Entomology Commons^™

A Determining Factor For Insect Feeding Preference In The Silkworm, Bombyx Mori, Zhong-Jie Zhang, Shuai-Shuai Zhang, Bao-Long Niu, Dong-Feng Ji, Xiao-Jing Liu, Mu-Wang Li, Hua Bai, Subba Reddy Palli, Chen-Zhu Wang, An-Jiang Tan

Entomology Faculty Publications

Feeding preference is critical for insect adaptation and survival. However, little is known regarding the determination of insect feeding preference, and the genetic basis is poorly understood. As a model lepidopteran insect with economic importance, the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a well-known monophagous insect that predominantly feeds on fresh mulberry leaves. This species-specific feeding preference provides an excellent model for investigation of host-plant selection of insects, although the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unknown. Here, we describe the gene GR66, which encodes a putative bitter gustatory receptor (GR) that is responsible for the mulberry-specific feeding preference …

Synopsis Of New World Sigalphinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) With The Description Of Two New Species And A Key To Genera, Michael J. Sharkey, Angélica Maria Penteado-Dias, M. Alex Smith, Winnie Hallwachs, Daniel Janzen

Entomology Faculty Publications

We describe and illustrate Paphanus paloi sp. n., first generic record for Brazil, and Minanga patriciamadrigalae, first generic record for Costa Rica. We present illustrated keys for the New World genera of Sigalphinae, and the New World species of Paphanus and Minanga. Minanga patriciamadrigalae sp. n. was reared from caterpillars of Chloropteryx nordicariaDHJ01 (Geometridae).

A New Genus And Seven New Species Of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) From Central And South America, Eugenio H. Nearns, Francisco E. De L. Nascimento

Insecta Mundi

Thomsonista Nearns and Nascimento, a new genus of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), is described and illustrated. Seven new species of Onciderini are described and illustrated: Hesychotypa antonkozlovi from Ecuador; Hesychotypa danilevskyi from Panama; Lingafelteria pandolfii from Brazil; Oncideres antonkozlovi and Oncideres erwini from Peru; Oncideres johnmarvini from Costa Rica and Panama; and Thomsonista antonkozlovi from Colombia.

Thomsonista Nearns y Nascimento, un nuevo género de Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), es descrito e ilustrado. Siete nuevas especies de Onciderini son descritas e ilustradas: Hesychotypa antonkozlovi de Ecuador; Hesychotypa danilevskyi de Panamá; Lingafelteria pandolfii de Brasil; Oncideres antonkozlovi y …

Notes On Some Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) Associated With Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) In The Republic Of Korea, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

A survey of the parasitoids associated with Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) in the Republic of Korea in 2014 resulted in the documentation of one species of Aphelinidae, Marietta picta (Andre), and two species of Encyrtidae, Metaphycus eriococci (Timberlake) and Zaomma eriococci (Ferrière). Of these, M. eriococci and Z. eriococci are newly recorded from Korea. In addition, one species of encyrtid is newly recognized as a parasitoid associated with A. lagerstroemiae from Korea. In this paper, the list of parasitoid species of A. lagerstroemiae that occur in Korea is updated and a brief diagnosis and photographs of these species are …

New Species And Taxonomical Notes In Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), James E. Wappes, Juan Pablo Botero, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Piezocerini), species from Bolivia are described: G. martinsi Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva new species; G. galileoae Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species; and G. clarkeorum Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species. In addition, G. bispinosa Martins, Galileo and Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2009 is proposed as a synonym of G. castanea (Gounelle, 1909) and G. maculosa Martins, 1976 as a synonym of G. apatheia Martins, 1976.

A Revision Of The Aphodiini Genus Cnemargulus Semenov, 1903 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae), Stefano Ziani

Insecta Mundi

The aphodiine genus Cnemargulus Semenov (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae) is revised. Two species are recognized as belonging to the genus. A new synonymy (C. krulikovskyi Semenov vs C. pusio Semenov) is proposed. A new country record for Iran is given. Lastly, a key to species is provided.

Global Responses Of Resistant And Susceptible Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) To Sugarcane Aphid (Melanaphis Sacchari), Hannah M. Tetreault, Sajjan Grover, Erin Scully, Tammy Gries, Nathan A. Palmer, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis, Scott E. Sattler

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) has emerged as a significant pest for sorghum. The use of sugarcane aphid-resistant sorghum germplasm with integrated pest management strategies appears to be an excellent solution to this problem. In this study, a resistant line (RTx2783) and a susceptible line (A/BCK60) were used to characterize the differences in plant responses to the sugarcane aphid through a series of experiments, which examined global sorghum gene expression, aphid feeding behavior and inheritance of aphid resistance. The global transcriptomic responses to sugarcane aphids in resistant and susceptible plants were identified using RNA-seq and compared to the …

Effects Of An Unregistered Insecticide On Adult Spotted Wing Drosophila Mortality And Field Infestation Rates, 2015, Katharine A. Swoboda-Bhattarai, Hannah Burrack

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The effectiveness of an unregistered material at reducing Drosophila suzukii (SWD) infestation rates in blackberry field plots and its toxicity to adult SWD in laboratory bioassays was tested during the 2015 growing season. Field trials were conducted at the Sandhills Research Station near Jackson Springs, NC, in a 0.11-acre planting consisting of two rows of ‘Ouachita’ blackberries. Six treatments, including an untreated check (UTC), were applied to 5-plant plots and were arranged in an RCB design with four replicates per treatment, blocked by row, with two blocks per row. Delegate was the standard material. Some of the treatments were combined …

Predation On Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Cotton And Soybean Agroecosystems [Predator Gut Contents], Kacie J. Athey, John R. Ruberson, Dawn Olson, James D. Harwood

Entomology Research Data

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are significant pests of cotton and soybeans in the southeastern United States with annual control costs exceeding $14 million in these crops. Three of the most prominent stink bug pests are the southern green (Nezara viridula), brown (Euschistus servus) and green (Chinavia hilaris) stink bugs. To determine trophic linkages between generalist arthropod predators and these pests, species-specific 16S molecular markers were designed and used to detect the presence of prey DNA in predator gut-contents. Over 2700 predators were collected over two growing seasons in cotton and soybean in southern Georgia …

Predation On Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In Cotton And Soybean Agroecosystems [Predator Capture Numbers], Kacie J. Athey, John R. Ruberson, Dawn Olson, James D. Harwood

Entomology Research Data

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are significant pests of cotton and soybeans in the southeastern United States with annual control costs exceeding $14 million in these crops. Three of the most prominent stink bug pests are the southern green (Nezara viridula), brown (Euschistus servus) and green (Chinavia hilaris) stink bugs. To determine trophic linkages between generalist arthropod predators and these pests, species-specific 16S molecular markers were designed and used to detect the presence of prey DNA in predator gut-contents. Over 2700 predators were collected over two growing seasons in cotton and soybean in southern Georgia …

Resistance To Greenbugs In The Sorghum Nested Association Mapping Population, Sajjan Grover, Braden Wojahn, Suresh Varsani, Scott E. Sattler, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum, is a serious pest of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). For the past several decades, resistant sorghum hybrids have been used to control greenbug populations. However, the durability of plant resistance is frequently challenged by evolution of new greenbug biotypes, and there is a continuous need for screening of resistant germplasm for its effective management in the field. Natural variation in sorghum plants/populations provides distinct approaches to identify novel sources of resistance against greenbugs. In this study, we used the recently developed sorghum nested association mapping (NAM) population parental lines to understand sources of sorghum resistance to greenbugs. …

Functional Analysis Of Rip Toxins From The Drosophila Endosymbiont Spiroplasma Poulsonii, Mario Gonzalo Garcia-Arraez, Florent Masson, Juan Camilo Paredes Escobar, Bruno Lemaitre

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Insects frequently live in close relationship with symbiotic bacteria that carry out beneficial functions for their host, like protection against parasites and viruses. However, in some cases, the mutualistic nature of such associations is put into question because of detrimental phenotypes caused by the symbiont. One example is the association between the vertically transmitted facultative endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii and its natural host Drosophila melanogaster. Whereas S. Poulsonii protects its host against parasitoid wasps and nematodes by the action of toxins from the family of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs), the presence of S. Poulsonii has been reported to reduce hosts …

Rna Sequencing, Selection Of Reference Genes And Demonstration Of Feeding Rnai In Thrips Tabaci (Lind.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Satnam Singh, Mridula Gupta, Suneet Pandher, Gurmeet Kaur, Neha Goel, Pankaj Rathore, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Thrips tabaci is a severe pest of onion and cotton. Due to lack of information on its genome or transcriptome, not much is known about this insect at the molecular level. To initiate molecular studies in this insect, RNA was sequenced; de novo transcriptome assembly and analysis were performed. The RNAseq data was used to identify reference and RNAi pathway genes in this insect. Additionally, feeding RNAi was demonstrated in T. tabaci for the first time.

Results: From the assembled transcriptome, 27,836 coding sequence (CDS) with an average size of 1236 bp per CDS were identified. About 85.4% of …

Divergent Switchgrass Cultivars Modify Cereal Aphid Transcriptomes, Kyle G. Koch, Erin D. Scully, Nathan A. Palmer, Scott M. Geib, Gautam Sarath, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Jeff D. Bradshaw

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Schizaphis graminum Rondani (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Sipha flava Forbes (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are two common pests of bioenergy grasses. Despite the fact that they are both considered generalists, they differ in their ability to colonize Panicum virgatum cultivars. For example, S. flava colonizes both P. virgatum cv. Summer and P. virgatum cv. Kanlow whereas S. graminum can only colonize Summer. To study the molecular responses of these aphids to these two switchgrass cultivars, we generated de novo transcriptome assemblies and compared the expression profiles of aphids feeding on both cultivars to profiles associated with feeding on a highly susceptible sorghum host …

Association Of Age, Sex, And Pyrethroid Resistance Status On Survival And Cytochrome P450 Gene Expression In Aedes Aegypti (L.), Leslie C. Rault, Scott T. O'Neal, Ellis J. Johnson, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Aedes aegypti is a vector of viruses that negatively impact human health. Insecticide resistance complicates mosquito control efforts, but understanding the mechanisms of resistance can help to improve management practices. This study examined different factors that could influence the interpretation of toxicity bioassays and gene expression studies in A. aegypti, including sex and age, in the context of resistance to pyrethroids. Bioassays using a pyrethroid-resistant strain, Puerto Rico (PR), and a pyrethroid-susceptible strain, Rockefeller (Rock), of A. aegypti were conducted with females and males of three age groups to determine differences in mortality induced by deltamethrin. Overall, strain was …

Southern Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Adult Emergence And Population Growth Assessment After Selection With Vacuolar Atpase-A Double-Stranded Rna Over Multiple Generations, Adriano E. Pereira, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Lance J. Meinke, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was exposed over multiple generations to vacuolar (v)ATPase-A double-stranded (ds)RNA, first as adults and later, as neonate larvae. During adult selection, high mortality and lower fecundity were observed in the RNAi-selected cages after beetles were exposed to sublethal dsRNA concentrations that varied between LC40 and LC75. During larval selection, a delay in adult emergence and effects on population growth parameters were observed after neonates were exposed to sublethal dsRNA concentrations that varied between LC50 and LC70. Some of the parameters measured for adult emergence such as time to reach maximum …

Fifty Years Of Cave Arthropod Sampling: Techniques And Best Practices, J. Judson Wynne, Francis G. Howarth, Stefan Sommer, Brett G. Dickson

International Journal of Speleology

Ever-increasing human pressures on cave biodiversity have amplified the need for systematic, repeatable, and intensive surveys of cave-dwelling arthropods to formulate evidence-based management decisions. We examined 110 papers (from 1967 to 2018) to: (i) understand how cave-dwelling invertebrates have been sampled; (ii) provide a summary of techniques most commonly applied and appropriateness of these techniques, and; (iii) make recommendations for sampling design improvement. Of the studies reviewed, over half (56) were biological inventories, 43 ecologically focused, seven were techniques papers, and four were conservation studies. Nearly one-half (48) of the papers applied systematic techniques. Few papers (24) provided enough information …

First Record Of The Impact Of The Parasitism Of Cecidochares Connexa (Diptera: Tephritidae) By A Solitary Larval Ectoparasitoid In West Africa: Cause For Concern?, Pascal Osa Aigbedion-Atalor, Itohan Idemudia, Arne B.R. Witt, Michael D. Day

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Cecidochares connexa is currently the only effective biological control agent of Chromolaena odorata an invasive weed in West Africa. Recently, an ectoparasitoid species belonging to the Ormyrus genus was found parasitizing C. connexa in three regions of Ghana. Adult parasitoid emergence percentages varied between 16 and 21%. This raises concerns about its impact on C. connexa populations and the overall biocontrol of C. odorata. New field surveys to determine the distribution range of Ormyrus sp. and its impact on C. connexa should be quickly addressed in West Africa.

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 31, No. 1, February 2019

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Welcome -- Congratulations -- Note from John Ruberson -- Grants -- Faculty News -- Student News -- Publications -- Blast from the Past -- Brewer Appreciation Reception -- Intro Beekeeping Class-Year 1 -- Condolences -- Retirement Reception for Kalisch and Roselle

Composition Of The Survival Motor Neuron (Smn) Complex In Drosophila Melanogaster, A. Gregory Matera, Amanda C. Raimer, Casey A. Schmidt, Jo A. Kelly, Gaith N. Droby, David Baillat, Sara Ten Have, Angus I. Lamond, Eric J. Wagner, Kelsey M. Gray

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is caused by homozygous mutations in the human survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. SMN protein has a well-characterized role in the biogenesis of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), core components of the spliceosome. SMN is part of an oligomeric complex with core binding partners, collectively called Gemins. Biochemical and cell biological studies demonstrate that certain Gemins are required for proper snRNP assembly and transport. However, the precise functions of most Gemins are unknown. To gain a deeper understanding of the SMN complex in the context of metazoan evolution, we investigated its composition in Drosophila …

Nebline, February 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

EFNEP celebrates 50 years of nutrition education

Tips to lower your risk for heart disease

Recipe of the Month

Pesticide applicator trainings

Successful Farmer Series runs through Feb. 8

Nut Orchard Seminar, Feb. 21

ProHort Lawn & Landscape Update

More than drugs and tobacco: Drugstore and cigarette beetles

Now’s the time to get birdhouses ready for spring

2019 flower All-America Selections

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

What’s going on in the world of early childhood?

Upcoming early childhood trainings

HEART OF 4-H Volunteer Award: Travis Hodtwalker

Meet 2018–2019 4-H Teen Council

IT’S TIME TO RE-ENROLL IN 4-H!

Seeking …

Growth-Disrupting Murraya Koenigii Leaf Extracts On Anopheles Gambiae Larvae And Identification Of Associated Candidate Bioactive Constituents, Clarence Maikuri Mang'era, Ahmed Hassanali, Fathiya M. Khamis, Martin K. Rono, Wilber Lwande, Charles Mbogo, Paul O. Mireji

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Plant-based constituents have been proposed as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides for control of mosquito vectors of malaria. In this study, we first screened the effects of methanolic leaf extracts of curry tree (Murraya koenigii) growing in tropical (Mombasa, Malindi) and semi-arid (Kibwezi, and Makindu) ecological zones of Kenya on third instar An. gambiae s.s. larvae. Extracts of the plant from the semi-arid region, and particularly from Kibwezi, led to high mortality of the larvae. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanolic extract of the leaves of the plants from Kibwezi was then undertaken and the most active fraction (20 fold more …

Does Artemether-Lumefantrine Administration Affect Mosquito Olfactory Behaviour And Fitness?, Jetske G. De Boer, Annette O. Busula, Jet Ten Berge, Tessa S. Van Dijk, Willem Takken

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is the recommended treatment against uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infections, and ACT is widely used. It has been shown that gametocytes may be present after ACT and transmission to mosquitoes is still possible. Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is a broadly used artemisinin-based combination medicine. Here, it is tested whether AL influences behaviour and fitness of Anopheles mosquitoes, which are the main vectors of P. falciparum. Results: Dual-choice olfactometer and screenhouse experiments showed that skin odour of healthy human individuals obtained before, during and after AL-administration was equally attractive to Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, apart from …

Field Entomology And Taxonomy Bio/Nrs/Ent 350, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Field Entomology And Taxonomy Ent 350x, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Genome-Wide Characterization, Molecular Evolution And Mexpression Profiling Of The Metacaspases In Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.), Nehal Dubey, Maitri Trivedi, Suresh Varsani, Vishal Vyas, Manisha Farsodia, Sunil Kumar Singh

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Metacaspases are distant relatives of animal caspases found in plants, protozoa and fungi. Some recent studies have demonstrated that metacaspases are involved in regulating the developmental and environmentally induced programmed cell death in plants. In this study, we identified metacaspase gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and analyzed their expression pattern in various developmental tissues and stress responses of plants. There were eight metacaspase genes identified in the Peptidase (Cysteine protease) C14 family and based upon sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, a systematic nomenclature of potato metacaspases (SotubMCs) has been proposed. Three of the eight candidate genes showing homology …

Residues Of Thiamethoxam And Mefenoxam In Vegetative And Floral Tissue Of Soybean At The Early Reproductive Stage Resulting From Seed Treatments, Carolina Camargo, Daniel D. Snow, Sathaporn Onanong, Thomas Hunt, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Thiamethoxam with mefenoxam is the most widely used neonicotinoid insecticide/fungicide mixture applied to soybean (Glycine max [L]) as seed treatments. Based on the systemic nature of thiamethoxam and mefenoxam, residues of this insecticide/fungicide mixture may be present in soybean vegetative and floral tissue and negatively impact beneficial insects. Although neonicotinoids are often applied in combination with systemic fungicides, the research on ecological risks of neonicotinoids has been focused on the analysis of these compounds without considering their interaction with other agrochemicals. The objective of this study was to identify the concentration of thiamethoxam and mefenoxam in soybean flowers and …

Trap Tree And Interception Trap Techniques For Management Of Ambrosia Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) In Nursery Production Get Access Arrow, Karla M. Addesso, Jason B. Oliver, Nadeer N. Youssef, Paul A. O'Neal, Christopher Ranger, Michael E. Reding, Peter B. Schultz, Christopher T. Werle

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The majority of wood-boring ambrosia beetles are strongly attracted to ethanol, a behavior which could be exploited for management within ornamental nurseries. A series of experiments was conducted to determine if ethanol-based interception techniques could reduce ambrosia beetle pest pressure. In two experiments, trap trees injected with a high dose of ethanol were positioned either adjacent or 10–15 m from trees injected with a low dose of ethanol (simulating a mildly stressed tree) to determine if the high-dose trap trees could draw beetle attacks away from immediately adjacent stressed nursery trees. The high-ethanol-dose trees sustained considerably higher attacks than the …

Cow-Calf Producers’ Willingness To Pay For Bulls Resistant To Horn Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), Lettie Mckay, Karen L. Delong, Susan Schexnayder, Andrew P. Griffith, David B. Taylor, Pia Olafson, R. T. Trout Fryxell

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Horn flies (Haematobia irritans (L.)) have long posed animal health and welfare concerns. Economic losses to the cattle and dairy industries from their blood-feeding behavior include decreased weight gain, loss in milk productivity, and transmission of bacteria causing mastitis in cattle. Horn fly management strategies are labor intensive and can become ineffective due to the horn fly’s ability to develop insecticide resistance. Research indicates that for some cattle herds, genetically similar animals consistently have fewer flies suggesting those animals are horn fly resistant (HFR) and that the trait is heritable; however, it is currently unknown if cattle producers value this …

Native Solitary Bees Provide Economically Significant Pollination Services To Confection Sunflowers (Helianthus Annuus L.) (Asterales: Asteraceae) Grown Across The Northern Great Plains, Rachel E. Mallinger, Jeff Bradshaw, Adam J. Varenhorst, Jarrad R. Prasifka

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The benefits of insect pollination to crop yields depend on genetic and environmental factors including plant selffertility, pollinator visitation rates, and pollinator efficacy. While many crops benefit from insect pollination, such variation in pollinator benefits across both plant cultivars and growing regions is not well documented. In this study, across three states in the northern Great Plains, United States, from 2016 to 2017, we evaluated the pollinatormediated yield increases for 10 varieties of confection sunflowers, Helianthus annuus L. (Asterales: Asteraceae), a plant that is naturally pollinator-dependent but was bred for self-fertility. We additionally measured pollinator visitation rates and compared per-visit …