Entomology Commons^™

2025 Soybean Invertebrate Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Sebe A. Brown, Tim Bryant, Whitney D. Crow, Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Ashleigh M. Faris, Chase Floyd, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Kelly A. Hamby, David Kerns, Janet Knodel, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Sisson, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Adam J. Varenhorst

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated management costs and losses due to insects and other invertebrates in soybeans during the 2025 growing season were collected and compiled from 20 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states accounted for 68% of soybean acreage in the United States, with near 100% participation in the southern states. As has been true in previous years, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by …

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 …

Age-Dependent Reproductive Fitness And Behavioral Dynamics Of The Asian Corn Borer, Ostrinia Furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera:Crambidae), Marcela M. Navasero, Randolph N. Candano, Maricon Dp Javier, Jethro M. Navasero, Wilson N. De Panis

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study evaluated the effects of parental age of the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), on fecundity, egg hatchability, adult longevity, and the duration of pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post-oviposition periods using arranged mating pairs aged 1 to 5 days old. Mating behavior was also observed and documented. The highest fecundity, measured by the number of egg masses and total eggs produced, was recorded in pairings of 1-day-old males and females, indicating a positive effect of young parental age. In contrast, pairings involving 5-day-old males and females resulted in the lowest egg production, demonstrating an inverse relationship between parental …

Determination Of An Effective Natural Boxelder Bug (Boisea Trivittata) Repellent, Reyna Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the use of ecofriendly repellant alternatives to pest management to control boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata). This bug gathers by the thousands on warm surfaces of exterior suburban homes during early fall and late spring. I determined bug repellency to turmeric oil (Curcuma longa), catnip (Nepeta cataria), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). The treatments consisted of essential oils containing 20% methanol. All treatments demonstrated repellency of Boxelder bugs. Citronella was the most effective and had the highest level of repellency range of 90-99%. Catnip was the least effective with a repellency range of 63-82%.

Formosan Subterranean Termites Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Heterotermitidae): An Underreported Threat To Commercial Shrimp Boats In The Midsouth, Usa, J. S. Portugal Iii

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

2024 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Sebe A. Brown, Tim Bryant, Whitney D. Crow, Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Chase Floyd, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Kelly A. Hamby, David Kerns, Janet Knodel, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Sisson, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Raul T. Villanueva

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated management costs and losses due to insects and other invertebrates in soybean during the 2024 growing season were collected and compiled from 19 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 63% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm and soybean looper. Total insect …

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 …

Thermal Performance Drifts Between The Egg Parasitoid Telenomus Remus And The Fall Armyworm May Threaten The Efficacy Of Biological Control Under Climate Change, Macdonald Mubayiwa, Honest Machekano, Brighton M. Mvumi, Winnifred A. Opio, Bame Segaiso, Frank Chidawanyika, Casper Nyamukondiwa

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith, is a significant global agricultural pest known for its rapid invasion and devastating impact on crops. While pesticides may be effective for controlling the pest in the short-term, they cause several socioeconomic and ecological costs that highlight the need for more sustainable management strategies. Telenomus remus (Nixon) is a promising egg parasitoid for its biological control. For the parasitoid to provide effective ecosystem services, it should be able to survive and coexist within the same ecological niches as its host. However, there is limited information regarding the potential responses of T. remus to …

Differential Responses Of The Egg-Larval Parasitoid Chelonus Bifoveolatus To Fall Armyworm-Induced And Constitutive Volatiles Of Diverse Maize Genotypes, Collins O. Onjura, Emmanuel Peter, George O. Asudi, Michael M. Gicheru, Samira A. Mohamed, Toby J.A. Bruce, Amanuel Tamiru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious invasive crop pest and threat to food security. Conventional pest control approaches using chemical pesticides can lead to adverse environmental and human health problems calling for safer alternative pest management options. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plants constitutively and in response to herbivory have been shown to enhance ecologically benign biocontrol alternatives to chemical insecticides for pest management. However, genotypic variations in VOC emissions have also been reported for plant species including maize (Zea mays). Hence, a better insight into the variations in odor profiles of different maize varieties and …

Morphometric Characterization Of Invasive Diaphorina Citri Infesting Citrus And Orange Jasmine In Ghana, Kodwo Dadzie Ninsin, Maxwell Kelvin Billah, Bernard Agyeman Boateng, Jonathan Osei-Owusu, Fred Kormla Ablormeti, Samuel Opuni-Basoa, Aboagye Kwarteng Dofuor, George Edusei, Steve B.S. Baleba, Owusu Fordjour Aidoo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Morphometric analysis plays a crucial role in the accurate identification and classification of insect pests, which is essential for implementing effective management strategies. The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama; Hemiptera: Liviidae), an invasive species and a known vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ and ‘Ca. Liberibacter americanus,’ the bacterial pathogens associated with Huanglongbing (HLB), has recently emerged as a pest of concern in Ghana. Despite its significance, little is known about the biological traits of field populations in the region. In this study, we examined morphometric variation in D. citri populations infesting citrus and orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) across different …

Do Rates Matter? Validation Of Insect Frass Fertilizer Rates In A Vegetable Intensified Push-Pull Technology For Optimal Sustainable Production, Priscilla Mwikali Kimuli, Dennis Beesigamukama, Judy Wambua, Bonoukpoe Mawuko Sokame, Chrysantus Mbi Tanga, Frank Chidawanyika, Sevgan Subramanian, Daniel Munyao Mutyambai

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Push–pull system intensification with vegetables (VIPPT) has contributed significantly in maintaining good control of lepidopteran pests and parasitic weeds with additional food and nutritional security benefits. However, the impact of integration of different rates of black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) in the VIPPT to enhance productivity, has not been explored. This study investigated the effects of different BSFFF application rates on growth performance, pest infestation severity, diversity of natural enemies and yield of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) grown under VIPPT in two agroecological zones. Plants were grown in soils amended with five different levels of BSFFF (0, …

Arthropod Arbiters: Natural Enemy Communities Mediate The Effects Of Landscape And Local-Scale Complexity On Lygus-Induced Crop Loss In Organic Strawberries, Adrian Lu, David J. Gonthier, Amber Sciligo, Karina Garcia, Taiki Chiba, Gila Juárez, Claire Kremen

Entomology Faculty Publications

Sustainable pest management requires growers and regional land managers to consider the relationships among pest management practices, pest and natural enemy communities, crop loss, and multi-scalar habitat complexity. However, the causal links among these variables, in particular potential interactions between landscape and local-scale habitat complexity, remain underexplored. In the context of organically managed strawberry crops in California’s Central Coast, we tested the independent effects of landscape and local habitat complexity gradients on arthropod communities and crop loss using a piecewise structural equation model (PSEM). We found that landscape-scale woody habitat proportion indirectly decreased crop loss through its positive effect on …

Russian Wheat Aphid And Its Management In Wheat And Barley, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Russian wheat aphid is found worldwide and has spread throughout all major grain growing countries. In Australia, Russian wheat aphid is present in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and Western Australia, where it was first detected in 2020.

In Western Australia, Russian wheat aphid is found in low, medium, and high rainfall areas.

Presence of Russian wheat aphid in Western Australia is not an international trade issue and there are no trade implications for the grain industry, as bulk grain is not a host for Russian wheat aphid.

2023 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Emily Bick, Sebe A. Brown, Whitney D. Crow, Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Chase Floyd, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Kelly A. Hamby, David Kerns, Sean Malone, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Sisson, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Raul T. Villanueva

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses due to insects and other invertebrates in soybean during the 2023 growing season were collected and compiled from 19 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 58% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm and soybean looper. Total …

A Spatio-Temporal Modelling Approach To Understand The Effect Of Urban Fruit Fly Outbreaks On Peri-Urban Orchards, Andrew Broadley, Rieks Van Klinken, Dean R. Paini, Matthew Hill, Elliot T. Howse

Horticulture Research Articles

Urban areas are well-known sources of fruit fly introduction and unmanaged populations pose a high risk of dispersal to surrounding agricultural areas. Although management of urban fruit fly populations is recognised as being important for area-wide control programmes, its relative importance is rarely quantified. Identifying possible sources of fruit fly populations is important to the success of area-wide programs, as well as to on-farm management. We developed a modelling approach to analyse the spatio-temporal connectivity of fruit fly across urban-agriculture boundaries. For a case study, we examine Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, outbreaks in two fruit growing …

Pest Slugs And Snails And Their Management In Broadacre Crops, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Slugs and snails cause damage to all broadacre crops. Numbers of slugs and snails have increased in broadacre cropping in Western Australia (WA) with the use of minimum tillage and stubble-retention practices. These systems increase the organic content of paddocks and soil moisture content, leading to higher survival levels of slugs and snails.

Slug and snail pests in Australia have come from other countries, mainly in the Mediterranean region. They have similar lifecycles, which means similar management techniques can be employed to control them in broadacre crops.

Effective management requires application of controls that coincide with different phases of the …

Indoor Pests And Human Health: Characterizing Contaminants And Improving Mitigation, Johnalyn Gordon

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Much of the United States population spends the majority of their time indoors and within the home. Not only are indoor arthropod pests an unsightly nuisance in our homes, but they can have serious impacts on human health, especially with chronic exposure. In addition to negative health impacts, costs associated with these medical impacts can be tremendous. For these reasons, it is critical to develop comprehensive strategies for pest reduction and mitigation of associated health impacts. The work outlined in this dissertation represent examination of the distribution of a hypothesized bed bug allergen within the indoor environment, identification of a …

2022 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Emily Bick, Sebe A. Brown, Whitney D. Crow, Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Dalton C. Ludwick, Sean Malone, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Tom A. Royer, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Sisson, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Raul T. Villanueva

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses due to insects and other invertebrates in soybean during the 2022 growing season were collected and compiled from 18 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 52% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm and soybean looper. Total …

Insect And Pest Management For Sustaining Crop Production Under Changing Climatic Patterns Of Drylands, Ruchika Kashyap, Sajjan Grover, Heena Puri, Sandeep Kaur, Jagmohan Singh, Karansher S. Sandhu, Gagandeep Kaur, Hinal Kharva, Shivreet Kaur, Balwinder Kaur

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Climate change is alarming, particularly for agriculturists as it severely impacts the development, distribution, and survival of insects and pests, affecting crop production globally. Over time, climate change is drastically tumbling the crop productivity in all the cropping systems, whereas the dryland agriculture with existing low productivity is immensely hit. While all the existing species in drylands, including humans, are coping with extreme climate variations for millennia, future climate change predictions put dryland agriculture in a threat zone. Drylands support 38% of the world’s population; therefore, climate change coupled with population growth and global food security draws the attention of …

Soybean Gall Midge (Resseliella Maxima Gagné): Insecticide Efficacy And Seasonal Larval Abundance, Vilma Maria Montenegro Castro

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné was recently identified as a new species injuring soybean in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Missouri. Resseliella maxima injury is caused by its three instars that feed on tissues within the soybean stem. Infested plants exhibit a darkening of the stem, disrupting nutrient flow within the plant and can lead to wilting or death of plants. Total yield losses can occur in the first 30 m of the field in heavily infested sites. The biology and behavior of this newly described insects is not well understood and management strategies for the management of …

2018 Rice Insect Losses In The United States, N. R. Bateman, G. M. Lorenz, B. C. Thrash, J. Gore, M. O. Way, B. E. Wilson, L. A. Espino

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses for multiple insect pests of rice during the 2018 growing season were compiled for 5 rice-producing states. Participating states included Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, accounting for approximately 90% of the rice grown in the US. Overall, insects accounted for more than $141 million in costs and losses during 2017, averaging $52.06 per acre. Rice water weevil and rice stink bug caused more yield loss, and cost more to control than all other insect pests across participating states.

2020 Rice Insect Losses In The United States, N. R. Bateman, G. M. Lorenz, B. C. Thrash, J. Gore, M. O. Way, B. E. Wilson, L. A. Espino, M. T. Vanweelden

Midsouth Entomologist

Insects have the potential to reduce quality and yield in rice throughout the US. It is important to document these reductions over time to determine shifts in control costs and pest densities. Estimates of the costs and losses associated with multiple insect pests of rice were compiled for 6 rice-producing states. Participating states included Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, which account for approximately 90% of the rice grown in the US. Overall, insects accounted for over $340 million in costs and losses during 2020, averaging over $120 per acre. Rice water weevil and rice stink bug accounted for …

2021 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, Fred R. Musser, Angus L. Catchot Jr., Jeffrey A. Davis, Christina Difonzo, Scott H. Graham, Jeremy K. Greene, Bryan Jensen, David L. Kerns, Robert L. Koch, David Owens, Dominic D. Reisig, Phillip M. Roberts, Tom A. Royer, Nicholas J. Seiter, Scott D. Stewart, Sally V. Taylor, Benjamin C. Thrash, Kelley J. Tilmon, Raul T. Villanueva

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses due to insects in soybean during the 2021 growing season were collected and compiled from 18 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 47% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm. Total insect management costs were $18.53 per …

2019 Rice Insect Losses In The United States, N. R. Bateman, G. M. Lorenz, B. C. Thrash, J. Gore, M. O. Way, B. E. Wilson, L. A. Espino, M. T. Vanweelden

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimates of the costs and losses associated with multiple insect pests of rice were compiled for 6 rice-producing states. Participating states included Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, accounting for approximately 90% of the rice grown in the US. Overall, insects accounted for nearly $269 million in costs and losses during 2019, averaging $113.43 per acre. Rice water weevil caused more yield loss than all other insect pests across all participating states, followed by rice stink bug and rice billbug.

Repellency Of Wild Oregano Plant Volatiles, Plectranthus Amboinicus, And Their Essential Oils To The Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci, On Tomato, Cyrane Pouët, Emilie Deletre, Béatrice Rhino

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) whitefly is a major economically damaging pest of many crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Pesticides are widely used to control B. tabaci while the use of aromatic plants is an alternative control method. The aim of this study was to assess the B.tabaci repellent effect of wild oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng, a widespread aromatic plant in the West Indies. We tested three origins of wild oregano, including northern, central, and southern Martinique (French West Indies). Our results showed that all essential oils of wild oregano had either masking properties or were true repellents—the …

High Tunnel Pest Management - Caterpillars, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

In Utah high tunnel production, there are various caterpillar pests (larvae of moth and butterfly species) that cause economic damage to crops. Common caterpillar pest species found in Utah include hornworms, tomato fruit worms, imported cabbage worms, diamondback moths, cabbage loopers, armyworms, and cutworms. Various weed species growing inside or outside high tunnels can attract and harbor caterpillar pests. Managing caterpillar pests in high tunnels involves various mechanical, chemical, biological, and cultural control practices.

Dispersion Patterns And Monitoring Samplings Of Termite Pests In Cocoa Agroforestry Systems Of Southern Cameroon, Christian T.L. Djuideu, Hervé D.B. Bisseleua, Sevilor Kekeunou, Felicitas C. Ambele

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Termites are major emerging pests of cocoa in Africa. However, their dispersion models on cocoa trees as well as their sampling plans remain unclear. Moreover, the effect of shade trees on the severity of termite infestation on cocoa is poorly known. We evaluated the severity of termite infestation on cocoa trees in relation to shade management in five cocoa agroforestry systems in southern Cameroon with shade cover ranging from rustic to full sun. The dispersion models of termites on cocoa were analyzed using Taylor’s power law, Nachman model and Iwao’s method. We then simulated the optimal sampling sizes for pest …

High Tunnel Pest Management - Aphids, Nick Volesky, Zachery R. Schrumm

All Current Publications

Aphids are a common pest found on high tunnel crops such as fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, grasses, and weeds. Four aphid species commonly found in Utah in high tunnels are green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), melon aphid (Aphis gossypii), potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae), and cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae). This fact sheet describes different aphids and reviews the aphid life cycle. It also addresses how to monitor for damage caused by aphids and cultural, biological, and chemical controls.

Global Habitat Suitability Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Je Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): Key Parasitoids Considered For Its Biological Control, Ghislain T. Tepa-Yotto, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Georg Goergen, Sevgan Subramanian, Emily Kimathi, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Daniel Flø, Karl H. Thunes, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Saliou Niassy, Anani Bruce, Samira A. Mohamed, Manuele Tamò, Sunday Ekesi, May Guri Sæthre

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The present study is the first modeling effort at a global scale to predict habitat suitability of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda and its key parasitoids, namely Chelonus insularis, Cotesia marginiventris, Eiphosoma laphygmae, Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum, to be considered for biological control. An adjusted procedure of a machine-learning algorithm, the maximum entropy (Maxent), was applied for the modeling experiments. Model predictions showed particularly high establishment potential of the five hymenopteran parasitoids in areas that are heavily affected by FAW (like the coastal belt of West Africa from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to Nigeria, the Congo basin to Eastern …

2020 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, F. R. Musser, A. L. Catchot Jr., S. P. Conley, J. A. Davis, C. Difonzo, S. H. Graham, J. K. Greene, R. L. Koch, D. Owens, D. D. Reisig, P. Roberts, T. Royer, N. J. Seiter, S. D. Stewart, S. Taylor, B. Thrash, K. Tilmon, R. T. Villanueva, M. O. Way

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses due to insects in soybean during the 2020 growing season were collected and compiled from 18 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide a historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 48% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm. Total insect management costs were $15.80 per …