Entomology Commons^™

Identifying The Components Of A Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) (Rosales: Cannabaceae) Integrated Pest Management Program In Louisiana, Nathan C. Arey

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp, Cannabis sativa (L.) (Rosales: Cannabaceae), is defined as a plant in the genus Cannabis with a delta-9 3 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. Domestic acreage of this crop has increased in response to the ratification of the Agricultural Act of 2014 and the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. In 2021, 21,915 hectares of hemp were planted in the United States with a production value of $712 million. There is a current lack of literature on insect related research in this reemerging crop system in the state of Louisiana. Therefore, this present …

Aphid Herbivory On Industrial Hemp, Cannabis Sativa L., And The Impact Of Plant-Soil Feedbacks On Hemp Performance In Louisiana, Alex Leede

LSU Master's Theses

Industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L., is defined as having less than 0.3% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol by dry weight. It can be grown for fiber, food, oil, and cannabinoids. As a newly legalized crop, little research exists regarding the cultivation or pest management practices in Louisiana. The versatility of industrial hemp may allow for substantial future production in Louisiana. This project set out to understand the impact of previous crops on hemp performance and soil microbial communities. Soybean, Glycine max L. (Merr), grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and sweetpotato, Ipomeae batatas (L.) Lam, were selected as soil conditioning crops because they are …

Understanding The Horse Fly Species And Species Relations Of The Tabanus Nigrovittatus Complex Along Coastal Louisiana, Darrius M. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

The Dipteran family Tabanidae is among the most diverse families of insects that is comprised of approximately 144 genera with 4455 described species (Pape et al. 2011). Members of the family Tabanidae have been studied for well over 100 years in Louisiana. Hine (1906, 1907) conducted the first surveys of the members of the tabanid family and noted the presence of 14 species. Jones and Bradley (1923) supplemented Hine’s observations with their own inventory of horse flies across four parishes and found an additional 14 species that were not recorded by Hine. Subsequently, Tidwell (1970, 1973) conducted a survey of …

Soil Moisture Mediated Behavioral And Physiological Alterations Of Coptotermes Formosanus And Reticulitermes Flavipes (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), Steven J. Richardson

LSU Master's Theses

Substrate moisture is a critical environmental factor for the survival and behavior of subterranean termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). The invasive Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) and the native eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) co-occur in the southeastern United States, but C. formosanus is predominant in subtropical and R. flavipes is more common in temperate regions. The difference in their geographic distributions is largely attributed to their different behavioral and physiological ecology. While ample research has been done on foraging behavior of the two species, there was no empirical evidence for the effects of constant soil moisture on …

Bee Brains: Dissecting Pollinator Behavior And The Importance Of Plasticity In The Face Of Changing Environments, Rachel Brant

Dissertations

All organisms face environmental variability, and much of contemporary biological research aims to understand the mechanisms allowing organisms to adapt and survive in the face of change. Animals residing in urban habitats face particularly high levels of unpredictability and environmental fluctuation due to changes based upon human desire. Though urban areas are considered relatively novel habitats, numerous species have adapted to city life, mediated through behavioral and physiological plasticity. Native bee species show particularly high species richness and abundance in urban settings, but the mechanisms driving this pattern are poorly understood. In this dissertation, I explore how bees employ plasticity …

Diversity In Darkness: Shedding Light On Cryptic Species In The Cave Beetle Genus Darlingtonea Valentine Using 3rad Sequencing And Consequences Of Climate Change Based On Thermal Tolerance And Dehydration Resistance, Athanasios S. Apostolopoulos

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The relationship between geographic distribution and phylogeny is pronounced in patchy, discontinuous habitats that limit gene flow, such as cave ecosystems. The isolating nature and selective pressures of cave environments can result in relatively high levels of endemism and cryptic speciation in cave faunas. Cryptic speciation exhibited in cave faunas is poorly studied, though it is an integral aspect to consider when discussing conservation efforts.

Our study employed the 3RAD genomic sequencing technique and robust population sampling across the distribution of a monotypic genus of cave beetle, Darlingtonea Valentine, that inhabits karst systems in a nearly 200 square mile range …

Pestfacts Wa Issue 09 - July 2022, Cindy L. Webster, Svetlana Micic, Dusty Severtson, Alan Lord

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 09 - July 2022 contents:

• Diamondback moth

Origins Of High Latitude Introductions Of Aedes Aegypti To Nebraska And Utah During 2019, Andrea Gloria-Soria, Ary Faraji, Jeff Hamik, Gregory White, Shanon Amsberry, Matthew Donahue, Bryan Buss, Evlyn Pless, Luciano Veiga Cosme, Jeffrey R. Powell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Aedes aegypti (L.), the yellow fever mosquito, is also an important vector of dengue and Zika viruses, and an invasive species in North America. Aedes aegypti inhabits tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world and in North America is primarily distributed throughout the southern United States states and Mexico. The northern range of Ae. aegypti is limited by cold winter months and establishment in these areas has been mostly unsuccessful. However, frequent introductions of Ae. aegypti to temperate, non-endemic areas during the warmer months can lead to seasonal activity and disease outbreaks. Two Ae. aegypti incursions were …

Helping Utah Landowners Reduce Pesticide Use Through A Statewide Ipm Program, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program provides outreach and education to Utahns to reduce pesticide use and ultimately protect human and environmental health. In 2022, the IPM program responded to stakeholders’ needs by partnering with county Extension offices to deliver eight (8) in-person workshops across the state. The workshops connected Extension specialists and county faculty with managers of home landscapes and farms. The objective of the workshops was to provide participants with IPM skills to identify, monitor, and manage pest problems in preparation for the upcoming growing season.

Pestfacts Wa Issue 08 - July 2022, Benjamin S. Congdon, Svetlana Micic, Cindy L. Webster, Jean Galloway, Janette Pratt

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 08 - July 2022 contents:

• Cold winter conditions are reducing winged aphid activity
• Russian wheat aphid
• UCI BlacklegCM – A new decision support tool for upper canopy blackleg management

Toxicity Of Formulated Systemic Insecticides Used In Apple Orchard Pest Management Programs To The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera (L.)), Sarah Heller, Julia Fine, Ngoc B. Phan, Edwin G. Rajotte, David J. Beddinger, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are one of the most important pollinating species of flowering plants. Recently, populations of honey bees have been declining due to a combination of factors, including the widespread use of agricultural pesticides. Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the acute oral toxicity of different formulated pesticides to honey bee adults. In particular, we assessed the acute oral toxicity of two neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, Assail 30SG and thiamethoxam, Actara 25WDG) and two other systemic insecticide products (sulfoxaflor, Closer 2SC and flupyradifurone, Sivanto 200SL), all of which are generally used in pest management programs in commercial apple …

Pestfacts Wa Issue 10 - July 2022, Saleh Adnan, Benjamin S. Congdon, Alan Lord

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 10 - July 2022 contents:

• Russian wheat aphids found at Geraldton
• Turnip yellows virus detected n canola in Albany port zone
• Meet PestFacts WA team member – Alan Lord

Pestfacts Wa Issue 11 - July 2022, Ciara Beard, Geoff J. Thomas

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 11 - July 2022 contents:

• Wheat powdery mildew in the Geraldton port zone

Transcriptome Assembly And Characterization Of Chemoreceptors For Corn Rootworms, Bailee Egan

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is the most important insect pest of corn in the United States Corn Belt, costing the agricultural industry over two billion dollars per year. As current management practices have been losing their effectiveness, new targets for corn rootworm control need to be explored. In this thesis, we focused on identifying rootworm chemoreceptors, which can be considered for potential targets for management. Transcriptomes from seven life stages were assembled for the western corn rootworm as well as two other related corn rootworm species, the northern corn rootworm (D. barberi) …

Genetic Diversity Of Diaphorina Citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) Unravels Phylogeographic Structure And Invasion History Of Eastern African Populations, Inusa Jacob Ajene, Fathiya Mbarak Khamis, Barbara Van Asch, Gerhard Pietersen, Nurhussen Seid, Anne Wambui Wairimu, Fidelis Levi Ombura, Komivi Senyo Akutse, Mamoudou Sétamou, Sevgan Subramanian, Samira Mohammed, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) is a key pest of Citrus sp. worldwide, as it acts as a vector for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacterial pathogen that causes citrus Huanglongbing. Diaphorina citri has been reported in Kenya, Tanzania, and more recently in Ethiopia. This study assessed the genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of the pest to gain insights into the potential sources of its introduction into Africa. Population structure and differentiation of D. citri populations from China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the USA were assessed using 10 microsatellite loci. Additionally, five new complete mitogenomes of D. citri collected …

Observing The Distribution Of Mosquito Bites On Humans To Inform Personal Protection Measures Against Malaria And Dengue Vectors, Winifrida P. Mponzi, Johnson K. Swai, Emmanuel W. Kaindoa, Khamis Kifungo, Alvaro E. Eiras, Elis P.A. Batista, Nancy S. Matowo, Peter O. Sangoro, Marceline F. Finda, Arnold S. Mmbando, Tegemeo Gavana, Halfan S. Ngowo, Fredros O. Okumu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background Understanding mosquito biting behaviours is important for designing and evaluating protection methods against nuisance biting and mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. dengue, malaria and zika). We investigated the preferred biting sites by Aedes aegypti and Anopheles arabiensis on adult volunteers in standing or sleeping positions; and estimated the theoretical protection limits affordable from protective clothing or repellent-treated footwear. Methods Adult volunteers dressed in shorts and t-shirts were exposed to infection-free laboratory-reared mosquitoes inside screened chambers from 6am to noon (for day-biting Ae. aegypti) or 6pm to midnight (night-biting An. arabiensis). Attempted bites on different body parts were recorded. Comparative observations were …

Disentangling Thermal Effects Using Life Cycle Simulation Modelling On The Biology And Demographic Parameters Of Dolichogenidea Gelechiidivoris, A Parasitoid Of Tuta Absoluta, Pascal O. Aigbedion-Atalor, Martin P. Hill, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Myron P. Zalucki, Samira A. Mohamed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh) (Syn. Apanteles gelechiidivoris) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a konoibiont larval endoparasitoid of the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), was imported into Kenya in 2017 for the first classical biological control of T. absoluta in Africa. We determined the thermal thresholds of D. gelechiidivoris, with T. absoluta as host, using life cycle simulation modelling. Life-table data of D. gelechiidivoris were generated at six constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C, 65 ± 5% RH, and 12L: 12D photoperiod). Multiple non-linear functions were fitted to model some aspects of the biology of the parasitoid, including its …

A Fungal-Based Pesticide Does Not Harm Pollination Service Provided By The African Stingless Bee Meliponula Ferruginea On Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus), Evanson R. Omuse, Saliou Niassy, Nkoba Kiatoko, H. Michael G. Lattorff, John M. Wagacha, Thomas Dubois

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) provide pollination services to crops and produce high–quality honey. The application of agrochemicals during the management of crop pests is an increasing threat to pollinators and the ecosystem services they provide. Biopesticides are considered as better alternatives; however, there is limited evidence of their impact on stingless bees. We evaluated the effect of the most widely used African fungal biopesticide (Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69) on mortality, foraging behavior and pollination success of the African stingless bee Meliponula ferruginea under semi-field conditions. Colonies of M. ferruginea were introduced into four 24 m2 greenhouse compartments containing blooming cucumber …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Toxicity And Repellency Of Plant Extract And Termiticide Against Fungus Growing Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Termitidae), Muhammad Shahid Nisar, Talha Nazir, Shah Zaman, Syed Ismat Hussain, Nasir Ahmad Khan, Hafiz Muhammad Usman Aslam, Wajad Nazeer, Muhammad Akhtar

Journal of Bioresource Management

Different methods such as physical, biological and chemical are used to manage soil fungus increasing termites. Synthetic insecticide plays a vital part in the management of termites. The pesticide used in big quantities causes phytotoxicity, mammalian toxicity and resistance to pesticides in target pests and insect outbreaks. Intensive pesticides exert chronic effects on living organisms with annoyance for beneficial insects. It also accompanied with environmental hazards and developed resistance. Plant leaves extracts provide a distinct variety of biochemical compounds with diverse prospective uses. Resistance development requires the discovery of fresh biological compounds with a wide spectrum of action. Plant leaves …

Effects Of Color Attributes On Trap Capture Rates Of Chrysobothris Femorata (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) And Related Species, Cynthia L. Perkovich, Karla M. Addesso, Joshua P. Basham, Donna C. Fare, Nadeer N. Youssef, Jason B. Oliver

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Chrysobothris spp. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and other closely related buprestids are common pests of fruit, shade, and nut trees in the United States. Many Chrysobothris spp., including Chrysobothris femorata, are polyphagous herbivores. Their wide host range leads to the destruction of numerous tree species in nurseries and orchards. Although problems caused by Chrysobothris are well known, there are no reliable monitoring methods to estimate local populations before substantial damage occurs. Other buprestid populations have been effectively estimated using colored sticky traps to capture beetles. However, the attraction of Chrysobothris to specific color attributes has not been directly assessed. A multi-color trapping …

Geographical Distribution, Allele Frequency, And Inheritance Of Cry1a.105 And Cry2ab2 Resistance In Helicoverpa Zea In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Wenbo Yu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), is a target pest of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize and cotton in the U.S. Previous studies have reported that this pest has developed field resistance to pyramided Cry1A/Cry2A maize and cotton in certain areas of the southern United States. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the current status and distribution of the resistance to Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 in H. zea in the southeastern United States; 2) estimate the resistance allele frequencies to the two Bt proteins in H. zea field populations in the region, and 3) assess the inheritance of the …

Ant Cuticle Microsculpture: Diversity, Classification, Evolution, And Function, John Paul Hellenbrand

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

My thesis covers the intricacies of ant microsculpture diversity, classification, evolution and function. To do this, the thesis is organized into two chapters. The first chapter is a review of ant cuticle and microsculpture diversity as well as including analyses examining the evolution and lability of microsculpture traits. I then review the literature for functional hypotheses related to ant microsculpture. The second chapter explores the relationship of microsculpture and important morphological, physiological, and ecological traits to evaluate support for functional hypotheses.

New Species, New Synonymies, A New Rank, And New Records In Desmiphorini, Saperdini, And Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, Robert A. Androw

Insecta Mundi

New information is presented for Neotropical Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Dolichestola vittipennis Breuning, 1948 is synonymized with D. annulicornis Breuning, 1942, and the species is newly recorded from the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Dolichestola densepunctata Breuning, 1942 is newly recorded from Venezuela and Brazil, and the difference between it and D. annulicornis is reported. Mecas skillmani Santos-Silva and Androw, new species, is described from Mexico (Jalisco). Pannychella callicera (Bates, 1881) is illustrated, and notes on the genus and species are provided. Pannychis Thomson, 1864 is considered a genus different from Mecas LeConte, 1852, and notes on the genus …

A New Species Of Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) From Western North America, Thomas M. Onuferko, Cory S. Sheffield

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)—E. emiliae Onuferko and Shef­field, new species—is described from North America west of the Great Plains. It is morphologically most similar to Epeolus autumnalis Robertson, 1902, a species known exclusively from east of the Rocky Moun­tains. DNA barcode sequences from representatives of E. autumnalis and E. emiliae share a barcode index number (i.e., BIN: BOLD:AAF2361), but the two species exhibit marked and consistent differences in integu­ment coloration and the patterns of pubescence on the metasoma, and their distributional ranges, based on known specimens, show no overlap. This discovery increases …

A New Species Of Neostenoptera Meunier (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae) From Hawai‘I, John D. Plakidas, Nhu H. Nguyen, Michael L. Ferro

Insecta Mundi

A new paedogenetic midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae: Heteropezini) from O‘ahu Island, Hawai‘i, Neostenoptera hawaiiensis Plakidas, Nguyen, and Ferro, new species, is described and illus­trated. A key to all species in the genus is provided. Specimens were emergent from deadwood gathered at Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Neostenoptera appalachiensis Plakidas and Ferro were collected from the same set of samples in Hawai‘i, and additional specimens are reported from Georgia and South Carolina, three new state records. The discovery of two paedogenetic midges in Hawai‘i poses a unique set of questions as to their possible mode of arrival on an …

Three New Species Of Cautethia Grote (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) From The Lucayan Archipelago And Keys To West Indies Species, Jacqueline Y. Miller, Deborah L. Matthews, Riley J. Gott

Insecta Mundi

. Five species of Cautethia Grote (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) occur in the Lucayan (Bahamas) Archipelago, three of which are new to science. Cautethia simoni Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described and illustrated from Mayaguana Island, Bahamas, and Providenciales and Grand Turk of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Cautethia gossi Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described and illustrated from Great Inagua, Bahamas. Cautethia geraceorum Miller, Matthews, and Gott, new species, is described from San Salvador Island. Diagnoses are provided and new island records are reported for the two previously described Bahamas species, Cautethia grotei Edwards …

Tomoxia Bucephala A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), A Palearctic Tumbling Flower Beetle Established In North America, R. F. C. Naczi, Robert A. Androw, John Rosenfeld

Insecta Mundi

Tomoxia bucephala A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), a Palearctic tumbling flower beetle native to Europe, Asia, and northernmost Africa, is now known from North America. The first known occurrences were in 2015 in Essex and Union counties, New Jersey, U.S.A. and in 2019 in Passaic County, New Jersey, all in the New York City metropolitan area. An additional collection documents the species in 2016 from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The multiple occurrences, the large distance between those in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and multiple detections in natural areas indicate T. bucephala is established in North America and …

Disturbance Ecology Of The Sonadora River Rock Pool Insect Assemblage At Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, Patrick Gilkey

Master's Theses

Freshwater rock pools can serve as habitat for aquatic insects. Flash-flooding can have profound effects on insect communities in streams and rivers, but these effects have not been studied on freshwater rock pools. The goal of this thesis was to describe ecological patterns of the Sonadora River rock pool insect community at the Luquillo Experiment Forrest, Puerto Rico, specifically in response to intense flash-flooding, and then perform experiments to elucidate possible processes to explain those patterns. The rock pools contained primarily three taxa of Dipteran (true-fly) larvae, in order of decreasing abundance, 1) a newly discovered species of ceratopogonid (biting …

Toxicity Of Four New Chemistry Insecticides Against Spodoptera Litura (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions, Ali Ahmad, Nawwal Kaleem Butt, Muhammad Aqib Idrees, Najmul Hassan, Muhammad Raheel Saleem, Muhammad Umair Ali, Muhammad Ramzan, Ali Asnan

Journal of Bioresource Management

Leaf worm, Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive insect pests of several agricultural and horticultural crops all over the world including Pakistan. Insecticides have been widely used against different instar larvae of S. litura to minimize the pest population on various crops. New chemistry insecticides were tested to check their toxicity against S. litura on cabbage under laboratory conditions during 2019. Emamectin benzoate was highly toxic followed by chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide and fipronil. LC₅₀ and LC ₉₀ values of emamectin benzoate were 30.54, 19.73 ppm and 459.07 and 275.65ppm after 24 and 48 h, respectively. 100% mortality of …