Two Species Of Cecidomyiidae Predacious On Citrus Rust Mite, Phyllocoptruta Oleivora, On Florida Citrus, Raul T. Villanueva, Raymond Gagne, Carl Childers

USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Larvae of two undescribed species of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) were found preying upon Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Florida citrus. Identifications to genus were made from adults reared in the laboratory. The two species had distinctive larval coloration. One larval type was completely yellow and was identified as Feltiella n. sp., while the second larval type had an orange color with a transverse white band close to the mouthparts. The latter cecidomyiid was identified as belonging to a genus near Lestodiplosis in the broad sense. Feltiella n. sp. (n = 17) and the species near the genus Lestodiplosis ( …

Nebline, June 2006

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Bio-Fuels Can Help Bridge Energy Gap: Nebraska in Ideal Position to be Supplier of Biofuels
When to Harvest Bromegrass Hay
Sample Your Hay to Get Accurate Nutrient Analyses
Moving Round Hay Bales Can be Dangerous
Pumping Water for Ponds
Controlling Pests with Home Remedies
What Does Work: Boric Acid and Borates
More Home Remedies Debunked
Protect Stored Winter Clothing from Insect Damage
Getting Past the Nutrition Headlines
Bone Appetit Banana Smoothie Recipe
Walk Nebraska!
President’s Notes — Alice’s Analysis
Household Hints: Storing Summer Swimsuits
FCE News & Events
Summer Energy Saving Tips
Are You Ready for Sun’s Rays?
How White …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 18, No. 3, June 2006

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents:
Congratulations
Welcome
Farewell
Faculty News
Student News
From the Office
Grants
Publications
Travel
Meet a Distance Student
Fond Farewell
This & That
Hexapod Herald Archives

Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry3bb1 Protein On The Feeding Behavior And Longevity Of Adult Western Corn Rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Timothy M. Nowatski, Xugou Zhou, Lance J. Meinke, Ty Vaughn, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The first transgenic corn hybrids expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry3Bb1 protein to control corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) larvae were registered for commercial use in 2003. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Cry3Bb1 protein in combination with a cucurbitacin bait on adult feeding and longevity of both organophosphate-resistant and -susceptible western corn rootworms, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In choice and no-choice tests, possible repellency to the Bt protein was quantified by comparing beetle consumption of cellulose disks treated with three concentrations of Bt in combination with a feeding stimulant (Invite EC) to disks treated …

Effect Of Jatropha Gossypiifolia Leaf Extracts On Three Lepidoptera Species, J. Arnubio Valencia, Brigitte Frérot, Herve Guénego, Diego F. Múnera, Maria Fátima De Sá Grossi, Paul André Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Leaf extracts of Jatropha gossypiifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae) contain compounds that are toxic to insects. In this study, these extracts were tested against larvae of three lepidopteran species, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Sesamia nonagrioides Lef. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which are important pests of maize in Africa, Europe and Mediterranean countries, respectively. Leaf extracts were shown to be highly toxic to neonate larvae of B. fusca and O. nubilalis quickly after they were ingested. In contrast, no effect was found on fourth instar O. nubilalis and a low level of toxicity was observed on neonates of …

Contribution Of Natural Food Sources To Reproductive Behaviour, Fecundity And Longevity Of Ceratitis Cosyra, C. Fasciventris And C. Capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), A. Manrakhan, S. A. Lux

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The influence of food sources comprising the natural diet on the reproductive behaviour, fecundity and longevity of three African fruit flies Ceratitis cosyra (Walker), C. fasciventris (Bezzi) and C. capitata (Wiedemann) was investigated. Three natural food sources, varying in protein and sugar content, were evaluated. These included bird droppings (farm chicken), aphid honeydew and guava (Psidium guajava L.) juice. For C. fasciventris and C. capitata, flies fed on a protein-rich diet displayed higher frequency of calling, mating and oviposition than flies fed on a protein-poor diet, whilst for C. cosyra, quality of diet significantly influenced the mating behaviour of the …

The Effect Of Temperature And Humidity On The Bionomics Of Six African Egg Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), A. Kalyebi, W. A. Overholt, F. Schulthess, J. M. Mueke, S. Sithanantham

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The life table statistics of six native Kenyan species/strains of Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea were established using a factitious host Corcyra cephalonica, Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), at eight different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 28, 30, 32 and 35°C) and two humidity levels (40-50 and 70-80%). The objective was to select insects with superior attributes for augmentative release against lepidopteran pests in horticultural crops. Both temperature and humidity affected developmental time and life table parameters of the parasitoids but temperature played a more critical role. Developmental time was inversely related to temperature. The intrinsic and finite rates of increase increased with temperature …

Odonates At The Clark County Wetlands Nature Preserve: A Look At Habitat And Relative Abundance, Erin Jolley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify the various species, relative abundance and habitat of dragonfly and damselfly larvae at the Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Preserve (WPNP). An accurate assessment of these insects can be useful in interpreting potential indications of environmental problems at the Wetlands. From this data, necessary improvements can be made to the dragonfly habitat as well as the habitat of other surrounding organisms. Habitat identification is considered especially important because it is "structured by instream and surrounding topographical features, and is a major determinant of aquatic community potential" (Southwood, 1977). For purposes of this …

Spatially Targeting Culex Quinquefasciatus Aquatic Habitats On Modified Land Cover For Implementing An Integrated Vector Management (Ivm) Program In Three Villages Within The Mwea Rice Scheme, Kenya, Benjamin G. Jacob, Josephat Shililu, Ephantus J. Muturi, Joseph M. Mwangangi, Simon M. Muriu, Jose Funes, John Githure, James L. Regens, Robert J. Novak

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Continuous land cover modification is an important part of spatial epidemiology because it can help identify environmental factors and Culex mosquitoes associated with arbovirus transmission and thus guide control intervention. The aim of this study was to determine whether remotely sensed data could be used to identify rice-related Culex quinquefasciatus breeding habitats in three rice-villages within the Mwea Rice Scheme, Kenya. We examined whether a land use land cover (LULC) classification based on two scenes, IKONOS at 4 m and Landsat Thematic Mapper at 30 m could be used to map different land uses and rice planted at different …

Nebline, May 2006

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Bed Bug CSI: Investigating Bed Bug Infestations in Lincoln
2006 Perennial Plant of the Year
Cannas in the Garden
Ornamental Grasses for the Landscape
Can People Treat for Bed Bugs Themselves?
Everything Homeowners Need to Know About Termite Control Workshop, May 18
Controlling Ticks
Spring Cleaning? Take Advantage of Household Hazardous Waste Collections
Building a Bat House
Fertilizing Grass Pastures and Hay Lands
What is an Acre?
Butterfly Gardens
Family Skills and Desires
Control of Perennial Weedy Grasses
Maintaining Your Birch Tree
$tretch Your Food Dollar by $pending $mart
Saucy Pasta & Veggie Frittata Recipe
Calories Expended in Common Physical …

Phylogenetic Study Of Diadegma Species (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) Inferred From Analysis Of Mitochondrial And Nuclear Dna Sequences, Barbara Wagener, Annette Reineke, Bernhard Löhr, Claus P.W. Zebitz

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The genus Diadegma consists of a large group of parasitoid wasps with a confusing taxonomy based on morphological characters. No phylogenetic studies on this genus or any of its species have been published so far. We examined DNA variations in a 498 bp segment of the cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and in the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and compared nine different Diadegma species (i.e., D. semiclausum, D. insulare, D. fenestrale, D. mollipla, D. rapi., D. leontiniae, D. chrysostictos, D. armillata, D. blackburni) from various geographical origins. Interspecific variation ranged from …

Phylogenetic Approach To The Study Of Triatomines (Triatominae, Heteroptera) = Abordagem Filogenética Em Triatomíneos (Triatominae, Heteroptera), Ester Tartarotti, M. T. V. Azeredo-Oliveira, C. R. Ceron

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Abstracts

Triatomines are insects belonging to the Hemiptera order, Heteroptera suborder, Reduviidae family and Triatominae subfamily. All members of this subfamily are hematophagous. Triatomines evolved from Reduviidae predators and they are probably polyphyletic in origin. The combination of anatomical, physiological and ethological factors observed in this group, as well as the plesiomorphic and apomorphic characters that differentiate the five tribes and fourteen triatomine genera reinforce the polyphiletic hypotesis. However if we consider the five groups of triatomines, the Rhodniini, Cavernicolini, Bolboderini, Linshcosteini and Alberproseniini tribes constitute monophyletic groups, while the Triatomini tribe is considered polyphyletic. The New World is the …

Microbial Decomposition Of Skeletal Muscle Tissue (Ovis Aries) In A Sandy Loam Soil At Different Temperatures, David O. Carter, Mark Tibbett

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effect of temperature (2, 12, 22 °C) on the rate of aer­obic decomposition of skeletal muscle tissue (Ovis aries) in a sandy loam soil incubated for a period of 42 days. Measurements of decomposition processes included skeletal muscle tissue mass loss, carbon dioxide (CO₂) evo­lution, microbial biomass, soil pH, skeletal muscle tissue carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content and the calcula­tion of metabolic quotient (qCO₂). Incubation temperature and skeletal muscle tissue quality had a significant effect on all of the measured process rates with 2 °C …

Pyemotes Herfsi (Acari: Pyemotidae), A Mite New To North America As The Cause Of Bite Outbreaks, Alberto B. Broce, Ludek Zurek, James A. Kalisch, Robert Brown, David L. Keith, David Gordon, Janis Goedeke, Cal Welbourn, John Moser, Ronald Ochoa, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, Fuyuen Yip, Jacob Weber

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

High incidences of red, itching, and painful welts on people in the midwestern United States led to the discovery of a European species of mite, Pyemotes herfsi (Oudemans) (Acari: Pyemotidae), preying on gall-making midge larvae on oak leaves. The mites' great reproductive potential, small size, and high capacity for dispersal by wind make them difficult to control or avoid.

Development Of Anchor Loci To Map A Bt Resistance Factor In The Domesticated Silkworm, Bombyx Mori, Marc Chatenay-Lapointe

Senior Honors Projects

The BT toxin is an insecticide produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, and millions of acres of genetically modified crops expressing this agent have been planted. However, with such widespread use, there is a great potential for pests resistant to this toxin to develop. An understanding of how BT resistance operates and is inherited is central to ensuring continued use of the transgenic crops. Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm, is the model organism for the Lepidoptera, an order of insects containing many important agricultural pests. Screening shows that BT resistance is present in some silkworm strains, and linkage group 15 …

Mate Location Mechanism And Phase-Related Mate Preferences In Solitarius Desert Locust, Schistocerca Gregaria, Sidi Ould Ely, Hassan Mahamat, Peter G.N. Njagi, Magzoub Omer Bashir, Salah El-Tom El-Amin, Ahmed Hassanali

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Mate location responses of male and female solitary-reared locusts that had either experienced no crowding or that had been crowded for varying periods were studied in a flatbed wind tunnel. Two hypotheses were explored: that both sexes of this phase of the locust participate in locating the other by using a combination of chemical and visual signals, and that individuals that experience some crowding (i.e., undergo varying levels of phase shift) can compete effectively with their solitary counterparts in mate location and mating. Our results confirm that both male and female solitarious locusts actively participate in mate location, although the …

Searching Response Of A Wandering Spider To Potential Cues Associated With Lepidopteran Eggs, Rosa Isela Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz), a wandering spider, has been frequently observed feeding on the eggs of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), an important cotton pest. Wandering spiders are known to feed mainly on mobile prey, thus mechanisms used by these spiders to locate sessile prey remain understudied. Vibratory and visual are among the main cues used by spiders to identify prey. However, other sensory modalities such as chemoreception may be used but are poorly understood. This study investigated the types of cues utilized by C. inclusum to locate and identify H. zea eggs as prey. Results show that C. inclusum responds positively to …

Comparative Pollen Foraging Of Africanized And European Honeybees In A Non-Agricultural Environment, Ruben Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

With the advent of the Africanized honeybee, ways to differentiate it from the European honeybee have been greatly sought in attempts to better understand the role of Africanized bees in pollination. Pollen collecting strategies for both honeybee subspecies have been explored in attempts to exploit their pollinating capabilities. This project examined pollen collected by honeybees from feral and managed European and Africanized colonies in a relatively isolated site. Paired European and Africanized honeybee colonies were used to obtain pollen foragers. Through acetolysis (series acidified Acetic Anhydride washings); the collected pollen from the individual foragers was treated and observed with light …

Exogenous Expression Of Human Na, K-Atpase Isoforms In Insect Cells, Christal Renee' Carpenter

McCabe Thesis Collection

The Na-K-ATPase or Na pump is a membrane bound enzyme that maintains a high concentration of K+ and low concentration of Na+ in most animal cells. Three subunits constitute the Na pump, named alpha (ex), beta (~). and gamma (y). The ex subunit is responsible for the catalytic and transport of the enzyme, the ~ subunit is important for bringing the ex to the plasma membrane of the cell, and y is a regulatory subunit of the Na pump. In addition, there are several molecular variants or isoforms of the ex and ~ subunits. At present four different ex (ex …

Effect Of Investigator Disturbance In Experimental Forensic Entomology: Succession And Community Composition, G. D. De Jong, W. W. Hoback

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Carrion insect succession studies have historically used repeated sampling of single or a few carcasses to produce data, either weighing the carcasses, removing a qualitative subsample of the fauna present, or both, on every visit over the course of decomposition and succession. This study, conducted in a set of related experimental hypotheses with two trials in a single season, investigated the effect that repeated sampling has on insect succession, determined by the number of taxa collected on each visit and by community composition. Each trial lasted at least 21 days, with daily visits on the first 14 days. Rat carcasses …

Nebline, April 2006

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Visioning Process Can Help Communities Shape Their Future
Bennet is First in Nebraska to do Visioning Process
Easter Egg-Handling Tips
Lemon Dill Egg Salad Recipe
Have You Tried Kohlrabi
Food Bank Needs Volunteers, Donations
President’s Notes — Alice’s Analysis
Household Hints: Benefits of Disinfecting Household Surfaces
FCE News & Events
Poison Prevention
Tease-Proof Your Child
Acreage Insight Clinic: Horse Nutrition & Management, April 13
Effect of Increasing Energy Prices on Farming Costs
Oats for Extra Pasture, Hay and Silage
Consider Burning Shelled Corn as an Alternative Heating Fuel
Tornado – Will You be Ready?
Financial Resources and Skills
Protect Woody …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 18, No. 2, April 2006

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents:
Congratulations
Welcome
Farewell
Faculty News
Grad Student News
From the Office
Grants
Museum News
Publications
Travel
Condolences
Meet a Distance Student
This & That
Hexapod Herald Archives

Relating The Cost Of Spinning Silk To The Tendency To Share It For Three Embiids With Different Lifestyles (Order Embiidina: Clothodidae, Notoligotomidae, And Australembiidae), Janice Edgerly-Rooks, Shailesh Shenoy, Vanessa Werner

Biology

Although adult female embiids (Order Embiidina) superficially lack morphological diversity, their variety of habitats may impose distinct selective pressures on behavior, such as their use of silk and their tendency to aggregate. For example, where silk serves as a primary defense from environmental threats, coloniality might be adaptive. The cost of production or spinning might also prompt them to share silk. These ideas were tested in laboratory trials involving three species of embiids with different lifestyles: an arboreal species (Antipaluria urichi (Saussure) from a neotropical rain forest, a species (Notoligotoma hardyi (Frederichs) that dwells on surfaces of granite outcrops in …

Creating & Evaluating Artificial Domiciles For Bumble Bees, Douglas A. Golick, Marion D. Ellis, Brady Beecham

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Most biologists agree that the availability of suitable nesting sites is a limiting factor for bumble bee populations (Free, 1959). Bumble bees always select areas with preexisting insulation for nesting. Fur-lined abandoned rodent dens are especially attractive, but occasionally, abandoned man-made materials are inhabited. It is not rare to find multiple dead queens in a nest indicating that they have fought for ownership.

Despite our knowledge of bumble bee nest site selection, most efforts to attract bumble bees to artificial domiciles have been met with limited success (Fye & Medler, 1954; Hobbs et al.,1960). Creating and evaluating artificial domiciles provides …

Assessing Risk Of Resistance To Aerial Applications Of Methyl-Parathion In Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Michael A. Caprio, Tim Nowatski, Blair Siegfried, Lance J. Meinke, Robert J. Wright, Larry D. Chandler

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

We validated a stochastic model of the evolution of resistance to adulticidal sprays of methyl-parathion in western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, populations in Nebraska. The population dynamics predicted by the model resembled that reported for field populations, and time until control failures occurred closely matched reports by commercial crop consultants. We incorporated uncertainty about the values used for 18 model parameters by replacing default values with random draws taken from a normal distribution. One parameter, the initial resistance allele frequency, was no longer measurable because of the evolution of resistance. We therefore proposed five candidate initial allele frequencies …

Inheritance Of Resistance To The Cry1ab Bacillus Thuringiensis Toxin In Ostrinia Nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Analiza P. Alves, Terrence A. Spencer, B.E. Tabashnik, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Laboratory selection with Cry1Ab, the predominant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin in transgenic corn, Zea mays L., produced >1000-fold resistance in two laboratory strains of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). We tested the offspring of various crosses to determine the mode of inheritance of resistance to Cry1Ab. Patterns of inheritance of resistance were similar in the two resistant strains. The progeny of reciprocal F₁ crosses (resistant male x susceptible female and vice versa) responded alike in bioassays, indicating autosomal inheritance. The median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀ values) of F₁ were intermediate between the resistant and susceptible parents, indicating …

Plasmid Probes For Screening Specific Genes In Large Fragment Dna Libraries, Leah Ferguson

Senior Honors Projects

Heliothis virescens, a member of the lepidopteran family, is of great importance to many people who rely on agriculture as a source of income because it is a pest of many important crops. Because H. virescens feeds on a broad array of hosts including cotton, tobacco, tomato, and soybean it has earned its place as a major nuisance in the United States. Heliothis subflexa is a close taxonomic relative of H. virescens, but the two species differ in that H. subflexa is a specialized herbivore that only feeds on plants in the genus Physalis. Studies have been performed to determine …

Movement Of Cicindela Hirticollis Say Larvae In Response To Moisture And Flooding, Mathew L. Brust, William Wyatt Hoback, Kerri Farnsworth Skinner, Charles Barry Knisley

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The larvae of the tiger beetle, Cicindela hirticollis Say, inhabit sandy shoreline areas that flood periodically. This species has declined over much of its range and at least one subspecies is near extinction, possibly as a result of human alteration of waterways. In addition to physiological tolerance for anoxia, the larvae have physical and behavioral adaptations to avoid drowning. We hypothesized that C. hirticollis larvae would exhibit behavioral responses to soil moisture change and flooding because, unlike most other tiger beetles, they frequently relocate their burrows. Our laboratory studies demonstrated that larvae select surface soil moisture levels of 7–50% saturation …

Review Of Kawai, Hori, Kawahara, & Inagaki, Atlas Of Japanese Scarabaeoidea. Volume 1. Coprophagous Group., Brett C. Ratcliffe

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

Increasingly enhanced digital technology keeps raising the bar for quality of entomological publications, and this handsome book sets a new, high standard for scientific illustrations of scarab beetles. Simply put, this book is a thing of functional beauty! I wish that we could all make presentations like this in our scientific publications—how much more exciting our science could be. This Atlas (and it is just that) is the first volume in a proposed three volume set that will deal with the Japanese scarabaeoid fauna. It covers the coprophagous scarabaeoids that occur in Japan (including the Ryukyu Islands): Trogidae, Ceratocanthidae, Bolboceratidae, …

Nebline, March 2006

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Nebraska 4-H Summer Camps Provide Ultimate Camping Experience for Youth
All-America Selection Vegetables for 2006
Shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day
Hints for Starting Transplants
Red Flour Beetles
ewf needs volunteers
Household Hazardous Waste Collections for 2006
Don’t Get Trapped in a Smelly Situation
Pocket Gophers in Your Alfalfa? UNL Wildlife Researcher Needs Your Help!
Collection of Unwanted Pesticides, March 16
Diesel vs. Propane Irrigation Systems
Commercial Pesticide Applicator Training
Worried About the High Cost of Fertilizer?
Pollination Requirements for Tree and Small Fruits
Upcoming Acreage Insights Clinics
Type of Farm Enterprise and Crop(s) Produced
$tretch Your Food Dollar with Canned …