Life Sciences Commons^™

Volatile Pyrethroid Spatial Repellents For Preventing Mosquito Bites: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ingrid Chen, Sarah L. Miller, Daniel Msellemu, Aidi G. Lugenge, Johnson Kyeba Swai, Nicole Achee, Marta Andrés, Christopher S. Bibbs, Theeraphap Chareonviriyaphap, J. Derek Charlwood, Greg Devine, Noel Elman, Ulrike Fillinger, Carmen Flores-Mendoza, Seth Gibson, Nicodem Govella, Steven Gowelo, Sebastian Horstmann, Hitoshi Kawada, Daniel Kline, Aaron Lloyd, Neil F. Lobo, Marta F. Maia, Arnold Mmbando, Mara Moreno-Gómez, Amy C. Morrison, Winifrida Mponzi, Emmanuel P. Mwanga, Margaret Njoroge

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Volatile pyrethroid spatial repellents (VPSRs) can prevent mosquito-borne diseases including malaria and dengue fever, but the use of varied evaluation methods has resulted in a lack of clarity regarding their protective efficacy (PE) against contact with mosquitoes. This systematic review and meta-analysis consolidates the entomological evidence base on the PE of VPSRs against Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes and different test methods used. Methods: We identified studies completed between January 2000 and September 2023 by searching through databases, conference abstracts, and personal correspondences. Included studies were semi-field or field studies that measured the PE of VPSRs using human landing …

Native Ticks As A Model For The Effectiveness Of Fire As A Tool For The Management Of Cattle Fever Ticks In South Texas, Lauren P. Maestas, Sarah E. Mays Maestas, Kathleen M. Yeater, Manuel Zavala, Reyes Garcia, John A. Goolsby

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

The species of cattle fever ticks (CFT) present in North America, Rhipicephalus (=Boophilus) annulatus, and R. microplus, remain an important agricultural and economic burden. The use of acaricides to control CFT has been a common practice over the past half century. However, alternative strategies for control are needed to improve the options for sustainable pest control. Fire is a tool to manage vegetation, and some evidence supports its potential for use to control ticks. We evaluated the effectiveness of fire as a management tool for ticks in South Texas. Our site was a 28.2-ha property in Cameron …

From Larvae To Livelihoods: Examining The Realities Of Black Soldier Fly Farming In Malawi, Emily Herriott

Capstone Collection

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae offer a cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternative to synthetic fertilizers and conventional feed inputs such as soy, fishmeal, and maize bran in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, where smallholder farmers grapple with declining soil fertility, high input prices, chronic food insecurity, and livestock nutritional challenges, BSF farming is emerging as a promising circular agricultural innovation. Despite its technical promise, the social, economic, and ecological realities of BSF adoption remain underexplored.This study investigates the early implementation of BSF farming in Malawi through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, focusing on farmer experiences, challenges, and the social and structural processes shaping uptake …

Book Reviews, William L. Hilsenhoff, Roger G. Bland, M. C. Nielson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

THE MAYFLIES OF NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA, George F. Edmunds, Jr., Steven L. Jensen, and Lewis Berner. 330 p., 432 figs. University of Minnesota Press, 1976. $28.50.

INSECTS AND THE LIFE OF MAN. Sir Vincent Wigglesworth. Halsted Press of John Wiley & Sons, N.Y. 217 p. $12.50.

A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE WEST INDIES. Normal D. Riley. A Demeter Press Book, Quadrangle-The New York Times Book Co., 1976. 224 pp., 24 colored plates. $12.50.

A Teratomorphic Stonefly (Plecoptera: Nemouridae), Allen W. Knight, Clifford A. Siegfried

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A single nymph of over 2000 specimens of Taeniopteryx nivalis collected in 1968 from Gull Creek, Kalamazoo County, Michigan (T25:R9W:S6), had a double flagellum on the left antenna (Fig. 1). The more laterally placed flagellum was perfectly formed and of normal length, whereas the inner one was less than half the normal length but appeared normally structured. The flagella shared a common pedicel.

Pollination Of Staghorn Sumac By Ants, Orin G. Gelderloos

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt]

A population of worker ants, Prenolepis imparis Say (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), was observed pollinating the hermaphroditic flowers of staghorn sumac, Rhus nphina. at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in western Wayne County, Michigan, during the midmorning hours of 10 June, 1974, and at a height of approximately 1.75 m.

Color Variation In Strangalia Bicolor (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), D. C.L. Gosling

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt]

Many species of Lepturinae are noted for their great variation in color, while some are quite uniform in coloration. Strangalia bicolor (Swederus) is one of the Iatter type and usually shows virtually no variation. The elytra are uniformly blue-black with the exception of the inflexed corner of the humerus which is reddish-yellow. The wings and eyes are black, and the rest of the beetle is entirely reddish-yellow. Until recently, the only variation I had observed was one female with a small, triangular, reddish-yellow spot on the basal margin of each elytron near the scutellum. Linsley and Chemsak (1977) recorded …

Boyeria Grafiana, A Rare Ohio Dragonfly (Odonata: Aeshnidae), T. E. Perry

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[excerpt]

The intent of this paper is to record the dragonfly Boyeria grafiana Williamson as a resident Ohio species. The previous Ohio record for grafiana was based on a single male taken by E. E. Bogue at Orwell, Ashtabula County, Ohio, in September, 1894, and listed by Kellicott (1899) as Boyeria vinosa (Say). Hine (1913) updated some of Kellicott's work and identified the Orwell record as Boyeria grafiana, which had been described by Williamson in 1907.

Rev. Modestus Wirtner: Biographical Sketch And Additions And Corrections To The Miridae In His 1904 List Of Western Pennsylvania Hemiptera, A. G. Wheeler Jr., Thomas J. Henry

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt]

The Rev. Modestus Wirtner's (1904) list of western Pennsylvania Hemiptera remains as the only useful general account of this group for the state. Earlier, Rathvon (1869) had published a short list of species from Lancaster County, but because the identity of species referred to cannot be established, his list has limited value.

The Distribution Of Some Soil Arthropods In A Manipulated Ecosystem, James H. Shaddy, James W. Butcher

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt] Soil cultivation practices and agricultural utilization affect soil animal populations in various ways. Gisin (1955) and Schalk (1968) concluded that the effect was minimal. Others observed a deleterious effect (Karg, 1956; Sheals, 1956; Strebel, 1957; Aleinikova and Utrobina, 1975; Edwards and Lofty, 1975). However, some soil animals appear to be benefited (Aleinikova and Utrobina, 1975; Edwards and Lofty, 1975). The effects of cultivation and many other factors have been discussed thoroughly in reviews by Christiansen (1964), Burges and Raw (1967), Butcher, et al. (1971), Ghilarov (1975), and Wallwork (1976).

Survey For Parasites Of The Introduced Pine Sawfly, Dlprlon Slmllls (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), In Minnesota, L. C. Thompson, H. M. Kulman, W. D. Valovage

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Diprion similis (Hartig) cocoons were collected at 24 sites in 14 counties in north and central Minnesota in 1975 to determine the current status of the parasite complex. The ichneumon Exenterus amictorius (Panzer) was by far the most abundant of the 16 parasites, with parasitization in excess of 44% in both sawfly generations. Parasitization by E. amictorius did not decrease substantially in the second generation, as was anticipated from previous studies. Monodontomerus dentipes (Dalman) (Torymidae) and Delomerista japonica diprionis Cushman (Ichneumonidae) were common only in the second generation. One specimen of Perilampus hyalinus Say (Perilampidae) was reared for the fust …

Distribution Of Acalymma Vittata And Diabrotica Virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) On Cucurbits, Catherine E. Bach

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittata (Fabricius) and the western corn rootworm, Diahrotica virgifera LeConte, are of economic importance and utilize cucurbits, but to a different extent. A. vittata is a specialist on cucurbits during all stages of its life cycle, whereas D. virgifera feeds on cucurbits only as an adult. Much is known about the life history, feeding preferences, and control of each of these species (A. vittata: Gould, 1944, 1962; Harcourt and Cass, 1955; Wiseman, Hall, and Painter, 1962; D. virgifera: Chiang, 1973; Ludwig, 1975). However, no study has looked at possible interactions such as competition between the …

Invertebrate Predators Of Michigan Lepidoptera, M. C. Nielson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt]

For many years this author has been actively collecting Michigan Lepidoptera and generally observing insects in the field. Almost every season some predation of Lepidoptera by insects and their allies is seen. Unfortunately, many early observations went unrecorded in my field notebooks, but since the late 1950's I have made notations of these interesting encounters.

A Distinctive Dune Form Of The Marbled White Butterfly, Euchloe Olympia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) In The Great Lakes Area, Warren Herb Wagner Jr.

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt]

The dunes along the shores of Lake Huron in the vicinity of Ipperwash Provincial Park, Port Franks, and Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario, are notable for their unusual vegetation and a number of interesting plants and animals. During studies of the peculiar, disjunctive populations of the dwarf hackberry tree (Celtis tenuifolia Nutt.) (Wagner, 1974), I became aware that the local population of marbled white, Euchloe olympia (Edwards), differed in a number of respects from the usual form with which I was familiar. Preliminary observations during the spring of 1975 suggested that the butterflies might even represent a distinct subspecies, so …

Development And Survival Of Saratoga Spittlebug Nymphs On Alternate Host Plants, Louis F. Wilson, George C. Heaton, Patrick C. Kennedy

The Great Lakes Entomologist

\!hen abundant, the adult Saratoga spittlebug, Aphrophora smatogensis (Fitch), injures or kills young red pine, Pinus rerinovr Ait., and jack pine, P. banksiana Lamb. Its abundance depends greatly on the quantit). and quality of woody plants and forbs of the forest floor that senre a5 alternate hosts during the nymphal stages (Anderson, 1947; Ewan, 1961: Kennedy and Wilson, 1971; Secrest, 1944). Sweet-fern, Comptonia peregrina Coult., is the principal and most important alternate host (Kennedy and Wilson, 1971), but little is know-n about the value of other woody plants and forbs for supporting nymphal development. Therefore, \ve sought to examine the …

Parasites Of Lepidopterous Larvae In Alfalfa And Soybeans In Central Illinois, S. J. Roberts, W. K. Mellors, E. J. Armbrust

The Great Lakes Entomologist

During the 1971-72 soaing season sweep-net samples were taken to determine the major species of parasites and lepidopterous host larvae present in central Illinois soybeans and alfalfa. A trod of 27 primary Hymenoptera and Diptera parasites was collected from nine Lepidopterous species. Parasites were associated with all nine species of Ian-ae m alfalfa and soybeans. Apanteles flaviconchae Riley was responsible for over 87% of &e parasitism of Colias spp. larvae in both alfalfa and soybeans in 1971. The hyperparasites Mesochorus discitergus (Say) and M. arnericanus Cresson were recovered from fou~of dep rim= parasites Pathogens were found in six species of …

Influence Of Diverse Forage Environments On Honey Bee Colony Health, Angus Catchot Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Honey bees are important pollinators that face a multitude of stressors in their environment such as pathogens, parasite pressure, forage availability and pesticide exposure. This study examined how the makeup of different environments and the stressors related to those environments are affecting honey bee health in Mississippi. A field experiment was conducted during the first year of the study across four distinct landscapes ranging from intensively cultivated cropland to predominantly natural forage habitats to assess the impact of landscape availability on varying honey bee colony health parameters. Locations that had cultivated crops within foraging range produced more honey and brood …

Understanding Pollinator-Forb Interactions And Evaluating Trapping Methods For Pollinator Monitoring In Lawns Of The Southeastern United States, Sara Rose Kirby

Theses and Dissertations

Urban turfgrass landscapes are widespread across the southeastern United States but offer limited ecological value under conventional management. This thesis evaluates the pollinator support potential of ten forb species commonly found in low-maintenance lawns and assesses the effectiveness of two insect sampling methods, sweep netting and pan trapping. Over two years of field surveys, native forbs such as Symphyotrichum divaricatum and Claytonia virginica supported significantly greater insect abundance and diversity than introduced species. Network and modularity analyses revealed that native plants facilitated more specialized pollinator interactions, including those involving oligolectic bee species. In a complementary study, pan traps effectively sampled …

Sweetpotato Insect Pests: Virus Vector Management And Rearing, Rachel Emily Morrison

Theses and Dissertations

Sweetpotatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are vegetatively propagated through slips, making them prone to viral buildup. Aphids are insect pests known for transmitting viruses to crops, which reduces yield. This study examined different options for aphid management to reduce the spread of potyviruses: crop borders, crop oils, and insecticides. However, the results of this research showed that treatments were not successful at reducing the spread of the four potyviruses tested. An additional objective was to establish a colony of banded cucumber beetles (Diabrotica balteata) in the laboratory. These beetles are a leaf-feeding and root-feeding pest of sweet potatoes. Two colonies of banded …

Formosan Subterranean Termites Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Heterotermitidae): An Underreported Threat To Commercial Shrimp Boats In The Midsouth, Usa, J. S. Portugal Iii

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Ground Truthing Of Inaturalist Submissions Confirms The Presence Of Asian Needle Ants, Brachyponera Chinensis (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), In Louisiana, A New State Record, Aaron R. Ashbrook, Victoria Bayless, Stephen Baca, Gerardo Guevara-Milla, Chris E. Carlton

Midsouth Entomologist

Based on submissions to iNaturalist from citizen scientists, the presence of the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis), was confirmed for Louisiana in East Baton Rouge Parish. Use of citizen scientist platforms for sources of invertebrate taxa distributions is a powerful tool but requires caution because the records are typically not validated by physical voucher specimens that have been deposited in publicly accessible museums, and identification of many species is not possible by images alone. To demonstrate the usefulness of citizen scientist programs like iNaturalist, possible collection sites for Asian needle ant specimens were located. Specimens were collected, identified, and vouchers …

Tradeoffs Between Elemental Homeostasis And Growth Govern Freshwater Phytoplankton Responses To Salinization, Samuel A.T. Dias, Clay Prater, Adriana Diaz-Delgado, Natalie A. Clay, Sally A. Entrekin, Michelle A. Evans-White

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Anthropogenic salinization resulting from road salt application can degrade aquatic environments by altering the structure and function of phytoplankton communities, ultimately reducing flows of resources through aquatic food webs. However, physiological mechanisms underlying taxon-specific responses to salinization are often poorly linked to higher-order ecosystem dynamics, limiting our ability to predict community responses to salinization. To this end, we tested hypotheses derived from Subsidy-Stress and Ecological Stoichiometry theory by growing two cosmopolitan genera, Dolichospermum (prokaryotic, cyanobacteria) and Scenedesmus (eukaryotic, green algae), across NaCl gradients and contrasting differences in their growth rates, degree of Na homeostasis, and cellular C : N : …

Nebline, August/September 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Contents

Summertime’s Natural Light Show: Fireflies by Kait Chapman

Insect Science with Kids: Bug Collecting as a Tool to Learn

The Perfect Partnership: EFNEP and SNAP-Ed Join Forces for Lifelong Nutrition and Health by Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the month by Emily Gratopp: Fruit salsa & cinnamon chips

Southeast nebraska Pasture & Acreage Expo

Southeast Nebraska Alfalfa & Wheat Expo

Landlord/Tenant Cash Rent workshop

Vegetable Gardening in the Fall by Mary Jane Frogge

GRO Big Red virtual learning series

2025 perennial plant of the year: Blue mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)

Garden guide: Things to do this month by …

2024 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Sebe A. Brown, Tim Bryant, Whitney D. Crow, Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Chase Floyd, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Kelly A. Hamby, David Kerns, Janet Knodel, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Sisson, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Raul T. Villanueva

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated management costs and losses due to insects and other invertebrates in soybean during the 2024 growing season were collected and compiled from 19 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 63% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm and soybean looper. Total insect …

Impact Of Adoption Of Fall Armyworm And Stemborer Pest Control Practices On Maize Yields In Rwanda: A Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression Approach, Vincent Gadamba Misango, Jonathan Makau Nzuma, Patrick Irungu, Menale Kassie

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The use of push-pull technologies (PPT) as an alternative control method for fall armyworms and stemborer pests amongst maize farmers has recently received considerable global attention. However, the impact of adoption of PPT on the maize productivity remains largely unexplored. This study used a multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) to evaluate the impact of adoption of PPT on smallholder maize farmer's yields in Rwanda. The MESR model was estimated on a sample of 398 households operating 967 maize plots selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Overall, 25, 20, and 14 percent of the households used traditional methods, PPT and …

Investigating The Impact Of Psychoactive Plant Alkaloids On Bumblebee Behavior, Skylar Mathieson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between plants and their pollinators is often framed as a food-for-service exchange in which plants provide pollinators with nutrients in exchange for transport of their gametes. However, in addition to essential nutrients, many floral rewards (nectar, pollen) also contain defensive toxins such as alkaloids, with largely unexplored consequences for plant-pollinator interactions. I investigated how three psychoactive and addictive plant alkaloids — caffeine, nicotine, and morphine — affect foraging behavior in generalist bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) using robotic flowers. Each of these chemicals affected pollinator foraging behavior, influencing the number and duration of their visits to flowers in …

A Note On Psoloessa Texana And Achurum Sumichrasti (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Acridinae) From Louisiana, Jovonn G. Hill

Midsouth Entomologist

During a 2024 survey in Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana, Psoloessa texana and Achurum sumichrasti were collected, representing new state records. No prior records of P. texana exist for Louisiana, and while A. sumichrasti has been observed and reported online, no specimens were previously documented. These findings extend the known range of P. texana by ~320 km and suggest a broader distribution for A. sumichrasti. Their presence in xeric savannas may reflect Pleistocene-era disjunctions. With these additions, Louisiana’s documented grasshopper fauna increases to 41 species.

Bioassay To Evaluate Resistance Levels In Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) Populations In Alabama To Common Cotton Insecticides, T. J. Douglas, K. Kesheimer, A. Jacobson, S. Brown, F. R. Musser, L. S. Catchot, S. H. Graham

Midsouth Entomologist

The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), has emerged as the major insect pest of cotton in the mid-southern United States following the eradication of the boll weevil and the introduction of genetically modified Bt cotton for caterpillar pests. The objective of this study is to evaluate tarnished plant bug resistance to the five most common insecticides used for control across six distinct growing regions. Glass-vial bioassays were used to evaluate resistance of field populations in a laboratory setting. Elevated levels of resistance of tarnished plant bug to bifenthrin and, to a lesser degree, imidacloprid have been reported …

Developing Targets To Control Multiple Pest Fly Species: Violet Polyester Targets Effectively Attract Tsetse (Diptera: Glossinidae), Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), And House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), Michael N. Okal, Sheillah J. Akinyi, Roger D. Santer

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse (Glossina spp.), stable (Stomoxys spp.), and house flies (Musca domestica L.) impact humans and animals through bites and/or disease transmission. Tsetse are controlled using insecticide-coated fabric targets that are traditionally blue and/or black, but a violet polyester has now been engineered for greater attractiveness. Here, we investigate whether violet targets are also effective against stable and house flies. We sampled flies by electrocution at 1.0 (H) × 0.5 m (W) targets in Kenya, comparing catches at violet targets, and blue and black targets made from polyesters used in commercial traps and targets. Catches of female but not male Glossina …

A Technique For Estimating The Number Of Shoots On Pole-Sized Red Pine: The Relationship Of Selected Tree Parameters To Number Of Shoots In Central Wisconsin Sand Plains Plantations, J. H. Hainze, D. M. Benjamin

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Diameter at breast height (dbh) , of ten tree parameters tested, was most highly correlated with the number of shoots per tree in six red pine plantations in the central Wisconsin sand plains. Tree height, frequently used as an estimator of shoot number in young conifers, was not highly correlated with shoot number. A strong, nonlinear correlation existed between branch diameter and number of shoots per branch. Multiple regressions using several tree parameters yielded the highest R2 values, however, dbh was judged the simplest and most practical estimator of shoot number for central Wisconsin red pine plantations.