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Nebline, June 2007

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Agricultural Production is $71 Million Industry in Lancaster County
Longtime Farmer Reflects on How Farming Has Changed in Lancaster County
New State Law Changed Fence Viewer Process
Think Ahead, Prepare Bins Before Wheat Harvest
Pesticide Container Recycling Program
Preventing Tick Bites
Store Drinking Water In Case Of Emergency
Check Property For Unused Wells To Avoid Contaminated Drinking Water
Practice Safe Cooking and Food Handling When Grilling
Strawberry Yogurt Shake Recipe
Water is Body’s Most Essential Nutrient
President’s Notes — Alice’s Analysis
Household Hints: To Clean a Sleeping Bag
FCE News & Events
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Pack Smart for Summer Vacation …

Evaluation Of Warm-Season Turfgrasses For Resistance To The Chinch Bug, Blissus Occiduus, Thomas E. Eickhoff, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, has been documented as a serious pest of buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nutall) Engelmann, and zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steudel, turf grown in the Midwest. In addition to these two warm-season turfgrasses, several other warm-season grasses, including bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., may also be at risk of B. occiduus infestations. This research evaluated selected bermudagrass and zoysiagrass cultivars for resistance to B. occiduus. Eleven zoysiagrass and four bermudagrass cultivars were evaluated for resistance to B. occiduus using no-choice studies under greenhouse conditions. Based on turfgrass damage ratings, the zoysiagrasses ‘Diamond’, ‘Zoro’, and ‘Emerald’, and bermudagrass …

Yosemite Butterflies (Text), 2nd Edition, Kenneth E. Davenport

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The author, Kenneth E, Davenport, has collected or observed butterflies extensively in the Yosemite region (at least 90 collecting or observation days) since August 1963. Information for this study began with Davenport obtaining a copy of Garth and Tilden’s 1963 Yosemite Butterflies in 1970. The annual Season Summaries for California published in the News of the Lepidopterists’ Society between 1975 and 2006 have been checked for records. The common English and scientific names used in this publication mostly follow the names used by the International Lepidoptera Survey (TILS) except in a few cases.

The following individuals contributed information: George T. …

Nebline, May 2007

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Youth/Adult Partnership is Key to Success of 4-H Horse Program
Remove Skunk Odor by Deodorizing, Neutralizing Home, Clothing
Select Shade Trees to Meet Personal Landscape Objectives
Take Steps to Reduce Severe Weather Damage on Homes
Low-Toxic Fly Management for Horses
UNL Researcher Seeks Alfalfa Fields to Study Pocket Gophers
Household Hazardous Waste Collections
Termite Workshops for Homeowners in May
Food Quiz: Keep or Toss?
Cleaning Fruits and Veggies
Thawing Frozen Foods
Carrots and Raisins Sunshine Salad Recipe
The First Step to Food Safety — Clean!
Download FREE Educational Materials Online!
President’s Notes — Alice’s Analysis
Household Hints: Removing After-Prom Stains …

A Description Of A New Subspecies Of Lycaena Phlaeas (Lycaenidae: Lycaeninae) From Montana, United States, With A Comparative Study Of Old And New World Populations, Steve Kohler

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The Palaearctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian Region subspecies of Lycaena phlaeas are briefly discussed. A more detailed account of the North American subspecies is presented, and a new subspecies, L. p. weberi, from the Sweet Grass Hills, Montana is described. The possibility that the eastern United States subspecies hypophlaeas was introduced from the Old World is discussed; however no conclusion can be reached with certainty. The relationship between Old World and New World subspecies of L. phlaeas is discussed. Evidence presented supports the treatment of New World populations as subspecies of L. phlaeas.

Mutual Grooming In Cucujoid Beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), Barry D. Valentine

Insecta Mundi

Mutual grooming in two genera of silvanid beetles is described, and appears to be the first report of this behavior in the order Coleoptera. In Uleiota debilis (LeConte), allogrooming recipients were either stationary or moved away during the acts, without solicitation or facilitation. In Nausibius major Zimmermann, allogrooming was much more extensive and the individual being groomed appeared to facilitate the process by immobility or by changes in posture, there were no recognizable sexual overtones, no solicitations, and no avoidance movements. Gregarious behaviors of some other silvanid beetles are reviewed.

Distribution And Biology Of The Ectoparasitic Beetles Leptinillus Validus (Horn) And L. Aplodontiae Ferris Of North America (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Platypsyllinae), Stewart B. Peck

Insecta Mundi

The distribution and biology of the beetles Leptinillus validus (Horn) and L. aplodontiae Ferris are summarized for North America. The beetles are ectoparasitic on rodents; L. validus on the beaver, Castor canadensis Linnaeus (Castoridae) throughout the northern part of its range, and L. aplodontiae on the mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa (Rafinesque) (Aplodontidae) in the Pacific Northwest.

A History Of Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) In Puerto Rico, J. H. Frank, N. E. Vicente, N. C. Leppla

Insecta Mundi

Abstract:
Published claims in 1887-1903 that the mole cricket Neocurtilla hexadactyla (Perty) occurs in Puerto Rico all seem to be derived from a misidentification made by Agustín Stahl, a medical practitioner and collector of natural history objects, published in 1882. That species does not seem now to occur in Puerto Rico and almost certainly never did. However, the opportunity still exists for it to colonize by wind-assisted flight from islands to the southeast just as we believe did the mole cricket Scapteriscus didactylus (Latreille) as an immigrant. Stahl evidently mistook the latter for the former. According to some subsequent authors, …

New And Old Mosquito Records For Extreme Southern Florida (Diptera: Culicidae), Lawrence J. Hribar

Insecta Mundi

New locality records for Culiseta inornata (Williston) are reported from Big Pine Key, Grassy Key, and No Name Key in Monroe County, Florida. Five specimens were collected in dry ice-baited light traps. An old, previously unrecognized record for Anopheles grabhamii Theobald from Miami, Dade County, Florida, is reported based on specimens found in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods.

Primer Registro De Trypoxylon Mexicanum Para La Hispaniola, Antillas Mayores (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae), Julio Genaro

Insecta Mundi

Resumen:
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) mexicanum (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) pertenece al grupo albitarse, el cual incluye a las especies mayores del género. Su distribución nativa abarca América Central, desde México hasta Panamá. En este trabajo se menciona por primera vez para la Hispaniola, Antillas. Es difícil imaginarse una especie conspicua como esta sin haber sido detectada anteriormente por algún naturalista o especialista en himenópteros aculeatos, por lo que considero un arribo reciente a la isla. Esta especie pudo haber llegado a través del comercio con América Central, ya que los nidos, hechos de barro, pueden transportar fácilmente los inmaduros, que emergen posteriormente …

A New Conopid Fly From Florida And Georgia (Diptera: Conopidae), Sidney Camras

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Physoconops Szilady, P. (Pachyconops) weemsi, is described from Florida and Georgia. It is similar to two other species in the southeastern United States, P. floridanus Camras and P. brachyrhynchus Macquart, the main differential character being the shape of the female theca. The female thecae for all three are illustrated and a key to the three related Pachyconops species occurring in the southeastern United States is presented.

A New Species Of Tetraopes Schoenherr (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Frederick W. Skillman Jr.

Insecta Mundi

A new species of the genus Tetraopes Schoenherr, T. huetheri Skillman, is described from South Dakota, USA. A modification to the existing key is provided. The new species is illustrated. The probable host plant is identified and illustrated.

Bionomic Studies Of Papilio Demoleus Linnaeus, The Citrus Butterfly, (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), From Lower Sindh, Pakistan, Arshad Munir, Nikhat Yasmin Siddiqui, Muhammad A. Rafi, Harry Pavulaan, David Wright

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Biological parameters of Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, the Citrus Butterfly, in Tando Muhammad Khan, lower Sindh, Pakistan are presented. This major agricultural pest was reared on Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. (Curry Leaf) and ten different varieties of Citrus sp. (Citrus) plants. The length of the adult mating period ranged 5 to 8 hours. Following mating, females laid 27.7 ± 3.3 eggs. Eggs hatched in 1.5 to 7 days. Mean durations of larval instars were 1.8 ± 0.1 (minimum) and 2.9 ± 0.1 (maximum) days respectively. Pupal duration was 5.5 to 20 days. Biotic factors including predators [praying mantis, ants, Common Garden …

Baseline Susceptibility Of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) To Clothianidin, L.C. Magalhaes, B. W. French, Thomas E. Hunt, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, neonate susceptibility to clothianidin, a contact and systemic neonicotinoid insecticide, was determined from both laboratory and field-collected populations. Neonates were exposed to filter paper treated with increasing clothianidin concentrations and mortality was evaluated after 24 h. Additionally, two populations were exposed to an artificial diet which was surface treated with clothianidin. Although larvae were five- to six-fold more sensitive to treated diet, results with treated filter paper were more reliable in terms of control mortality and required much less manipulation of rootworm larvae. Therefore, initial baseline comparisons were conducted using the filter paper …

Candidate Sex Pheromones Of The New World Screwworm Cochliomyia Hominivorax -- Summary & Abstract, David Carlson, Dennis Berkebile, Steven Skoda, S Russell Mihok

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Females in established colonies of screwworm flies eventually lose the ability to make sex stimulant pheromone. This fact could result in the poor mating success observed during large sterile insect technique projects, such as the current Screwworm eradication program in Jamaica. Scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida were sought out by the International Atomic Energy Agency to test for and identify the sex pheromone in colonized Screwworm flies. Six chemical structures from previously published works were selected and all five new compounds were synthesized. Tests were conducted on colony screwworm flies from USDA, …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 19, No. 2, April 2007

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents:
Congratulations
Welcome
Farewell
Faculty News
Grad Student News
From the Office
Grants
Museum News
Publications
Travel
Condolences
Meet a Distance Student
This & That
Hexapod Herald Archives

Insecta Mundi: Procedures, Production, And Publication, Paul E. Skelley, Michael C. Thomas

Insecta Mundi

This article outlines changes in procedures and production policies for the journal Insecta Mundi. Background data and discussions leading to these necessary changes are explained. Updated instructions for authors are presented. A full current version of author instructions will be posted on the latest Center for Systematic Entomology URL.

Nebline, April 2007

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

UNL Extension Programs Have Improved Termite Treatments in Nebraska
2007 Perennial Plant of the Year
Gardening Trends in 2007
Easter Lily Care
Spring is a Good Time to Begin Herb Gardening
“Management of Small Ponds” Clinic, April 17
Arbor Day and Tree Planting are Nebraska Traditions
Container Gardening
Controlling Nuisance Weeds in Your Farm Pond
Teff – A New Annual Forage Grass
Simplified Hand-Held Sprayer Calibration
Cost of Pumping Water for Domestic and Acreage Needs
Commercial Pesticide Applicator Initial Training, April 19
It’s Springtime: Watch for Signs of Termites
Termite Workshops for Homeowners in May
What’s Bugging You?
Spring Cleaning? …

Leroy L. Peters Obituary, Robert J. Wright, Frederick Baxendale

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Leroy Lynn Peters, of Wamego, KS, died Sunday, July 23, 2006, at the Wamego City Hospital after an extended illness. Peters was born on June 21, 1931, to Lester L. and Mildred (Wade) Peters in Deerfield, MO. He attended Walnut, MO, schools and graduated from Walnut High School in 1949. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during the Korean War. On May 23, 1954, he married Barbara Jane Clark in Walnut.

He earned a B.S. degree in biological science in 1955 and an M.S. degree in entomology in 1956, both from Kansas State University. In 1971, he earned …

Utility Of Morphological And Molecular Techniques For Determination Of Paternity In Two Subspecies Of Diabrotica Undecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Ghrysomelidae), Isaac O. Oyediran, Thomas L. Clark, S. R. Skoda, Elvis A. Heinrichs, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

An experiment was conducted to determine the paternity of F₁ progeny using morphological and molecular methods in Diabrotica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) subspecies: Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, also known as spotted cucumber beetle, and D. undecimpunctata undecimpuncfafa Mannerheim, also known as western cucumber spotted beetle. Results from crosses that involved the females of D. u. howardi and the males of D. uundecimpunctata had all F₁ progeny with phenotypes as the male parent. Similarly, in all the crosses that involved the females of D. u. undecimpunctata and the males of the D. u. howardi, all the F₁ progeny had phenotypes …

A New Subspecies Of Colias Gigantea From Arctic Alaska (Pieridae), Jack L. Harry

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A new subspecies of Colias gigantea Strecker from the 'north slope' of Alaska is described.

The Yosemite Butterflies: Color Plates, Kenneth E. Davenport, Norbet G. Kondla, Charles Grisham, Howard Grisham

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

This compilation of butterfly illustrations for the Yosemite region is intended primarily as a supplement to the text publication on Yosemite butterflies (Davenport, 2004, and Davenport, 2007, 2nd edition). Taxonomic interpretations and names follow these documents. Common names and authors of the scientific names are given in the text publication. This color plates publication also functions as a stand-alone document for naturalists and lepidopterists with need for reference illustrations only.

Butterflies were selected from Ken Davenport’s private collection to illustrate most species and subspecies for the Yosemite region. If good quality specimens were available from within the region, we often …

Candidate Sex Pheromones Of The New World Screwworm Cochliomyia Hominivorax, D.A. Carlson, Dennis Berkebile, S.R. Skoda, K. Mori, S. Mihok

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Five novel homologous acetate derivatives of long-chain secondary alcohols and a related ketone were tested for their efficacy as contact mating stimulants for Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Full copulatory behaviour at a high percentage was found in tests with racemic 6-acetoxy-19-methylnonacosane at 2.5 – 20 μg using fertile males from three strains. Males of two strains responded nearly as well to 7-acetoxy-15-methylnonacosane, but an older strain first colonized in 1992 did not respond to this compound. Few or no copulatory responses were obtained to the other secondary alcohol acetates and a related ketone. These two acetate derivatives are the …

Bothynus Hope, 1837 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae): Proposed Conservation Of Usage By Designation Of Scarabaeus Ascanius Kirby, 1819 As The Type Species, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Andrew B. T. Smith

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

The purpose of this application, under Article 70.3.2 of the Code, is to conserve the current usage of the generic name Bothynus Hope, 1837 for well-known scarab beetles of the family SCARABAEIDAE (subfamily DYNASTINAE) by designation of Scarabaeus ascanius Kirby, 1819 as the type species. The type species of Bothynus is at present Geotrupes cuniculus Fabricius, 1801, based on a misidentification. It has long been recognized that the species involved in Hope's misidentification of G. cuniculus is indeterminable. It is proposed that Scarabaeus ascanius Kirby, 18 19 is designated as the type species.

Maggot Development During Morgue Storage And Its Effect On Estimating The Post-Mortem Interval, Timothy Huntington, Leon G. Higley, Frederick P. Baxendale

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

When insect evidence is obtained during autopsy, forensic entomologists make decisions regarding the effects of low-temperature (−1°C to 4°C) storage of the body and associated insects when estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI). To determine the effects of storage in a morgue cooler on the temperature of maggot masses, temperatures inside and outside of body bags containing a human cadaver and porcine cadavers (seven replicates) were measured during storage. Temperatures remained significantly higher (p < 0.05) inside of the body bags relative to the cooler, and remained at levels sufficient for maggot feeding and development. If the assumption that no insect development takes place during preautopsy refrigeration is made, potential error rates in PMI estimation of 8.6–12.8% occur. The potential for blow fly larvae to undergo significant development while being stored in the morgue is a possibility that forensic entomologists should consider during an investigation involving samples collected from autopsy. Case and experimental evidence also demonstrate that substantial tissue loss can occur from maggot feeding during morgue storage.

Nebline, March 2007

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

$pending YOUR Calorie $alary: Tips for Using MyPyramid
All-America Selections Flower and Vegetable Award Winners for 2007
Planting Asparagus
Alternative Agriculture Provides Opportunities For Enthusiastic Entrepreneur
Proper Precautions for Chain Saw Safety
Collection of Unwanted Pesticides, March 23
Computerized Farm Financial Recordkeeping, March 19
Upcoming Pesticide Applicator Trainings
Use Pheromone Traps to Locate Indian Meal Moths Infestations
ewf needs volunteers
Build a Bat House
Fertilizing Crop Land with Biosolids
Potential Benefits and Hazards of Bats
Food Safety: What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You
Ground Beef Vegetable Soup with Rice Recipe
$hop $mart to $tretch Your Food Dollar
Add Acidic …

Enhancing Nest Sites For Native Bee Crop Pollinators, Mace Vaughan, Scott Hoffamn Black

Agroforestry Notes (USDA-NAC)

The European honey bee receives most of the credit for crop pollination, but the number of managed honey bee hives is half of what it was in the 1950s; and this number continues to decline primarily because of honey bee pests and diseases. Native bees, however, contribute significantly to crop pollination and, on farms with sufficient natural habitat located nearby, may even provide all of the required pollination for some crops. In order to support the native bee community, it is essential to provide nesting sites in addition to floral resources. Unfortunately, intensively managed farm landscapes often lack the untilled …

Nebline, February 2007

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Private Well Management During a Drought
Some Wells in Lancaster County Have Dried Up
Groundwater-level Changes in Nebraska — Drought from Spring 2000 to Spring 2006
Computerized Farm Financial Recordkeeping Workshop, March 19
Manage Stored Grain Temperature with Aeration
Upcoming Pesticide Applicator Trainings
Estimating Water Needs When Planning for a New Well
Have a Healthy, Happy Valentine’s Day with Children!
Triple Play Walnut Crunch Recipe
Pack Power Lunches
Candy Placement May Determine How Much You Eat
President’s Notes — Alice’s Analysis
Household Hints: Keeping Comforters Clean and Cozy
FCE News & Events
Strengthening Family Treasures Daughter/Mother Camp
Clearing Out and …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 19, No. 1, February 2007

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents:
Congratulations
Welcome
Publications
Presentations
Meet a Distance Student
Grad Student News
Grants
Meeting News
Travel
From the Office
Condolences

Influence Of Buffalograss Management Practices On Western Chinch Bug And Its Beneficial Arthropods, Jeffrey Carstens, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Frederick P. Baxendale, Roch E. Gaussoin, Kevin Frank, Linda J. Young

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A 2-yr study was conducted to document the influence of selected buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, management practices (three mowing heights and five nitrogen levels) on the seasonal abundance of the western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), and its beneficial arthropods. Vacuum, pitfall, and sticky traps samples were collected every 14 d from the middle of May through October from western chinch bug-resistant (‘Prestige’) and -susceptible (‘378’) buffalograss management plots. In total, 27,374 and 108,908 western chinch bugs were collected in vacuum and pitfall traps, respectively. More than 78% of all western chinch bugs were collected from the …