Entomology Commons^™

The Terrestrial Isopod Hyloniscus Riparius (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Trichoniscidae) In Wisconsin, Joan Jass, Barbara Klausmeier

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We examined seasonal reproductive patterns for the terrestrial isopod Hyloniscus riparius in Wisconsin. Samples collected from habitats in three Wisconsin regions were compared with regard to the reproductive status of population members. We also recorded differences in sex ratio and stage of female gravidity in all samples. Males were a minority in all samples. Southern samples showed the greatest reproductive capacity based on the proportion of females that were found to be gravid.

Factors Affecting Capture Rates Of Insect Taxa By Retail Electrocutors And Eliminators In Northern Lower Michigan, Joel T. Heinen, Joseph Reznik, Sarah Hill, Jennifer Kostrzewski, Anya Maziak

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We compare the abundance and types of insects captured at several locations, with and without a chemical attractant and in varying weather conditions using two different devices advertised to kill biting insects. Using both an insect electrocutor that uses ultraviolet light as an attractant, with and without octenol as an added attractant, and an insect eliminator that uses carbon dioxide, heat and octenol as attractants, more non-biting than biting insects were captured. Numerous harmless and beneficial insects were killed with electrocutors. Although eliminators were more target-specific, they captured fewer insects overall compared to electrocutors. The numbers and types of insects …

The Distribution And Prevalence Of The Alfalfa Blotch Leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae) In Illinois, J. G. Lundgren, K. L. Steffey, R. N. Wiedenmann

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Surveys were made in 2001 and 2002 to determine the distribution and prevalence of the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Diptera: Agromyzidae), and its primary parasitoids, Dacnusa dryas and Chrysocharis liriomyzae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Eulophidae, respectively), in Illinois. We collected 239 samples from alfalfa fields in the alfalfa-producing regions of Illinois. Samples from each site consisted of 20 cut stems and 10 sets of 10 sweeps in 2001, and 40 stems and 10 sets of 20 sweeps in 2002. Each trifoliate was examined for mining and pinholing injury, and the number of adult A. frontella, D. dryas, and C. …

Gene Flow Between Great Lakes Region Populations Of The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio Canadensis, Near The Hybrid Zone With P. Glaucus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), Aram D. Stump, F.A. H. Sperling, Amber Crim, J. Mark Scriber

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Papilio canadensis were sampled from three locations on either side of Lake Michigan to study gene flow near and through a butterfly hybrid zone. Allele frequencies at four polymorphic enzyme loci, as indicated by allozyme electrophoresis, were similar in all samples. Values for FST were close to zero, indicating that gene flow is high among these populations, even when separated by Lake Michigan. We developed a mitochondrial DNA marker with diagnostic differences between P. canadensis and its parapatric sister species Papilio glaucus, based on PCR-RFLP. P. glaucus haplotypes of this mtDNA marker and P. glaucus alleles of a diagnostic …

Updated Conservation Status Of Protected Minnesota Caddisflies, David C. Houghton, Ralph W. Holzenthal

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Seven of the 13 Minnesota Trichoptera species with official protected status were located in the state during 1997-2001, including four species – Agapetus tomus, Asynarchus rossi, Hydroptila novicola, and Polycentropus milaca – not collected in nearly 40 years. Three species – Chilostigma itascae, Oxyethira ecornuta, and Polycentropus milaca – appear rare in Minnesota, two – Agapetus tomus and Asynarchus rossi – appear rare but locally abundant, and two – Hydroptila novicola and Oxyethira itascae – were found throughout northern Minnesota suggesting that they are more abundant than previously thought. Five listed species were not collected during this study and …

Predation By Achaearanea Tepidariorum (Araneae: Theridiidae) On Anoplophora Glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Wm. Dean Morewood, Kelli Hoover, James C. Sellmer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Anoplophora glabripennis is a large wood-boring cerambycid beetle that has recently invaded North America and Europe from Asia. We discovered the common house spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, in large cages housing A. glabripennis on trees and confirmed the ability of A. tepidariorum to prey upon adult A. glabripennis by placing the two species together within smaller containers where they could be more easily observed. Adult A. glabripennis, up to 600% of the spiders’ body length, exceed the maximum relative size of prey previously reported for A. tepidariorum or for solitary webbuilding spiders in general.

Insect Composition Of The Mosquito Magnet Pro® Mosquito Trap In Northeastern Ohio, T. M. Pucci, J. Lynch, J. B. Keiper

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The trap composition of 6 Mosquito Magnet Pro® mosquito traps from northeastern Ohio is given by insect order, dipteran family, and mosquito species. A total of 395 mosquitoes (Culicidae), 20,984 biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), 196 black flies (Simuliidae), and 318 stable flies (Muscidae: Stomoxys sp.) was captured. Non-biting fly abundance accounts for 49.6% of the total catch. Large variation occurred among dates and traps.

Attack Of Urophora Quadrifasciata (Meig.) (Diiptera: Tephritidae) A Biological Control Agent For Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Maculosa Lamarck) And Diffuse Knapweed (C. Diffusa Lamarck) (Asteraceae) By A Parasitoid, Pteromalus Sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) In Michigan, Ronald F. Lang, Jane Winkler, Richard W. Hansen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Urophora quadrifasciata (Meig.) a seedhead fly released in North America for biological control of Centaurea maculosa and C. diffusa is parasitized by a Pteromalus sp. Parasitism up to 60% of U. quadrifasciata was found in samples of seed heads of C. maculosa and C. diffusa collected from 54 of the 59 counties sampled in Michigan and in one sample of C. maculosa seed heads from Hennepin County, Minnesota. Parasitism of U. quadrifasciata has rarely been reported.

Host Range Extension For Chlorochlamys Chloroleucaria (Geometrinae, Geometridae) To Include Eriogonum Alatum (Polygonaceae), Kathleen H. Keeler, George J. Balogh

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria (Guenée) is a common moth of eastern North America, recorded from Nova Scotia south to Cuba and Mexico and as far west as Manitoba, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Wyoming and central Colorado (Boulder and El Paso counties) (Ferguson 1985).

Sugar Maple Borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Activity Associated With Periods Of Severe Defoliation, Robert A. Wink, Douglas C. Allen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A perusal of previous research on sugar maple borer, Glycobius speciosus, in northern New York State strongly associates severe early and late season defoliation with increased borer damage. This re-examination of earlier work suggests foliage protection may be necessary when forest management objectives are concerned with wood volume and quality.

Voltinism And Laboratory Rearing Of Microvelia Hinei (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae), Steven J. Taylor, J. E. Mcpherson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Voltinism in Microvelia hinei was studied in southern Illinois during 1989 and 1990. This species apparently overwintered as adults, which became active in late April; adults were last collected in late September. First instars were found from mid-May to late June, second instars from early-May to late October, third instars from mid-May to mid-July, fourth instars from mid-May to mid-August, and fifth instars from mid-May to mid-August. The sequences of peaks of nymphal instars and adults indicate that this species is at least bivoltine in southern Illinois. This species was reared from egg to adult at 26.7 ± 0.6°C and …

Food Plant And Distribution Of Meligethes Saevus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Andrew H. Williams

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Meligethes saevus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) is here reported to be a spe- cialist on its food plant Onosmodium molle (Boraginaceae). The geographic distributions of these taxa are discussed. This is the first report of M. saevus from Wisconsin.

Development And Sex Ratio Of Melittobia Australica And M. Digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) On Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) And Trypoxylon Politum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Jorge M. Gonzalez, Robert W. Matthews

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Life history, development time, and sex ratio of Melittobia australica Girault and M. digitata Dahms on Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) and Trypoxylon politum Say are presented and compared with previous reports. Total development time and sex ratio differs slightly among the different hosts but falls within the expected range reported for different hosts and Melittobia species. The slightly longer development times and higher proportion of males recorded for both species on M. rotundata hosts probably reflects poorer host nutritional quality, relative to T. politum. We confirm that the one unusually extended development time reported by Schmieder for Melittobia chalybii Ashmead …

Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Inhabiting Stands Of Reed Canary Grass Phalaris Arundinacea On Islands In The Lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin, Paula K. Kleintjes, Anita M. Christensen, William J. Barnes, Lori A. Lyons

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We used pitfall traps to assess ground beetle diversity (Coleoptera:Carabidae) on two islands in the lower Chippewa River, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, with rapidly expanding populations of reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinaceae. We collected 233 individuals belonging to 17 species over four, 3-9 day sampling periods, May-August 1994. All species have been documented in Wisconsin and most are considered habitat generalists. Agonum fidele, A. extensicolle, Anisodactylus harrisii and Bembidion quadrimaculatum oppositum comprised 70% of all species collected. Seven species were common to both islands, with 13 species collected on Canarygrass Island and 11 species on Ski Jump Island. Carabid …

Trap Response Of Michigan Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) To The Feeding Attractants Acetic Acid, Isobutanol, And Heptyl Butyrate., H. C. Reed, P. J. Landolt

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Nine species of social wasps were captured in traps baited with acetic acid, isobutanol, heptyl butyrate and combinations of acetic acid and either isobutanol or heptyl butyrate. Three yellowjacket species in the Vespula rufa species group were captured in traps (Vespula acadica (Sladen), Vespula consobrina (Saussure), Vespula vidua (Saussure)). They responded similarly, with attraction only to heptyl butyrate. Three yellowjacket species in the Vespula vulgaris species group were also captured in traps (Vespula vulgaris (L.), Vespula flavorpilosa Jacobson, Vespula maculifrons (Buyyson)). They responded similarly, with attraction primarily to the combination of acetic acid and isobutanol. The bald-faced hornet, …

Occurrence Of Two Species Of Old World Bees, Anthidium Manicatum And A. Oblongatum (Apoidea: Megachilidae), In Northern Ohio And Southern Michigan, Shane R. Miller, Robert Gaebel, Randall J. Mitchell, Mike Arduser

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Anthidium manicatum and A. oblongatum are two European bees species that have recently established themselves in North America. Anthidium manicatum has previously been documented in New York and Ontario, Canada, and A. oblongatum has been documented in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and eastern Pennsylvania. We surveyed a number of sites in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana for these species in 2000 and 2001, and found both bee species to have extended their ranges into northern Ohio, and A. manicatum to have moved into southern Michigan. We present a key identifying the four Anthidium species now known from northeastern North America.

Tarsal Anomaly Found In An Adult Agabus Seriatus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), J. L. Snitgen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

An adult specimen of Agabus seriatus, possessing two complete sets of tarsal claws on the left mesotarsus, was collected from a small stream in northeastern Wisconsin.

Moths Of The Douglas Lake Region (Emmet And Cheboygan Counties), Michigan: Vi. Miscellaneous Small Families (Lepidoptera), Edward G. Voss

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Forty-seven species in nine families of Lepidoptera (Hepialidae, Psychidae, Alucitidae, Sesiidae, Cossidae, Limacodidae, Thyrididae, Pterophoridae, Epiplemi- dae) are listed with earliest and latest recorded flight dates in Emmet and Cheboygan counties, which share the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The records are from the principal institutional and private collections of Michigan moths and continue the documented listing of Lepidoptera in the region.

A Preservative-Free Emergent Trap For The Isotopic And Elemental Analysis Of Emergent Insects From A Wetland System, Richard A. Mackenzie, Jerry L. Kaster

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This study reports a cost-effective, live emergent trap designed for the preservative-free use in both biogeochemical and ecological analyses of emerging insects. The trap proved to be advantageous in several ways. First, the simple design made the trap time-efficient since it was easy to set-up, change, and maintain. Second, live sampling not only provided uncontaminated organisms for elemental and stable isotopic analyses, it minimized disfigurement. This resulted in rapid and easy handling, as well as identification, of adult insects. Finally, trap avoidance by ephemeropterans and odonates, a common problem encountered in the literature, was minimal and organisms from both insect …

Attraction Of Apple Maggot Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) To Synthetic Fruit Volatile Compounds And Food Attractants In Michigan Apple Orchards, Lukasz L. Stenliski, Ocar E. Liburd

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), is a serious pest of apples in the United States, requiring reliable monitoring and control programs. Various synthetic apple volatile lures with and without protein hydrolysate, ammonium acetate, or ammonium carbonate were evaluated from 1998-2000 for their attractiveness to R. pomonella adults with red sticky-sphere (9 cm diam.) monitoring traps. A blend consisting of butyl butanoate (10%), propyl hexano- ate (4%), butyl hexanoate (37%), hexyl butanoate (44%), and pentyl hexanoate (5%) was the most effective lure tested for attracting both sexes of R. pomonella adults during all three field seasons. The addition of protein …

Longitarsus Melanurus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Reproduces On Onosmodium Molle (Boraginaceae), Andrew H. Williams

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

Longitarsus melanurus (Melsheimer) was first associated with Onosmodium Michx. by Popenoe (1877) in Kansas where the sole species is O. molle Michx. (Great Plains Flora Assn. 1986). Recent field observations over several years showed that adults of L. melanurus feed on leaves of O. molle in Wisconsin, where these beetles were collected at 43 of the 59 sites where O. molle was found growing naturally (Williams 1996).

First Record Of Rhipiceridae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Dascilloidea) From Wisconsin, Daniel K. Young, Kerry Katovich

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Cedar beetle family, Rhipiceridae, is recorded from Wisconsin for the first time. A single adult female of Sandalus niger was collected on a walkway along a forested path in south-central Wisconsin on 7 October 2000. This discovery represents not only the first record of Rhipiceridae from Wisconsin, but also the first record of the entire superfamily Dascilloidea, a relatively basal lineage of Elateriformia.

Ant-Plant Relationships In A Re-Created Tallgrass Prairie, Chris E. Petersen, Dhvani G. Dave, Charise L. Parker, Renee E. Petersen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Relationships between the distributions of nesting ants and flora were investigated in a re-created tallgrass prairie located in northeastern Illinois. One-third of 167 randomly selected 1m2 quadrats in the prairie contained ant nests. Basal coverage of ground by tall grass shoots was greater in quadrats having ant nests than in those lacking ant nests. In addition, clumps of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) that were inhabited by the ant, Acanthomyops clavigera, had higher median rank densities than adjacent clumps lacking nests. The clumps also showed a negative correlation between big bluestem shoots/ cm2 and area occupied by the clump at …

Size Estimate Of A Local Population Of Brychius Hungerfordi (Coleoptera: Haliplidae), Michael Grant, Brian Scholtens, Robert Vande Kopple, Bert Ebbers

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Much of the natural history of the endangered crawling water beetle, Brychius hungerfordi, is unknown. Population estimates have only been surmised. We have measured, using a mark and recapture technique, a localize population of the beetle in a pool on the East Branch of the Maple River, Emmet County, Michigan. The average population during July 2001 was found to be 1052 individuals with a range of 43 (highest estimate – lowest estimate). A three-year study of the relative abundance of the beetle in the same pool suggests that the population has remained relatively constant.

Ecological Notes On Species Of Cleridae (Insecta: Coleoptera) Associated With The Prairie Flora Of Central North America, Jonathan R. Mawdsley

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The association of eighteen species of Cleridae (Coleoptera) with tallgrass and shortgrass prairie ecosystems in central North America is reported for the first time. New flower visitation, habitat association, distribution, and/or rearing records are reported for Enoclerus analis (LeConte), E. coccineus coccineus (Schenkling), E. cordifer (LeConte), E. rosmarus (Say), E. zonatus (Klug), Placopterus thoracicus pallipes (Wolcott), Trichodes bibalteatus LeConte, T. bicinctus Green, T. nutalli (Kirby), Phyllobaenus dubius (Wolcott), P. knausii (Wickham), P. pubescens (LeConte), P. subfasciatus (LeConte), Isohydnocera albocincta (Horn), I. brunnea (Horn), I. curtipennis (Newman), I. tricondylae (LeConte) and Wolcottia pedalis (LeConte). Diagnostic characters are presented to separate adults …

Eosentomon Heatherproctorae N. Sp. (Protura: Eosentomidae) From Ontario, Ernest C. Bernard, Michal Guzowski

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A new species of eosentomid proturan, Eosentomon heatherproctorae, is described from Ontario. This new species is a member of the transitorium species-group. It differs from related North American species of this group in the following combination of characters: labral setae absent, foretarsal sensilla d and t3 long and stout, no anterior setae on the sternite of the eighth abdominal segment, and six setae on the sternites of the ninth and tenth abdominal segments.

Mating Success Of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Females In Southern Wisconsin, Ksenia Tcheslavskaia, Carlyle C. Brewster, Alexei A. Sharov

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Mating success of laboratory-reared gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) females exposed for 24 hr on tree boles and its relationship to male moth counts in pheromone-baited traps was studied in southern Wisconsin. The relationship between mating probability of gypsy moth females and male moth counts in traps corresponded to an exponential model that can be used for predicting mating probabilities in sparse isolated populations. Relative attractiveness of females compared with traps was 0.23, which is similar to earlier estimated relative attractiveness of females in Virginia. The mortality of females from predation, however, was found to be significantly lower in Wisconsin …

Creb-Binding Protein Plays Key Roles In Juvenile Hormone Action In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Jingjing Xu, Amit Roy, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Juvenile hormones (JH) and ecdysteroids regulate many biological and metabolic processes. CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a transcriptional co-regulator with histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Therefore, CBP is involved in activation of many transcription factors that regulate expression of genes associated with postembryonic development in insects. However, the function of CBP in JH action in insects is not well understood. Hence, we studied the role of CBP in JH action in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum and the Tribolium cell line. CBP knockdown caused a decrease in JH induction of genes, Kr-h1, 4EBP and G13402 in T. castaneum larvae, adults and …

The Invasive Med/Q Bemisia Tabaci Genome: A Tale Of Gene Loss And Gene Gain, Wen Xie, Xin Yang, Chunhai Chen, Zezhong Yang, Litao Guo, Dan Wang, Jinqun Huang, Hailin Zhang, Yanan Wen, Jinyang Zhao, Qingjun Wu, Shaoli Wang, Brad S. Coates, Xuguo Zhou, Youjun Zhang

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MED/Q and MEAM1/B, are two economically important invasive species that cause considerable damages to agriculture crops through direct feeding and indirect vectoring of plant pathogens. Recently, a draft genome of B. tabaci MED/Q has been assembled. In this study, we focus on the genomic comparison between MED/Q and MEAM1/B, with a special interest in MED/Q’s genomic signatures that may contribute to the highly invasive nature of this emerging insect pest.

Results: The genomes of both species share similarity in syntenic blocks, but have significant divergence in the gene coding sequence. Expansion of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases …

Discriminations Of Color And Pattern On Artificial Flowers By Male And Female Bumble Bees, Bombus Impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Dana Church, Catherine Plowright, Diana Loyer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

This study examined the performance of male bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) in color and pattern discriminations and compared it to that of female bees. Bees were trained to forage from rewarding (S+) and unrewarding (S-) artificial flowers which differed in color (blue vs yellow) or pattern (e.g., concen­tric vs radial). Learning of the discrimination by the bees was then assessed by examining choice proportions of different flower types while none of the flowers offered reward. Color discriminations were made with 98% accuracy by the males, and the choice proportion was no different for females. Pattern discriminations were very poor or …