Entomology Commons^™

Evaluating Toxicity Of Varroa Mite (Varroa Destructor)-Active Dsrna To Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Larvae, Niranjana Krishnan, Maura J. Hall, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are parasitic mites that, combined with other factors, are contributing to high levels of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses. A Varroa-active dsRNA was recently developed to control Varroa mites within honey bee brood cells. This dsRNA has 372 base pairs that are homologous to a sequence region within the Varroa mite calmodulin gene (cam). The Varroa-active dsRNA also shares a 21-base pair match with monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) calmodulin mRNA, raising the possibility of non-target effects if there is environmental exposure. We chronically exposed the entire monarch …

Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, And Nutrient Quality Of Three Key Vegetable Crops In Sub-Saharan Africa, Abel O. Anyega, Nicholas K. Korir, Dennis Beesigamukama, Ghemoh J. Changeh, Kiatoko Nkoba, Sevgan Subramanian, Joop J.A. Van Loon, Marcel Dicke, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Worldwide, French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and kales (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) are considered economically important food crops. There is a rapid decline in their yield due to severe soil degradation. Thus, high commercial fertilizer inputs are crucial, though they remain expensive and inaccessible to resource poor farmers. We investigated the comparative performance of composted black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF), conventionally composted brewer's spent grain (BSG), commercial organic fertilizer (Evergrow), and mineral [nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK)] fertilizer on growth, yield, N use efficiency, and nutritional quality (crude protein, crude fiber, crude fats, ash, …

Nebline, June 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Choosing Quality Child Care: Guidance For Parents

Eastern Carpenter Bees

Eating for Brain Health

Recipe of the Month

Naturally Occurring Contaminants, Part 4 of a Series — Arsenic

Efficiency Is Key To Profit On Stocker Cattle

Common Grub Control Questions

Garden Guide: Things to do This Month

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Jen & Jesse Metcalf

4th Graders Learn About “Farm to Fork” During Virtual Ag Festival

Statewide 4-H Companion Animal Challenge Results

Extension News

Extension Calendar

STEM Zoom Workshops in June

Seeking Lancaster County Fair Historic Memorabilia and Stories

Longitudinal Study Of Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis (Hymenoptera: Formicideae), Western Harvester Ant, Colony Survival In Western Nebraska, Kathleen H. Keeler

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

I observed individual western harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) colonies, marked between 1977 and 1994, to live a mean of 15.65 years (n = 112). The longest-lived colony lived 42 years.

Presence-Absence Sampling Plans For Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) In The Midwest Region Of The United States, Rafael Carlesso Aita, Daniela T. Pezzini, Eric C. Burkness, Christina D. Difonzo, Deborah L. Finke, Thomas E. Hunt, Janet J. Knodel, Christian H. Krupke, Lia Marchi-Werle, Brian Mccornack, Andrew P. Michel, Christopher R. Philips, Nicholas J. Seiter, Adam J. Varenhorst, Robert J. Wright, William D. Hutchison, Robert L. Koch

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Stink bugs represent an increasing risk to soybean production in the Midwest region of the United States. The current sampling protocol for stink bugs in this region is tailored for population density estimation and thus is more relevant to research purposes. A practical decision-making framework with more efficient sampling effort for management of herbivorous stink bugs is needed. Therefore, a binomial sequential sampling plan was developed for herbivorous stink bugs in the Midwest region. A total of 146 soybean fields were sampled across 11 states using sweep nets in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The binomial sequential sampling plans were developed …

Effect Of Technological Innovation On Gender Roles: The Case Of Fruit Fly Ipm Adoption On Women’S Decision-Making In Mango Production And Marketing In Kenya, Hannah Gichungi, Beatrice Muriithi, Patrick Irungu, Gracious Diiro, John Busienei

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An increase in returns from agriculture as a result of new or improved technology is often perceived to escalate women's loss of control over agricultural production and ability to make marketing decision due to persistent gender disparities in access to production resources. The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and partners have developed integrated pest management (IPM) technology to suppress mango fruit flies on smallholder mango farm in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the impressive direct economic impacts of the technology, no study has been conducted to determine whether it has any impact on intra-household gender roles in mango production …

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Life-Stage Risks From Foliar And Seed-Treatment Insecticides, Niranjana Krishnan, Yang Zhang, Melanie E. Aust, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conservation of North America's eastern monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population would require establishment of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and nectar plants in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. A variety of seed-treatment and foliar insecticides are used to manage early- and late-season pests in these landscapes. Thus, there is a need to assess risks of these insecticides to monarch butterfly life stages to inform habitat conservation practices. Chronic and acute dietary toxicity studies were undertaken with larvae and adults, and acute topical bioassays were conducted with eggs, pupae, and adults using 6 representative insecticides: beta-cyfluthrin …

Bioecology Of Fall Armyworm Spodoptera Frugiperda (J. E. Smith), Its Management And Potential Patterns Of Seasonal Spread In Africa, Saliou Niassy, Mawufe Komi Agbodzavu, Emily Kimathi, Berita Mutune, El Fatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Daisy Salifu, Girma Hailu, Yeneneh T. Belayneh, Elias Felege, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Sunday Ekesi, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) has rapidly spread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and has emerged as a major pest of maize and sorghum in the continent. For effective monitoring and a better understanding of the bioecology and management of this pest, a Community-based Fall Armyworm Monitoring, Forecasting, Early Warning and Management (CBFAMFEW) initiative was implemented in six eastern African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi). Over 650 Community Focal Persons (CFPs) who received training through the project were involved in data collection on adult moths, crop phenology, cropping systems, FAW management practices and other variables. Data …

Phyto-Derivatives: An Efficient Eco-Friendly Way To Manage Trogoderma Granarium (Everts) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), Waqar Islam, Ali Noman, Komivi Senyo Akutse, Muhammad Qasim, Habib Ali, Ijaz Haider, Mohamed Hashem, Saad Alamri, Omar Mahmoud Al Zoubi, Khalid Ali Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Worldwide, stored products are attacked by a large number of pests resulting in significant economic losses. Among these stored grain pests, khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Everts) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the top ranked pests that has ability to survive under diverse climate conditions. The management of this pest is mainly done by using synthetic chemicals which have side effects on consumers, ecosystem and non-target organisms. However, phyto-derivatives were found to be the effective environment friendly alternatives against T. granarium. Therefore, in this review, success of phyto-derivatives against khapra beetle from conventional means to modern research has been critically analyzed, …

Landscape-Scale Biogeographic Distribution Analysis Of The Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) In Kenya, Bester Tawona Mudereri, Emily Kimathi, Tavengwa Chitata, Moleseng Claude Moshobane, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Understanding the drivers of habitat use and the suitability of landscape patches by invasive insect species is crucial in their control and management. This simplifies the comprehension of the processes driving invasive insect population dynamics, their functioning, and potential disturbance within their introduced ecosystems. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889), is ranked among the world’s 100 most invasive insect pests and is a major threat to many important cash and staple food crops. In this study, we identified levels and areas at risk of the invasive B. tabaci at a landscape scale in Kenya using elevation, land surface temperature, land …

Evaluation Of Improved Coloured Targets To Control Riverine Tsetse In East Africa: A Bayesian Approach, Roger D. Santer, Michael N. Okal, Johan Esterhuizen, Steve J. Torr

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background Riverine tsetse (Glossina spp.) transmit Trypanosoma brucei gambiense which causes Gambian Human African Trypanosomiasis. Tiny Targets were developed for cost-effective riverine tsetse control, and comprise panels of insecticide-treated blue polyester fabric and black net that attract and kill tsetse. Versus typical blue polyesters, two putatively more attractive fabrics have been developed: Vestergaard ZeroFly blue, and violet. Violet was most attractive to savannah tsetse using large targets, but neither fabric has been tested for riverine tsetse using Tiny Targets. Methods We measured numbers of G. f. fuscipes attracted to electrified Tiny Targets in Kenya and Uganda. We compared violets, Vestergaard …

Recent Advances Toward The Sustainable Management Of Invasive Xylosandrus Ambrosia Beetles, Antonio Gugliuzzo, Peter H.W. Biedermann, Daniel Carrillo, Louela A. Castrillo, James P. Egonyu, Diego Gallego, Khalid Haddi, Jiri Hulcr, Hervé Jactel, Hisashi Kajimura, Naoto Kamata, Nicolas Meurisse, You Li, Jason B. Oliver, Christopher M. Ranger, Davide Rassati, Lukasz L. Stelinski, Roanne Sutherland, Giovanna Tropea Garzia, Mark G. Wright, Antonio Biondi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

We provide an overview of both traditional and innovative control tools for management of three Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), invasive species with a history of damage in forests, nurseries, orchards and urban areas. Xylosandrus compactus, X. crassiusculus and X. germanus are native to Asia, and currently established in several countries around the globe. Adult females bore galleries into the plant xylem inoculating mutualistic ambrosia fungi that serve as food source for the developing progeny. Tunneling activity results in chewed wood extrusion from entry holes, sap outflow, foliage wilting followed by canopy dieback, and branch and trunk necrosis. Maintaining …

Could Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera Frugiperda (J. E. Smith) Invasion In Africa Contribute To The Displacement Of Cereal Stemborers In Maize And Sorghum Cropping Systems, Girma Hailu, Saliou Niassy, Timon Bässler, Nathan Ochatum, Christoph Studer, Daisy Salifu, Mawufe K. Agbodzavu, Zeyaur R. Khan, Charles Midega, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), which has recently invaded the African continent, has become a new threat to cereal production. Being an invasive pest with certain competitive advantages, the impact of FAW on other lepidopteran pests is unclear. This study assessed the infestation of FAW and cereal stemborers on maize and sorghum under mono-cropped systems that are adjacently placed in five districts in Uganda. Data on maize and sorghum infestation cereal stemborers and FAW was collected at 6, 9 and 16 weeks after planting (WAP), to determine intensity and severity. Cereal stemborer infestations on maize at 6, …

Field Efficacy Of Metarhizium Acridum (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) In The Control Of Bactrocera Dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) In Citrus Orchards In Senegal, Papa Djibril Faye, Amadou Bocar Bal, Ndeye Meymouna Ndiaye, Fama Diop, Yaye Konaré Sangaré, Charles Haddad, Emile Victor Coly, Elhadji Omar Dieng, Saliou Niassy

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The effectiveness of the “attract and kill” approach for the management of Bactrocera dorsalis in citrus orchards using autoinoculation strategy was evaluated in three locations in Senegal (Sindia, Sébikhotane and Ndoyene), between 2016 and 2018. Attractant Contaminant Traps (ACT) were treated with 0.3 g of Metarhizium acridum, and methyl eugenol was then deployed at densities of 25, 50 and 100 ACT to infect the flies. Recovery Traps (RT) containing methyl eugenol and a toxicant, Timaye were used to monitor the B. dorsalis population and the contamination rate. Results showed that the rate of contaminated flies increases with the number of …

Genomics-Guided Refinement Of Butterfly Taxonomy, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Paul A. Opler, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Continuing with comparative genomic exploration of worldwide butterfly fauna, we use all proteincoding genes as they are retrieved from the whole genome shotgun sequences for phylogeny construction. Analysis of these genome-scale phylogenies projected onto the taxonomic classification and the knowledge about butterfly phenotypes suggests further refinements of butterfly taxonomy that are presented here. As a general rule, we assign most prominent clades of similar genetic differentiation to the same taxonomic rank, and use criteria based on relative population diversification and the extent of gene exchange for species delimitation. As a result, 7 tribes, 4 subtribes, 14 genera, and 9 subgenera …

Chlamydastis Meyrick Of Costa Rica: Barcodes, Biology, And Descriptions Of 36 New Species (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae), Eugenie Phillips-Rodríguez, John W. Brown, Winnie Hallwachs, Daniel H. Janzen

Insecta Mundi

We recognize and review 40 species of Chlamydastis Meyrick, 1916 (Lepidoptera: Depressari­idae) from Costa Rica, including four previously described (i.e., C. vividella (Busck, 1914), revived status; C. phytoptera (Busck, 1914); C. orion Busck, 1920; and C. ungulifera (Meyrick, 1929)) and 36 new species: C. abelulatei Phillips and Brown, new species; C. carolinagodoyae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. angelsolisi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. lindapitkinae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. iangauldi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. anniapicadoae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. antonioazofeifai Phillips and Brown, new species; …

New Adult Host Records For Three Buprestidae (Coleoptera) Rarely Encountered In The United States And Significant Extension Of The Known Geographic Range Of Agrilus Pilosicollis Fisher, Jason A. Hansen, Christine A. Nalepa

Insecta Mundi

New adult host records of Agrilus langei Obenberger, A. pilosicollis Fisher, and Dicerca mutica LeConte (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are reported. The known geographic range of A. pilosicollis is expanded from the type location in Kansas south to Texas and east to North Carolina. Images with key characters of each of the three species are included.

Among the nearly 800 species of buprestids in North America (north of Mexico) are those known from very few specimens. Distribution and plant host information for such species is understandably limited and, in many cases, completely unknown (Nelson et al. 2008). A knowledge of …

Survivorship Of Soybean Aphid Biotypes (Hemiptera: Aphididae) On Winter Hosts, Common And Glossy Buckthorn, Doris M. Lagos-Kutz, Glen L. Hartman

Insecta Mundi

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a major pest of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., both in Asia where it is native, and in the USA where it is adventive. The rapid spread and establishment of the soybean aphid in the USA since its discovery in 2000 was successful because of extensive soybean production in the Midwest and the wide distribution of common buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica (L.), its preferred primary winter host. The survivorship of four soybean aphid biotypes on com­mon and glossy buckthorn, Frangula alnus Mill., were compared. Our study showed that nymph oviparae of soybean …

Phenotypic Plasticity And Parental Effect On Rearing Of Two Diverse Habitat Environment For Laboratory Reared Sympetrum Meridionale, Imane Halassi, Ali Elafri, Ismahan Halassi, Hichem Amari, Moussa Houhamdi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Laboratory observations on rearing experiment of Odonata serve to answer many evolutionary and ecological questions. In order to evidences the role of species parental habitat provenience in the development behaviour of their offspring, we surveyed several life history traits of two rearing populations of Sympetrum meridionale (Anisoptera: Sympetrinae), coming from two different habitats across north-eastern Algeria. The first one is a RAMSAR wetland called ‘Mekhada’ (a perennial water body), and the second one is a temporary pond located at “Maouna” Mountain (1400 m altitude). Overall, the development patterns of the two populations of dragonflies vary with the type of habitat …

Recent Advances Toward The Sustainable Management Of Invasive Xylosandrus Ambrosia Beetles, Antonio Gugliuzzo, Peter H.W. Biedermann, Daniel Carrillo, Louela A. Castrillo, James P. Egonyu, Diego Gallego, Khalid Haddi, Jiri Hulcr, Hervé Jactel, Hisashi Kajimura, Naoto Kamata, Nicolas Meurisse, You Li, Jason B. Oliver, Christopher M. Ranger, Davide Rassati, Lukasz L. Stelinski, Roanne Sutherland, Giovanna Tropea Garzia, Mark G. Wright, Antonio Biondi

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

We provide an overview of both traditional and innovative control tools for management of three Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), invasive species with a history of damage in forests, nurseries, orchards and urban areas. Xylosandrus compactus, X. crassiusculus and X. germanus are native to Asia, and currently established in several countries around the globe. Adult females bore galleries into the plant xylem inoculating mutualistic ambrosia fungi that serve as food source for the developing progeny. Tunneling activity results in chewed wood extrusion from entry holes, sap outflow, foliage wilting followed by canopy dieback, and branch and trunk necrosis. Maintaining …