Entomology Commons^™

Could The European Thanasimus Formicarius Outcompete The North American Thanasimus Dubius (Coleoptera: Cleridae) If Introduced To North America?, Robert A. Haack, Robert K. Lawrence

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A federal quarantine was enacted in the United States (US) in the fall of 1992 in response to discovery of the Eurasian pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda (L.) (Coleoptera: Scolytinae), in July 1992 in Ohio. The quarantine regulated movement of pine products (e.g., Christmas trees, nursery stock, and logs) at the county level from infested to uninfested US states. A classical biological program was considered for T. piniperda starting in 1995, focusing on the Eurasian clerid beetle Thanasimus formicarius (L.), an important predator of T. piniperda. Concerns were raised in 1996 that if T. formicarius were released in the …

Assessing Integrated Pest Management Protocols For The Invasive Aquatic Weed Giant Salvinia (Salvinia Molesta), Samantha Lee Prinsloo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) is free-floating aquatic fern that originates from South America. Through human introduction, giant salvinia has escaped its native range and is listed as an invasive species across multiple continents causing negative socio-economic and environmental impacts. This research aimed to expand our understanding of integrated pest management for controlling giant salvinia by combining chemical and biological control. The objectives were to assess the effects of rainfastness, carrier volume, and growth stage on herbicide efficacy, assess augmented biological control and optimal weevil release densities, assess weevil populations in the field, determine herbicide and surfactant toxicity to …

First Report Of Larra Bicolor (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) In Alabama, C. M. Abraham, D. W. Held, C. Wheeler

Midsouth Entomologist

A survey of golf courses in southern and coastal Alabama has revealed a new record of Larra bicolor in Alabama. Larra bicolor males and females were collected or observed on four of the eight golf courses sampled.

Life-Stage Specific Predatory Efficiency Of 2 Generalist Predators Of Bemisia Tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Itohan Aigbedion-Atalor, Abdelmutalab G. Azrag, Alvin M. Simmons, Jason M. Schmidt

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an economically damaging invasive pest to global vegetable production. Current management strategies rely heavily on insecticides, but increasing levels of resistance raise sustainability concerns. Therefore, strengthening integrated pest management (IPM) programs requires enhancing biocontrol through improved predator-pest interactions. Despite the well-established relevance of functional response modulation by multiple environmental factors, limited research has explored how plant traits and prey life stages interact to influence the efficiency of generalist predators in vegetable systems. To address this gap, we evaluated the functional responses of 2 adult generalist predators, Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville) and Geocoris punctipes (Say), against 3 nymphal …

Human Versus Machine: Can Generative Ai Anticipate Insect Biological Control Outcomes?, Kris A.G. Wyckhuys, Komivi S. Akutse, Divina M. Amalin, Salah Eddin Araj, Marie Joy B. Beltran, Ibtissem Ben Fekih, Paul André Calatayud, Lizette Cicero, Marcellin C. Cokola, Yelitza C. Colmenarez, Kenza Dessauvages, Thomas Dubois, Léna Durocher-Granger, José L. Fernández-Triana, Frederic Francis, Khalid Haddi, Rhett D. Harrison, Muhammad Haseeb, Natasha S.A. Iwanicki

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) could transform evidence synthesis and revolutionize the global scientific enterprise, yet its agricultural applications are understudied. Here, we systematically assess the performance of three web-grounded AI engines (ChatGPT, ScholarAI and DeepSeek) in synthesizing the global literature on biological control of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, and benchmark their outputs against a recent, near-exhaustive human review. Though all engines rapidly screened vast literature corpora, they exhibited shortcomings in factual accuracy, reporting reliability and data consistency. In machine-run syntheses, natural enemy prevalence and performance data often diverged from published records while the level of agreement in enumerating top-performing …

Behavioral And Electrophysiological Responses Of Fall Armyworm Larval Parasitoid Coccygidium Luteum To Maize And Companion Plant Volatiles, Emmanuel Peter, Sevgan Subramanian, Abdullahi Yusuf, Samira A. Mohamed, Baldwyn Torto, Emily A. Martin, Amanuel Tamiru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Companion cropping and biological control are among the best agronomic practices recommended for ecologically sustainable management of the invasive fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Companion plants may suppress the FAW population by repelling the pest, disrupting host-plant location and recruiting biocontrol agents such as parasitoids. These interactions are primarily mediated by plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Understanding parasitoids’ responses to VOCs emitted by companion plants enables selection of suitable cultivars to enhance biological control and design appropriate intercropping systems for effective FAW management. This study investigated behavioral and electrophysiological responses of a key FAW larval parasitoid, …

Intensified Push-Pull Technology Enhances Above-Ground Arthropod Assemblages And Ecological Balance, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Bonoukpoe M. Sokame, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Johnson O. Nyasani, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Agroecological intensification aims to increase farm productivity, reduce dependency on external inputs, and enhance biodiversity conservation. However, the contribution of recent sustainable agricultural practices to arthropod assemblages and their ecosystem services remains underexplored. Through a 2-year multilocation trial, we investigated the response of above-ground arthropod assemblages and their ecological functions in cowpea and maize grown under monocropping systems and diversified systems (pure and intensified push-pull technologies). Using three sampling methods (visual observations, pitfall traps, sticky traps), a total of 65, 307 arthropod specimens were collected. The most dominant arthropod taxa were Hemiptera (true bugs; 47%), followed by Thysanoptera (thrips; 17%), …

Technology-Driven Approaches For Invasive Species Detection And Management, Kushal Naharki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Invasive species pose significant ecological, economic, and management challenges globally. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata) are widespread invasive plants across the eastern United States and present persistent challenges, particularly in remote and inaccessible landscapes. Effective management of these species requires an integrated approach that combines early detection, targeted intervention, public engagement, and spatial modeling. This dissertation used emerging technologies to improve invasive species detection, monitoring, and management.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based platforms equipped with optical sensors were used to establish …

A Battle Of Armies: Massive Attack Of Natural Enemies To The True Armyworm Mythimna Unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) In Forage Crops, Armando Falcon-Brindis, Raul T. Villanueva

Insecta Mundi

Understanding the interactions between plant-host-parasitoid plays a major role in insect pest management. Farmers in the southeastern United States rely on pasture systems for cattle milk and beef production, but the benefits of parasitoids and predators on major lepidopteran pests on pasture lands are still overlooked. Here, we aimed to identify and quantify the effect of parasitism on the true armyworm Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacking teff grass Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter (Poaceae) and crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. (Poaceae) in western Kentucky. In early August of 2023, 547 larvae of M. unipuncta were collected from experimental …

Landscape Effects On The Beneficial Arthropod Community In Agriculturally Dominated Environments, Hannah E. Stowe

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ecosystem services in agriculturally dominated regions rely, at least in part, on arthropods. Environment and biodiversity influence beneficial arthropods in population size, community structure, diversity, and ecosystem service provisioning. Predation is among the most important services provided by arthropods in agroecosystems. Understanding what alters predation and predator activity can support the successful application of biological control and, more broadly, integrated pest management. Land use and edge adjacency, field characteristics, landscape, seasonality, and diel period all alter predatory behavior. Crop fields dominate Nebraska agroecosystems, although interspersed perennial grasslands persist through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Such grasslands supply crucial resources and …

Notes And New Records For Parasitoids Of Exotic Drosophilids In Indiana, Usa (Hymenoptera: Figitidae And Braconidae), Elizabeth Y. Long, M Andrew Johnston

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We report the first detection of two parasitoids of the invasive spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), in Indiana, USA: Leptopilina japonica Novković & Kimura (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) and Asobara c.f. rufescens (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). These wasps, newly reported here from Indiana, were detected in the drowning solution of Scentry spotted-wing drosophila monitoring traps located in a blueberry orchard in northern Indiana. These parasitoids were detected in monitoring traps from 10-June-2024 until 19-Aug-2024, with more detections of L. japonica than A. c.f. rufescens. We also report detection of the African fig fly, Zaprionus indianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in the drowning solution of …

Ecological Interactions, Host Plant Defenses, And Control Strategies In Managing Soybean Looper, Chrysodeixis Includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Rahul Debnath, Justin George, Manish Gautum, Insha Shafi, Rupesh Kariyat, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Entomology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soybean looper (SBL), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker 1858) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most damaging insect pests of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., in the mid-south region of the United States, and causes significant economic losses to cotton, sunflower, tomato, and tobacco crops in the United States, Brazil, and Argentina. Soybean production in the southern region accounted for 15.5% of the total production in the United States, and yield losses due to invertebrate pests were 5.8%, or 1.09 million metric ton, in 2022. As insecticide resistance of SBL continues to rise, the lack of alternate control strategies is a serious …

Biological Reinforcement Learning Simulation For Natural Enemy -Host Behavior: Exploring Deep Learning Algorithms For Population Dynamics, Komi Mensah Agboka, Emmanuel Peter, Erion Bwambale, Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study introduces a simulation of biological reinforcement learning to explore the behavior of natural enemies in the presence of host pests, aiming to analyze the population dynamics between natural enemies and insect pests within an ecological context. The simulation leverages on Q-learning, a reinforcement learning algorithm, to model the decision-making processes of both parasitoids/predators and pests, thereby assessing the impact of varying parasitism and predation rates on pest population growth. Simulation parameters, such as episode count, duration in months, steps, learning rate, and discount factor, were set arbitrarily. Environmental and reward matrices, representing climatic conditions, crop availability, and the …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Beneficial Biological Control Insects, Kaitlin Campbell, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

On small scales, like school and home gardens, encouraging biological control agents can be highly effective, reducing the need for insecticides that harm the environment, humans, and beneficial insects. This fact sheet provides information on using beneficial insects in your garden and offers a field guide to identify them.

Impacts Of Cruciferous Extracts On The Parasitism Efficiency Of Diadegma Insulare; A Hymenopterous Parasitoid Of The Diamondback Moth, Muhammad Sajid Qureshi, Wali Muhammad, Muhammad Adnan Bodlah, Abdul Mannan Hamzah, Muhammad Saeed, Riaz Hussain

Journal of Bioresource Management

Herbivore's attack stimulates chemical production in the plants; that communicates with natural enemies (chemical communication) and urges them for help (i.e. cry-for-help phenomenon). Such chemicals play an important role to attract the parasitoids and increase the chances of host pests' encounter. Current studies were performed to observe the extracts' efficacy in order to attract the parasitoid (i.e. Diadegma insulare) and thereby increase the likelihood of encounter with the host pest (i.e. Plutella xylostella). Cruciferous cultivars' extracts were developed and applied with artificial release of parasitoids under semi-field conditions. Findings revealed that extracts had the potential to enhance the …

Aphid Feeding Damage And Its Management In Cereal Crops, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Adult and nymph aphids suck sap from cereal crops, with large populations, especially in winter and spring, limiting grain yield and size. This page relates to feeding damage from oat aphid (Rhopalosiphon padi) and corn aphid (Rhopalosiphon maidis) in the absence of virus, and Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia).

Biology Of Diachasmimorpha Longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared On Third Instar Larvae Of Bactrocera Dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), Karim Nébié, Rémy Anogmain Dabiré, Alassane Koussoubé, Issaka Zida, Alizèta Sawadogo, Lucien Sawadogo, Antoine Richard Tiendrébéogo, Boureima Tassembédo, Rabiéta Semdé, Lenli Claude Otoidobiga, Saliou Niassy

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The biology of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) was studied on third instar larvae of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) to optimize its mass rearing in the laboratory. The mean parasitoid emergence rate ranged from 55–92% during its first 13 days of life. The number of females was higher than that of males. The mean development time from egg to adult emergence was 20.14± 0.02 days in females and 17.72± 0.02 days in males. Fed females lived longer than fed males. Food-deprived females and males lived 72 hr after emergence. The lifespan of males and females was 16.42± 0.53 and 15.86± 0.35 days, respectively, …

Shared Patterns Of Population Genomic Variation And Phenotypic Response Across Rapid Range Expansions In Two Invasive Lady Beetle Species, Angela G. Jones, John J. Obrycki, Arun Sethuraman, David W. Weisrock

Entomology Faculty Publications

Non-native lady beetle species have often been introduced, with variable success, into North America for bio- logical control of aphids, scales, whiteflies, and other agricultural pests. Two predatory lady beetle species, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata and Hippodamia variegata, both originating from Eurasia, were first discovered near Montreal, Quebec, in North America in 1968 and 1984, respectively, and have since expanded into northeastern North America and the midwestern United States. In this study, we estimate the range-wide pop- ulation structure, establishment and range-expansion, and recent evolutionary history of these lady beetle species using reduced-representation genotyping-by-sequencing via ddRADseq. In addition, we quantified the responses …

Hymenopteran Parasitoids Of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)) In Australia, With The Description Of Five New Species In The Families Braconidae And Eulophidae, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Melina M. Miles, Tareva-Chine C. Atkin-Zaldivar, Andy G. Howe, Siva Subramaniam, Donna M. Chambers, Frezzel Praise J Tadle, Saleh Adnan, Verni Sivasubramaniam, Alice Woodward, Helen Spafford, Brian Thistleton

Biosecurity Research Articles

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive pest of agricultural crops including sweet corn and maize. The moth was first recorded in Australia in January 2020 and is now considered established in most states and territories, and research is underway to develop management strategies. Extensive rearing of S. frugiperda larvae and eggs occurred from March 2020 to April 2023 to understand the parasitoid complex present in Australia and identify potential biological control agents. We report here on the hymenopteran parasitoids reared during this period, which were identified using a combination of morphology and COI DNA barcoding, and provide …

Tree Species Richness And Ash Density Have Variable Effects On Emerald Ash Borer Biological Control By Woodpeckers And Parasitoid Wasps In Post-Invasion White Ash Stands, Caleb J. Wilson, Toby R. Petrice, Therese M. Poland, Deborah G. Mccullough

Entomology Faculty Publications

Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is the most destructive insect to invade North American forests. Identifying habitat features that support EAB natural enemies is necessary to enhance EAB biological control. In many forest ecosystems, tree species diversity has been linked with reduced pest abundance and increases in natural enemy abundance. We assessed the influence of tree species richness, ash density, and proportion of total ash basal area on ash canopy condition, EAB larval densities, and biocontrol by woodpeckers and parasitoids in pairs of healthy and declining overstory (DBH > 10 cm) and recruit-sized ash (DBH 2–10 cm) …

Effects Of Four Potent Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates On The Survival And Performance Of Telenomus Remus, An Egg Parasitoid Of Fall Armyworm, Junitor Chepkemoi, Ken Okwae Fening, Felicitas Chaba Ambele, Joseph Munywoki, Komivi Senyo Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is a generalist pest known to feed on more than 300 plant species, including major staple crops such as rice, maize and sorghum. Biological control of FAW using a combination of a major indigenous egg parasitoid Telenomus remus and entomopathogenic fungi was explored in this study. Metarhizium anisopliae strains (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 41, and ICIPE 78) and Beauveria bassiana ICIPE 621 which demonstrated effectiveness to combat the pest, were evaluated through direct and indirect fungal infection to assess their pathogenicity and virulence against T. remus adults, S. frugiperda eggs and their effects on T. remus …

Optimizing Virulence And Understanding The Endophytic Colonization Of Metarhizium Spp. In Sweetpotato For The Control Of Cylas Formicarius Elegantulus (Summers), Santosh Bhandari

LSU Master's Theses

In the United States, control of the sweetpotato weevil [SPW, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers)] occurs through quarantine and regular use of chemical insecticides. However, an overreliance on chemical control may lead to resistance. Entomopathogenic fungi have potential to act as an alternative to chemical control. In this study, we assessed four different strains of Metarhizium isolated from soil collected in Louisiana (Mp-K048, Ma-K056, Mr-K082, and Mr-K101) and compared them to a well-known licensed strain (Mb-ARSEF 1095) for virulence against C. formicarius elegantulus. Results suggested that Mp-K048, Ma-K056, and Mr-K082 …

First Record Of Paratelenomus Saccharalis (Dodd, 1914) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) A Natural Enemy Of The Invasive Species Brachyplatys Subaeneus (Westwood, 1837) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae) In Panama And The Neotropical Region, Jean Carlos Abrego, José A. Rivera, Carelos Vargas H., Annette Garrido, Julio Gutiérrez L., Miguel A. Osorio-Arenas, Pedro A. Arauz L., Luis A. Jaén, Rubén Collantes G., Alonso Santos-Murgas

Insecta Mundi

Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) parasitizing Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) eggs is reported for the first time for Panama. Brachyplatys subaeneus is an invasive species from Asia and is regarded as an important agricultural pest in the Americas.

The family Plataspidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) contains 66 genera and 606 species described (Rider et al. 2018), all distributed in the Old World, with the greatest diversity in Asia and Africa. Within this family, the genus Brachyplatys Boisduval, 1835 (Heteroptera: Plataspidae) has an Asian distribution with about 50 described species. The species Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood, 1837) is distributed in the Indo-Malay biogeographic region, being …

Evaluation Of Salvinia Weevil Establishment, Dispersal, And Environmental Pressures Impacting The Giant Salvinia Biological Control Program, Korey Danielle Pham

LSU Master's Theses

Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta Mitchell), an invasive free-floating aquatic fern, invaded the Toledo-Bend reservoir along the Texas-Louisiana border in the 1990s. The rapid spread threatens critical ecosystems, economies, and cultural services by altering water quality, and impacting fishing, hunting, and navigation. To combat this issue, the LSU AgCenter has been rearing and distributing the salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands), which has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing giant salvinia populations within a matter of months to a few years. The first study assessed the impact of propagule pressure on salvinia weevil effectiveness in outdoor mesocosms and revealed that …

Prey Preference Of Chrysoperla Rufilabris (Burmeister) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) For Three Common Pest Species Of Greenhouse Crops, Caitlin Silva

All Theses

Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) larvae are voracious generalist predators and important biological control agents on greenhouse crops. This study investigated the prey preference of second-instar C. rufilabris for three common greenhouse pests, namely the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), the Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), and the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). This study also investigated the influence of prey density ratios on the preference of C. rufilabris larvae for T. urticae and A. gossypii. Prey species preference was evaluated in no-choice, two-choice, and all-choice laboratory bioassays. In the no-choice bioassays, …

Susceptibility Of Pre-Adult Biological Stages Of Mythimna Separata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) To Three Entomopathogenic Fungi (Hypocreales), Melissa P. Montecalvo, Marcela M. Navasero

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Armyworms are polyphagous insect pests of agricultural crops. Their population is usually managed below threshold level using insecticides. However, a single control measure is insufficient to attain a sustainable pest management. Hence, this research was conducted to assess the three species of entomopathogenic fungi as potential biological control agents against Mythimna separata (Walker) or paddy armyworm. Dose mortality assays were conducted to determine the pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin, and Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Kepler, S.A. Rehner and Humber against various biological stages of M. separata including egg, 1^st to 6^th larval instars, prepupa, …

Transforming Entomology To Adapt To Global Concerns: 2021 Student Debates, Patricia Prade, Ramandeep Kaur Sandhi, Sarah Elzay, Katherine Arnold, Victoria Pickens, Andrew Freedman, Dashae Dillard, Sean Gresham, Ashley Morris, Daniela Pezzini, Seum O. Oladipupo, Elijah P. Carroll, Richard O. Murphy, Festus K. Ajibefun, Luis M. Mendez, Katherine Carroll, Jasleen Kaur, Lillie M. Rooney, Kendall Stacey, Yasmin Tavares, Jared E. Dyer, Na Xie, Jason Bielski, John Schepis, Kayleigh C. Hauri, John J. Ternest, Jacob Pecenka, Scott W. Gula, Natalie Constancio, Emily Rampone, Mario Luppino, Dowen Jocson, Stephen Onayemi, Emily Rendleman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The 2021 Student Debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) were held at the Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. The event was organized by the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). The theme of the 2021 Student Debates was “Transforming Entomology to Adapt to Global Concerns”, with 3 topics. Each topic had an unbiased introduction and 2 teams. The debate topics were (i) Nonnative insect introduction is an ethical approach for counteracting proliferation and overpopulation of consumers, (ii) What is the best technology to control undesirable insect pests in urban and agricultural settings? and (iii) …

Role Of Parasitoids And Landscape Structure In Aphid Population Dynamics In Winter Canola, Norman C. Elliott, Kristopher L. Giles, Kristen A. Baum, Sarah Elzay, Georges F. Backoulou

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Three aphid species infest winter canola, Brassica napus L. fields in central Oklahoma and are serious pests: the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L., green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and turnip aphid, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Davis). Mortality caused by parasitoids may be an important component of biological control of aphids in Oklahoma canola fields. Therefore, it is important to determine the effect of parasitoids on aphids in canola and the factors that affect it. We undertook a study during three consecutive growing seasons to: 1) estimate aphid suppression by parasitoids in each of 23 canola fields using cages that excluded natural …

Examination Of The Realized Host Range Of North American Lacebug (Gargaphia Arizonica Drake & Carvalho) And Texas False Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa Texana Schaeffer) As A Potential Biocontrol Agents For Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum Elaeagnifoli Cav.), Samikshya Subedi

Theses and Dissertations

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.) is a perennial forb native to South Texas and Central and South America, but it has become a serious agricultural weed across the world. Because silverleaf nightshade (SLN) is difficult and expensive to manage using chemical and mechanical controls, there is growing attention and research focused on biological control options. In this project, we used both field and laboratory studies to examine the suitability of two North American insects, namely North American lacebug (Gargaphia arizonica Drake & Carvalho) and Texas false potato beetle (Leptinotarsa texana Schaeffer) as prospective biological control agents for …

Resource Amount And Discontinuity Influence Flight And Reproduction In Hippodamia Convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Hannah E. Stowe, J. P. Michaud, Tania N. Kim

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Industrial-scale agriculture creates a mosaic of large monocultures in the landscape, where seasonal cropping cycles generate discontinuous resource availability for insect predators both spatially and temporally. In this environment, selection will favor predator movement and reproductive behaviors that optimize the location and effective utilization of resource (prey) pulses that are both patchy and ephemeral in nature. Using a model system to study predator movement and reproduction, we tested how discontinuous periods of food resource access that mimic fluctuating resource populations (aphids) would influence flight behavior and reproduction of a highly mobile predator, Hippodamia convergens (convergent lady beetle), and possibly modify …