Entomology Commons^™

A Note On Psoloessa Texana And Achurum Sumichrasti (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Acridinae) From Louisiana, Jovonn G. Hill

Midsouth Entomologist

During a 2024 survey in Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana, Psoloessa texana and Achurum sumichrasti were collected, representing new state records. No prior records of P. texana exist for Louisiana, and while A. sumichrasti has been observed and reported online, no specimens were previously documented. These findings extend the known range of P. texana by ~320 km and suggest a broader distribution for A. sumichrasti. Their presence in xeric savannas may reflect Pleistocene-era disjunctions. With these additions, Louisiana’s documented grasshopper fauna increases to 41 species.

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.

Bioassay To Evaluate Resistance Levels In Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) Populations In Alabama To Common Cotton Insecticides, T. J. Douglas, K. Kesheimer, A. Jacobson, S. Brown, F. R. Musser, L. S. Catchot, S. H. Graham

Midsouth Entomologist

The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), has emerged as the major insect pest of cotton in the mid-southern United States following the eradication of the boll weevil and the introduction of genetically modified Bt cotton for caterpillar pests. The objective of this study is to evaluate tarnished plant bug resistance to the five most common insecticides used for control across six distinct growing regions. Glass-vial bioassays were used to evaluate resistance of field populations in a laboratory setting. Elevated levels of resistance of tarnished plant bug to bifenthrin and, to a lesser degree, imidacloprid have been reported …

Ground Truthing Of Inaturalist Submissions Confirms The Presence Of Asian Needle Ants, Brachyponera Chinensis (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), In Louisiana, A New State Record, Aaron R. Ashbrook, Victoria Bayless, Stephen Baca, Gerardo Guevara-Milla, Chris E. Carlton

Midsouth Entomologist

Based on submissions to iNaturalist from citizen scientists, the presence of the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis), was confirmed for Louisiana in East Baton Rouge Parish. Use of citizen scientist platforms for sources of invertebrate taxa distributions is a powerful tool but requires caution because the records are typically not validated by physical voucher specimens that have been deposited in publicly accessible museums, and identification of many species is not possible by images alone. To demonstrate the usefulness of citizen scientist programs like iNaturalist, possible collection sites for Asian needle ant specimens were located. Specimens were collected, identified, and vouchers …

Nebline, August/September 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Contents

Summertime’s Natural Light Show: Fireflies by Kait Chapman

Insect Science with Kids: Bug Collecting as a Tool to Learn

The Perfect Partnership: EFNEP and SNAP-Ed Join Forces for Lifelong Nutrition and Health by Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the month by Emily Gratopp: Fruit salsa & cinnamon chips

Southeast nebraska Pasture & Acreage Expo

Southeast Nebraska Alfalfa & Wheat Expo

Landlord/Tenant Cash Rent workshop

Vegetable Gardening in the Fall by Mary Jane Frogge

GRO Big Red virtual learning series

2025 perennial plant of the year: Blue mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)

Garden guide: Things to do this month by …

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 …

Investigating The Impact Of Psychoactive Plant Alkaloids On Bumblebee Behavior, Skylar Mathieson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between plants and their pollinators is often framed as a food-for-service exchange in which plants provide pollinators with nutrients in exchange for transport of their gametes. However, in addition to essential nutrients, many floral rewards (nectar, pollen) also contain defensive toxins such as alkaloids, with largely unexplored consequences for plant-pollinator interactions. I investigated how three psychoactive and addictive plant alkaloids — caffeine, nicotine, and morphine — affect foraging behavior in generalist bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) using robotic flowers. Each of these chemicals affected pollinator foraging behavior, influencing the number and duration of their visits to flowers in …

Impact Of Adoption Of Fall Armyworm And Stemborer Pest Control Practices On Maize Yields In Rwanda: A Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression Approach, Vincent Gadamba Misango, Jonathan Makau Nzuma, Patrick Irungu, Menale Kassie

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The use of push-pull technologies (PPT) as an alternative control method for fall armyworms and stemborer pests amongst maize farmers has recently received considerable global attention. However, the impact of adoption of PPT on the maize productivity remains largely unexplored. This study used a multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) to evaluate the impact of adoption of PPT on smallholder maize farmer's yields in Rwanda. The MESR model was estimated on a sample of 398 households operating 967 maize plots selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Overall, 25, 20, and 14 percent of the households used traditional methods, PPT and …

Developing Targets To Control Multiple Pest Fly Species: Violet Polyester Targets Effectively Attract Tsetse (Diptera: Glossinidae), Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), And House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), Michael N. Okal, Sheillah J. Akinyi, Roger D. Santer

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse (Glossina spp.), stable (Stomoxys spp.), and house flies (Musca domestica L.) impact humans and animals through bites and/or disease transmission. Tsetse are controlled using insecticide-coated fabric targets that are traditionally blue and/or black, but a violet polyester has now been engineered for greater attractiveness. Here, we investigate whether violet targets are also effective against stable and house flies. We sampled flies by electrocution at 1.0 (H) × 0.5 m (W) targets in Kenya, comparing catches at violet targets, and blue and black targets made from polyesters used in commercial traps and targets. Catches of female but not male Glossina …

A Technique For Estimating The Number Of Shoots On Pole-Sized Red Pine: The Relationship Of Selected Tree Parameters To Number Of Shoots In Central Wisconsin Sand Plains Plantations, J. H. Hainze, D. M. Benjamin

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Diameter at breast height (dbh) , of ten tree parameters tested, was most highly correlated with the number of shoots per tree in six red pine plantations in the central Wisconsin sand plains. Tree height, frequently used as an estimator of shoot number in young conifers, was not highly correlated with shoot number. A strong, nonlinear correlation existed between branch diameter and number of shoots per branch. Multiple regressions using several tree parameters yielded the highest R2 values, however, dbh was judged the simplest and most practical estimator of shoot number for central Wisconsin red pine plantations.

Effect Of Artificial Defoliation On Broccoli Yield, W. S. Cranshaw, R. J. Default

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Broccoli plants were artificially defoliated at varying plant growth stages and defoliation intensities to determine bases for control decisions with lepidopterous defoliators. Low levels of defoliation (<25%) did not significantly depress head weight at any treatment date. Higher levels of defoliation severity (50%) depressed head weight when inflicted following the development of small (<2 cm) heads. Only complete defoliation (100%) consistently affected head weights. Because of the great ability of broccoli plants to compensate for leaf loss, most pre heading insecticide applications should be able to be eliminated in Minnesota without yield losses.

Sewage Sludge Application Linked To Increase In Eastern Tent Caterpillar Populations (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), Louis F. Wilson, John H. Cooley, William J. Mattson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Numbers of Malacosoma americanum caterpillar tents were positively correlated with average numbers and biomass of cherry trees as well as with amount of sludge applied. The enhancing effect of sewage sludge on amounts of black cherry biomass and foliar nitrogen may have been the principal factors leading to higher tent caterpillar populations on fertilized plots.

Record Of Michigan Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae) Collected In A Natural Focus Of Jamestown Canyon Virus In 1984, Paul R. Grimstad, Michael J. Mandracchia

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Data are presented on the seasonal succession of 22 species of mosquitoes collected at the Houghton Lake Wildlife Research Area, Missaukee County, in northcentral Michigan during a three-month period in 1984. Nine species represent new county records.

Observations On The Nesting And Unique Cachement Behavior Of Calicurgus Hyalinatus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski, Margery G. Spofford

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The components of the nesting and provisioning behavior of Calicurgus hyalinatus are delineated chronologically. The unique cachement of the prey, whereby the spider is suspended from vegetation by its own silken threads, is described. The nesting and provisioning components we observed are compared with those described in the Nearctic and Palearctic literature.

Cleptes Speciosus In The Great Lakes Region (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae: Cleptinae), Mark F. O'Brien

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cleptes (Melanocleptes) speciosus Aaron is newly recorded from Michigan, with records from five counties in the Upper and Lower peninsulas. A New York record from near Lake Ontario suggests this western species also has a Great Lakes distribution.

Nearctic Epiblema: A New Synonymy, A Revised Identity, And Two New Species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), William E. Miller

The Great Lakes Entomologist

New findings are reported for four species: Epiblema naoma Clarke is a junior synonym of E. iowana McDunnough; E. numerosana (Zeller) is currently misidentified; E. chromata, currently identified as the preceding, is described from Texas and differentiated from E. grossbecki Heinrich by maculation and female genitalia; and E. arctica, recently discovered in the Alaskan tundra, is described and differentiated from the boreal E. lyallana McDunnough by maculation and male genitalia.

Winter Wheat Cold Hardiness And Fructan Reserves Affected By Rhopalosiphum Padi (Homoptera: Aphididae) Feeding, S. G. Wellso, C. R. Olien, R. P. Hoxie

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The cold hardiness of 'Winoka' and 'Genesee' winter wheats was each significantly less (P = 0.05) when fed upon by bird-cherry oat aphids, Rhopalosiphum padi, than non-infested seedlings. Aphid feeding also reduced the amount of fructans in crown tissue ca. 20% compared to extracts from crowns of non-infested seedlings. It appears that the cold hardiness of these wheat cultivars may have been reduced because of fructan depletion by insect feeding.

Control Of Hyadaphis Tataricae (Homoptera: Aphididae) On Honeysuckle Including Observations On Host Plant Resistance, Philip L. Nixon, Carolyn Peet Nixon, James E. Schuster

The Great Lakes Entomologist

llyadaphis tataricae causes witches-brooming to the growing tips of Zabelii and other large bush-type honeysuckles in the north central states. Insecticide tests show that acephate (Orthene), dimethoate (Cygan), or oxydemeton-methyl (Metasystox-R) sprayed monthly in June and July will reduce witches-brooming. Malathion was not effective in reducing damage. Host plant resistance observations indicate that Lonicera x notha, L. x muendeniensis, L. x amoena 'Alba', L. x ).;ylosteoides, and L. tatarica 'Arnold Red' are ll. tataricae resistant. These large bush-type honeysuckles would appear to be good replacements for Zabelii and other susceptible honeysuckles in ornamental plantings.

Vulnerability Of Hybrid Populus Nursery Stock To Injury By The Tarnished Plant Bug, Lygus Lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae), Louis F. Wilson, Lincoln M. Moore

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The tarnished plant bug injured 21 Populus clones in the clonal nursery of the Packaging Corporation of America in Michigan. Degree of injury ranged from 0.5 to 81.09<. Clone 'Wisconsin 5' sustained the heaviest attack, followed by Imperial Carolina poplar. 'Wisconsin 5' was salvaged by changing the standard and accepting shorter cutting stock for outplanting.

Interspecific Interactions Between Orchelimum Nigripes And Orchelimum Volantum (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), Marianne Niedzlek Feaver

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[Excerpt] Interspecific interactions are relatively rare among coinhabiting Orthoptera. Most records are of overzealous males courting females not of their species or, for that matter, inanimate objects. Less frequent are reports of two signalling males interacting, yet these are of interest. Calling songs are used to distinguish species (Alexander 1956). The possibility then exists that the "interference" or, more correctly, the competition for broadcast space that occurs when two closely related species with similar songs interact, may have been influential in shaping aspects of song delivery or pattern.

State Records And Confirmations Of Odonata From Illinois And Missouri, T. E. Vogt, J. E. Mcpherson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The occurrence of several species of Odonata in Illinois and Missouri is reported for the first time including Telebasis byersi Westfall, Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen), Aeshna mutata Hagen, Celithemis fasciata Kirby, fodona deplanata (Rambur), and Dythemis fugax Hagen for Illinois; and Cordulegaster obliqua (Say), Gomphus quadricolor Walsh, Helocordulia uhleri (Selys), C. fasciata, and C. verna Pritchard for Missouri. Also, the presence of several species is confirmed including Archilestes grandis (Rambur), C. obliqua. Hagenius brevistylus Selys, and Anax longipes Hagen for Illinois; and Lestes eurinus Say, H. brevistylus, Stylogomphus albistylus (Hagen), Arigomphus villosipes (Selys), A. longipes, and L. deplanata for Missouri.

Systematics Of Anepeorus (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae), W. P. Mccafferty, A. V. Provonsha

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The enigmatic genus Anepeorus has a confused and complex taxonomic history that is discussed and clarified. The genus is redefined and described in the adult stage. Although laryae have been assigned to Anepeorus, these larvae cannot be shown at the present to be Atnepeorus. Two North American species are known from a total of 10 adult specimens . . -tnepeorus rusticus McDunnough and A. simplex (Walsh) are redescribed, and a neotype is designated for the latter species. Genitalic differences are diagnostic, but the penes may be found in different states of inflation and rotation that should not be interpreted as …

Environmental, Social, And Molecular Regulation Of Foraging Behavior In The Formosan Subterranean Termite, Arjun Khadka

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Foraging is a critical activity in social insects, essential for resource acquisition and colony sustenance. In termites, this behavior is shaped by environmental, social, and genetic factors, yet the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined how environmental food and moisture availability, and the age of termites affected foraging activities, along with the molecular regulation of foraging in the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, using a combination of behavioral assays, transcriptomics, and molecular biology approaches. First, we demonstrate that food and moisture deprivation (FMD) significantly affects foraging, with termites under deprivation conditions exhibiting increased foraging …

Evaluation Of Diy Pest Management Strategies For The German Cockroach (Blattella Germanica) In The Presence Of Vitamin K Precursors And Synthetic Amorphous Silica, Mohamed S. Shaik

LSU Master's Theses

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica (Linnaeus) is a globally distributed indoor dwelling pest of medical concern. Insecticides are the preferred method of cockroach management due to their low cost, quick action, and availability. However, after continuous use, the development of insecticide resistance has emerged as a challenge for the pest management industry to effectively eliminate German cockroaches. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a sustainable framework which includes the use of glue board traps, vacuuming, in combination with different insecticide formulations such as sprays, gel or dust baits, and insecticide rotation has been successful for the management of German cockroaches. This …

Drought And Herbivory Have Selective Transgenerational Effects On Soybean Eco-Physiology, Defence And Fitness, Manish Gautam, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soybeans, one of the most important legumes, face multiple stresses including drought and herbivory. But the potential transfer of the interactive effects of these stressors onto the transgenerational plants has not been understood. We hypothesised that progeny from stressed parents will have enhanced ecophysiology and defence traits through priming, affecting fitness. Experimental plants were derived from seeds of drought (D), drought and herbivory interaction (D & times; H), herbivory (H) and well-watered (WW) treatments imposed on parental generation. The findings revealed significant transgenerational effects of D, D & times; H, H and WW treatments; D & times; H treatment had …

Update To: Advancing Butterfly Systematics Through Genomic Analysis, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

In this update, we propose (type species or type localities in parentheses): Lochris Grishin, nom. nov. (Lasaia oileus Godman, 1903; Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) as a new substitute name for Locris Grishin, 2025 preoccupied by Locris Stål, 1866 (Cercopis rubra Fabricius, 1794; Hemiptera: Cercopidae), 5 new species, and 5 new subspecies: Emesis (Mandania) mandarina Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Santa Catarina) and Emesis (Mandania) mandela Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela, Carabobo) in Riodinidae Grote, 1895 (1827); others in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809: Telegonus (Rhabdoides) flavifimbro Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia), Urbanus (Urbanoides) dolus Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: …

Examining The Performance Of An Insect Generalist Reared On Unused Host Plants In Colorado, Maxwell J. Meyer, Kanshita Dam, Kailey G. Hicks, Emma J. Sellers, Mykaela M. Tanino-Springsteen, Jd Reigrut, Dhaval K. Vyas, Shannon M. Murphy

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Dietary generalist insects are important to ecological communities because they are commonly found in many environments and play important roles in ecosystem services like pollination and decomposition. Although dietary generalist herbivores eat a broad range of plant species, regional populations of these species may have significantly narrower or specialized diet breadths. Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea, hereafter FW) is a dietary generalist at the species level, but we do not know if there is dietary generalism at the population level or how generalism varies across populations. In Colorado, FW larvae feed on only a few plant species, but many plant species …

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Transgenerational Imprints Of Sequential Herbivory Onsoybean Physiology And Fitness Traits, Insha Shaft, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sequential herbivory leads to a multitude of effects on plants, influencing processes like growth, physiology, defense, and fitness. However, whether the sequential herbivore attack can elicit any transgenerational consequences is poorly examined. In this study, we show evidence of transgenerational impacts of sequential herbivory by two chewing herbivores, fall armyworm (Spodopterafrugiperda , FAW) and soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens , SL) on soybean (Glycine max ) progeny. Seeds from the parents subjected to different herbivore sequences (SL-FAW: initial attack by SL followed by FAW and FAW-SL: FAW followed by SL) were used for the transgenerational experiment. Our main hypothesis was that …

Response Of Various Body Parts Of House Flies, Musca Domestica, To Sucrose, Panchalie B. Gunathunga, Merveille Muyizere, Bethia H. King

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Insects use multiple body parts, not just their mouth, to taste. Whether a particular body part has a taste function can be determined by examining the morphology or electrophysiological response of its sensilla (sense organs) or by its behavioral response. The present study investigated taste response of each of the three pairs of tarsi, tibiae, femurs, as well as the antennae and wings, in house flies, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). This was done by measuring the proboscis extension response (PER), and in the case of the wings, also the grooming behavior. PER is a visible precursor to consumption. The …