Entomology Commons^™

January Collecting In Central Michigan, Ronald S. Wilkinson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: To the uninitiated reader, searching for adult insects in mid-winter might seem a fruitless task at best. Yet as the List of Michigan Insects and Related Arthropods takes shape, L'off-season" collecting records are urgently needed by the compilers. Many species of insects thrive when we might wish to stay indoors; the Collembola are good examples, as are the species of Chionea (Diptera: Tipulidae), a genus of wingless crane-flies. We should like to know much more about the distribution of many hardy winter insects, and only increased collecting will enable this.

Notes On The Ecology Of Xyloryctes Jamaicensis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) In Southern Ontario, Karl Stephan

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: The comprehensive survey of literature on the biology of the Scarabaeidae by Ritcher (1958) indicates that the ecology of many large groups is known from a study of very few species. Such is the case with the rhinoceros beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae. From 1960 to 1965 I had many opportunities to observe the rhinoceros beetle Xyloryctes jamaicensis (Drury) in a woodlot near Wheatley, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie. My notes, although fragmentary, suggest areas of further research.

Arthur J. Yates (1882-1961) And His Collection Of Lepidoptera, Roland L. Fischer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The fine collection of Michigan Lepidoptera assembled by the late Arthur J. Yates has recently been donated by his wife, Mrs. Ethel K. Yates, to the Entomology Museum of Michigan State University.

New Records Of Acrolophidae (Lepidoptera) From Kentucky, Julian P. Donahue

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: A recent collection of Kentucky moths submitted for identification contained 28 specimens of Acrolophs, or burrowing webworms. Rudolph A. Scheibner collected the moths in 1966 in Lexington, Fayette Co., and Paintsville, Johnson Co., Kentucky. The specimens are deposited in the insect collections of the University of Kentucky and Michigan State University. The five females in the series, all from Lexington (three collected on 19 June and two collected on 5 July), were not identified. The 23 males, identified according to Hasbrouck (1964), represent four species. Only one of them, A. popeanellus, has previously been recorded from Kentucky.

Aniulus Paludicolens, N. Sp. (Julida: Paraiulidae), A Bog-Dwelling Milliped, Neil B. Causey

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Almost without exception, millipeds require a continuously moist substratum, yet they do not tolerate flooding. Other ecological factors that limit their distribution are subtle and difficult to recognize. Aniulus paludicolens, n. sp., is unique in that all collections are from Sphagnum bogs in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. It is best known from Byron Bog, in southern Ontario. This bog has the following vegetation zones: a, a central bog based on a mat of Sphagnum moss and covered almost entirely by leatherleaf; b, a low wooded region, damp or flooded, with hardwood trees and shrubs at its outer limits …

A New Family Of Cavernicolous Millipedes With The Description Of A New Genus And Species From Idaho (Diplopoda: Chordeumida: Chordeumidea), John S. Buckett, Michael R. Gardner

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Chordeumidea is accumulating species names faster than any other group of North American Diplopoda. About one-half its species, 47, have been described since 1950. This recent growth has occurred because the small size, localized populations, and, frequently, cave habitus of these millipeds have obstructed thorough collection in the past. These factors have only recently been overcome by comprehensive collecting. As a result of this rapidgrowth and the many artificial groupings which result from it, much organization of the higher classification remains to be done. Hoffman (1961) emphasizes that co- operation between workers, more thorough descriptions, more accurate illustrations, and …

A Melanic Pieris Rapae From Michigan (Lepidoptera: Pierdae), Julian P. Donahue, M. C. Nielsen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Arthur J. Yates collection of Michigan Lepidoptera, recently donated to Michigan State University (see Fischer, 1967), contained a striking melanic male cabbage butterfly [Pieris rapae (Linnaeus)] (Figs. 1, 2) now incorporated into the MSU series. Yates collected the specimen on 29 May 1934 in Roseville, Macomb County, near the western shore of Lake St. Clair in southeastern Michigan. An examination of the androconia and genitalia, using the characters described by Chang (1963), assured proper identification of the specimen. Although we have found no record of a similar rapae taken in North America, there are some named European forms of …

Botanical Latin: History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology And Vocabulary. William T. Stearn. London And Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson And Sons, Ltd., 1966. Xiv, 566pp.($14.75), R S. Wilkinson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: As W. T. Stearn reminds us in the preface to this attractive and welcome work, "the realm of literature which a knowledge of botanical Latin opens to botanists is a strange barbarous place for classicists; invited into it as an interpreter, a good classical scholar may well feel like Alice meeting Humpty Dumpty through the looking-glass." The same perplexity is experienced by the entomologist; those of us educated in the Latin of Cicero and Pliny are ill equipped to name new species or even to translate Latin descriptions, as biological Latin developed long ago into a stylized form not …

Insect Behaviour. Symposium No. 3 Of The Royal Entomological Society Of London. Ed. P. T. Haskell. London: The Royal Entomological Society, 1966. Viii, 113 Pp. $6.35. .., Anthony Eve

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: The science of zoology is expanding at such a rate that it is difficult for even the relatively narrow specialist to keep up with the ever- increasing literature on his subject, and almost impossible to assimilate recent findings in the entire field of zoological research. The international congresses of zoology and entomology have helped, considerably by facilitating personal contact between workers of different nationalities. On a more modest scale, the symposia of the Royal Entomological Society of London have provided a useful means of bringing together entomologists in an atmosphere conducive to the free exchange of ideas and information.

Laminating Lepidoptera For Educational Use, Darryl Quidort

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: A convenient method of teaching farmers, 4-H members and students to recognize various species of Lepidoptera is now being used in Michigan with wide success. In the process, insect wings are mounted on cardboard and sealed between layers of clear plastic. The resulting "laminations" have several advantages over pin-mounted Lepidoptera, and are admirably suited for any use that requires constant handling. The finished mounts are impervious to museum pests, are dust-proof, may be cleaned with ease, and are easily stored in a loose-leaf binder. The plastic is flexible, thus danger of damage from bending is slight.

The Behavior Of Atlanticus Testaceus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) On The E.S. George Reserve, Michigan, S. K. Gangwere

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Several reports deal in part with the systematics, distribution, or habits of one or another of the shield-backed katydids of the orthopteran genus Atlanticus. Included are Blatchley (1920), Cantrall (1943), Caudell (1907), Davis (1893), Hebard (1934), McNeill (1891), Rehn and Hebard (1916), and Scudder (1894). One species of the genus, A. testaceus (Scudder), is found commonly throughout Michigan and has interesting habits. As the species' feeding behavior was poorly understood, the author undertook an investigation dealing with that subject. The results are in press. During the course of that study much information was obtained on certain non-feeding aspects of the …

A New Species Of Thraulodes From New Mexico (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae), Richard W. Koss

The Great Lakes Entomologist

While working on the Ephemeroptera collection in the Entomology Museum at Michigan State University, the author came upon a single specimen of Thraulodes which appeared to be a new species. Although it is only in fair condition (the preserving fluid having dissipated under field conditions), the colors are well preserved and very distinctive. The specimen was sent to Dr. Jay R. Traver, University of Massachusetts, who confirmed suspicions that the specimen was new. I have been informed by Dr. Traver that she and Dr. George F. Edmunds Jr. are presently engaged in a revisionary study of the genus for North …

Another Record Of Williamsonia Fletcheri In Michigan (Odonata: Corduliidae), David F. Foley

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: Williamsonia fletcheri Williamson was first taken in the United States in the upper peninsula of Michigan near Manistique, Schoolcraft County (Gloyd, 1932). On June 4, 1966, I collected two males of this rare species at Island Lake, a small lake heavily overgrown with jack pine and poplar in southeastern Grand Traverse County. The specimens were identified by Mrs. Leonora Gloyd of the University of Michigan. This is the first report of this species from the lower peninsula of Michigan, and the second for the United States.

Some Notes On Heteropteran Trichobothria, Carl W. Schaefer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: There has been much recent interest in the comparative morphology of the Heteroptera. This work has emphasized the land bugs, or Geocorisae, and has been concerned with working out the relationships and taxonomic placement of the higher categories (categories above the genus), and with the phylogenetic lines and sequences of these higher categories. The geocorisine groups with which I have been most concerned are in the closely related superfamilies Lygaeoidea, Pyrrho- coroidea, and Coreoidea (see Schaefer, 1964, for a discussion of the relationships among these groups). Another superfamily, the Pentatomoidea, is less closely related. All four of these superfamilies …

A Review Of The North American Species Of The Genus Otites Latreille, With Descriptions Of Two New Species (Diptera: Otitidae), George C. Steyskal

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: In 1961 (Steyskal, 1961), I placed the genus Otites in a key to the North American genera of Otitidae and indicated the synonymy of the genus Ortalimyia. Bibliography and synonymy of the hitherto known species of our area will be found in the Catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico (Stone et al., 1965). The only previously published key to our species was by Hendel (1911, as Ortalis), wherein were included Cevoxys latiusculus (Loew) and the four species now known as Otites bimaculahs (Hendel), 0. evythvocephala (Hendel), 0. pyvvhocephala (Loew), and O. stigma (Hendel). The present treat- …

The Genus Phragmatobia In North America, With The Description Of A New Species (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Julian P. Donahue, John H. Newman

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Excerpt: This paper, based on the examination of 1,879 specimens, serves to resolve the taxonomic problems involving the three North American species of Phragmatobia. The genus Phragmatobia, the ruby tiger moths, has had a checkered history since it was described by Stephens in 1829 (type, by monotypy, Noctua j'uliginosa Linnaeus, 1758). Although many species have been described in or transferred to this genus, in both the Old and New Worlds, most of them have been removed to other genera. By 1902 Dyar recognized only two North American species, a status since then unchanged (McDunnough, 1938; Forbes, 1960). Despite the recent …

A Window Of Opportunity: Subdominant Predators Can Use Suboptimal Prey, Kelly A. Jackson, Joshua S. Mccord, Jennifer A. White

Entomology Faculty Publications

Introduced species have been linked to declines of native species through mechanisms including intraguild predation and exploitative competition. However, coexistence among species may be promoted by niche partitioning if native species can use resources that the invasive species cannot. Previous research has shown that some strains of the aphid Aphis craccivora are toxic to a competitively dominant invasive lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. Our objective was to investigate whether these aphids might be an exploitable resource for other, subdominant, lady beetle species. We compared larval development rate, survival, and adult weight of five lady beetle species in no-choice experiments with …

The Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Of Tennessee: Distribution Of Species, Seasonal Adult Activity, And New State Records, William E. Klingeman, Nadeer N. Youssef, Jason B. Oliver, Joshua P. Basham

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Efforts to document species of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) occurring in Tennessee have not been updated since 1973. To address this knowledge gap, institutional, research, and private collections in Tennessee were reviewed to provide faunal distribution assessments and seasonal activity data for the cerambycid beetle species active in Tennessee. Examinations of 9,918 specimens and records yielded a list of 230 cerambycid beetle species within 5 subfamilies. Twenty-seven species are reported as new state records from Tennessee. Adult seasonal activity data that were recorded on specimen labels are presented. Where available, notes on collection method, adult resources, and larval host plants …

Descriptions, Notes And Reassignments In Neoibidionini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) With A New Genus, Three New Species And Keys To Species Of Brechmoidion Martins, 1969, Compsibidion Thomson, 1864 And Rhysium Pascoe, 1866, Antonio Santos-Silva, Maria Helena M. Galileo, James E. Wappes

Insecta Mundi

Chiquitano gen. nov. Chiquitano volcanesensis sp. nov., Compsibidion achiraensis sp. nov. and Compsibidion amboroensis sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Neoibidionini) are described from Bolivia. Notes on Rhysium Pascoe, 1866 and Rhysium bimaculatum Pascoe, 1866 are provided, and Brechmoidion separatum Martins and Galileo, 2007 is transferred to Rhysium. Keys to species of Compsibidion Thomson, 1864, Brechmoidion Martins, 1969 and Rhysium Pascoe, 1866 are also provided.

Swainsonine Biosynthesis Genes In Diverse Symbiotic And Pathogenic Fungi, Daniel Cook, Bruno G. G. Donzelli, Rebecca Creamer, Deana L. Baucom, Dale R. Gardner, Juan Pan, Neil Moore, Stuart B. Krasnoff, Jerzy W. Jaromczyk, Christopher L. Schardl

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Swainsonine—a cytotoxic fungal alkaloid and a potential cancer therapy drug—is produced by the insect pathogen and plant symbiont Metarhizium robertsii, the clover pathogen Slafractonia leguminicola, locoweed symbionts belonging to Alternaria sect. Undifilum, and a recently discovered morning glory symbiont belonging to order Chaetothyriales. Genome sequence analyses revealed that these fungi share orthologous gene clusters, designated “SWN,” which included a multifunctional swnKgene comprising predicted adenylylation and acyltransferase domains with their associated thiolation domains, a β-ketoacyl synthase domain, and two reductase domains. The role of swnK was demonstrated by inactivating it in M. robertsii through homologous …

Variation In Dna Methylation Is Not Consistently Reflected By Sociality In Hymenoptera, Karl M. Glastad, Samuel V. Arsenault, Kim L. Vertacnik, Scott M. Geib, Sasha Kay, Bryan N. Danforth, Sandra M. Rehan, Catherine R. Linnen, Sarah D. Kocher, Brendan G. Hunt

Biology Faculty Publications

Changes in gene regulation that underlie phenotypic evolution can be encoded directly in the DNA sequence or mediated by chromatin modifications such as DNA methylation. It has been hypothesized that the evolution of eusocial division of labor is associated with enhanced gene regulatory potential, which may include expansions in DNA methylation in the genomes of Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps, and sawflies). Recently, this hypothesis garnered support from analyses of a commonly used metric to estimate DNA methylation in silico, CpG content. Here, we test this hypothesis using direct, nucleotide-level measures of DNA methylation across nine species of Hymenoptera. In doing …

Nebline, June 2017

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: What's Biting You?

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Exposing Problems Teaching Students Morphological Species Identification, Trevor Stamper, Lauren Weidner, Gregory Nigoghosian, Ludmila D. Nunes

IMPACT Presentations

When dealing with physical remains, morphological assessment for species is a traditional approach to entomological specimen identification. A dichotomous key guides the user through taxa determination for a specimen by providing a series of dual-choice nodes that center around morphological differences. Each nodal choice leads to either a new set of dichotomous choices or a taxa decision. We evaluated student’s ability to utilize a dichotomous key down to species for a limited set of taxa, by reviewing their nodal decisions along with their confidence level using a Likert scale (1-5).

Along with individual decision recording, students conducted a post-decision group …

Intraguild Interactions And Behavior Of Spodoptera Frugiperda And Helicoverpa, José P. F. Bentivenha, Débora Goulart Montezano, Thomas E. Hunt, Edson L. L. Baldin, Julie A. Peterson, Vinicius S. Victor, Luiz E. R. Pannuti, Ana María Vélez, Silvana L. Vieira De Paula Moraes

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the major pests of maize, and is in the same feeding guild of the noctuid pests, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and H. armigera (Hübner), recently reported in South and North America. The intraguild interactions of these species were assessed in laboratory and field conditions by determining the survival of larvae in interactions scenarios with non-Bt maize silks and ears. Moreover, a video-tracking system was utilized to evaluate behavioral parameters during larval interactions in scenarios with or without food.

Results: In intraguild interactions, S. frugiperda had greater survival (55 …

Genetic Structure And Diversity Of Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella Occidentalis In A French Bean Agroecosystem Of Kenya, P. Hondelmann, J. O. Nyasani, S. Subramanian, R. Meyhöfer

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Western flower thrips (WFT) (Frankliniella occidentalis) is an introduced pest that harms French bean production in Kenya and other countries. Since new WFT management approaches are being developed, a closer look at the genetic makeup of WFT populations can give new insights into source habitats, crop colonization patterns or host plant preferences, which are prerequisites for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. For this purpose, we used six microsatellite loci to analyse the genetic structure, diversity and gene flow of WFT sampled on French beans, intercrops and weeds in Kenyan French bean production areas. The results of this preliminary study indicate …

Returns To Research And Outreach For Integrated Pest Management Of Western Flower Thrips Infesting French Bean And Tomato In Kenya, E. A. Mujuka, H. Affognon, B. W. Muriithi, S. Subramanian, P. Irungu, J. Mburu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is a major invasive pest that causes extensive yield losses in French bean and tomato in Kenya. Thrips management is based on the application of pesticides. In addition to increased environmental risks associated with pesticides, frequent use of these chemicals increases production costs and pesticide resistance. Furthermore, exports are restricted due to non-compliance to maximum residue levels in important consumer export markets, especially the European Union (EU). This study was conducted to estimate the potential benefits of the effectiveness of the icipe-developed strategy for control of western flower thrips before dissemination of the technology in Kenya, …

Resolving The Taxonomic Status Of Frankliniella Schultzei (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Colour Forms In Kenya - A Morphological-, Biological-, Molecular- And Ecological-Based Approach, M. W. Gikonyo, S. Niassy, G. B. Moritz, F. M. Khamis, E. Magiri, S. Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Frankliniella schultzei Trybom is a polyphagous pest and vector of tospoviruses worldwide. It occurs in dark and pale colour forms that are morphologically similar but differ in vector competency and geographic spread. In Kenya and other tropical regions, mixed populations of both colour forms are observed in similar habitats, so are considered as one species. To ascertain the taxonomic status of the two colour forms, they were characterized using morphological, molecular, biological and ecological approaches. Morphological characterization revealed differences between the colour forms on eight features and they separated into distinct clusters through principal component analysis. Restriction fragment length polymorphism …

Evaluation Of Onion (Allium Cepa) Germplasm Entries For Resistance To Onion Thrips, Thrips Tabaci (Lindeman) In Tanzania, Gabriel Michael Njau, Agnes M.S. Nyomora, Fekadu Fufa Dinssa, Jian Cheng Chang, P. Malini, S. Subramanian, R. Srinivasan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Lindeman), is a prominent species infesting onion and tomato in the northern highlands of Tanzania. It causes considerable leaf damage by direct feeding and also transmits the Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV). Hence, one of the objectives of this study was to identify the most resistant onion entries against T. tabaci. One highly resistant (VI038552) and two resistant onion entries (VI038512 and AVON 1067) were identified against T. tabaci. Besides thrips resistance, the bulb size of VI038512 was also equivalent to one of the commercial varieties, Texas. The highly resistant VI038552 recorded the highest yield, followed …

Evaluation Of Coloured Traps With Kairomone Attractant For Monitoring Thrips Population Dynamics On Tomato Crop In East Africa, Alexander Mutua Muvea, Helen Lydia Kutima, Zipporah Osiemo Lagat, Monicah Waiganjo, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tomato is an important vegetable crop that is cultivated for the domestic market in Kenya and other East African countries. Thrips are one of the key pests hampering the production of tomato, both by direct damage to the crop and as vectors of tospoviruses. Field experiments were carried out over two planting times to evaluate the use of sticky traps for monitoring thrips infesting tomato in East Africa. Blue, yellow, and clear sticky traps with and without a thrips lure (Lurem-TR) were tested. Field observations for thrips catches on the sticky traps were made weekly until crop senescence. Sticky traps …

Do The Mechanisms Modulating Host Preference In Holometabolous Phytophagous Insects Depend On Their Host Plant Specialization? A Quantitative Literature Analysis, Christophe Petit, Stéphane Dupas, Denis Thiéry, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Bruno Le Ru, Myriam Harry, Paul André Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In holometabolous phytophagous insects, adult females and larvae determine host plant selection through oviposition and feeding preferences. Pre-imaginal and/or imaginal experiences with plant chemical cues can modulate these preferences. Various studies found evidence, or not, of host preference modulation through previous experience but they appear to contradict each other. Most probably, modulation of host preference depends on the degree of specialization of the insects. Our literature analysis revealed that the positive influence of experience in the modulation of host plant preference occurred equally in polyphagous, oligophagous and monophagous species, but was significantly more influenced by the phylogeny of the insect …