Entomology Commons^™

The Military And Infectious Disease: Rickettsial Disease, Isa Hakima

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Since the founding of the United States Army on the fourteenth day of June in the year 1775, the United States Military has had millions of noncombat-related casualties due to preventable illnesses and diseases transmitted through an arthropod vector. U.S. Military operations have been affected from the effects of the smallpox and malaria outbreaks as early as the Continental Army around 1775, as well as the Civil War period in the mid-1860s. In 1898, the U.S. Military was devastated with outbreaks of typhoid fever, yellow fever, and dengue fever during the months of the Spanish-American War (Artenstein et al., 2005). …

Chemical Composition Of Cupressus Lusitanica And Eucalyptus Saligna Leaf Essential Oils And Bioactivity Against Major Insect Pests Of Stored Food Grains, Philip K. Bett, Arop L. Deng, Joshua O. Ogendo, Samuel T. Kariuki, Maud Kamatenesi-Mugisha, Joel M. Mihale, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The leaf essential oils from Cupressus lusitanica, Miller and Eucalyptus saligna, Smith obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC/MS and also screened for their insecticidal and repellent effects against adult Tribolium castaneum, Acanthoscelides obtectus, Sitotroga cerealella and Sitophilus zeamais. The C. lusitanica oil contained mainly umbellulone (18.38%) and α-pinene (9.97%) whereas the E. saligna oil was dominated by α-pinene (24.40%) and 1,8-cineole (24.26%). Bioassays showed that of the four insect species tested, A. obtectus and S. cerealella were the most susceptible to the oils, with LC50 values of 0.05-0.11% v/w in contact toxicity and 4.07-7.02μl/L air in space fumigation. Except …

A Hitchhiker’S Guide To Invasion Biology: Describing The Ecological Mechanisms Underlying The Range Expansions Of Two Ixodid Tick Species, Robyn M. Nadolny

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Increasing incidence of many tick-borne diseases have been linked to recent expansions of tick species distributions. Many tick species are expanding their ranges because of anthropogenic changes in the landscape, shifting climatic variables, and increasing populations of suitable host species and tick habitat. Few empirical studies have been performed, however, investigating the ecological mechanisms underlying these range expansions. Ticks are parasitic organisms that disperse across landscape by hitchhiking on hosts, but must then survive in the environment for long periods of time between bloodmeals. Two species of ixodid tick, Ixodes affinis and Amblyomma maculatum, are simultaneously expanding their ranges throughout …

Expansion Of The Knockdown Resistance Frequency Map For Human Head Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) In The United States Using Quantitative Sequencing, K J. Gellatly, S Krim, D J. Palenchar, K Shepherd, Kyong-Sup Yoon, C J. Rhodes, S H. Lee, J M. Clark

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Pediculosis is a prevalent parasitic infestation of humans, which is increasing due, in part, to the selection of lice resistant to either the pyrethrins or pyrethroid insecticides by the knockdown resistance (kdr) mechanism. To determine the extent and magnitude of the kdr-type mutations responsible for this resistance, lice were collected from 138 collection sites in 48 U.S. states from 22 July 2013 to 11 May 2015 and analyzed by quantitative sequencing. Previously published data were used for comparisons of the changes in the frequency of the kdr-type mutations over time. Mean percent resistance allele frequency (mean % RAF) values across …

Pollinator Garden, Paige E. Bradley

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

The goal of the project is to increase awareness about global climate change and the necessity of environmentally sustainable practice, particularly among the younger citizens of the Lafayette area. The Lyn Greece Boys & Girls Club extended a hand and offered us land to install a pollinator garden on their campus and an opportunity to meet with the kids one-on-one to promote sustainability ideas and help them understand the basics of gardening. The project is as local as possible, using native plants, no pesticides or herbicides, Bennett's Greenhouse (a local business), and the resources on campus to reach out to …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 1, March 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome - Congratulations - Publications - Strategic Pest Control Theme Runs Strong at UPM Conference - Grants - Faculty News - Meet an Off-Campus Student - Travel - Student News - Students Swarm to UNL Entomologist for Class Project - Bruner Club's International Dinner

Current Topics In Medical, Urban, And Veterinary Entomology (Muve): Results Of A Roundtable Discussion, K. T. Edwards

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Coccidiodomycosis In Livestock, Robert Wood

Midsouth Entomologist

Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, is a fungal infection that affects most mammals. It is found throughout the semi-arid parts of the Americas. Valley Fever was first described in 1892 as a parasitic disease with high mortality and morbidity, but is now considered to be a low morbidity and mortality fungal disease. Although the disease could have long lasting effects that ultimately lead to death, likelihood of mortality is low. Additionally, morbidity is reduced with appropriate treatment.

Chikungunya: An Imminent Threat To The United States, Breanna Lyle

Midsouth Entomologist

Recent years have seen a drastic increase in the number of cases of Chikungunya, a mosquito-vectored disease spread by day-feeding mosquitoes in the genus Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae). Cases of this disease have been on the rise in the Caribbean Islands as well as in many South American countries. The presence of the vector in many parts of the United States, as well as the proximity to these cases make Chikungunya a looming threat to the United States. While this disease is rarely considered a lethal one, the lasting impacts of an outbreak would be significantly detrimental to the infrastructure of …

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (Pam) - Deadly Waters, Morgan Hommel

Midsouth Entomologist

Naegleria fowleri Carter, is a protozoan that causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). Naegleria fowleri is also referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba", due to the fact that it destroys the brain when in contact. PAM is an extremely rare, yet fatal disease. Fewer than 5 percent of people that have had PAM have survived. PAM is in the United States as well as in underdeveloped countries, most recently Pakistan. PAM is avoidable, as long as the contaminated water does not enter the nostrils.

2015 Soybean Insect Losses In The Southern Us, F. R. Musser, A. L. Catchot Jr., J. A. Davis, D. A. Herbert Jr., G. M. Lorenz, T. Reed, D. D. Reisig, S. D. Stewart

Midsouth Entomologist

Survey-based soybean insect losses were collected following the 2015 growing season to provide a record of insect pressure and soybean management practices for the year. This survey has been done annually in all participating states for at least the last 5 years and since 2004 in Mississippi. The 2015 survey represents 11.7 million soybean acres across the southern United States. Overall, stink bugs re-emerged as the most expensive pest in soybean followed closely by corn earworm and soybean looper. The proportion of fields planted with insecticide seed treatments decreased slightly for the second consecutive year to 60% of all acreage. …

Dengue Fever: Should We Be Concerned As Americans?, Shikinah D. Washington

Midsouth Entomologist

Dengue fever is a virus transmitted through mosquito bites. There are cases in many countries throughout the world that occur every few years. The disease does not kill many people, however, it can make the quality of life very poor and cause people to die who have underlying disease. There is no vaccine to prevent it, and it is a disease that we Americans should not take lightly. It is very possible for there to be an outbreak in the United States, therefore we need to all take precautions against it. An outbreak here or anywhere else in the world …

Investigating Physiological Collaborations Between A Lower Termite And Its Symbionts, Brittany F. Peterson

Open Access Dissertations

This project was completed in an effort to better understand the contributions of symbiotic microbes to the biology of Reticulitermes flavipes, the eastern subterranean termite. Lower-termites, like R. flavipes, house symbionts from all three domains of life within their hindgut paunch. This intimate association is reflected in nearly every aspect of termite biology. Here, I investigate these physiological collaborations as they relate to digestion and immunity. My efforts focused on 1) quantifying the role of bacteria in wood digestion within the termite gut, 2) evaluating the role of symbionts in protection against pathogens, and 3) identifying gene products that bacterial …

Nebline, March 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: It’s Easier Than Ever to Connect with Extension — Mobile Device and Social Media are Changing the Way People Learn

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Program And Abstracts Of The 62nd Annual Conference Of The Mississippi Entomological Association, October 19-20, 2015, Mississippi Entomological Association

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

One Health: Students' Perspective, Kristine T. Edwards

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Ross River Virus Runs Rampant On The Gold Coast Of Australia, Brandon Gerhart

Midsouth Entomologist

The first outbreak of Ross River Virus (RRV) occurred in 1928 in South Wales, Australia. I reviewed RRV literature published between 2001 and 2015. The virus is carried by a mosquito and transmitted through a wallaby as its most common intermediate host. Researchers arrived at their findings by conducting extensive lab work on both mosquitos and humans. Signs and symptoms of RRV include joint inflammation, pain, fatigue, and muscle aches. It takes 3-21 days for symptoms to appear, with an average of 9 days. There is no cure to RRV, and there is no vaccine currently being developed. The best …

Antibody Titers To Bed Bug Salivary Proteins In Chickens From An Infested Broiler Breeder House, J. Goddard, J. S. Portugal, K. Maschek

Midsouth Entomologist

Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) might be significant pests in poultry operations, especially in broiler breeder houses. In this study, chickens in breeder houses, known to be infested with bed bugs, demonstrated antibodies to bed bug salivary gland extract, while those not exposed to bed bugs, did not. Antibody titers ranged from 1:160 to 1:640. These results document for the first time that chickens in commercial production, when exposed to bed bug biting, produce antibody responses to proteins contained in bed bug saliva.

Cryptosporidium Parvum: Is It Invincible?, Caitlin Wonnacott

Midsouth Entomologist

Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoan parasite that can affect mammals, reptiles, and birds. A coccidian is a single-celled protozoan that affects the epithelial lining of the intestinal walls of hosts it parasitizes. This parasite has a unique life cycle and can withstand common measures of sterilization. The infective oocyte stage is resistant and hardy. It takes on two forms where each goes to different places within the host. Contamination of water sources has led to large outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis, even though the water met and passed the standards for drinking water. Conclusions from previous studies will help lead the way …

What Is Leishmaniasis?, Kimberly Wilson

Midsouth Entomologist

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that can cause painful sores to cover one's body. It is found in parts of the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe. Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with a complex of protozoan organisms, Leishmania spp, which are spread by the bite of infected phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). There are several different forms of leishmaniasis in people. The most common are cutaneous and visceral. The cutaneous type causes skin sores. The visceral type affects internal organs like the spleen, liver, and sometimes bone marrow.

Impact Assessment Of Integrated Pest Management (Ipm) Strategy For Suppression Of Mango-Infesting Fruit Flies In Kenya, Beatrice W. Muriithi, Hippolyte D. Affognon, Gracious M. Diiro, Sarah W. Kingori, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Peterson W. Nderitu, Samira A. Mohamed, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

We utilized two waves of data collected from a sample of mango farmers in Meru County in Kenya to evaluate the impact of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy for controlling fruit flies in mango-production. We specifically explored the effect of five IPM practices including parasitoids (p) and Metarhizium anisopliae-based biopesticides (biop), orchard sanitation (os), spot spray of food bait (fb) and male annihilation technique (mat) on three outcome indicators: farmer pesticide expenditure, farm-level mango fruit yield losses and profit. We fitted difference-in-difference and household fixed effects regression models that account for unobserved heterogeneity across households. Our estimates differentiated the impact …

Visual, Vibratory, And Olfactory Cues Affect Interactions Between The Red Spider Mite Tetranychus Evansi And Its Predator Phytoseiulus Longipes, Ginette Yèyinou Azandémè-Hounmalon, Baldwyn Torto, Komi Kouma Mokpokpo Fiaboe, Sevgan Subramanian, Serge Kreiter, Thibaud Martin

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Phytoseiulus longipes Evans (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) is an exotic predator widely used in biological control programs for the red spider mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae) in East Africa. However, little is known about the cues mediating this prey/predator interaction. Here, we performed behavioral assays to test the involvement of visual, vibratory, and olfactory cues using a combination of dead/living insects enclosed in either perforated or non-perforated transparent/opaque capsules. We monitored insect responses with a video tracking system and analyzed the data with Ethovision software. Our results showed avoidance behavior of T. evansi in the presence of live P. …

Choreography Of Silk Spinning By Webspinners (Insecta: Embioptera) Reflects Lifestyle And Hints At Phylogeny, David Mcmillan, Kyle Hohu, Janice Edgerly-Rooks

Biology

Silk spinning defines the morphologically constrained embiopterans. All individuals spin for protection, including immatures, adult males and the wingless females. Enlarged front tarsi are packed with silk glands and clothed with ejectors. They spin by stepping with their front feet and releasing silk against substrates and onto preexisting silk, often cloth-like. Spinning is stereotypical and appears to differ between species in frequency and probability of transition between two spin-step positions. This spinning choreography was assessed using thousands of spin-steps scored in the laboratory for 22 species to test: (1) the body size hypothesis predicting that spinning would be more complex …

Genome-Wide Comparative Analysis Of Chemosensory Gene Families In Five Tsetse Fly Species, Rosaline Macharia, Paul Mireji, Edwin Murungi, Grace Murilla, Alan Christoffels, Serap Aksoy, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

For decades, odour-baited traps have been used for control of tsetse flies (Diptera; Glossinidae), vectors of African trypanosomes. However, differential responses to known attractants have been reported in different Glossina species, hindering establishment of a universal vector control tool. Availability of full genome sequences of five Glossina species offers an opportunity to compare their chemosensory repertoire and enhance our understanding of their biology in relation to chemosensation. Here, we identified and annotated the major chemosensory gene families in Glossina. We identified a total of 118, 115, 124, and 123 chemosensory genes in Glossina austeni, G. brevipalpis, G. f. fuscipes, G. …

A Specialist Herbivore Pest Adaptation To Xenobiotics Through Up-Regulation Of Multiple Cytochrome P450s, Fang Zhu, Timothy W. Moural, David R. Nelson, Subba R. Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

The adaptation of herbivorous insects to their host plants is hypothesized to be intimately associated with their ubiquitous development of resistance to synthetic pesticides. However, not much is known about the mechanisms underlying the relationship between detoxification of plant toxins and synthetic pesticides. To address this knowledge gap, we used specialist pest Colorado potato beetle (CPB) and its host plant, potato, as a model system. Next-generation sequencing (454 pyrosequencing) was performed to reveal the CPB transcriptome. Differential expression patterns of cytochrome P450 complement (CYPome) were analyzed between the susceptible (S) and imidacloprid resistant (R) beetles. We also evaluated the global …

Host Stage Preference And Performance Of The Aphid Parasitoid Diaeretiella Rapae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) On Brevicoryne Brassicae And Lipaphis Pseudobrassicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Sylvia W.R. Khakasa, Samira A. Mohamed, Zipporah O. Lagat, Fathiya M. Khamis, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

We assessed the host stage preference and performance of the aphid parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) on two aphid species, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Davis). Although the parasitoid parasitized all nymphal instars of both aphid species, it showed a higher oviposition preference for 2nd (48.2 ± 7.74%) and 3rd (41.0 ± 7.82%) instars of L. pseudobrassicae, and for the 3rd (40.0 ± 4.59%) instar of B. brassicae. Across the host species, there was no significant difference in parasitoid preference between the 3rd and 4th instars, while 1st and 2nd instars of L. pseudobrassicae were significantly more preferred than their …

Unique Features Of A Global Human Ectoparasite Identified Through Sequencing Of The Bed Bug Genome, Joshua B. Benoit, Zach N. Adelman, Klaus Reinhardt, Amanda Dolan, Monica Poelchau, Emily C. Jennings, Elise M. Szuter, Richard W. Hagan, Hemant Gujar, Jayendra Nath Shukla, Fang Zhu, M. Mohan, David R. Nelson, Andrew J. Rosendale, Christian Derst, Valentina Resnik, Sebastian Wernig, Pamela Menegazzi, Christian Wegener, Nicolai Peschel, Jacob M. Hendershot, Wolfgang Blenau, Reinhard Predel, Paul R. Johnston, Panagiotis Ioannidis, Robert M. Waterhouse, Ralf Nauen, Corinna Schorn, Mark-Christoph Ott, Frank Maiwald, Subba R. Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades. This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C. lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to obligate hematophagy, host-symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome …

Nebline, February 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy — February is Heart Health Month

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

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Insect Bronzes Of George Foster, Stéphane Le Tirant, Brett C. Ratcliffe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The artist’s fabulous bronze insect sculptures, including magnificent scarabs, have been exhibited at the Montréal Insectarium, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Museum of the University of Nebraska, and many art galleries. Others are in permanent exhibition at the Insectarium of Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia. George Foster appeared in the episode “Living Art” of the Insectia TV series in 1999. Some sculptures are part of the personal collection of Stéphane Le Tirant, Brett C. Ratcliffe, and the late Henry F. Howden and Roger-Paul Dechambre. We want to acquaint the readers of Scarabs about this artist.

Effect Of Cry1f Maize On The Behavior Of Susceptible And Resistant Spodoptera Frugiperda And Ostrinia Nubilalis, Ana María Vélez, Analiza P. Alves, Erin E. Blankenship, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Understanding the behavior of pests targeted with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) crops is important to define resistance management strategies. Particularly the study of larval movement between plants is important to determine the feasibility of refuge configurations. Exposure to Bt maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), has been suggested to increase larval movement in lepidopteran species but few studies have examined the potential for resistance to interact with behavioral responses to Bt toxins. Choice and no-choice experiments were conducted with Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to determine whether Cry1F resistance influences neonate movement. Leaf discs …