Entomology Commons^™

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 20 2019, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Prescribed Fire On Moth Assemblages In The Boston Mountains And Ozark Highlands, In Arkansas, Erin E. Guerra, Cristina M. Blanco, Jorista Garrie

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

In addition to the impacts of prescribed fires on forest vegetation, this ecosystem process also has dramatic impacts on associated insect assemblages. For herbivorous, terrestrial insects, fire predictably results in a cycle of initial insect population reduction followed by recovery and growth, in which these insect populations exceed pre-fire abundances. We sought to examine if fire-induced disturbance cycles make prescribed burned areas more or less suitable specifically for moths (order Lepidoptera), which is a major food source for, among others, multiple bat species. We surveyed moth assemblages at 20 burned and 20 unburned sites in the Boston Mountain and Ozark …

Haplotype Diversity And Population Genetic Structure Of Antistrophus Gall Wasps Associated With Two Silphium Species And Implication For Host Mediated Speciation, Jiaxin Deng

Masters Theses

Gall making insects form a special feeding guild of phytophagous animals, and by manipulating host plant tissue differentiation, are able to avoid plant chemical defenses and thus have no need for counter defense mechanisms. Host plant selection is crucial to the evolution of these insects because successful gall formation is largely dependent on host plant ability to respond to stimuli. In Illinois and neighboring states, Antistrophus gall wasps associated with the rosin weed (S. integrifolium) and the cup plant (S. perfoliatum) are morphologically indistinguishable and thus have been treated as belonging to single species. However, the wasps from the host …

Upper Thermal Limits Vary Among And Within Native Bee Species In Relation To Season, Voltinism, And Nest Type, Kálmán K. Csigi Xiv

Theses and Dissertations

Native bees are only recently gaining attention for the extent to which they aid in pollination and ecosystem services. These services are threatened by predictions of warming temperatures if bees are not able to respond. Voltinism - the number of generations produced annually- can strongly influence thermal conditions experienced by both developing and adult bees based on emergence strategies for each voltinism type. Differences in experienced thermal conditions brought on by climate change could therefore affect upper thermal limits (UTL) in bees. This study observes UTLs across a foraging season within and among native bee species vi to elucidate the …

Spatial Repellency, Antifeedant Activity And Toxicity Of Three Medium Chain Fatty Acids And Their Methyl Esters Of Coconut Fatty Acid Against Stable Flies, Gwang H. Roh, Xiaaojie Zhou, Yansu Wang, Steven C. Cermak, James A. Kenar, Alexander Lehmann, Baoyu Han, David B. Taylor, Xiaopeng Zeng, Chung Gyoo Park, Gary J. Brewer, J.J. Zhu

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Stable flies are one of the most detrimental arthropod pests to livestock. With changing climates and agronomic practices, they expand their roles as pests and disease vectors as well. Their painful bites reduce livestock productivity, annoy companion animals, and interfere with human recreational activities. Current management technologies are unable to effectively control stable flies. The present study reports new results concerning the contact, spatial repellency, and toxicity of a bio-based product, coconut fatty acid and their methyl ester derivatives of free fatty acids of C8:0, C10:0 and C12:0 to stable flies.

RESULTS: Three medium chain fatty acid methyl esters …

The Genera Of Agaocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) Of Colombia, With Description Of A New Species Of Lycomedes Breme, Jhon César Neita-Moreno, Brett C. Ratcliffe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The six genera of Agaocephalini in Colombia are distinguished in a dichotomous key and illustrated. Lycomedes enigmaticus Neita-Moreno and Ratcliffe, new species, is described and differentiated by character comparisons with other previously known Colombian species. Lycomedes lydiae Arnaud, 2012 is proposed as a new junior synonym of Lycomedes reichei Brême, 1844.

Los seis géneros de Agaocephalini en Colombia son incluidos e ilustrados en una clave dicotómica. Se describe Lycomedes enigmaticus Neita-Moreno y Ratcliffe, especie nueva y es diferenciada por comparación de caracteres con otras especies previamente conocidas de Colombia. Se propone Lycomedes lydiae Arnaud, 2012 como un nuevo sinónimo …

Bifenthrin Baseline Susceptibility And Evaluation Of Simulated Aerial Applications In Striacosta Albicosta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Débora G. Montezano, Thomas E. Hunt, Dariane Souza, Bruno C. Vieira, Ana M. Velez, Greg Kruger, Sarah N. Zukoff, Jeff D. Bradshaw, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Striacosta albicosta (Smith) is a maize pest that has recently expanded its geographical range into the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Aerial application of pyrethroids, such as bifenthrin, has been a major practice adopted to manage this pest. Reports of field failure of pyrethroids have increased since 2013. Striacosta albicosta populations were collected in 2016 and 2017 from maize fields in Nebraska, Kansas, and Canada and screened with bifenthrin active ingredient in larval contact dose-response bioassays. Resistance ratios estimated were generally low in 2016 (1.04- to 1.32-fold) with the highest LC50 in North Platte, NE (66.10 ng/cm²) …

Egg Albumin As A Protein Marker To Study Dispersal Of Noctuidae In The Agroecosystem, C. S. Tavares, Silvana L. Vieira De Paula Moraes, A. Valencia-Jimenez, Thomas E. Hunt, A. M. Vélez, E. J. G. Pereira

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Knowledge of dispersal and spatial dynamics of pest populations is fundamental for implementation of integrated pest management and integrated resistance management.This study evaluated 1) the effectiveness of egg white albumin protein to mark larvae and adults of two polyphagous and highly mobile pests, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (fall armyworm) and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (corn earworm) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and 2) the sensitivity of polyvinylidene difluoride membrane (dot blot) in detecting albumin on marked insects. Laboratory and field experiments tested egg albumin as a protein marker, which was detected using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), microplate, and dot blot. In the laboratory, …

Phenotypic And Genetic Variation Of The Brazilian Malaria Vector Nyssorhynchus Darlingi At Regional And Local Scales, Virginia Mildred Chu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

There have been major successes in the fight to eliminate malaria in the Americas, with 11

The Effect Of Anthropogenic Environmental Modifications On Malaria Vectors In Amazonian Peru And Brazil, Catharine Prussing

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Malaria is the most deadly vector borne disease, causing substantial morbidity and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year. In the Americas, the incidence of malaria has increased steadily since 2014. The factors driving continued malaria transmission are complex and highly variable across endemic areas. These factors include inadequate access and financial commitment to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and a failure to target interventions to heterogeneous malaria transmission patterns and vector populations. Nyssorhynchus darlingi (formerly Anopheles darlingi), the predominant malaria vector in Latin America, is known for behavioral, phenotypic, and genetic variability across its range, which allow it to …

Nebline, January 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

2018 Extension highlights

Benefit to people

Teaching, growing and making a difference

36,520 youth engaged in 4-H programs

Extension’s volunteers worth nearly $700,000

New Year, new you: Nutrition tips to a healthier you

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Pesticide applicator 2019 training dates

Ag Estate and Succession Planning workshop, Jan. 23 & March 5

Successful Farmer Series

Upcoming green industry conferences

Extension’s 2019 Master Gardener trainings, two sites available

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Sticky situation: Using glue boards to monitor pests

HEART OF 4-H Volunteer Award: Susan Bulling

IT’S TIME TO RE-ENROLL IN 4-H!

Meet 2018–2019 4-H Council …

Abundance And Diversity Of Grasshoppers And Their Ectoparasitic Mites In South Dakota, Erica Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In South Dakota, grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) are sporadic pests that can cause economic injury to rangeland and crops during outbreaks. It is important to know which grasshopper species are present as not all have the same potential to cause damage. USDA-APHIS conducts annual grasshopper surveys in western South Dakota rangelands, but the last published survey was in 1925. Of the potential biological control agents existing, grasshopper mites feed on grasshopper eggs and the larvae are ectoparasites of nymph and adult grasshoppers. Previous studies suggest that mite larvae reduce grasshopper fecundity and mobility, making them useful for integrated pest management of …

A Review Of The Genus Acrisis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) With A New Species From American Licorice And A Survey Of Aphid Parasitoids Of Soybean Fields In Eastern South Dakota, Abigail P. Martens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diversity of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in South Dakota is largely unexamined despite these wasps providing innumerable important ecological and biological services and being an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems. A new species of Acrisis Foerster was reared and is described from the native prairie legume Glycyrrhiza lepidota (Nuttall) Pursh, a plant studied for its potential for conservation and remediation. A large insect guild of seed predators and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids reported from G. lepidota provides a list of potential hosts associated with the new parasitoid species. The agriculturally significant legume soybean, Glycine max (L.) …

Greenhouse Aquaponics: Custom Aquaponic Systems At Home, Jesse L. Blanchard, David G. Hyatt, Jennie Popp, Leah English

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Taking advantage of inherent natural systems, aquaponic practices hold the potential to serve as an educational, sustainable, and profitable hobby for home gardeners facing common constraints such as temperature, space, and pests. The goal of this research was to assess the feasibility of implementing a small scale (4,542-liter) home -based aquaponic system in a small (48.768 square meter) greenhouse to produce fresh produce and fish protein. System construction and maintenance costs were compared to the value of crops and fish produced to determine whether this aquaponic system is a feasible option for the home grower. It was hypothesized that this …

Geospatial Analysis Of Rickettsial Species In Arkansas, Amy D. Frank, Ashley P.G. Dowling

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Rickettsia species are obligate intracellular, arthropod-borne bacteria with a potential to cause multiple diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Fleas, mites, and ticks serve as vectors for Rickettsia, but ticks are the primary vector of interest. RMSF and other rickettsial diseases have continued to gain importance in both human and veterinary medicine as RMSF is the most common tick-borne disease within the United States according to the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Research Center. A statewide citizen science project was utilized to determine the prevalence of Spotted Fever Group (SFG) Rickettsia in Arkansas. This project yielded results in 64 …

Ectoparasite Presence In Select Northcentral Kansas Bat Species, Elizabeth Schumann

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Working with other graduate students on a grant given to Fort Hays State University, from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, I looked at presence and species of ectoparasites on bat species. The main goal of our grant was to quantify and qualify the status of the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in the state of Kansas, and to record data on any bycatch. I worked on our grant in the summer field seasons of 2016 and 2017, May to October, as described by the Indiana bat protocol.

Bats were captured by using mist nets set over …

Impact Of Selected Infrared Wavelengths On Inactivation Of Microbes On Rough Rice, Rebecca L. Bowie, Griffiths Atungulu, Abass Oduola, Shantae Wilson, Zeinab Mohammadi-Shad

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Formation of harmful microbes and their associated mycotoxins on rough rice during storage presents negative socioeconomic impacts to producers and consumers. The objective for this study was to investigate the impact of treating rough rice with selected infrared (IR) wavelengths at different IR intensities and heating durations, followed by a tempering step for further inactivation of microbes (mold and bacteria) on the grain. Freshly-harvested long-grain, hybrid, rough rice (XL 745) with initial moisture content (IMC) of 18.4% wet basis (w.b.) was used. Two-hundred grams (200 g) samples of rice were treated at different IR wavelengths (λ), 3.2, 4.5, and 5.8 …

Rates Of Water Loss And Metabolism In The Eggs Of Stick Insect Eurycantha Calcarata, Garret K. Jolma

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The thorny devil stick insect (Eurycantha calcarata) of New Guinea has eggs that take four months or more to develop—incredibly long for an insect. Long development times can be a challenge for eggs because of their finite resources, including nutrients, energy to support development, and water. I investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying long development times in stick insect eggs.

The first experiment examined rates of water loss and survival of eggs held in different experimental humidities (0, 75, or 100% RH). Eggs dried quickly in the 0% humidity “dry” container; and more slowly in the 75% humidity “intermediate” …

An Army Of One: Predaceous Diving Beetle Life History Stages Affect Interactions With Shared Mosquito Prey, Carmen E. Bofill, Donald A. Yee

Faculty Publications

Predators with complex life cycles often differ in their morphology, behavior, and trophic position across their ontogeny, and may thus have variable effects on shared prey. We used the predaceous diving beetle Laccophilus fasciatus rufus as our predator, whose larvae and adults often co-occur in freshwater lentic systems. As a shared prey we used early and late instar Culex quinquefasciatus, a common wetland mosquito. We found that single adult predators were more likely to consume late instar prey compared to juvenile predators, who ate early and late instar prey equally. A mixture of juvenile and adult predator stages led …

Biology And Management Of The Soybean Stem Borer, Dectes Texanus Leconte, In Kentucky, Izabela Gomes

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Dectes texanus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a longhorn beetle species endemic to eastern United States. Originally described as a pest of weeds from the family Asteraceae, D. texanus has expanded its host range and is found infesting the stems of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) through the southwestern and middle United States. Female D. texanus chews a hole in the epidermis of a petiole and oviposits on it. Then, the D. texanus larva depletes all the pith of the stem making a tunnel down to the base of the plant and girdle the stem about 5 cm above the …

Vector Tick Transmission Model Of Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Tais Berelli Saito, Jeremy Bechelli, Claire Smalley, Shahid Karim, David H. Walker

Faculty Publications

Many aspects of rickettsial infections have been characterized, including pathogenic and immune pathways and mechanisms of rickettsial survival within the vertebrate host and tick vector. However, very few studies are focused on the complex pathogen–vector–host interactions during tick feeding. Therefore, our objective was to develop a tick transmission model of the spotted fever group of rickettsial infections to study the initial events in disease development. The most appropriate strain of mouse was identified for evaluation as a transmission model, and the course of infection, bacterial levels, histopathologic changes, and antibody response during tick transmission in mice infested with Amblyomma maculatum …

Soil Fauna Accelerate Dung Pat Decomposition And Nutrient Cycling Into Grassland Soil, Kenneth S. Evans, Martha Mamo, Ana Wingeyer, Walter Schacht, Kent Eskridge, Jeff Bradshaw, Daniel Ginting

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil fauna play critical roles in various ecosystem functions and services, but empirical data measuring their impact on dung pat decomposition and subsequent nutrient cycling into rangeland soils are limited. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of soil fauna, using dung beetle as an indicator, on dung decomposition and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into grassland soil over time. A field experiment was conducted early in the summer season and late in the summer season of 2014 and 2015. In each season, dung beetle abundance, changes in dung properties, and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into …

Vitellogenin Receptor As A Target For Tick Control: A Mini-Review, Robert D. Mitchell Iii, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Adalberto A. Pérez De León

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

While much effort has been put into understanding vitellogenesis in insects and other organisms, much less is known of this process in ticks. There are several steps that facilitate yolk formation in developing oocytes of which the vitellogenin receptor (VgR) is a key component. The tick VgR binds vitellogenin (Vg) circulating in the hemolymph to initiate receptor-mediated endocytosis and its transformation into vitellin (Vn). The conversion of Vg into Vn, the final form of the yolk protein, occurs inside oocytes of the female tick ovary. Vn is critical to tick embryos since it serves as the nutritional source for their …

Effects Of Climate Variability: A Long-Term Perspective On Leaf Litter Processing In The Ogeechee River, Jose A. Sanchez

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a rise in temperatures and changes to precipitation patterns for the 21^st century. These changes are expected to lead to a higher frequency of extreme events such as drought and floods which lead to the alteration of the hydrology, communities, and processes of freshwater ecosystems. Leaf litter decomposition in stream ecosystems is an important component of the energy and nutrient cycle representing a food source for aquatic organisms. This has made it a tool for assessing long term responses to disturbance due to changes in the assemblage of macroinvertebrates that …

Cold Tolerance, Temperature Mediated Discontinuous Gas Exchange, And Emergence Of The Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia Lignaria), Logan Kral

All Master's Theses

The relationship between low temperatures, emergence and supercooling point of Osmia lignaria were the subject of this study. One hundred sixty-eight bees were subjected to 5 pre-wintering temperature treatments (two constant temperature controls - 22^oC, 14^oC, one of which with and one without a 12h photoperiod, and three 12h:12h thermoperiod treatments – 14:10^oC, 14:5^oC, and 14:0^oC) and were then evaluated in terms of emergence time and post-emergence vigor. An additional 70 bees were tested for metabolic rate and discontinuous gas exchange in response to test temperature conditions. An additional sample …

Investigating The Role Of Coyotes, Canis Latrans, In The Spread Of Parasites And Arthropod-Borne Diseases In Georgia, Usa., Ansleigh Banks

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In order to analyze the role of coyotes, Canis latrans, as hosts of parasites and arthropod-borne diseases in the state of Georgia, USA, 38 coyotes representing 18 counties and multiple geographic regions of the state were dissected and analyzed for the presence of Dirofilaria immitis, intestinal parasites, ectoparasites, and tick-borne illnesses. Mosquitoes from the locations which the coyotes originated were trapped and analyzed for the presence of D. immitis larvae. In compliance with IACUC guidelines, coyotes were obtained from individuals who had previously hunted or trapped the coyotes for leisure. Parasites were identified based on morphological features with the use …

Detecting Balsam Woolly Adelgid Infestations Using Tree Rings, Morgan Lane Leef

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA), Adelges piceae(Ratzeburg), is a sap-sucking, exotic invasive insect that arrived in North America from central Europe around 1900. Since then, its range has expanded from New Brunswick, Canada to the southern Appalachian Mountains. It is a threat to all North American true-fir species, but populations can be controlled by cold continental winters. Adelgid feeding leaves noticeable traces on the wood tissue (“rotholz”) and causes a temporary positive radial growth response among affected trees. The purpose of this research was to determine dates of initial outbreaks, balsam fir radial growth change during outbreaks, and the relationship …

Opda Regulates Maize Defense Against Aphids, Suresh Varsani, Sajjan Grover, Shaoqun Zhou, Kyle G. Koch, Pei-Cheng Huang, Michael V. Kolomiets, W. Paul Williams, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Gautam Sarath, Dawn S. Luthe, Georg Jander, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2019 American Society of Plant Biologists.

DOI:10.1104/pp.18.01472

Rnai Targeting Of Rootworm Troponin I Transcripts Confers Root Protection In Maize, Elane Fishilevich, Andrew J. Bowling, Meghan L. F. Frey, Po-Hao Wang, Wendy Lo, Murugesan Rangasamy, Sarah E. Worden, Heather E. Pence, Premchand Gandra, Shannon L. Whitlock, Greg Schulenberg, Eileen Knorr, Linda Tenbusch, Jamie R. Lutz, Stephen Novak, Ronda L. Hamm, Karl D. Schnelle, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is the major agronomically important pest of maize in the US Corn Belt. To augment the repertoire of the available dsRNA-based traits that control rootworm, we explored a potentially haplolethal gene target, wings up A (wupA), which encodes Troponin I. Troponin I, a component of the Troponin-Tropomyosin complex, is an inhibitory protein involved in muscle contraction. In situ hybridization showed that feeding on wupA-targeted dsRNAs caused systemic transcript knockdown in D. v. virgifera larvae. The knockdown of wupA transcript, and by extension Troponin I protein, led to deterioration of the …

P7 And P8 Proteins Of High Plains Wheat Mosaic Virus, A Negative-Strand Rna Virus, Employ Distinct Mechanisms Of Rna Silencing Suppression, Adarsh K. Gupta, Gary L. Hein, Satyanarayana Tatineni

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

High Plains wheat mosaic virus (genus Emaravirus), an octapartite negative-sense RNA virus, encodes two RNA silencing suppressors, P7 and P8. In this study, we found that P7 and P8 efficiently delayed the onset of dsRNA-induced transitive pathway of RNA silencing. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) revealed that only P7 protected long dsRNAs from dicing in vitro and bound weakly to 21- and 24-nt PTGS-like ds-siRNAs. In contrast, P8 bound strongly and relatively weakly to 21- and 24-nt ds-siRNAs, respectively, suggesting size-specific binding. In EMSA, neither protein bound to 180-nt and 21-nt ssRNAs at detectable levels. Sequence analysis revealed that …