Entomology Commons^™

Coffee Berry Borer Joins Bark Beetles In Coffee Klatch, Juliana Jaramillo, Baldwyn Torto, Dickson Mwenda, Armin Troeger, Christian Borgemeister, Hans Michael Poehling, Wittko Francke

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Unanswered key questions in bark beetle-plant interactions concern host finding in species attacking angiosperms in tropical zones and whether management strategies based on chemical signaling used for their conifer-attacking temperate relatives may also be applied in the tropics. We hypothesized that there should be a common link in chemical signaling mediating host location by these Scolytids. Using laboratory behavioral assays and chemical analysis we demonstrate that the yellow-orange exocarp stage of coffee berries, which attracts the coffee berry borer, releases relatively high amounts of volatiles including conophthorin, chalcogran, frontalin and sulcatone that are typically associated with Scolytinae chemical ecology. The …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 25, No. 4, September 2013

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents: Welcome - Grants - Congratulations - Publications - Faculty News - Student News - This 'n That

Maternal Territoriality Achieved Through Shaking And Lunging: An Investigation Of Patterns In Associated Behaviors And Substratevibrations In A Colonial Embiopteran, Antipaluria Urichi, Khaaliq A. Dejan, John M. Fresquez, Annika M. Meyer, Janice Edgerly-Rooks

Biology

Substrate vibration communication is displayed by a variety of insects that rely on silk for shelter. Such signaling is often associated with territoriality and social interactions. The goal in this study was to explore the use of substrate vibration by subsocial insects of the little-studied order Embi-optera (also known as Embiidina). Antipaluria urichi (Saussure) (Embioptera: Clothodidae) from Trinidad and Tobago, a large embiopteran, exhibits maternal care and facultatively colonial behavior. Previous observations suggested that they were aggressive while guarding eggs but gregarious when not. Egg-guarders in particular have been observed shaking and lunging their bodies, but to date these putative …

Nebline, September 2013

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Community Gardens are Growing: UNL Extension in Involved With Several in Lincoln

Farm Views

Urban Agriculture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Environmental Focus

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Biotic Potential And Reproductive Parameters Of Spodoptera Eridania (Stoll) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) In The Laboratory, Débora G. Montezano, Alexandre Specht, Daniel Ricardo Sosa-Gómez, Vânia F. Roque-Specht, Neiva M. Barros

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Biotic potential and reprodutcive parameters of Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in the laboratory: This study aimed to evaluate the biotic potential and reproductive parameters of Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1782) under controlled conditions (25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase). The longevity, pre-, post- and oviposition periods, fecundity and fertility of 15 couples was evaluated. The longevity of females (10.80 days) was not significantly higher than those of males (9.27 days). The mean durations of the pre, post and oviposition periods were 2.067, 0.600 and 8.133 days, respectively. The mean fecundity per female was 1,398 eggs …

Seasonal Abundance Of Western Flower Thrips And Its Natural Enemies In Different French Bean Agroecosystems In Kenya, J. O. Nyasani, R. Meyhöfer, S. Subramanian, H. M. Poehling

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The seasonal abundance of western flower thrips (WFT) [Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)] and its natural enemies on French beans in two agro-ecological zones (AEZs) (high and mid altitude) in Kenya, was studied in three growing cycles from January to December 2009. French beans were sampled every 2 weeks for WFT and natural enemies. Results show that colonization of French beans with WFT in both farm scales studied in the two AEZs started at 2- to 3-leaf stage. There was an increase in the population density of WFT from budding stage to podding/flowering stage, and it declined at crop senescence. …

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Plum, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Plum Pest Monitoring Calendar

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Apple, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Apple Pest Monitoring Calendar

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Apricot, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Apricot Pest Monitoring Calendar

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Cherry, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Cherry Pest Monitoring Calendar

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Peach And Nectarine, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Peach and Nectarine Pest Monitoring Calendar

Pest Monitoring Calendar – Pear, Usu Extension

All Current Publications

Pear Pest Monitoring Calendar

Microbial Gut Diversity Of Africanized And European Honey Bee Larval Instars, Svjetlana Vojvodic, Sandra M. Rehan, Kirk E. Anderson

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The first step in understanding gut microbial ecology is determining the presence and potential niche breadth of associated microbes. While the core gut bacteria of adult honey bees is becoming increasingly apparent, there is very little and inconsistent information concerning symbiotic bacterial communities in honey bee larvae. The larval gut is the target of highly pathogenic bacteria and fungi, highlighting the need to understand interactions between typical larval gut flora, nutrition and disease progression. Here we show that the larval gut is colonized by a handful of bacterial groups previously described from guts of adult honey bees or other pollinators. …

Effect Of Leaf Type And Pesticide Exposure On Abundance Of Bacterial Taxa In Mosquito Larval Habitats, Ephantus J. Muturi, Benedict O. Orindi, Chang Hyun Kim

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Lentic freshwater systems including those inhabited by aquatic stages of mosquitoes derive most of their carbon inputs from terrestrial organic matter mainly leaf litter. The leaf litter is colonized by microbial communities that provide the resource base for mosquito larvae. While the microbial biomass associated with different leaf species in container aquatic habitats is well documented, the taxonomic composition of these microbes and their response to common environmental stressors is poorly understood. We used indoor aquatic microcosms to determine the abundances of major taxonomic groups of bacteria in leaf litters from seven plant species and their responses to low concentrations …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of 1-Octen-3-Ol And Carbon Dioxide Chemoattractants With Mosquitoes And Bloodmeal Analysis Of Culex Mosquito Spp. In Lancaster County, Nebraska, Julianne N. Matczyszyn

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of mosquito-borne disease surveillance is to assess the risk of pathogen transmission by assessing mosquito populations and the prevalence of disease pathogens in those populations. West Nile virus (WNV) is an important mosquito-borne virus in Nebraska, and can be transmitted by several mosquito species found in Lancaster County, Nebraska, including Culex pipiens L., Culex salinarius Coquillett, Culex restuans Theobald, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, Culex territans Walker, and Culex erraticus Dyar & Knab. These species are ornithophilic, yet many studies indicate a shift in host feeding to mammalian in late summer months. One-octen-3-ol (octenol) can be isolated …

The Hymenopteran Tree Of Life: Evidence From Protein-Coding Genes And Objectively Aligned Ribosomal Data, Seraina Klopfstein, Lars Vilhelmsen, John M. Heraty, Michael J. Sharkey, Fredrik Ronquist

Entomology Faculty Publications

Previous molecular analyses of higher hymenopteran relationships have largely been based on subjectively aligned ribosomal sequences (18S and 28S). Here, we reanalyze the 18S and 28S data (unaligned about 4.4 kb) using an objective and a semi-objective alignment approach, based on MAFFT and BAli-Phy, respectively. Furthermore, we present the first analyses of a substantial protein-coding data set (4.6 kb from one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes). Our results indicate that previous studies may have suffered from inflated support values due to subjective alignment of the ribosomal sequences, but apparently not from significant biases. The protein data provide independent confirmation of …

Cold Tolerance Of The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), In Ontario., Matthew W. Clarke, Graham J. Thompson, Brent J Sinclair

Biology Publications

We characterized the cold tolerance of natural populations of the Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) [Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae]) in southwestern Ontario, Canada. We measured cold tolerance in workers from six colonies of termites established from Pelee Island in Lake Erie, and Point Pelee National Park. The mean critical thermal minimum, at which termites entered chill coma, ranged from 8.1 to 5.7°C. Mean supercooling points (SCP, the temperature at which individuals freeze) ranged from -4 to -4.6°C, and did not differ significantly between colonies, nor was SCP dependent on body size. Individuals survived brief exposure to low temperatures, as long as …

Nebline, August 2013

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: 8 Tips for Better-Tasting Fruits & Vegetables

Farm Views

Urban Agriculture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Environmental Focus

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

2013 Lancaster County Super Fair Schedule & Map Special Pullout Section

Abiotic And Biotic Factors Affecting The Japanese Beetle In Arkansas, Bryan Mathew Petty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Japanese beetles are a relatively new pest to Arkansas. During my Ph.D. research I investigated the pathogens and environmental factors influencing Japanese beetle populations in the state. The prevalence of various pathogens and parasitoids attacking Popillia japonica were recorded annually from wild populations. Of specific interest was the microsporidian pathogen Ovavesicula popilliae, which I introduced as a biological control agent in the state. Details of the relationship between this pathogen and the Japanese beetle were investigated, including dose response, host range, and spore production. Additionally, annual abundance of the beetle in the region was recorded and tracked over the course …

Effects Of A Corn Root Defense Substance On Western Corn Rootworm Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte Larvae, Zixiao Zhao

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects of hydroxamic acids, a group of corn root defense substances on western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) larvae and identify putative molecular mechanisms for hydroxamic acid detoxification. Corn line 428G carries a homozygous mutant bx1 gene, which makes it unable to synthesis hydroxamic acids. In contrast, H88 is the wild type parental line of 428G and is able to synthesize hydroxamic acids. Larvae were fed on 428G and H88 roots for 7 days for comparison. No significant difference was observed in growth, development, or survival rate. A RNA-Sequencing …

Frequency And Distribution Of Extended Diapause In Nebraska Populations Of Diabrotica Barberi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Ryan W. Geisert, Lance J. Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The frequency of extended diapause in populations of the northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was measured in eastern Nebraska. Adult collections were made during late summer in 2008 and 2009 from eight sites each year (seven sites were consistent over years). Eggs were obtained from 12 to 20 females per site and were held on moist soil under appropriate temperature profiles to facilitate egg survival, diapause development, and diapause termination. Percentage egg hatch was recorded after the first and second year for the 2008 and 2009 collections. Additional extended diapause expression was estimated for the …

Ecology And Management Of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Southeastern Farmscapes, Grant Pilkay

All Dissertations

A three-year study (2009-2011) was conducted to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of stink bugs in three commercial farmscapes in South Carolina and Georgia. Crops included wheat, Triticum aestivum (L.), corn, Zea mays (L.), soybean, Glycine max (L.), cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), and peanuts, Arachis hypogaea (L.). Farmscapes were sampled weekly using whole-plant examinations for corn, with all other crops sampled using sweep nets. The predominant pest species of phytophagous stink bugs were the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), the green stink bug, Chinavia hilaris (Say), and the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.). Chi-square tests indicated …

Behavior And Control Of The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Margaret Lehnert

All Dissertations

The recent resurgence of bed bugs has led to an explosion of bed bug research influenced by the applied needs of pest management professionals. I assessed the needs of pest management professionals who deal with bed bugs in South Carolina. Bed bugs were reported in 28 of 46 counties in South Carolina. Previous samples of bed bug populations have displayed a 1:1 sex-ratio suggesting females do not use aggregations and harborages to hide from males and traumatic insemination, which can be harmful to females. Aggregations are biased in composition, suggesting that females are able to hide from males within harborages. …

Endophytic Colonization Of Vicia Faba And Phaseolus Vulgaris (Fabaceae) By Fungal Pathogens And Their Effects On The Life-History Parameters Of Liriomyza Huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae), K. S. Akutse, N. K. Maniania, K. K.M. Fiaboe, J. Van Den Berg, S. Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Ten fungal isolates belonging to the genera Beauveria (3), Hypocrea (1), Gibberella (1), Metarhizium (2), Trichoderma (1) and Fusarium (2) were evaluated in the laboratory to determine whether they could become endophytic in two pea leafminer (Liriomyza huidobrensis) host plants (Vicia faba and Phaseolus vulgaris), and to assess their possible negative effects on leafminers. Beauveria (ICIPE279), Hypocrea, Gibberella, Fusarium and Trichoderma isolates colonized roots, stems and leaves of both host plant species. Beauveria isolates G1LU3 and S4SU1 colonized roots, stems, and leaves of P. vulgaris but only the root and stem of V. faba. Isolates of Metarhizium failed to colonize …

Avispas “Chaqueta Amarilla,” Avispones Y Avispas De Papel, Erin Hodgson, Alan Roe, Nicole Peña, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

Las avispas “chaqueta amarilla” o vespula (“yellowjackets”), avispones (“hornets”) y avispas de papel (“paper wasps”) son avispas sociales estrechamente relacionadas que son comúnmente encontradas en Utah.

La Arana Hobo, Nicole Peña, Alan Roe, Erin W. Hodgson

All Current Publications

La araña hobo, Tegenaria agrestis, es miembro de la familia de “funnel-web spider”/ “araña de tela de embudo” Agelenidae. Las arañas ‘de tela de embudo’/‘funnel-web’ tienen las patas largas (Fig. 1), corren rápidamente y construyen lugares para retirarse en forma de embudos o tubos.

Spotted Wing Drosophila (Espanol), Diane Alston, Ryan Davis, Cory Vorel

All Current Publications

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) is a new Utah pest (first found August, 2010) that can infest un-ripened (pre-harvest), ripe, over-ripe, and spoiled fruits.

Squash Bug (Espanol), Diane Alston, James Barnhill

All Current Publications

Squash bug (Anasa tristis) is a “true bug” with piercingsucking mouthparts (Order Hemiptera) in the leaffooted bug family (Coreidae). It is common throughout the U.S. and found from Canada to Central America. Adults (Fig. 1) emit a foul odor when disturbed and may be called “stink bugs”; however, true stink bugs are in a different true bug family.

Gene Expression-Based Biomarkers For Anopheles Gambiae Age Grading, Mei Hui Wang, Osvaldo Marinotti, Daibin Zhong, Anthony A. James, Edward Walker, Tom Guda, Eliningaya J. Kweka, John Githure, Guiyun Yan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Information on population age structure of mosquitoes under natural conditions is fundamental to the understanding of vectorial capacity and crucial for assessing the impact of vector control measures on malaria transmission. Transcriptional profiling has been proposed as a method for predicting mosquito age for Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes, however, whether this new method is adequate for natural conditions is unknown. This study tests the applicability of transcriptional profiling for age-grading of Anopheles gambiae, the most important malaria vector in Africa. The transcript abundance of two An. gambiae genes, AGAP009551 and AGAP011615, was measured during aging under laboratory and field conditions …

Exploring Valid Reference Genes For Quantitative Real-Time Pcr Analysis In Plutella Xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), Wei Fu, Wen Xie, Zhuo Zhang, Shaoli Wang, Qingjun Wu, Yong Liu, Xiaomao Zhou, Xuguo Zhou, Youjun Zhang

Entomology Faculty Publications

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), a primary tool in gene expression analysis, requires an appropriate normalization strategy to control for variation among samples. The best option is to compare the mRNA level of a target gene with that of reference gene(s) whose expression level is stable across various experimental conditions. In this study, expression profiles of eight candidate reference genes from the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, were evaluated under diverse experimental conditions. RefFinder, a web-based analysis tool, integrates four major computational programs including geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative ΔCt method to comprehensively rank the tested candidate …