Entomology Commons^™

Bmilf And I-Motif Structure Are Involved In Transcriptional Regulation Of Bmpoum2 In Bombyx Mori, Kangkang Niu, Xiaojuan Zhang, Huimin Deng, Feng Wu, Yandong Ren, Hui Xiang, Sichun Zheng, Lin Liu, Lihua Huang, Baojuan Zeng, Sheng Li, Qingyou Xia, Qisheng Song, Subba R. Palli, Qili Feng

Entomology Faculty Publications

Guanine-rich and cytosine-rich DNA can form four-stranded DNA secondary structures called G-quadruplex (G4) and i-motif, respectively. These structures widely exist in genomes and play important roles in transcription, replication, translation and protection of telomeres. In this study, G4 and i-motif structures were identified in the promoter of the transcription factor gene BmPOUM2, which regulates the expression of the wing disc cuticle protein gene (BmWCP4) during metamorphosis. Disruption of the i-motif structure by base mutation, anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or inhibitory ligands resulted in significant decrease in the activity of the BmPOUM2 promoter. A novel i-motif binding protein (BmILF) …

Improving Rnai In The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: Identification Of Target Genes And Reference Genes For Rt-Qpcr, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Jeffrey L. Howell, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is native to Asia and recently invaded the USA. RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene silencing mechanism in which the introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) inhibits gene function by degrading target mRNA. In dsRNA stability assays, the dsRNases present in the hemolymph and salivary gland secretions of BMSB showed lower activity than those in the hemolymph of Heliothis virescens. We evaluated six housekeeping genes (18S rRNA, EF1-α, Actin, Ubiquitin, 60S RP and β-Tubulin) across dsRNA treatments (injection and feeding) in nymphs and adults of BMSB and identified …

Sweet Attraction: Sugarcane Pollen-Associated Volatiles Attract Gravid Anopheles Arabiensis, Betelehem Wondwosen, Göran Birgersson, Habte Tekie, Baldwyn Torto, Rickard Ignell, Sharon R. Hill

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Anopheles arabiensis is a key vector for the transmission of human malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past 10,000 years, humans have successfully cultivated grasses and altered the landscape, creating An. arabiensis favourable environments that contain excellent habitats for both larvae and adults. Sugarcane is the most expanding agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa, and is linked to the increased threat of malaria in rural communities. The prolific production and wind dispersal of sugarcane pollen, together with standing pools of water, often provide, as a result of irrigation, a nutrient-rich environment for the offspring of gravid malaria mosquitoes. Results: In …

Arthropod Fauna Associated With Wild And Cultivated Cranberries In Wisconsin, Shawn A. Steffan, Merritt E. Singleton, Michael L. Draney, Elissa M. Chasen, Kyle E. Johnson, Juan E. Zalapa

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is an evergreen, trailing shrub native to North American peatlands. It is cultivated commercially in the US and Canada, with major production centers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Québec, and British Columbia. Despite the agricultural importance of cranberry in Wisconsin, relatively little is known of its arthropod associates, particularly the arachnid fauna. Here we report preliminary data on the insect and spider communities associated with wild and cultivated cranberries in Wisconsin. We then compare the insect and spider communities of wild cranberry systems to those of cultivated cranberries, indexed by region. Approximately 7,400 …

Leptinotarsa Decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Observed Feeding On Chamaesaracha Sp. In Eastern Colorado., Michael S. Crossley, Benjamin Pélissié, Zachary Cohen, Sean D. Schoville

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Egg, larval, and adult life stages of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), were observed feeding on or attached to a previously undocumented host plant belonging to the genus Chamaesaracha in eastern Colorado on July 2017. At one site, L. decemlineata were more abundant on Chamaesaracha sp. than the accepted ancestral host plant, Solanum rostratum (Dunal). While future studies should confirm the ancestral status of the observed L. decemlineata and suitability of Chamaesaracha sp. for completion of development, our observations suggest a need for further characterization of the ancestral host range of L. decemlineata.

The Ability Of Specific-Wavelength Led Lights To Attract Night-Flying Insects, Ryan S. Zemel, David Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This paper describes a portable collecting light, designed by the authors, that weighs 0.3 kg, is powered by 8 AA batteries, and uses 9 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to attract night-flying insects. Five different wavelengths of these LED lights, all within the long-wave ultraviolet spectrum, were compared to each other and to a commercially-available 15w fluorescent ultraviolet tube light for their abilities to collect insects over a series of 5 nights in July 2016. There was no difference in order richness, total specimen abundance, or the specimen abundance of most common orders between any of the wavelengths tested. Most LED wavelengths, …

The Drosophilids Of A Pristine Old-Growth Northern Hardwood Forest, Thomas Werner

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The current study summarizes the results of a species inventory survey for drosophilid flies (family Drosophilidae, order Diptera) in a primeval forest in northern Michigan. The two main goals of the investigation were to list the species inhabiting the Huron Mountain Club and to collect live specimens for the illustrations in the book "Drosophilids of the Midwest and Northeast". From 2014 to 2016, I found 22 drosophilid species, which belong to the two subfamilies Steganinae and Drosophilinae. Future long-term studies are planned to test how the drosophilid populations respond to climate change.

Tgle Vol 50 Nos. 3 & 4 Full Issue

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 50 Numbers 3 & 4 Fall/Winter full issue.

Insect (Arthropoda: Insecta) Composition In The Diet Of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene Ornata Ornata) In Two Western Illinois Sand Prairies, With A New State Record For Cyclocephala (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Reese J. Worthington, E. R. Sievers, D. B. Ligon, P. K. Lago

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A study of fecal samples collected over a two-year period from juvenile ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata ornata Agassiz) revealed diets consisting of six orders of insects representing 19 families. Turtles were reared in captivity from eggs harvested from local, wild populations, and released at two remnant prairies. Identifiable insect fragments were found in 94% of samples in 2013 (n=33) and 96% in 2014 (n=25). Frequency of occurrence of insects in turtle feces is similar to results reported in previous studies of midwestern Terrapene species. A comparison of insect composition presented no significant difference between release sites. There is …

Host Plant Forensics And Olfactory-Based Detection In Afro-Tropical Mosquito Disease Vectors, Vincent O. Nyasembe, David P. Tchouassi, Christian W.W. Pirk, Catherine L. Sole, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global spread of vector-borne diseases remains a worrying public health threat, raising the need for development of new combat strategies for vector control. Knowledge of vector ecology can be exploited in this regard, including plant feeding; a critical resource that mosquitoes of both sexes rely on for survival and other metabolic processes. However, the identity of plant species mosquitoes feed on in nature remains largely unknown. By testing the hypothesis about selectivity in plant feeding, we employed a DNA-based approach targeting trnH-psbA and matK genes and identified host plants of field-collected Afro-tropical mosquito vectors of dengue, Rift Valley fever …

The Effects Of Soil Moisture, Soil Texture, And Host Orientation On The Ability Of Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) To Infect Galleria Mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Suzanne M. Hartley, John R. Wallace

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Abstract

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) demonstrate potential as a biological control for soil dwelling insects. However, edaphic factors, such as soil moisture and texture impact the efficacy of EPN on a host. The objectives were to examine the effects of soil texture and moisture on 1) the infection rate of Galleria mellonella L. by EPN and; 2) the ability of H. bacteriophora (Poinar) to move through the soil to find a host at different orientations. Soil textures consisted of sand, a sand/silt/peat mixture, and a silt/peat mixture at 50% and 100% moisture. A general linear model was used to evaluate infection …

Description Of A New Species Of Ochraethes Chevrolat, 1860, Redescription Of Plocaederus Mirim Martins And Monné, 2002, And New Geographical Records For Plocaederus Dejean, 1835 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae), James E. Wappes, Antonio Santos-Silva, Juan Pablo Botero

Insecta Mundi

A new Mexican species of Ochraethes Chevrolat, 1860 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae, Clytini) is described: Ochraethes skillmani Wappes, Santos-Silva and Botero. Plocaederus mirim Martins and Monné, 2002 (Cerambycini) is redescribed and its female is figured for the first time. New geographical records in Plocaederus Dejean, 1835 are also provided.

A New Synonymy And Transference In Cerambycinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), James E. Wappes, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Rhinion parkeri Wappes and Santos-Silva, 2017 is synonymized with Saltanecydalopsis irwini Barriga and Cepeda, 2007 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), and the genus is transferred to Rhinotragini Thomson, 1861 from Necydalopsini Lacordaire, 1868.

Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) In Panama: New Species, Sex Associations And Seasonal Flight Activity, Roberto A. Cambra, Kevin A. Williams, Diomedes Quintero, Donald M. Windsor, John Pickering, Daisy Saavedra

Insecta Mundi

A taxonomic revision of Panamanian species of the genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) is presented and a key for the six species is given, all recognized from both sexes. Dasymutilla colorado Cambra, Williams and Quintero sp. nov., from central and eastern Panama, is described and illustrated. Sex associations permitted us to make the following five synonymies: D. sleipniri Manley and Pitts, 2007 (male) under D. phya (Cameron, 1895) (female); D. deyrollesi Mickel, 1937 (male) and Sphaerophthama [sic.] temaxensis Cameron, 1895 under Dasymutilla araneoides (Smith, 1862) (female); D. ionothorax Manley and Pitts, 2007 (male) under Dasymutilla spilota Manley and Pitts, …

Individual And Combined Effects Of Herbicide Tribenuron-Methyl And Fungicide Tebuconazole On Soil Earthworm Eisenia Fetida, Jiqiang Chen, Muhammad Saleem, Caixia Wang, Wenxing Liang, Qingming Zhang

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Earthworms are soil engineers that alter the soil bio-physical properties to favor plant growth whereas pesticides represent a significant threat to their abundance and soil health. Thus, we investigated the toxic effects of tribenuron-methyl (TBM) and tebuconazole (TEB) on the soil earthworm, Eisenia fetida. The TBM demonstrated low toxicity to E. fetida in the contact filter paper and artificial soil tests, with median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) of 135.6 μg cm⁻² at 48 h and 511 mg kg⁻¹ on day 14, respectively. Similarly, TEB also showed low toxicity to E. fetida in the artificial …

Cover Pages

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover pages for TGLE Vol. 50 Nos. 3 & 4

Cover Art

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Art for TGLE Issue 50 Nos. 3 & 4

New Species Records For Wisconsin False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae),, Robert L. Otto, Daniel K. Young

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In Wisconsin, Microrhagus opacus, Euryptychus ulkei and Fornax bicolor are recorded for the first time. Records for these three species are based on nine specimens, most of which were taken since 2008. Two specimens of M. opacus taken from a Grant County Malaise trap in the late 1970’s as part of a statewide gypsy moth parasitoid recovery project, were previously identified as Microrhagus audax. Most of the specimens reported herein were taken late in the collecting season, primarily during August. A checklist of the 20 genera and 41 species of Wisconsin Eucnemidae is also included.

Hyperspectral Measurements Of Immature Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Raised On Different Food Substrates, Jodie A. Warren, T. D. Pulindu Ratnasekera, David A. Campbell, Gail S. Anderson

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Immature Lucilia sericata (Meigen) raised on beef liver, beef heart, pork liver and pork heart at a mean temperature of 20.6°C took a minimum of 20 days to complete development. Minimum development time differences within stages were observed between the meat types (pork/beef), but not the organ types (liver/heart). Daily hyperspectral measurements were conducted and a functional regression was completed to examine the main effects of meat and organ type on daily spectral measurements. The model examined post feeding larval spectral measurements of insects raised on beef liver alone, the effect of those raised on pork compared with those raised …

Advancing Behavioural Genomics By Considering Timescale, Clare C. Rittschof, Kimberly A. Hughes

Entomology Faculty Publications

Animal behavioural traits often covary with gene expression, pointing towards a genomic constraint on organismal responses to environmental cues. This pattern highlights a gap in our understanding of the time course of environmentally responsive gene expression, and moreover, how these dynamics are regulated. Advances in behavioural genomics explore how gene expression dynamics are correlated with behavioural traits that range from stable to highly labile. We consider the idea that certain genomic regulatory mechanisms may predict the timescale of an environmental effect on behaviour. This temporally minded approach could inform both organismal and evolutionary questions ranging from the remediation of early …

Reference Gene Selection For Rt-Qpcr Analysis In Harmonia Axyridis, A Global Invasive Lady Beetle, Xiaowei Yang, Huipeng Pan, Ling Yuan, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

Harmonia axyridis is a voracious predator, a biological control agent, and one of the world most invasive insect species. The advent of next-generation sequencing platforms has propelled entomological research into the genomics and post-genomics era. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), a primary tool for gene expression analysis, is a core technique governs the genomic research. The selection of internal reference genes, however, can significantly impact the interpretation of RT-qPCR results. The overall goal of this study is to identify the reference genes in the highly invasive H. axyridis. Our central hypothesis is that the suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis …

The Bee, A Natural History, By Noah Wilson-Rich (2014, Princeton University Press. Isbn: 9780691161358. Us$27.95), Gard W. Otis Dr.

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Upon receiving “The Bee, A Natural History”, by Noah Wilson Rich, I was drawn in by the title and the beautiful rust and grey front cover featuring a nearly 3-D photo of a honey bee. I immediately felt twinges of excitement—this is the book I have always wanted to have available for my university course, Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology—and disappointment—I did not write it! The “bee”— singular—accompanied by the high-resolution photo, suggested that this book focused on the world’s best understood insect that my course is centered around, Apis mellifera.

First Record Of The Arid-Land Termite, Reticulitermes Tibialis Banks, In Wisconsin, Rachel A. Arango

The Great Lakes Entomologist

During a survey of termites in Wisconsin, one colony was found from a different habitat than the remaining populations. This observation led to further genetic testing which resulted in a determination of Reticulitermes tibialis Banks. This is the first record of a termite species other than Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) to be established in the state.

Regional Caddisfly (Trichoptera) Indicator Species For Mid-Order Michigan And Minnesota Streams, David C. Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Nearly 150,000 caddisfly specimens representing 238 species were analyzed from 166 5–15m wide streams within Michigan and Minnesota to deter- mine the characteristic indicator species of 5 previously-established regions of caddisfly biological diversity. Based on a combination of relative frequency and abundance, 35 of these species indicated a particular region or regions. Indicator species in forested regions constituted a balance of trophic functional groups, whereas indicator species from agricultural regions were dominated by filtering collectors. While it was difficult to determine if species were indicating natural habitat type or differences in anthropogenic disturbance, establishing indicator species now will render potential …

How Did E. M. Walker Measure The Length Of The Labium Of Nymphs Of Aeshna And Rhionaeschna (Odonata: Aeshnidae)?, Robert B. Dubois, Kenneth J. Tennessen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The exhaustive studies of nymphs of Aeshna Fabricius and Rhionaeschna Förster by E. M. Walker (1912-1958) have long guided the taxonomy of these groups and formed the basis for keys still in use today. However, uncertainty about how he measured the length of the labium, including the varied terminology he used over the duration of his career concerning this structure, has led to confusion about application of his taxonomic recommendations. We recalculated ratios of the maximum width/length [W(max)/L] by measuring the illustration dimensions of folded labia and prementums in publications throughout his career and compared these data with the ratios …

Phenological Attributes And Phylogenetic Relationships Of Rhagoletis Juniperina Marcovitch (Diptera: Tephritidae) In The Great Lakes Region, Megan Frayer, Daniel Hulbert, Serdar Satar, James J. Smith

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Rhagoletis juniperina Marcovitch (Diptera: Tephritidae) infests Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) and other North American junipers. While several Rhagoletis species are of interest as orchard crop pests (apple maggot, blueberry maggot, cherry fruit fly) and as models for studying speciation (R. pomonella Walsh species group), R. juniperina is of interest because it may tie together evolutionarily the Nearctic and Palearctic Rhagoletis fauna. One goal of this study was to test two competing hypotheses first proposed by Bush (1966): i) that R. juniperina is more closely related to the Nearctic dogwood- infesting R. tabellaria (Fitch), to which it …

Comparison Of Different Trap Colors And Types For Capturing Adult Agrilus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) And Other Buprestids, Toby R. Petrice, Robert A. Haack

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Numerous research studies have focused on the development of effective traps for surveying and monitoring for emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), since it was discovered in North America. However, little attention has been placed on developing effective traps for monitoring and surveying other Agrilus and Buprestidae. In 2009–2011, we conducted several studies to test the attractiveness of different trap colors and types of sticky traps to Agrilus and other Buprestidae. We found green (peak reflectance: 530–536 nm, 57.6%) sticky traps that consisted of custom colored corrugated plastic, and were coated with insect trapping glue to be the …

Survival And Phenology Of Agrilus Planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Reared On A Newly Developed Artificial Diet Free Of Host Material, Melody A. Keena, Hannah Nadel, Juli Gould

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The final phase in the development of an artificial diet that contains no ash host material and the phenology of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Bupresidae) on that diet are documented. A diet containing powdered ash phloem exists, but host material introduces potential variability and contamination, and the cost and effort needed to collect and process it can be high. The post-embryonic development of A. planipennis was evaluated on four artificial diets lacking host material, and effects of variations in diet layer thickness and moisture content were also investigated. The best diet and rearing method resulted in …

Nocturnal Flight Periodicity Of The Caddisflies (Trichoptera) In Forest And Meadow Habitats Of A First Order Michigan Stream, Kiralyn Brakel, Lydia R. Wassink, David C. Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Using ultraviolet light traps, over 5000 caddisfly specimens were collected from a forest and a meadow habitat of Fairbanks Creek in northern Lower Michigan. Samples were collected every 15 minutes, interspersed with 15 minutes of no sampling, from sunset to sunrise during 5 nights from late June to mid-July 2014. Despite having fundamentally different caddisfly assemblages dominated by different species, mean specimen abundance and mean species richness in both habitats exhibited similar trends: peaking between 22:30 and 23:00, decreasing until 02:00 or 02:30, increasing again slightly during the later morning periods, and then decreasing to near zero by 06:00. On …

First Record Of The Enicocephalidae (Heteroptera) In Michigan And Ohio, Daniel R. Swanson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The unique-headed bug, Systelloderes biceps (Say), is reported from Michigan and Ohio, resulting in two new state records for the family Enicocephalidae.