Entomology Commons^™

Co-Occurrence Patterns Of Bat Flies On Neotropical Chiroptera, Mitchell Louis Schooler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Parasite-host systems provide excellent opportunities to explore ecological dynamics such as competition, competitive exclusion, and co-occurrence. The distribution of streblid bat flies on their host bats were examined for patterns of species co-occurrence and to understand mechanisms driving these patterns. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of co-occurrence among individuals of different Neotropical bat fly species. After establishing patterns of co-occurrence, tests on whether variation in fly morphology was linked to observed patterns of co-occurrence were performed. Co-occurrence patterns were determined using null model analyses, and a predominant pattern of aggregation was detected. To examine the relationship …

An Improved Regional Honey Production Model For The United States, Anthony B. Trimboli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Currently three systems are used to categorize honey production regions in the United States, one from the United States Department of Agriculture, one from the American Bee Journal used for its monthly U.S. Honey Crop and Markets report, and one from Bee Culture’s monthly regional honey price report. These systems follow political state boundaries and are based upon climate, bee forage, and regional beekeeping practices. While these systems are popular with the general beekeeping community, to our knowledge, their accuracy has not been studied.

Although differing geographic regions can vary in bee forage species availability, states with similar geography and …

Abiotic Conditions Of Rare Pitcher's Thistle Attract Selection By An Invasive Weevil, Monica Paniagua Montoya

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Plant associations occur when host selection of a focal plant is reduced or increased by the presence of another plant species. Larinus planus is an invasive weevil whose larvae feed in the flower heads of native and federally threatened Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Studies have linked the presence of neighboring plants to increased host selection of Pitcher’s thistle by the weevil, but the factors contributing to host selection remain unknown. In our study, we determined if there were differences among abiotic factors, host selection and weevil behavior at Pitcher’s thistles surrounded by beach grass, sand and at high …

Social Buffering In A Eusocial Invertebrate: Termite Soldiers Reduce The Lethal Impact Of Competitor Cues On Workers, Li Tian, Evan L. Preisser, Kenneth F. Haynes, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

While the impact of predator‐induced stress on prey has received considerable attention, there has been far less research into the effect of competitors. Cues from aggressive competitors should be particularly likely to evoke behavioral and/or physiological responses, since they may be indicative of both direct (interference) and indirect (exploitative) threats. The danger posed by such competitors, and the “fear” they evoke, should be reduced at lower competitor densities and by the presence of individual conspecifics specialized for defense. We assessed how Reticulitermes flavipes termite workers and soldiers were affected by cues from conspecific nestmates, conspecific non‐nestmates, and the heterospecific competitor …

Strawberries (Frag X Anan) Are Bigger When Native Mason Bees (Osmia Lignaria) Are Experimentally Added To Small Farms, Laura A. Campbell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy, and pollination plays a vital role in nearly all non-wind pollinated crops. Declining honey bee populations have caused a more diligent investigation into using solitary bees for crop pollination. The native, solitary Orchard Mason Bee has shown to successfully pollinate almonds and apples, but there has been little work conducted on their effectiveness as a low fruit crop pollinator. This study assesses their effectiveness as a small strawberry farm pollinator, and preferences for nesting materials. Mason bee cocoons and nest homes made with different materials (bamboo, Phragmites, or wood) were supplemented on …

New Neotropical Rhinotragini And A New Country Record For Nicaragua (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), James E. Wappes, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Nine new species of Rhinotragini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) are described from the Neotropical region: Odontocera galileoae (Mexico); Odontocera mthomasi (Guatemala); Ecliptoides vandenberghei (Nicaragua); Eclipta ricei and Odontocera skelleyi (Costa Rica); Eclipta nearnsi (Panama); Odontocera stangei (Venezuela); Chariergodes lingafelteri and Ischasia martinsi (Costa Rica and Panama). Ischasia rufina Thomson, 1864 is formally excluded from the fauna of Costa Rica and Panama, and Nicaragua is added as a new country record for Eclipta ficta Bezark, Martins and Santos-Silva, 2013. Notes on Ecliptoides monostigma (Bates, 1869) are provided in the “Diagnosis” of E. vandenberghei.

High resolution version attached as a Supplementary file (below).

Recruitment Of Reviewers Is Becoming Harder At Some Journals: A Test Of The Influence Of Reviewer Fatigue At Six Journals In Ecology And Evolution, Charles W. Fox, Arianne Y. K. Albert, Timothy H. Vines

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: It is commonly reported by editors that it has become harder to recruit reviewers for peer review and that this is because individuals are being asked to review too often and are experiencing reviewer fatigue. However, evidence supporting these arguments is largely anecdotal.

Main body: We examine responses of individuals to review invitations for six journals in ecology and evolution. The proportion of invitations that lead to a submitted review has been decreasing steadily over 13 years (2003–2015) for four of the six journals examined, with a cumulative effect that has been quite substantial (average decline from 56% of …

Recruitment, Survival, And Parasitism Of Monarchs In Residential Gardens And Conservation Areas, Emily A. Geest

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are suffering from declining populations due to habitat loss. To help offset this habitat loss conservationists have encouraged planting milkweed gardens to increase the availability of host plants for larvae. A tachinid fly (Lespesia archippivora) that causes mortality parasitizes monarchs. Understanding the influence these gardens can have on parasitism rates and monarch recruitment is vital to evaluating their effectiveness. I am quantifying egg/larval abundance and demography at conservation areas and residential gardens. Additionally, I am collecting and rearing monarch larvae to compare parasitism rates in both areas. My preliminary results suggest that …

Bioassessment Of Four Karst Springs At Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area With A Focus On Diving Beetle (Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae) Species Of Concern, Scott Longing, L. A. Mack, Brian E. Haggard

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Four springs were surveyed at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area to provide an initial bioassessment and to determine occurrences of two endemic predaceous diving beetles of concern, Heterosternuta sulphuria and Sanfilippodytes sp. Habitat in the four spring runs were dominated by bedrock and gravel substrate with heavy accumulations of leaf litter. Thirty-three taxa representing 11 orders were collected from the four springs. Non-insect taxa included Oligochaeta, Physidae, and Isopoda, and predominant insect orders included Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Trichoptera. The total number of taxa across springs ranged from seven to 19, with total abundances ranging from 39 to 86 individuals. No …

Fates Of Ovules In Groundplum Milk-Vetch (Astragalus Crassicarpus Nutt.) In South Dakota, Arvid Boe, Paul J. Johnson

Native Plant Focused Publications

Groundplum milk-vetch (Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt.) is a native legume found on gravelly to sandy prairie uplands throughout central North America. The large and fleshy fruits, or pods, of this species were consumed by indigenous people and European settlers, and are cached by rodents. Our previous research on native legumes of the northern Great Plains indicated seed predation by insects, notably bruchid beetles belonging to the genus Acanthoscelides Schilsky, was a dominant factor determining viable seed production in natural and artificial plant assemblages. However, although we have studied the reproductive biology of several species of Astragalus L., none had fleshy pods. …

Cave Millipedes Of The United States. Xiv. Revalidation Of The Genus Speorthus Chamberlin, 1952 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae), With A Description Of A New Species From Texas And Remarks On The Families Polydesmidae And Macrosternodesmidae In North America, William A. Shear, James M. Reddell

Insecta Mundi

The genus Speorthus Chamberlin is revalidated for S. tuganbius Chamberlin and S. reyesi, new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Macrosternodesmidae). The families Polydesmidae and Macrosternodesmidae (as they occur in North America) are briefly discussed, and their component North American genera listed. The validity of Macrosternodesmidae is reaffirmed; the family is predominantly North American. Nearctodesminae, new status, is formally designated as a subfamily of Macrosternodesmidae. The superfamily Trichopolydesmoidea is synonymized with the superfamily Polydesmoidea, new combination.

Una Nueva Especie De Eraina Clarke (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) De Chile Central, Francisco Urra

Insecta Mundi

Se describe una nueva especie de Autostichidae, Eraina beechei nov. sp., a partir de ejemplares recolectados en la precordillera andina de la Provincia de Ñuble, Región del Biobío. Se presentan caracteres de diagnóstico para la especie; se entregan fotografías del adulto, ilustraciones de las estructuras genitales del macho y de la hembra, y una clave para la determinación de las especies del género Eraina.

Morphological Revision Of The Western Palaearctic Species Of The Genus Copris Geoffroy, 1762 With Three Foretibial External Teeth (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

This revision concerns a small group of Western Palaearctic Copris species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae) distinguished by having three lateral teeth on the foretibae. According to the literature, this group consists of four taxa: Copris armeniacus Faldermann, 1835, C. felschei Reitter, 1892, C. pueli Mollandin de Boissy, 1905 and C. umbilicatus Abeille de Perrin, 1901. Copris armeniacus is herein deemed a species inquirenda, and C. felschei, for which a neotype is designated, is deemed valid. Copris umbilicatus is recorded for the first time from Turkey. A key to all species of the genus Copris known from the Western Palaearctic …

Key To The Korean Species Of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

A list of all 80 species of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) in 30 genera that have been identified or documented in Korea, along with a dichotomous key to separate them, is provided.

Species Groups Of Traumatomutilla André (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Kevin A. Williams, Pedro R. Bartholomay, Márcio Luiz De Oliveira

Insecta Mundi

Females of Traumatomutilla André (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) are organized into 14 species groups; 136 of the 138 Traumatomutilla taxa known from females were studied. Of these species groups, only the inermis species group was adequately established and diagnosed in the literature (Casal 1969). The remaining newly established species groups are as follows: americana, auriculata, bellica, bifurca, diabolica, gemella, indica, integella, juvenilis, quadrinotata, tabapua, trochanterata, and vitelligera. Diagnoses and lists of included species are provided for each species group. Eighty-three new country records are provided for 49 species.

Annotated World Bibliography Of Host Plants Of The Melon Fly, Bactrocera Cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), Grant T. Mcquate, Nicanor J. Liquido, Kelly A. A. Nakamichi

Insecta Mundi

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a widespread, economically important tephritid fruit fly species. Bactrocera cucurbitae infests fruits and vegetables of a number of different plant species, with many host plants in the plant family Cucurbitaceae, but with additional hosts scattered across many other plant families. Although thought to be native to India, its distribution has spread throughout many countries in Oriental Asia, into a number of Pacific Island nations, and into Africa. The documented introductions into countries outside its native distribution show that this species could establish in other countries where it does not presently occur, …

The Plecoptera Of Panama. I. The Stonefly Fauna Of Mount Totumas Cloud Forest And Biological Reserve, Including A New Country Record, Brian J. Armitage, Bill P. Stark

Insecta Mundi

The Republic of Panama currently has 21 recorded species of stoneflies, all in the genus Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae). Herein, we record five species of this genus from the Mount Totumas Cloud Forest and Biological Reserve, in the upper reaches of the Río Chiriquí Viejo watershed. One of these species, A. plutonis (Banks), represents a new country record for Panama. These results are part of an ongoing effort to characterize the aquatic insect fauna of Panama, and to evaluate that country’s major watersheds.

Myrmeconycha New Genus: The Fi Rst Myrmecophilous Fl Ea Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), A. S. Konstantinov, A. K. Tishechkin

Insecta Mundi

The first myrmecophilous flea beetle genus (Myrmeconycha Konstantinov and Tishechkin, new genus) with four new species (M. erwini Konstantinov and Tishechkin, new species – Ecuador, M. gordoni Konstantinov and Tishechkin, new species – Brazil, M. pakaluki Konstantinov and Tishechkin, new species – Panama, and M. pheidole Konstantinov and Tishechkin, new species – Costa Rica) is described and illustrated. It is compared with flea beetles of the subtribe Disonychina (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) and may be easily differentiated based on the external and internal features, which include the waxy surface of the head and pronotum, reticulated surface of …

A New Species Of Madoniella Pic (Coleoptera: Cleridae) From Chiapas, Mexico, Jacques Rifkind, Weston Opitz

Insecta Mundi

Opitz (2011) revised the New World clerid genus Madoniella Pic, and recognized 74 species. We describe and illustrate Madoniella fitzgeraldae, new species (Coleoptera: Cleridae), recently discovered in Chiapas, México.

Southeast Farallon Island Arthropod Survey, Jeffrey Honda, Bret Robinson, Michael Valainis, Rick Vetter, Jaime Jahncke

Insecta Mundi

Effective island conservation depends on thorough biodiversity surveys and species assessment. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coordination with Point Blue Conservation Science undertook a two-year insect survey of the Farallon Islands, California, in order to catalog current insect and spider species on the island and to gather information that will be used to examine prey dynamics to aid in the conservation of the endemic salamander Aneides lugubris (Hallowell). The report lists 11 insect orders representing 60 families, 107 genera and 112 insect species on Southeast Farallon Island. Holometabolous orders were the most represented on the island with Coleoptera …

Identifi Cation Of A New Species Of Aphis (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Based On Distinct Morphology Rather Than Dna Barcoding, Doris Lagos-Kutz, D. J. Voegtlin, Glen Hartman

Insecta Mundi

Aphis elena Lagos-Kutz and Voegtlin, sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is described from specimens collected in Illinois, USA, on the North American native plant, Pycnanthemum virginianum (L.) T. Dur. & B.D. Jacks. ex B.L. Rob. & Fernald (Family: Lamiaceae). Both apterous and alate viviparae are described and illustrated, and a dichotomous key is provided to apterous and alate viviparae of the six species of Aphis that have been recorded on plants in the family Lamiaceae in North America. Neighbor-joining analysis of cytochrome oxidase 1 (Cox1) indicated a close relationship of the new species with Aphis monardae Oestlund, which also …

Two New Species Of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) From Colombia, Antonio Santos-Silva, Juan Pablo Botero

Insecta Mundi

Taeniotes antonkozlovi Santos-Silva and Botero, new species (Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Monochamini) and Amphelictus antonkozlovi Santos-Silva and Botero, new species (Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae, Cerambycini, Sphallotrichina) are described from Colombia.

Record Breaking Achievements By Spiders And The Scientists Who Study Them, Stefano Mammola, Peter Michalik, Eileen Hebets, Marco Isaia

Eileen Hebets Publications

Organismal biology has been steadily losing fashion in both formal education and scientific research. Simultaneous with this is an observable decrease in the connection between humans, their environment, and the organisms with which they share the planet. Nonetheless, we propose that organismal biology can facilitate scientific observation, discovery, research, and engagement, especially when the organisms of focus are ubiquitous and charismatic animals such as spiders. Despite being often feared, spiders are mysterious and intriguing, offering a useful foundation for the effective teaching and learning of scientific concepts and processes. In order to provide an entryway for teachers and students—as well …

A New Tachinid Genus And Species Record For North America: Iceliopsis Borgmeieri Guimarães, John O. Stireman Iii, Jane E. Dell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Iceliini are a small, enigmatic New World tribe of Tachininae consisting of three genera, Icelia RobineauDesvoidy, Iceliopsis Guimarães, and Erviopsis Townsend, and five recognized species (Guimarães 1976). All known species are exclusively Neotropical in distribution with the exception of Icelia triquetra (Olivier), which ranges from Brazil, through Central America, and as far north as New York state (O’Hara & Wood 2004). Members of the tribe are generally medium-sized (ca. 7–12 mm), elongate, yellowish or grayish in color, and resemble Dexiini or Leskiini in general appearance. Species of Iceliini are relatively rarely collected and there is but a single host …

A Comparison Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages Between Perennial And Intermittent Headwater Streams Of The Mattole River In Northern California, Usa, Mason S. London

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Intermittent streams are common throughout the world and comprise 60% or more of total river lengths in the conterminous United States. Despite their prevalence, intermittent streams are understudied, particularly first-order headwater streams, which are vital for maintaining the function, health and biotic diversity of river networks. In June 2016, I sampled five intermittent and five perennial headwater streams in the Mattole River watershed in northwestern coastal California, USA, to compare benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) assemblages between intermittent and perennial streams. BMI samples were collected using a 500µm mesh D-net at eight randomly located riffles along a 150-m reach, and then composited, …

Increased Insertion Number Leads To Increased Sperm Transfer And Fertilization Success In A Nursery Web Spider, Alissa G. Anderson, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Across animals, a male's fitness is largely dictated by his ability to fertilize eggs; and there exists a plethora of male adaptations associated with increasing fertilization success. In the nursery web spider, Pisaurina mira, males restrain females prior to and during copulation by wrapping them with silk. Previous research demonstrates that copulatory silk wrapping reduces a male's chance of being sexually cannibalized and increases the number of sperm transfer opportunities (termed insertions) that a male can achieve within a mating. While avoiding cannibalism provides an obvious survival benefit to males, the impact of insertion number on male fitness remains …

Examining The Role Of Host Use On Divergence In The Redheaded Pine Sawfly, Neodiprion Lecontei, Across Multiple Spatial Scales, Robin Kimberly Bagley

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Phytophagous insects make up over one quarter of described species on Earth, and this incredible diversity seems directly linked to feeding on plants. Comparative studies of sister groups have shown shifts to herbivory are consistently associated with increased species diversity in insects, but the reasons for this diversification remain unclear. While other explanations, such as decreased extinction rates or influences on population structure, exist, one prominent hypothesis suggests shifts and subsequent adaptation to novel host plants can lead to the evolution of reproductive barriers.

Given their extreme specialization on host plants in the genus Pinus and intimate, life-long association with …

A New Genus And New Species Of Brachynemurini From Ecuador (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini), Robert B. Miller, Lionel A. Stange

Insecta Mundi

A new genus, Dejunaleon Miller and Stange, is described with two new species: Dejunaleon loja Miller and Dejunaleon maculosus Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini). A key to species is provided as well as distributional data. A description of the larva of Dejunaleon loja is given. A key to genera of the tribe Brachynemurini is provided based on larvae and adults.

Se describe un género nuevo, Dejunaleon Miller y Stange, de Ecuador con dos especies nuevas: Dejunaleon loja Miller y Dejunaleon maculosus Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini). Se provee una clave para las especies con datos sobre sus …

Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Caelifera) And Plant Community Relationships On Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas, Sara Ebrahim Baqla

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

An ecogeographic analysis of a grasshopper survey was conducted at eight sites on Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) in the Chihuahuan Desert during September 2014 through December 2015. Five sites contained ephemeral water sources (earthen tanks), one had perennial water (spring system), and two were open desert. A total of 23 grasshopper species were identified, and six of those were new records for the property. The most species rich site was Echo Tank, with 14 grasshopper species. A UPGMA dendrogram showed Red Tank and Rattlesnake Tank, both wetland sites, to be the most similar (CBR = .84). A poisson model …

Evaluation Of Smartstax And Smartstax Pro Maize Against Western Corn Rootworm And Northern Corn Rootworm: Efficacy And Resistance Management, Graham P. Head, Matthew W. Carroll, Sean P. Evans, Dwain M. Rule, Alan R. Willse, Thomas L. Clark, Nicholas P. Storer, Ronald D. Flannagan, Luke W. Samuel, Lance Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Cases of western corn rootworm (WCR) field-evolved resistance to Cry3Bb1 and other corn rootworm (CRW) control traits have been reported. Pyramid products expressing multiple CRW traits can delay resistance compared to single trait products. We used field studies to assess the pyramid CRW corn products, SmartStax (expressing Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1) and SmartStax PRO (expressing Cry3Bb1, Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 and DvSnf7), at locations with high WCR densities and possible Cry3Bb1 resistance, and to assess the reduction in adult emergence attributable to DvSnf7 and other traits. Insect resistance models were used to assess durability of SmartStax and SmartStax PRO to WCR resistance.

Results: …