment, And Lure Composition On The Collection Of Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) In Two Forest Ecosystems In Subtropical Southeastern Louisiana, Chiranjivi Sharma

LSU Master's Theses

The expansion of global trade has increased the risk of unintentional introductions of non-native woodboring insects, which can cause considerable ecological and economic damage. Monitoring both native and exotic species in managed and unmanaged forests relies heavily on semiochemical-baited traps. With the goal of improving survey efforts, we conducted field bioassays with the Synergy Multi-trap System with and without Fluon, and the Synergy Funnel Trap II with Fluon, baited with multicomponent cerambycid lures and ethanol, to test the impact of trap design, attractant composition, and the application of friction reducers on the collection of longhorned beetles in two forest ecosystems …

Spiny Orb Weaver, Jasmine M. Roncevic

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

This scientific illustration depicts the spiny orb weaver spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis), a distinctive arachnid known for its characteristic hardened, spiny abdomen. Spiny orb weaver spiders enjoy warm, tropical, and subtropical environments and are primarily found in the Southeastern U.S., the Caribbean, and South America. They live in wooded areas, citrus groves, and shrubby gardens. I’ve encountered spiny orb weaver spiders in my food forest where they like to set up their orb-shaped webs and feast on flies, mosquitoes, and moths.

This scientific illustration depicts the spiny orb weaver spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis), a distinctive arachnid known for its characteristic …

Darkling Beetle, Jasmine M. Roncevic

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Darkling beetles (Tenebrio molitor) are holometabolic insects. Darkling beetle is the common name of the large family of beetles Tenebrionidae which has more than 20,000 species. The T. molitor species gets its name from the yellowish appearance of the larvae. During its lifespan, a darkling beetle experiences a complete metamorphosis in four distinct stages: Egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The eggs hatch within 4 to 19 days after the female oviposits. It takes about 3 – 4 months for an egg to develop into an adult, or the beetle stage.

During the adult stage, the beetles are initially whitish and …

Robust Regression Rescues Poor Phylogenetic Decisions, Mataya Duncan, Michael Degiorgio, Raquel Assis, Richard Adams

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Comparative biology seeks to unlock the power of cross-species trait variation to learn the rules of life. In this venture, modern studies increasingly leverage large datasets spanning many traits and levels of biological organization and complexity. To analyze these complex data in a statistically-sound manner, researchers must choose a phylogeny that is assumed to model the mean trait values across species-an assumption that may be tenuous depending on the true evolutionary architecture of the traits. Yet the consequences of this decision remain poorly understood, particularly for modern studies seeking to analyze multiple, distinct traits within the same framework. Here, we …

Optimizing Conditions For Bacillus Subtilis Ectopic Gene Expression And Delivery Via Seed Treatment, Abeer Alnasrawi, Jiamel Li, Payal Sanadhya, J. Alejandro Rojas, Fiona L. Goggins

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacillus subtilis is applied as a biofertilizer, biocontrol agent, and probiotic in agriculture, and is also used for industrial synthesis of proteins and peptides. These applications can be combined by using B. subtilis to synthesize plant health-promoting peptides in culture or to deliver them to roots via seed treatments. To facilitate the use of B. subtilis as a cell factory, we tested different media, temperatures, and growth phases to optimize ectopic expression of a Plant Elicitor Peptide from soybean (GmPEP3) that enhances seedling growth. Our results indicate that temperature, culture media, and growth phase have interactive effects, and that 30 …

Impact Of Irrigation And Micronutrient Treatments On Insect Herbivore Population Dynamics In Soybean, Rahul Debnath, Justin George, Ammar B. Bhandari, Rupesh Kariyat, Gadi V.P. Reddy, James P. Glover, Tulsi P. Kharel, Krishna N. Reddy

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soybean production is substantially affected by insect pests, necessitating the implementation of appropriate management strategies. Effective irrigation and fertilizer regimes have been found to affect pest populations in agroecosystems. However, their interactive effects on herbivore incidence are less understood. This study reports the abundance and diversity of insect pests, especially hemipteran, lepidopteran, and stink bug species complexes, encountered on soybeans throughout their vegetative and reproductive growth stages under varying irrigation and micronutrient treatments. First, we compared total and major insect pest population densities in irrigated and rainfed conditions. Afterwards, we evaluated how the frequency of insect pests on soybean was …

How To Identify Leafhoppers, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

These tiny plant-feeding insects are often considered pests due to the damage they can inflict on crops and gardens. Leafhoppers, treehoppers and spittlebugs (or froghoppers) are closely related to cicadas, and planthoppers are their more distant relatives. As their names suggest, most of them can hop.

Nebline, October 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Contents

4-H super fair helps youth become beyond ready

What's popping? by Natalie Sehi

Recipes of the month, by Kayla Colgrove: Fish bait snack mix, kicked up popcorn, and cinnamon crunch snack mix

Are your trees for the next storm? by Rachel Anderson

Garden guide: Things to do this month by Mary Jane Frogge

GRO Big Red virtual learning series

Composting demonstration

Promoting language development in young children by Hayley Jackson

Tip sheet for harvest 2025 by John Nelson

Rogers Memorial Day farm field day, September 2025

Heart of 4-H volunteer award: Rachel Wells

Join 4-H to become beyond ready …

Insect Pests Of Wheat In North India: A Comprehensive Review Of Their Bio-Ecology And Integrated Management Strategies, Gurveer Singh, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a vital food crop for majority of the world's population. However, its yield potential is significantly threatened by insect pests, which adversely affect production, quality, and overall food security. The diverse array of insect pests throughout wheat's growth stages necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their interactions with wheat cultivation. This review critically assesses the diversity, biology, ecology, and management strategies of major insect pests in North India, including aphids, termites, pink stem borer, gram pod borer, armyworm, and brown wheat mite. These pests infest wheat at various growth stages, posing significant challenges to sustainable production. …

A Guide To Cicada Wings Of The United States Of America, George Keller

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

This guide was created for people who find cicada wings after a predator has eaten the body. It is nice to know what species of cicada was eaten. This guide will show some of the common species around the United States of America.

The template for the guide will be: Species, range, time of year, wing color, front/hind, wing length, and wing width.

All photos in the guide were taken by the author. The left wings of the cicadas are shown for easy comparison. If the specimen is too damaged then both wings will be shown.

Colony Collapse Disorder And How To Mitigate Losses, Axl Taylor

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

What is Colony Collapse Disorder?

The Role of Varroa destructor in CCD

Viruses and Their Role in CCD

Effects of Nosema in CCD

Habitat Destruction/Nutrition and Its Effect on CCD

Pesticides and their effect on CCD

Mitigating Causes of CCD

Colony Behavior, Social Resilience, and Monitoring

Integrated Management Approaches

Conclusion

Exudation Entomology, John Buchanan

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

My master's project is exudation entomology. I propose a new area of entomology that will renew and reshape the science, answer questions that have been explored, and open new questions that have yet to be asked.

Exudation entomology is the study of exudates from arthropods. This includes (but is not limited to) honey, saliva, silk, secretions, venom, pheromones, paper, wax, and more. Other properties, such as bioluminescence, sounds, and odors, are also included. Exudation entomology will explore the chemical makeup of exudates, the anatomical mechanisms for how the arthropod produces the exudate, why the exudate is essential for arthropods and …

Hyalophora Cecropia: An Educational Guide For Learning About And Raising Hyalophora Cecropia, Deserae Emmett

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Ths is an educational guide for learning about and raising Hyalophora cecropia, also known as the cecropia moth, cecropia silkmoth, or robin moth, classified in the family Saturniidae.

Website: https://deseraeemmett.wixsite.com/ chasing-cecropia

Illustrated Key To Third Instar Larvae Of Forensically Important Calliphoridae From Costa Rica, Roberto Esteban Morales-Montero

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Forensic entomology in Costa Rica formally began by the end of the 1990s decade, however, the keys utilized to identify the species of Calliphoridae, the most important family of flies that colonize decomposing bodies in Costa Rica, are a compendium of work done by different authors that not include all the species present in the country, and are not adequately illustrated, which could make the analyses difficult for people without the proper knowledge of the carrion flies, or may lead to errors in the identification. The objective of this work is to put together a properly illustrated key for third-instar …