Entomology Commons^™

Longitarsus Melanurus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Reproduces On Onosmodium Molle (Boraginaceae), Andrew H. Williams

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Longitarsus melanurus (Melsheimer) was first associated with Onosmodium Michx. by Popenoe (1877) in Kansas where the sole species is O. molle Michx. (Great Plains Flora Assn. 1986). Recent field observations over several years showed that adults of L. melanurus feed on leaves of O. molle in Wisconsin, where these beetles were collected at 43 of the 59 sites where O. molle was found growing naturally (Williams 1996).

First Record Of Rhipiceridae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Dascilloidea) From Wisconsin, Daniel K. Young, Kerry Katovich

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Cedar beetle family, Rhipiceridae, is recorded from Wisconsin for the first time. A single adult female of Sandalus niger was collected on a walkway along a forested path in south-central Wisconsin on 7 October 2000. This discovery represents not only the first record of Rhipiceridae from Wisconsin, but also the first record of the entire superfamily Dascilloidea, a relatively basal lineage of Elateriformia.

Ant-Plant Relationships In A Re-Created Tallgrass Prairie, Chris E. Petersen, Dhvani G. Dave, Charise L. Parker, Renee E. Petersen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Relationships between the distributions of nesting ants and flora were investigated in a re-created tallgrass prairie located in northeastern Illinois. One-third of 167 randomly selected 1m2 quadrats in the prairie contained ant nests. Basal coverage of ground by tall grass shoots was greater in quadrats having ant nests than in those lacking ant nests. In addition, clumps of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) that were inhabited by the ant, Acanthomyops clavigera, had higher median rank densities than adjacent clumps lacking nests. The clumps also showed a negative correlation between big bluestem shoots/ cm2 and area occupied by the clump at …

Size Estimate Of A Local Population Of Brychius Hungerfordi (Coleoptera: Haliplidae), Michael Grant, Brian Scholtens, Robert Vande Kopple, Bert Ebbers

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Much of the natural history of the endangered crawling water beetle, Brychius hungerfordi, is unknown. Population estimates have only been surmised. We have measured, using a mark and recapture technique, a localize population of the beetle in a pool on the East Branch of the Maple River, Emmet County, Michigan. The average population during July 2001 was found to be 1052 individuals with a range of 43 (highest estimate – lowest estimate). A three-year study of the relative abundance of the beetle in the same pool suggests that the population has remained relatively constant.

Ecological Notes On Species Of Cleridae (Insecta: Coleoptera) Associated With The Prairie Flora Of Central North America, Jonathan R. Mawdsley

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The association of eighteen species of Cleridae (Coleoptera) with tallgrass and shortgrass prairie ecosystems in central North America is reported for the first time. New flower visitation, habitat association, distribution, and/or rearing records are reported for Enoclerus analis (LeConte), E. coccineus coccineus (Schenkling), E. cordifer (LeConte), E. rosmarus (Say), E. zonatus (Klug), Placopterus thoracicus pallipes (Wolcott), Trichodes bibalteatus LeConte, T. bicinctus Green, T. nutalli (Kirby), Phyllobaenus dubius (Wolcott), P. knausii (Wickham), P. pubescens (LeConte), P. subfasciatus (LeConte), Isohydnocera albocincta (Horn), I. brunnea (Horn), I. curtipennis (Newman), I. tricondylae (LeConte) and Wolcottia pedalis (LeConte). Diagnostic characters are presented to separate adults …

Eosentomon Heatherproctorae N. Sp. (Protura: Eosentomidae) From Ontario, Ernest C. Bernard, Michal Guzowski

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A new species of eosentomid proturan, Eosentomon heatherproctorae, is described from Ontario. This new species is a member of the transitorium species-group. It differs from related North American species of this group in the following combination of characters: labral setae absent, foretarsal sensilla d and t3 long and stout, no anterior setae on the sternite of the eighth abdominal segment, and six setae on the sternites of the ninth and tenth abdominal segments.

Mating Success Of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Females In Southern Wisconsin, Ksenia Tcheslavskaia, Carlyle C. Brewster, Alexei A. Sharov

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Mating success of laboratory-reared gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) females exposed for 24 hr on tree boles and its relationship to male moth counts in pheromone-baited traps was studied in southern Wisconsin. The relationship between mating probability of gypsy moth females and male moth counts in traps corresponded to an exponential model that can be used for predicting mating probabilities in sparse isolated populations. Relative attractiveness of females compared with traps was 0.23, which is similar to earlier estimated relative attractiveness of females in Virginia. The mortality of females from predation, however, was found to be significantly lower in Wisconsin …

Creb-Binding Protein Plays Key Roles In Juvenile Hormone Action In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Jingjing Xu, Amit Roy, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Juvenile hormones (JH) and ecdysteroids regulate many biological and metabolic processes. CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a transcriptional co-regulator with histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Therefore, CBP is involved in activation of many transcription factors that regulate expression of genes associated with postembryonic development in insects. However, the function of CBP in JH action in insects is not well understood. Hence, we studied the role of CBP in JH action in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum and the Tribolium cell line. CBP knockdown caused a decrease in JH induction of genes, Kr-h1, 4EBP and G13402 in T. castaneum larvae, adults and …

The Invasive Med/Q Bemisia Tabaci Genome: A Tale Of Gene Loss And Gene Gain, Wen Xie, Xin Yang, Chunhai Chen, Zezhong Yang, Litao Guo, Dan Wang, Jinqun Huang, Hailin Zhang, Yanan Wen, Jinyang Zhao, Qingjun Wu, Shaoli Wang, Brad S. Coates, Xuguo Zhou, Youjun Zhang

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MED/Q and MEAM1/B, are two economically important invasive species that cause considerable damages to agriculture crops through direct feeding and indirect vectoring of plant pathogens. Recently, a draft genome of B. tabaci MED/Q has been assembled. In this study, we focus on the genomic comparison between MED/Q and MEAM1/B, with a special interest in MED/Q’s genomic signatures that may contribute to the highly invasive nature of this emerging insect pest.

Results: The genomes of both species share similarity in syntenic blocks, but have significant divergence in the gene coding sequence. Expansion of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases …

Discriminations Of Color And Pattern On Artificial Flowers By Male And Female Bumble Bees, Bombus Impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Dana Church, Catherine Plowright, Diana Loyer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This study examined the performance of male bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) in color and pattern discriminations and compared it to that of female bees. Bees were trained to forage from rewarding (S+) and unrewarding (S-) artificial flowers which differed in color (blue vs yellow) or pattern (e.g., concen­tric vs radial). Learning of the discrimination by the bees was then assessed by examining choice proportions of different flower types while none of the flowers offered reward. Color discriminations were made with 98% accuracy by the males, and the choice proportion was no different for females. Pattern discriminations were very poor or …

Arcynopteryx Compacta (Plecoptera: Perlodidae), A Holarctic Stonefly Confirmed From Lake Superior, With A Review And First Checklist Of The Stoneflies Of Michigan, Scott A. Grubbs, Ethan Bright

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Arcynopteryx compacta, a northern Holarctic species, is confirmed from Lake Superior along the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A checklist of stoneflies of Michigan is provided, reporting 58 species plus a list of an additional 19 species that are likely to occur in the state.

Tiphia Vernalis (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae) Parasitizing Oriental Beetle, Anomala Orientalis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) In A Nursery, Michael E. Reding, Michael G. Klein

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Tiphia vernalis Rohwer is native to China, Japan, and Korea where it is an external parasite of Popillia spp. (King 1931). It was released into the United States from China and Korea during the mid-1920s through early 30s (Fleming 1968). After it became established in the United States, releases were made from domestic sources beginning in 1931 (King et al. 1951). Tiphia vernalis was released into Ohio sporadically during 1936-1953 (King et al.1951). Tiphia vernalis has been reported parasitizing Popillia spp. (P. quadriguttata (Fabricius) in Korea; P. chinensis (Frivaldsky) and P. formosana (Arrow) in China; and P. japonica …

Second Location For Two Rare Odonata In Ohio, Nannothemis Bella And Ladona Julia, (Odonata: Libellulidae) Discovered At Singer Lake Bog, Summit County, Ohio., Robert C. Glotzhober, Eric Chapman

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Previously the dragonflies (Odonata, Libellulidae) Ladona julia and Nannothemis bella were known in Ohio from only one extant population each: L. julia from extreme northwest Ohio in Williams County and N. bella from west-central Ohio in Champaign County. During the summer of 2000 populations of each of these species were found in close proximity to each other at Singer Lake, a wetlands complex in southern Summit County in northeastern Ohio. This new location is also home to a population of another rare Ohio dragonfly, Dorocordulia libera (Odonata, Corduliidae) that was discovered during 1999. The Singer Lake wetlands are proving to …

Hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) Collected In Grand Traverse And Adjacent Counties, Michigan, Andrew W. Douglass, Christopher B. Douglass, John F. Douglass

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Thirty-two (32) species of hawkmoths (Sphingidae) are reported from Grand Traverse and adjacent counties, Michigan, based on collecting carried out in 1979-1997 and an inventory of museum records.

First Canadian Record Of Hexacola Neoscatellae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae), A Parasitoid Of The Shore Fly, Scatella Stagnalis, Joshua C. Diamond, Vanessa A. Carney, Graeme D. Murphy, Wayne R. Allen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This paper documents the first occurrence of Hexacola neoscatellae, a shore fly parasitoid, in Canada. The discovery of H. neoscatellae is significant because currently there are no suitable biological control agents available for shore fly control to the floriculture industry.

Distribution Of Terrestrial Isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda) Throughout Michigan: Early Results, Jennifer L. Stoyenoff

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Results are reported from the first two years of a multi-year study on the distribution of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda) in Michigan. During the first year of the study (1997), intensive investigations were carried out us­ing pitfall traps in a small area of Midland, MI. The study was resumed in 2001 with opportunistic collection and hand-sorting of litter samples for terrestrial isopods throughout 30 Michigan counties. As a result of this data collection, the species Haplophthalmus danicus, previously unrecorded in the state, has been located in seven counties, and 83 new county records have been established for eight other …

Check List Of Identified Lepidoptera Collected At Mud Lake State Nature Preserve, Williams County, Ohio, Roy W. Rings

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A total of 696 species ofLepidoptera is reported from the Mud Lake State Nature Preserve, Williams County, Ohio. This preserve is only a few miles from both the Indiana and Michigan state borders. The great biodiversity of moths is reflected in the bog, fen, shrub swamp, and marsh communities bordering the lake. A check list of species summarizes identified collections for 1988,1992,1995 and 1996 and includes the Hodges et al (1983) species num­bers, the scientific name, and the numbers collected by different collecting methods. The list does not fully represent the Tineoidea and Gtllechioidea lepidopteran superfamilies. Melanchra assimilis is a …

First Record Of Axymyiidae (Diptera: Nematocera: Axymyioidea) From Wisconsin, Daniel K. Young, Anneke Lisberg

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The nematoceran fly family, Axymyiidae, is recorded from Wisconsin for the first time. A single adult female Axymyia furcata was collected in flight near a dead log along a forested path in south central Wisconsin on 24 April 2000.

Commentary On Ametropus Species (Ephemeroptera: Ametropodidae) In North America, W. P. Mccafferty

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Ametropus albrighti is shown to be a junior subjective synonym of A. neavei, n. syn. Ametropus neavei sensu lato demonstrates stable structural characteristics with respect to male genitalia and larval morphology, whereas degree of maculation and therefore abdominal patterning varies both among populations and within populations. Ametropus ammophilus is distinctive, and the two North American species are apparently allopatric based on known distributions, which are reviewed.

Four-Horned Wasps, Description Of Some Remarkable Dirhinus (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) From Kenya, With A Discussion Of Their Taxonomic Placement, Gérard Delvare, Robert S. Copeland

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Five new species belonging to Dirhinus Dalman are described: D. quadrhinus Delvare sp. nov., D. gigasetosus Delvare sp. nov., D. kambae Delvare sp. nov., D. maasaii Delvare sp. nov. and D. leakeyorum Delvare sp. nov. These species belong to the newly defined and characterized quadrhinus species group, included in the subgenus Dirhinus of Dirhinus Dalman. Evidence for this taxonomic placement is provided despite the distinctive morphology exhibited by the relevant species. The himalayanus, claviger, anthracia and hesperidum groups, also included in subgenus Dirhinus, are similarly defined and characterized and lists of the relevant described species are provided. A key to …

Dragonflies Of Indiana By James R. Curry, 2001. Indiana Academy Of Science, 303 Pp., Hardcover. Isbn 1-883362-11-3, $32.00, Mark F. O'Brien

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Every once in a while you buy a book sight unseen, that surpasses any expectation that you may have had. That is the case of Dragonflies of Indiana by Jim Curry. It is apparent, from the very cover, binding, layout, and paper, that this is a well-crafted book. That's even before I read anything.

Notes On The Biology Of Melanocanthon Nigricornis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Andrew H. Williams, Nadine L. Kriska

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Melanocanthon nigricornis was observed to break up, bundle up, roll away, and bury pieces of the cap of a gill mushroom growing in sandy prairie in Wisconsin. These beetles were also found on a dead lizard and one was observed to roll and bury mammalian carrion. This is the first report of any species in Melanocanthon rolling and burying pieces of fungus and carrion.

A Ten-Year Study Of The Status And Trend Of The Regal Fritillary (Speyeria Idalia) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) In Wisconsin, U.S.A., Ann B. Swengel, Scott R. Swengel

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We summarize all available locality records by ,us and others for the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) during 1970-99 in Wisconsin, where it is listed as endangered. Nearly all areas of regular observation (i.e., populations) oc­curred in clusters of sites. All historical localities and extant populations (or population clusters) were discovered by volunteers. The species' historical reputation as localized and scarce continues to appear justified, but the paucity of historical data precludes further refinement of its statewide status and trend in past decades. Regal fritillary habitat has typically been described as native prairie grassland. This appears often, but not always, to …

The Species Richness Of Lepidoptera In A Fragmented Landscape: A Supplement To The Checklist Of Moths Of Butler County, Ohio, Keith S. Summerville, Thomas O. Crist

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Land conversion for agriculture or urban expansion has fragmented the midwestern landscape and isolated native biotas in remnant habitat patches. Identification of priority renmants to be targeted for conservation, however, requires an understanding of the species diversity and distributions in such fragmented landscapes. During a 3-year inventory, we estimated the species richness of Lepidoptera in forests and old fields within an agricultural region of southwest Ohio, Butler County. A combination of casual collecting (butterflies) and a systematic field study (moths) were used to sample lepidopteran species at several sites from 1998-2000. Our inventory added 207 new species to the checklist …

Herbaceous Filter Strips In Agroecosystems: Implications For Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Conservation And Invertebrate Weed Seed Predation, Fabian D. Menalled, Jana C. Lee, Douglas A. Landis

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A 9.3-ha crop field flanked by two filter strips was selected to: 1) assess carabid beetle activity-density and community composition and 2) assess post-dispersal weed seed predation by invertebrates in these habitats. Over- all during 1997 and 1998, 12,937 carabid beetles comprising 58 species were collected. Greater species richness and activity-density was observed in filter strips than in the field. A multivariate ordination revealed that year of capture and habitat were important variables conditioning carabid beetle com­munities. While two omnivorous species known to eat weed seeds [Harpalus erraticus (Say), Anisodactylus sanctaecrucis (F.)] dominated the 1997 captures, two carnivorous [ …

A Native Hymenopteran Predator Of Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) In East-Central Illinois, Duane D. Mckenna, Arthur R. Zangerl, May R. Berenbaum

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Agonopterix alstroemeriana is a European oecophorid moth that defoliates poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), a noxious Eurasian weed extensively naturalized throughout temperate Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America. Throughout western North America, and increasingly in the Midwest and Northeast, A. alstroemeriana has been utilized in poison hemlock eradication programs. We report, for the first time, predation on A. alstroemeriana by Euodynerus foraminatus (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae), a native solitary wasp that paralyzes these and other lepidopteran larvae and uses them to provision its nests. The presence of an effective predator may reduce the impact of A. alstroemeriana in biological control …

Gill Ventilation Rates Of Mayfly Nymphs (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) As A Biomonitoring Technique, Richard A. Mackenzie, Jerry L. Kaster

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Gill ventilation frequency (GVF) of the mayfly nymph Stenacron interpunctatum (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) was studied to assess the applicability of a relatively simple, real time video methodology and to assess the potential of GVF rates for use in a chronic assay of sediment pore water. Stenacron interpunctatum nymphs were exposed to pore water samples taken along a transect from the mouth of the Fox River to Sturgeon Bay in the Green Bay area of Lake Michigan. This transect has previously been shown to exhibit several distinct gradients in sediment and water column conditions with distance from the Fox River. The highest …

Invertebrate Terrestrial Diversity Along A Gravel Road On Barrie Island, Ontario, Canada, Austine Luce, Mary Crowe

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Although roads have been a part of our landscape for hundreds of years, their impact on the plant and animal populations has only recently been studied. We examined the effect a gravel road had on terrestrial arthropod diversity in the Barrie Islands, Canada. Over a ten-week period during the summer of 1999 we systematically sampled ground and aerial terrestrial arthropods at 5, 10 and 15 m from a 250 m stretch of road. We collected nearly 5,000 insects the majority of which were Coleoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. We collected over 2,000 non-insect invertebrates that included representatives from the classes Gastropoda, …

Changes In The Butterflies (Lepidoptera) Of Winneshiek County, Iowa After 90 Years, Kirk J. Larsen, Jennifer A. Bovee

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In 1908, Bert Porter reported the presence of 73 species of butterflies in the Decorah, Iowa area. Since then, no systematic surveys of the butterflies in the Decorah area have been completed despite extensive habitat changes and degradation of native prairie and timber that have occurred over the past 90 years. In 1998, an extensive survey of the butterflies of Winneshiek County confirmed the presence of 55 species of butterflies. Our findings generated a checklist of the butterflies currently found in Winneshiek County, and were compared to Porter's original list. Unfortunately, the regal fritillary, Speyeria idalia, and several other …

Distribution Of Urophora Affinis And U. Quadrifasciata (Diptera: Tephritidae) For Biological Control Of Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Maculosa) And Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea Diffusa) In Michigan, R. F. Lang, R. D. Richard, J. Winkler, G. Wheeler

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Urophora affinis (Diptera: Tephritidae) and U. quadrifasciata (Diptera: Tephritidae) are two seedhead flies approved for release in the United States in 1971 and 1988, respectively for biological control of spotted and diffuse knapweed. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection Quarantine (APHIS) released a mixture of 4,000 adult U. affinis and U. quadrifasciata in Isabella County, Michigan, in 1994. No Urophora species were found in pre-release samples in seven counties in 1993. Samples collected in three counties in 1994, prior to the APHIS release, detected U. quadrifasciata in Menominee County. Surveys from 1998 to 2000 …