Entomology Commons^™

New Species And New Combinations In Afrotropical Eucosmocydia Diakonoff, 1988 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), John W. Brown, Jozef Razowski, Leif Aarvik, Alicia E. Timm, Robert S. Copeland

Insecta Mundi

Eight new species of Eucosmocydia Diakonoff are described and illustrated from the Afrotropical region: E. pappeana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. deinbolliana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. ugandensis Aarvik, new species (TL: Uganda); E. lecaniodiscana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. nigeriana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Nigeria); E. pan­coviana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); E. kirimiriana Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Kenya); and E. macabensis Brown and Razowski, new species (TL: Mauritius). Three additional species are transferred to the genus: E. hymenosa …

A New Species And New Records For Two Other Exotic Species Of Dirrhagofarsus Fleutiaux, 1935 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Melasinae: Dirhagini) In The United States, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

New records for a new species and other exotic Dirrhagofarsus Fleutiaux (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Melasinae: Dirhagini) species are reported from throughout much of the northeastern and southern areas of the United States. Dirrhagofarsus brevis, new species, is hereby described in this study. Two other exotic spe­cies, Dirrhagofarsus modestus (Fleutiaux) and Dirrhagofarsus unicolor (Hisamatsu), new country records, are redescribed and diagnosed as they were compared with other Dirrhagofarsus species present in the Nearctic region. All Dirrhagofarsus species in this study are imaged, highlighting essential character states to facilitate better diagnosis in conjunction to the new identification key provided in …

New Species, Synonymy, New Records, And Taxonomic Notes In American Cerambycidae (Coleoptera), Juan Pablo Botero, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Cotyclytus parumnotatus (Zajciw, 1963) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Clytini) is revalidated and a neotype is designated. Anatinomma Bates, 1892 (Cerambycinae: Hesperophanini) is reported as a neuter gender and two species-group names are corrected: A. brevicorne Fisher, 1944 and A. in­sulare Chemsak and Linsley, 1964; the latter is newly recorded from Honduras. Pachymerola vitticollis Bates, 1892 (Cerambycinae: Hyboderini) is recorded for the first time in the Mexican state of Jalisco, and chromatic variation is reported. Smodicum dinellii Bruch, 1911 (Cerambycinae: Smodicini) is recorded from Bolivia; and Corcovado bezarki Martins and Galileo, 2008 (Lamiinae: Hemilophini) is recorded from Belize. Parhip­popsis …

Identification Of A Potential Pathway Of The Exotic Black Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) In South Korea, Sohee Kim, Seon Woo Lee, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

The black weevil, Aclees taiwanensis Kôno (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the primary pests of fig trees in southeastern Asia and southern Europe. Thought to be of subtropical and tropical Asian origin, including China, the weevil was first found in southern areas of South Korea in July 2020. Subsequently, it was found in the following five cities: Haenam, Hampyeong, Jindo, Sinan, and Tongyeong (RDA 2020). Attempts to trace a possible pathway for the exotic black weevil suggested that this species probably followed pathways of illegal importation of infested plants from Taiwan and was unintentionally introduced into South Korea based on …

A New Species Of Celastrina From The Northwestern United States And Southwestern Canada With A Lectotype Designation Of Lycaena Pseudargiolus Var. Nigrescens Fletcher (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae), Caitlin C. Labar, Jonathan P. Pelham, Norbert G. Kondla

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A new western azure species, Celastrina asheri, is described from the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada. A lectotype is designated for Lycaena pseudargiolus var. nigrescens Fletcher, 1903 to secure the identity of that name. C. asheri broadly overlaps with the northeastern range of C. echo (W. H. Edwards, 1864) but is usually very distinct from that species. C. lucia (W. Kirby, 1837) is narrowly sympatric with C. asheri in British Columbia, the southwest corner of Alberta and along the Rocky Mountains in Montana. As far as is known, C. asheri uses only red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea …

Topological Data Analysis And Ant Interaction Networks, Adam Banatwala, Esther Rønn

Mathematics & Computer Science Student Scholarship

Adam Banatwala ’22, Majors: Mathematics and Finance
Esther Rønn ’23, Majors: Physics and Mathematics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Murray, Mathematics and Computer Science

Our research group used topological data analysis (TDA) to quantify the movement and behavior of ants in a colony.

We extracted higher dimensional networks from point cloud data collected from Dr. James Waters’ lab. Varying the proximity parameter in this construction gives a sequence of networks. We analyzed the enduring topological features of these networks, and how these features evolve over time as the ants move in the colony. Both the experimental and null model simulation data …

Circadian Phase Shifts Effect Of Social Jetlag On Cellular Metabolism And Circadian Genes In Wildtype Flies, Olivia Kozub

Biology Student Scholarship

Olivia Kozub ’23
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass-Belt, Biology

Drosophila, like humans, have circadian clocks which regulate behavioral and physiological systems within the body. This “biological clock” is synchronized to the environment via temperature and/or light cycles. Small fluctuations in day-length trigger a reset of circadian clocks daily. However, large disruptions can cause health and stress issues such as social jetlag. Social jetlag occurs when an individual’s biological clock clashes with the timing of one’s sleep schedule determined by social factors and the demands of the day.

Use Of Intramodal Odor Cues In Shelter Recognition By An Amblypygid, Nathan Bostelman

Honors Projects

Amblypygids are nocturnal arthropods which live in cluttered habitats and possess the ability to navigate home after displacements of up to ten meters. Homing amblypygids rely on olfactory and tactile information gathered by their antenniform legs to navigate successfully. Given that odor signals encountered in nature are complex and dynamic, navigation via olfaction presents unique challenges related to signal uncertainty. To understand how amblypygids perceive perceive complex odors and what they learn from them, individuals of the subtropical amblypygid P. marginemaculatus were trained to associate a blend of two odors with a shelter and tested on three treatments: the reinforced …

New State Records For 33 Species Of Nearctic False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

New state records for 33 species of Eucnemidae (Coleoptera) are reported from the eastern United States based on the examination and identifications of specimens from four institutional and personal collections over the past several years. Images of 12 eucnemid species are also provided.

Recently, opportunities were presented to identify more than 880 Eucnemidae from four institutional and personal collections. Most of the specimens came from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and were collected during the national bark beetle surveys conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture. The survey has been instrumental in providing more state records of Eucnemidae …

Rare Elfin Abundance Correlates With Host Plant Density, Matthew Look

Biology Student Scholarship

Matthew Look ’22
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

The rare frosted elfin butterfly (Callophrys irus) is a host plant specialist; it lays eggs on only two plant species, including small yellow indigo (Baptisia tinctoria). This makes the butterfly especially vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Using indigo samples and butterfly survey data, we examined the effect of indigo quantity and quality on elfin abundance at Gavins Pond (Sharon/Foxboro, MA). Indigo density significantly affected butterfly count—frosted elfins were more likely to be spotted in patches with high indigo density. While nutritional analysis is ongoing, current findings suggest that augmenting …

Big Bud Disease In Tomatoes And Peppers, Claudia Nischwitz, Erin Petrizzo

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides information on the symptoms of big bud on tomatoes and peppers. It reviews the disease cycle and recommendations on controlling beet leafhopper and managing big bud disease in Utah.

How Social Behavior And Interactions Scale With Group Size In Drosophila Melanogaster, Leigh Paradis

Biology Student Scholarship

Leigh Paradis ’23
Majors: Biology and Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Waters, Biology

The goal of this research project was to quantify interaction patterns in groups of fruit flies and determine if flies show evidence for a linear or non-linear effect of group size on their behavior. Specifically, I tested whether flies interact with each other at a constant rate, whether this depends on density or group size, and whether their interaction patterns correlate with overall energy use and metabolic rates. This research questions common assumptions about the differences between eusocial societies such as ants and bees and the solitary …

Effect Of Dietary Protein On Honey Bee Pollen Foraging Behavior, Caitlin Mchugh, Gracey Sorensen

Biology Student Scholarship

Caitlin McHugh ’24, Majors: Environmental Biology and Economics

Gracey Sorensen ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Bees obtain nutrients from flowers. Pollen provides proteins and fats; nectar provides carbohydrates. Commercial honey bee colonies pollinate monocultures, which contain one crop type thus, one unbalanced nutritional resource. We examined how a lack of protein diversity affects honey bee pollen foraging behavior. Bees were raised on three diet treatments: no manipulation, all 10 essential amino acids (EAAs, i.e., protein building-blocks), or only 6/10 EAAs. Bee-collected pollen was trapped upon return to the hive and nutritional content was analyzed. We predict …

Non-Native Coccinellid Beetles And Land Use Abundance Patterns In The Quad Cities Region, Jack Hughes, Tierney Brosius, Michael Reisner

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Harmonia axyridis was introduced in 1916. This species of coccinellid beetle is considered a desirable species for agriculture practices because of its ability to control pests. There is increasing evidence that H. axyridis may be outcompeting native species which could be contributing to the decline of some species that are disappearing from the landscape. Harmonia axyridis has a large migration range of 2 Km enabling the species to affect a large area of land. Invasive species often increase in abundance in urban landscapes which may be the case with H. axyridis. During the summer of 2021 we investigated H. axyridis …

Notes On Eastern North American Lepidoptera, Harry Pavulaan, Annette Allor

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

New natural history elements and distribution records of several North American butterflies are reported. While diversity and distribution of butterflies in the eastern United States is commonly believed to be fully known, the findings presented here show that much is yet to be learned of our butterfly fauna.

Includes:

1. Pages 1-9

Celastrina ladon and C. neglecta (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) Are Distinct Species Differentiated Primarily by a Diagnostic Wing Scale Structure, Voltinism, and Host Tolerance of Cornus florida.by Harry Pavulaan (International Lepidoptera Survey)

Abstract. With continued confusion of the two species by naturalists, Celastrina neglecta (W. H. Edwards) is here …

Canopy Arthropod Responses To Catastrophic Wind Disturbances In Gulf Coast And Caribbean Forests, Manoj Pandey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Hurricanes are major natural disturbances and integral components of forest disturbance regimes globally. The frequency and intensity of hurricanes are predicted to increase in the future due to global warming. The altered hurricane regime, along with direct effects of climate change on arthropod populations and communities, has the capacity to endanger the critical ecosystem processes and services provided by forest canopies. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the responses of forest fauna to disturbances such as hurricanes. This dissertation is aimed at understanding the short-term and long-term effects of hurricanes on canopy arthropods to improve predictions of the consequences of …

Ant-Lanta: Ant Diversity As A Proxy For Ecosystem Health, Sofia Cuenca Rojas, John Paul Hellenbrand, Clint Penick

Symposium of Student Scholars

Ants are found across a wide range of habitat types and play a crucial role in supporting ecosystem health. Because of this ubiquity, ants are considered an indicator species – one whose diversity in an ecosystem can be used as a proxy for ecosystem health. Our study examines the presence of ants across an urban gradient in Atlanta to understand how urbanization may be affecting our local community inhabitants. A total of 48 Sites were organized into three groups: Urban Managed Land, Urban Park, and Urban Forest. Sites were grouped based on ground cover percentages. We used bait samples to …

New Ant In The Big City: Known Natural History Of Lasius Cf. Emarginatus In Its Native Range And Potential Impacts Of Recent Us Introduction, Samantha M. Kennett, Clint A. Penick

Symposium of Student Scholars

New York City has been the site of introduction for some of North America’s most damaging invasive pests, from chestnut blight to the Asian long-horned beetle. Despite these cautionary examples, there has been no formal tracking of a newly introduced ant species, Lasius cf. emarginatus, which has quickly become among the most common species in the city. Sometime between the first ant diversity survey of New York City in 2006 and the second in 2011,L. cf. emarginatus was introduced and quickly became established in the most urban habitats with the highest human contact. In contrast to other urban …

Urban Surveying Of Bees And Wasps And Conscious Management, Sofia Castro, Grace Cope, Francis Mullan, Jaden Keys

Symposium of Student Scholars

Pollinators are integral to the functioning of urban ecosystems and agriculture yet face decline from habitat loss and fragmentation associated with urbanization. Recently, a growing number of urban universities have taken steps to ensure their campuses support pollinators. Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a semi-urban school located in the unique ecological area between the biodiversity hotspot of the Southeastern Appalachians and the urban space of Atlanta, Georgia. Before the present study, no survey had been conducted to determine what pollinators and associated floral resources exist on the school’s grounds. Thus, we present the first inventory of pollinators and the floral …

Re-Evaluation Of Late Season Action Thresholds And The Effect Of Seed Treatments On Early Season Colonization Of Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper, Spissistilus Festinus (Say), In Louisiana Soybean, Glycine Max (L) Merr, Tyler Ray Tagle Musgrove

LSU Master's Theses

Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr, is considered the most economically important oil and feed crop in the US and is grown on nearly 35,000,000 ha on an annual basis. Factors that limit yield include weed pressure, disease infection, and of particular interest to entomologists, insect herbivory. Soybean is targeted by a range of above and below ground pests which are primarily controlled by insecticides. Neonicotinoids are a recently popularized insecticide class that when applied as a seed treatment, can provide protection from early season pests. The most economically significant early season pest is threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), whose …

Bioactive Volatiles From Push-Pull Companion Crops Repel Fall Armyworm And Attract Its Parasitoids, Islam S. Sobhy, Amanuel Tamiru, Xavier Chiriboga Morales, Dickens Nyagol, Duncan Cheruiyot, Frank Chidawanyika, Sevgan Subramanian, Charles A.O. Midega, Toby J.A. Bruce, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious invasive pest in Africa but “Push-Pull” companion cropping can substantially reduce infestation. Here, we elucidate the underpinning chemical ecology mechanisms. We hypothesized that companion crop volatiles repel herbivores (push) while attracting natural enemies (pull). Headspace volatiles collected from companion plants (Desmodium intortum, Desmodium uncinatum, Brachiaria Mulato II) were used in bioassays and electrophysiological recordings with S. frugiperda and parasitoid wasps. Insect populations, plant damage and herbivore parasitism were assessed in field plots. Coupled GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) recordings showed robust responses to certain aromatic and terpenoid volatile compounds. In wind tunnel bioassays, maize volatiles mixed …

Pengaruh Cuaca, Musuh Alami, Dan Persentase Kerusakan Buah Terhadap Populasi Serangga Penyerbuk Kelapa Sawit Di Tanah Sulfat Masam, Rio Dwi Pernando, Darwati Susilastuti, Fetty Dwi Rahmayanti, Fizrul Indra Lubis

Jurnal Kultivasi

Produktivitas kelapa sawit tidak terlepas dari peran serangga penyerbuk Elaeidobius kamerunicus Faust. Berbagai kondisi lingkungan yang kurang mendukung dan musuh alami dapat menurunkan populasinya. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mempelajari pengaruh cuaca, musuh alami dan persentase kerusakan buah terhadap populasi serangga penyerbuk E. kamerunicus di tanah sulfat masam. Penelitian dilakukan menggunakan metode observasi di lapang produksi di Selangkun Estate, Rungun Estate, PT. Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk. dan Kanamit Estate, PT. Menteng Kencana Mas, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia pada tanaman berumur 6 dan 9 tahun sebanyak 4.144 tanaman atau seluas 30 ha.. Analisis data pada penelitian ini menggunakan ANOVA dan Uji lanjut Tukey …

Pengaruh Interval Penyiraman Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Adaptasi Tiga Bawang Merah Komersial, Grace Pratiwi Manurung, Kusumiyati, Jajang Sauman Hamdani

Jurnal Kultivasi

Air merupakan salah satu faktor lingkungan yang mempengaruhi pertumbuhan dan perkembangan tanaman. Pemberian air yang sering dapat menyebabkan kelembaban tinggi (> 70%) dan menjadi tempat tumbuh yang baik bagi hama dan penyakit sedangkan air yang tidak mencukupi dapat menyebabkan cekaman kekeringan bagi tanaman. Bawang merah (Allium ascalonicum) merupakan salah satu tanaman yang peka terhadap ketersediaan air. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan interval penyiraman yang efektif dan efisien terhadap pertumbuhan tiga kultivar unggul bawang merah. Percobaan dilaksanakan di kebun percobaan milik Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjadjaran (± 730 meter di atas permukaan laut). Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Petak Terbagi yang …

Assessing The Influence Of Urban Greening On Urban Arthropods, Brendon Lawrence

Scholars Week

Green Heart is an urban greening experiment in Louisville, KY seeking to create new urban green spaces to ultimately increase air quality and improve human health. Changes in biodiversity in response to urban greening may influence human health via multiple hypothesized pathways including reducing harm (e.g. medicine provisioning), restoring capacities (e.g. reductions in stress), building capacities (e.g. increasing activity outdoors), and causing harm (e.g. zoonotic diseases). Arthropods are one component of diversity that may influence human health via each of these pathways. However, few studies have assessed the influence of Arthropod diversity on human health. Thus, the objective of our …

The Endophyte Trichoderma Asperellum M2rt4 Induces The Systemic Release Of Methyl Salicylate And (Z)-Jasmone In Tomato Plant Affecting Host Location And Herbivory Of Tuta Absoluta, Ayaovi Agbessenou, Komivi S. Akutse, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Fathiya M. Khamis

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The use of endophytic fungi has dramatically increased plant performance through the enhancement of plant protection against abiotic and biotic stressors. We previously demonstrated that the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4 improves tomato defenses against the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta through the reduction of oviposition, leafmining, pupation, and adult emergence. However, the underlying mechanism by which the presence of this endophytic fungus within tomato host plant affects T. absoluta host selection and life-history traits is unknown. We tested the behavioral responses of T. absoluta in Y-tube olfactometer bioassays and found that females preferred non-inoculated tomato plants against those inoculated by …

Spongy Moth (Lymantria Dispar Dispar Linnaeus), Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

Spongy moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) are invasive leaf-eating (defoliating) pests that threaten trees and shrubs in urban, suburban, and rural landscapes. The spongy moth was accidentally introduced to the U.S. in 1869 by an amateur French entomologist in Massachusetts who sought to establish a hardier American silkworm industry. These moths now commonly occur in the northeastern U.S. and are also found in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, California, Oregon, and Washington. In Utah, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (2021), the spongy moth is anticipated to survive and multiply rapidly …

Correction To The Probability Of Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma Delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), Escape Differs Among Life Stages And Between Two Trapping Techniques Commonly Used By Landowners, Sticky Bands And Duct Tape. The Great Lakes Entomologist 53(3-4): 170-177., Matthew Desko, Carolyne Schiebel, Samantha Silverman, Jessica Bickel, Karen Felton, Jennifer L. Chandler

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This is a manuscript correction in reference to: Desko M, Schiebel C, Silverman S, Bickel J, Felton K, and Chandler JL. (2020) The Probability of spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), escape differs among life stages and between two trapping techniques commonly used by landowners, sticky bands and duct tape. The Great Lakes Entomologist 53(3-4): 170-177.

First Records Of Stelis Permaculata Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) In Minnesota, United States Of America And Manitoba, Canada, Colleen D. Satyshur, Thea A. Evans, Britt M. Forsberg, Jason Gibbs

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Abstract

New records are reported for the cleptoparasitic bee Stelis permaculata Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from Minnesota, United States of America and Manitoba, Canada. Minnesota records come from trap-nests, which also collected the host, Heriades carinata Cresson.

Life History And Laboratory Rearing Of The Red Admiral, Vanessa Atalanta (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Layne Leake, Kevin B. Rice

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The red admiral butterfly, Vanessa atalanta (Linneaus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is a globally distributed species and model organism for studying migration patterns and effects of climate change. Most previous red admiral research focused on wild populations. Establishing laboratory colonies allow for experimentation with a multitude of lab-based plant-insect interactions. We describe red admiral butterfly life history and laboratory rearing methods.

Rediscovery Of Gnoriste Macra Johannsen In Wisconsin (Diptera: Mycetophilidae: Gnoristinae), Daniel K. Young

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Gnoriste macra Johannsen was described from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin in 1912. The type locality is now a highly residential region a few miles north of the center of Milwaukee. Herein, collection events are reported for G. macra from Sauk County in southcentral Wisconsin. These new records, nearly a century after the only other literature record, indicate the species still thrives in Wisconsin though likely extirpated from the type locality. The specimens were recovered from unbaited Townes Malaise traps during mid- to late May, 2006 and 2020. Cranial anatomy and functional morphology of the head suggests G. macra may be a …