Entomology Commons^™

Elm Bark Beetles And Dutch Elm Disease, Ryan S. Davis

All Current Publications

Bark beetles (Family Curculionidae, Subfamily Scolytinae) are some of the most devastating insect pests in the world. Closely related to weevils, there are almost 500 species of bark beetles in North America alone, each with unique host plants, habits, and life cycles. It is crucial to accurately identify a suspect bark beetle before you consider treatment options.

Eriophyid Mites, Bud, Blister, Gall, And Rust Mites, Ryan S. Davis, Taun Beddes

All Current Publications

Eriophyid mites are translucent, cigar-shaped microscopic mites that cause deformities on many plants species. These mites are noticed when their feeding causes abnormalities of plant tissues such as erineum, galls, brooms, leaf curling, blisters, rusts, silvering, fruit rusetting, and deformed buds, catkins, fruits, etc. Fortunately, these mites rarely cause serious harm to plants, and control is seldom needed. In fact, eriophyid mites can serve as an alternative food source for predatory mites when their primary food source is absent.

Fall Webworm, Ryan S. Davis, Vincent P. Jones

All Current Publications

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, is a common defoliator of ornamental and fruit trees in Utah. Starting around late July, the caterpillars, webbing, and damage become noticeable, particularly in some of the canyons adjacent to populated areas (Little Cottonwood canyon, Logan canyon, Provo canyon, etc.).

Pear Sawfly, Vincent P. Jones, Ryan S. Davis

All Current Publications

The pear sawfly, which is actually a wasp, is a common pest on pear, cherry, and hawthorn in Utah. The slug-like appearance of the larval stage has prompted this insect to also be referred to as the pear or cherry slug in various parts of the country.

Two New Species Of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) From Mexico, José Monzón Sierra, Leccinum Jesús García Morales

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. Two new species of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) are described: Chrysina blackalleri from the State of Oaxaca and Chrysina donthomasi from the state of Nuevo León in Mexico.

Resumen. Se describen dos especies nuevas de Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae): C. blackalleri del estado de Oaxaca y C. donthomasi del estado de Nuevo León en México.

Male Mating Competitiveness Of A Wolbachia-Introgressed Aedes Polynesiensis Strain Under Semi-Field Conditions, Eric W. Chambers, Limb Hapairai, Bethany A. Peel, Hervé Bossin, Stephen L. Dobson

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF), a global public health problem affecting approximately 120 million people worldwide, is a leading cause of disability in the developing world including the South Pacific. Despite decades of ongoing mass drug administration (MDA) in the region, some island nations have not yet achieved the threshold levels of microfilaremia established by the World Health Organization for eliminating transmission. Previously, the generation of a novel Aedes polynesiensis strain (CP) infected with an exogenous type of Wolbachia has been described. The CP mosquito is cytoplasmically incompatible (i.e., effectively sterile) when mated with wildtype mosquitoes, and a strategy was proposed …

Nebline, August 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: For Many 4-H Families, County Fair is Quality Time Together

Farm Views

Horticulture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Environmental Focus

Urban Agriculture

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Lancaster County Super Fair Schedule & Map Special Pullout Section

An Annotated List Of The Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae, Romaleidae) Of The Southeastern United States, Jovonn G. Hill, M. E. Dakin

Midsouth Entomologist

An annotated list, based on literature records, of the grasshopper species currently known from the southeastern United States is presented.

Observations On Development Of Cutaneous Lesions From Bites By The Common Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L., J. Goddard, K. T. Edwards, R. D. De Shazo

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Extraction Of Super Colonies Of Crazy Ants From Soil And Wood, D. Aguillard, R. M. Strecker, L. M. Hooper-Bùi

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Ozark Highland Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata): Descriptions And Keys To Genera Found To Occur In The Region And A New Phylogenetic Hypothesis For The Family, Michael Joseph Skvarla

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fourteen genera of Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata) are reported from the Ozark Highlands for the first time. Descriptions, diagnoses, and illustrated keys to genera and world species are given. Five new species are described and illustrated and an additional 6 known species are recorded from the region. The first rigorous phylogenetic hypothesis for Cunaxidae is presented. Based on morphology, it suggests the current subfamilial classification scheme does not reflect the evolutionary history of the family. Unfortunately, bootstrap values and resolution are low, suggesting the need for further indepth molecular analyses.

Large-Scale Rnai Screen Of G Protein-Coupled Receptors Involved In Larval Growth, Molting And Metamorphosis In The Red Flour Beetle, Hua Bai, Fang Zhu, Kapil Shah, Subba R. Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) belong to the largest superfamily of integral cell membrane proteins and play crucial roles in physiological processes including behavior, development and reproduction. Because of their broad and diverse roles in cellular signaling, GPCRs are the therapeutic targets for many prescription drugs. However, there is no commercial pesticide targeting insect GPCRs. In this study, we employed functional genomics methods and used the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, as a model system to study the physiological roles of GPCRs during the larval growth, molting and metamorphosis.

RESULTS: A total of 111 non-sensory GPCRs were identified in …

New Records Of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) For Arkansas With A Synopsis Of Previous Records, Joe A. Macgown, Jovonn G. Hill, Michael Skvarla

Midsouth Entomologist

Ten new state records of Formicidae are reported for Arkansas including Camponotus obliquus Smith, Polyergus breviceps Emery, Proceratium crassicorne Emery, Pyramica metazytes Bolton, P. missouriensis (Smith), P. pulchella (Emery), P. talpa (Weber), Stenamma impar Forel, Temnothorax ambiguus (Emery), and T. texanus (Wheeler). A synopsis of previous records of ant species occurring in Arkansas is provided.

Bed Bugs (Cimex Lectularius L.) In Mississippi: Survey Of The Scope, Extent, And Control Of The Problem, J. Goddard

Midsouth Entomologist

Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects which had nearly disappeared in developed countries until fairly recently, when a dramatic increase and spread of the insects began in the 1980s. Since then, bed bugs increasingly have been reported inside U.S. hotel rooms, dormitories, and apartments. In this study, entomologists at the Mississippi Department of Health, as well as licensed pest control personnel throughout the state, were queried for information about the scope and extent of bed bug infestations throughout Mississippi for the time period from 1 September 2010 through 28 February 2011. In addition, pest management personnel were asked to provide information …

Ecology And Management Of The Woolly Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), A New Invasive Citrus Pest In Ethiopia, Difabachew K. Belay, Abebe Zewdu, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Distribution and importance of woolly whitefly (Aleurothrixus floccosus) (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), was studied in Ethiopia with an evaluation of treatments against it. Results showed that the pest is distributed in most citrus-growing parts of the country equally infesting all types of citrus crops. Only one pupal parasitoid, Amitus sp., was recorded at Melkaoba. During 2006–2007, eight treatments gave better control of woolly whitefly compared with the control: endod (Phytolacca dodecandra L’Herit) berry extract, white oil 80%, neem oil, omo detergent soap, band application of gasoline, cyhalothrin (karate) 5% EC, selecron (profenofos) 500 EC, and rimon (novaluron) 10 EC. …

Zoos As Experiment Environments: Biology Of Larval And Adult Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), Holly Tuten

All Dissertations

Zoos are a unique environment where humans and animals are in close daily contact, potential mosquito habitats exist, exotic plants and animals are introduced regularly, and wild animals roam. Studies of mosquito behaviors in zoos will lead to a better understanding, both within and outside zoos, of disease transmission routes and mosquito biology. To investigate whether the unique assemblage of habitats in zoos affects mosquito behavior, I sampled larvae and adults in the Greenville Zoo and the Riverbanks Zoo, South Carolina, USA, from March 2008 to January 2011. The objectives of my study were to investigate mosquito oviposition behavior, blood-host …

Beneficial True Bugs: Damsel Bugs, Ricardo Ramirez, Ron Patterson

All Current Publications

Predatory insects can provide natural pest control by eating unwanted pests. This beneficial service is known as biological control. Predatory insects are one factor that maintains pest populations at non-damaging levels. By conserving and encouraging predatory insect populations, plants can be protected from pest attack and excessive damage.

European Earwig (Forficula Auricularia), Diane G. Alston, Andrew Tebeau

All Current Publications

The European earwig (Order Dermaptera, which means “skin wings” to describe their leathery wings) (Fig. 1) is native to Europe, western Asia, and parts of Africa. The common name “earwig” comes from a myth that the insect would climb into the ears of humans and chew into the brain, but this is false. The European earwig was first introduced into Utah in the early 1900s. Establishment and population growth have been remarkably successful in northern Utah.

Genetic Variability Of The Stable Fly, Stomoxys Calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) Assessed On A Global Scale Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism, Kathleen M. Kneeland

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, is a cosmopolitan pest of livestock and humans. It is a major pest in livestock facilities, where exist excellent breeding sites such as spilled feed mixed with manure. The pestiferous nature and painful bite cause stress to cattle and other animals. Cattle perform avoidance behaviors such as bunching together, standing in water, tail swishing, ear flicking and leg stamping. The stress and avoidance behaviors result in reductions in weight gain or milk production, with an estimated annual economic loss of > $1billion. Therefore, the development of more efficient control methods would benefit the global economy, …

Development Of Environmental Tools For Anopheline Larval Control, Susan S. Imbahale, Collins K. Mweresa, Willem Takken, Wolfgang R. Mukabana

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Malaria mosquitoes spend a considerable part of their life in the aquatic stage, rendering them vulnerable to interventions directed to aquatic habitats. Recent successes of mosquito larval control have been reported using environmental and biological tools. Here, we report the effects of shading by plants and biological control agents on the development and survival of anopheline and culicine mosquito larvae in man-made natural habitats in western Kenya. Trials consisted of environmental manipulation using locally available plants, the introduction of predatory fish and/or the use of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in various combinations. Results: Man-made habitats provided with shade …

Nebline, July 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Urban Agriculture is a Growing Trend

Farm Views

Horticulture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Environmental Focus

Urban Agriculture

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Frequency Of Extended Diapause In Nebraska Populations Of Diabrotica Barberi Smith And Lawrence, Ryan W. Geisert

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study was conducted to measure the frequency of extended diapause in populations of the northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence from eastern Nebraska. Adult D. barberi collections were made during late summer 2008 and 2009 from eight sites each year (seven sites were consistent over years). Eggs were obtained from 12-20 females per site and were held on moist soil under appropriate temperature profiles to facilitate egg survival, diapause development, and diapause termination within and among years. Percentage egg hatch was recorded after the first and second year for the 2008 collection and after the first year …

General Concepts Of Biological Control, Diane G. Alston

All Current Publications

“Balance of Nature.” Virtually all pest populations are affected by natural enemies to some extent. In many cases, natural enemies are the primary regulating force of the pest populations. Natural controls include effects of natural enemies (predators, parasites, pathogens), other biotic (living) factors such as food availability and competition, and abiotic (non-living) factors such as weather and soil

Important Components Of A Successful Pest Management Program, Diane G. Alston

All Current Publications

Before deciding to take any pest control action, be sure you have correctly identified the pest (insect, mite, disease, weed, vertebrate, etc.). Proper pest identification is essential for determining if control is necessary and for selection of the best suited control options.

Ultra-Prolonged Activation Of Co2-Sensing Neurons Disorients Mosquitoes, Stephanie Lynn Turner, Nan Li, Tom Guda, John Githure, Ring T. Cardé, Anandasankar Ray

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Carbon dioxide (CO2) present in exhaled air is the most important sensory cue for female blood-feeding mosquitoes, causing activation of long-distance host-seeking flight, navigation towards the vertebrate host 1 and, in the case of Aedes aegypti, increased sensitivity to skin odours2. The CO2 detection machinery is therefore an ideal target to disrupt host seeking. Here we use electrophysiological assays to identify a volatile odorant that causes an unusual, ultra-prolonged activation of CO2-detecting neurons in three major disease-transmitting mosquitoes: Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti. Importantly, ultra-prolonged activation of these neurons severely compromises their ability subsequently to detect CO2 for …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 23, No. 4, June 2011

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Welcome

Congratulations

Publications

Grants

Meet and Off-Campus Student

Travel

Student News

Condolences

Nebline, June 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Trails in Lancaster County Offer Recreation & Education

Farm Views

Horticulture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Environmental Focus

Urban Agriculture

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Wide-Scale Application Of Bti/Bs Biolarvicide In Different Aquatic Habitat Types In Urban And Peri-Urban Malindi, Kenya, Joseph M. Mwangangi, Samuel C. Kahindi, Lydiah W. Kibe, Joseph G. Nzovu, Peter Luethy, John I. Githure, Charles M. Mbogo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Larval control is a major component in mosquito control programs. This study evaluated the wide-scale application of Bti/Bs biolarvicide (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis [Bti] and Bacillus sphaericus [Bs]) in different aquatic habitats in urban and peri-urban Malindi, Kenya. This study was done from June 2006 to December 2007. The urban and peri-urban area of Malindi town was mapped and categorized in grid cells of 1 km2. A total of 16 1-km2 cells were selected based on presence Community Based Organization dealing with malaria control within the cells. Each of the 16 1-km2 cells was thoroughly searched for the presence of …

Study On Weight Loss And Moisture Regain Of Silk Cocoon Shells And Degummed Fibers From African Wild Silkmoths, Addis Teshome, S. K. Raina, F. Vollrath, J. M. Kabaru, J. Onyari, E. K. Nguku

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

A study was conducted to determine weight loss and moisture regain properties of silk cocoon shells, shell layers and degummed fibers of the four African wild silkmoths Anaphe panda, Argema mimosae, Epiphora bauhiniae and Gonometa postica and compare with the industry standard mulberry silkmoth, Bombyx mori. No. significant difference was observed between the moisture regain of the wild silk fibers after degumming. However, there were significant differences in weight loss and moisture regain between cocoon shells as well as shell layers. E. bauhiniae had the lowest weight loss and moisture regain of 23.19 and 5.64%, respectively while G. postica had …

Phylogenetics, Species Boundaries And Timing Of Resource Tracking In A Highly Specialized Group Of Seed Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), Gael J. Kergoat, Bruno P. Le Ru, Gwenaelle Genson, Corinne Cruaud, Arnaud Couloux, Alex Delobel

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Though for a long time it was hypothesized that the extraordinary diversity of phytophagous insects was better explained by a synchronous pattern of co-diversification with plants, the results of recent studies have led to question this theory, suggesting that the diversification of insects occurred well after that of their hosts. In this study we address this issue by investigating the timing of diversification of a highly specialized group of seed beetles, which mostly feeds on legume plants from the tribe Indigofereae. To that purpose, a total of 130 specimens were sequenced for six genes and analyzed under a Bayesian phylogenetic …