Entomology Commons^™

Elucidation Of The Microrna Transcriptome In Western Corn Rootworm Reveals Its Dynamic And Evolutionary Complexity, Xiaozeng Yang, Elane Fishilevich, Marcelo A. German, Premchand Gandra, Robert E. Mcewan, André Billion, Eileen Knorr, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (western corn rootworm, WCR) is one of the most destructive agricultural insect pests in North America. It is highly adaptive to environmental stimuli and crop protection technologies. However, little is known about the underlying genetic basis of WCR behavior and adaptation. More specifically, the involvement of small RNAs (sRNAs), especially microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that regulate various biological processes, has not been examined, and the datasets of putative sRNA sequences have not previously been generated for WCR. To achieve a comprehensive collection of sRNA transcriptomes in WCR, we constructed, sequenced, and analyzed …

A 30-Year History Of Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, Ellipsoptera Nevadica Lincolniana (Casey, 1916) (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), Visual Population Estimates, Stephen M. Spomer, Shaun Dunn, Michael I. Fritz

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The federally endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle, Ellipsoptera nevadica lincolniana (Casey, 1916), is found only in the saline wetlands around Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Low numbers of adults seen in the 1980s prompted a study to estimate adult numbers by visual counts. Population estimates were conducted from 1991 to 2020, and adult estimates ranged from a low of 115 in 1993 to a high of 777 in 2002. The beetle has disappeared from six out of twelve sites and the metapopulation has shrunk from three sites in 1991 to one site in 2020. Supplemental releases of laboratory reared larvae began in …

Does Cover Crop Management Affect Arthropods In The Subsequent Corn And Soybean Crops In The United States? A Systematic Review, Gabriela Inveninato Carmona, Leslie Delserone, Julia Nogueira Duarte Campos, Tauana Ferreira De Almeida, Dânia Vieira Branco Ozório, Juan David Betancurt Cardona, Robert J. Wright, Anthony J. Mcmechan

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Cover crops (CC) support populations of pest and beneficial arthropods. The status of these arthropods in the subsequent cash crop depends on several factors such as CC species, management, biomass production, and weather conditions. A systematic review was performed to identify how CC management influences pest and beneficial arthropods and to identify knowledge gaps for the future research efforts. Eight studies included in this review indicated that CC increase beneficial arthropods or some beneficial arthropods compared with the CC managed fields. A minority of the studies indicated an increase in pest presence when using CC. Cover crop species, termination time …

Importance Of Instream Habitat To Recruitment And Community Structure Of Aquatic Invertebrates, Catherine R. Billé

Master’s Theses

This thesis investigates how mechanisms of colonization by aquatic insects, both by ovipositing adults and or larval drift, operate at either micro-, meso-, or macro-scales to influence larval community assemblage in streams. Our study took place in a forested floodplain stream characterized by uniform soft clay and loose detritus substrate. Within this study reach we built three sets of riffles, with each set comprised of three identical riffles built either 15, 10, or 5 m apart. We examined microscale influences on community assemblage by studying recruitment of egg masses to our constructed riffles. We found that riffle habitat additions were …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In Aedes Albopictus Prevalence Across Arkansas, Alyssa N. Jones, Eric C. Lovely, Douglas G. Barron

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Aedes albopictus is a well-known vector species of mosquito that is responsible for the transmission of many arboviruses such as Zika, chikungunya, and dengue. The objective of this study was to quantify spatial and temporal variation of Ae. albopictus prevalence in Arkansas. We used egg abundance as a proxy for mosquito prevalence. Across 2 years, we worked with the Arkansas Department of Health to collect mosquito eggs using oviposition traps. Eggs were desiccated, counted, and later rehydrated in rearing chambers and raised through adulthood for species determination (>99% Ae. albopictus). We determined mean egg abundance by month, year, …

Quantitation Of Fentanyl And Metabolites From Blow Fly Tissue And Development Effects Of Fentanyl On Lucilia Sericata, Joseph Allen Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Death investigations often involve collaborative work between different forensic disciplines, especially with regards to pathology, toxicology, and entomology. This dissertation investigates the effects of designer opioids on the development of blow fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae and the ability to detect and quantify the drugs and/or metabolites present in each stage of the fly’s life cycle. Therefore, we evaluated human tissue fortified with fentanyl at four treatment concentrations, and blow fly larvae were placed to feed on the drug infused tissue. A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method was developed, validated, and applied to extract …

Power Amplification Strategies Across Animals, Rayhan Asif

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Animals use muscles for movement, but some have evolved mechanisms to exceed maximum power used in a motion known as power amplification. In this literature review, I analyzed and compared the evolution of structures capable of power amplification between species. Structures capable of power amplification were broken down into the basic components of the engine, amplifier, and tool. The species analyzed were found to possess necessary structures for power amplification which were relatively similar to each other in morphology, but varied greatly in function. The ease with which these structures evolved was evaluated based on the amount of divergence which …

Identification Of Reticulitermes Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) In The Eastern United States Using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the eastern United States, there are nine species of subterranean termites in three genera: Reticulitermes (six species), Coptotermes (two species), and Prorhinotermes (one species). These species serve as important ecological players by decomposing cellulose material, and some are important structural pests. Many of these species are difficult to discriminate morphologically and require examining the reproductive or soldier castes, which can be difficult to collect. While some genetic tools have been developed for species identification, they are often expensive and time-consuming. To help facilitate identification, we developed a more cost-effective and rapid genetic method to identify Reticulitermes species by screening …

Confirmation Of New Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae) Hosts (Spiraea And Callicarpa) Through Dna Barcoding, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS; Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae Kuwana) is an invasive insect that was first discovered in the United States in 2004. The polyphagous feeding habit of CMBS has allowed it to infest a wide range of plant species beyond its primary host, Lagerstroemia. Using molecular approaches, we studied the genetic relationships between CMBS specimens and their hosts from different geographic locations. Naturally occurring CMBS infestations were confirmed on American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana L.), a native plant species in the United States, and spirea (Spiraea L.). The new infestation of CMBS found on Spiraea raises the alarm that other economically important …

Isolation Of Metarhizium Guizhouense And Metarhizium Robertsii Strains From Soil-Exposed Amblyomma Americanum (Acarina: Ixodidae) From Northwest Arkansas, Usa, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acarina: Ixodidae), is the most abundant tick species found in Arkansas and is involved in the trans-mission of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. When not feeding, most non-nidicolous tick species shelter in the soil and leaf litter where they may be exposed to and potentially infected with entomopathogenic fungi that reside naturally in the soil. Entomopathogenic fungi in the genus Metarhizium Sorokīn (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) have shown promise as biological control agents of ticks. Here, the first study to isolate and identify Arkansas-derived isolates of Metarhizium from A. americanum ticks is presented. We …

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

The Social Behavior Of Pine Sawflies In The Genus Neodiprion, John W. Terbot Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Group living is found across the animal kingdom ranging from temporary mating aggregations to complex, eusocial lifestyles. A particularly common form of group living found among insects are larval or nymphal herds. This lifestyle consists of immature insects living together and results in several proposed costs and benefits. Benefits of this lifestyle include improved ability to regulate a group’s microenvironment, more efficient use of their host, and the ability to engage in collective predator defenses. Offsetting these benefits are costs resulting from living in close proximity to conspecifics which include increased competition, greater visibility to predators, and heightened disease risks. …

A New Species Of Chalepides Casey, 1915 (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini) From The Pantanal Of Brazil, Brett Ratcliffe, Matthias Seidel

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Chalepides pantanalensis Ratcliffe & Seidel is described as a new species from the Pantanal region in Brazil. A description, diagnosis for distinguishing the species, illustrations, and a distribution map are provided. The new species is morphologically compared with C. howdenorum Joly & Escalona and C. osunai Joly & Escalona.

The genus Chalepides Casey consists of 14 species dis­tributed in South America with one species in the West Indies (Joly and Escalona 2002; Ratcliffe and Cave 2015). Chalepides species are recognized by a usually prolonged prepygidium with a concomitant shortening of the pygidium; presence of long, dense, tawny setae on the …

Honey Bee Foraged Pollen Reveals Temporal Changes In Pollen Protein Content And Changes In Forager Choice For Abundant Versus High Protein Flowers, Gabriela Quinlan, Meghan Milbrath, Clint Otto, Autumn Smart, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Robert Cornman, Rufus Isaacs

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Protein derived from pollen is an essential component of healthy bee diets. Protein content in honey bee foraged pollen varies temporally and spatially, but the drivers underlying this variation remain poorly characterized. We assessed the temporal and spatial variation in honey bee collected pollen in 12 Michigan apiaries over 3 summers (2015–2017). We simultaneously monitored forage in flowering habitats (uncultivated floristically-rich areas and conservation program land) near these apiaries throughout the growing season. We used these data, along with data from the literature on plant pollen protein content, to determine if honey bees collected a greater proportion of pollen from …

A New Subspecies Of Lon Taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1861) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) From The Great Plains, Stephen M. Spomer

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A new subspecies of Lon taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1861) is described from the Pine Ridge of Nebraska and Black Hills of South Dakota. It is distinguished by the presence of distinct white spots on the VHW of females and darker males than specimens from other parts of its range.

The Taxiles skipper, Lon [formerly Poanes; see Cong et al. (2019)] taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1861), is a woodland species found in mountainous areas in extreme southeastern Idaho, through Colorado and Utah, south through New Mexico and Arizona, into Mexico. There is also a somewhat disjunct eastern population, ranging from …

Challenges For Adoption Of Integrated Pest Management (Ipm): The Soybean Example, A. F. Bueno, A. R. Panizzi, Thomas E. Hunt, P. M. Dourado, R. M. Pitta, J. Gonçalves

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Soybean is considered one of today’s most important crops. Planted on millions of hectares worldwide, the management of soybean pests usually requires large amounts of chemicals. However, a key component to meet the increasing demand for food due to the rapidly growing global population is protecting crops from pests while maintaining environmental quality through ecologically and economically sound integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Not only can IPM result in more profitable agriculture due to the reduction of pest control costs but also assures equitable, secure, sufficient, and stable flows of both food and ecosystem services. Despite those ecological and economic …

A First Flight In North Carolina—But Not At Kitty Hawk, Robert J. Wright

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The southern corn billbug is a univoltine insect most common in the Coastal Plains region of North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina. However, this insect can also be found in the midwestern U.S. (Van Duyn and Wright 1999). Early in the growing season, the adults can be found feeding at the base of corn plants—typically with their head pointed downward (Fig. 1)—by inserting their beak into the base of the plant. They can kill or stunt seedlings or injure the developing leaves inside the plant, causing twisted leaves as they emerge or a series of small holes across the …

Frederick Baxendale (1949–2021), Robert J. Wright, Tiffany Heng-Moss

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Frederick “Fred” Paul Baxendale, 72, of Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away Thursday, 30 September 2021. He was born on 10 April 1949 to Ralph and Inez (Thrasher) Baxendale in Rochester, NY. After graduating from Williamson Central High School, he served in the United States Air Force Air Weather Service from 1969 to 1973. He received an A.S. in Mathematics and Science from Finger Lakes Community College in 1975, and a B.S. in Entomology from Cornell University in 1977. He received both his M.S in Entomology (1980) and his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 1983, majoring in Entomology. Fred was a …

Transference Of Citizen Science Program Impacts: A Theory Grounded In Public Participation In Scientific Research, Louise I. Lynch-O’Brien, Wayne A. Babchuk, Jenny M. Dauer, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Doug Golick

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Citizen science is known for increasing the geographic, spatial, and temporal scale from which scientists can gather data. It is championed for its potential to provide experiential learning opportunities to the public. Documentation of educational outcomes and benefits for citizen scientists continues to grow. This study proposes an added benefit of these collaborations: the transference of program impacts to individuals outside of the program. The experiences of fifteen citizen scientists in entomology citizen science programs were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. We propose the substantive-level theory of transference to describe the social process by which the educational and …

Development And First Evaluation Of An Attractant Impregnated Adhesive Tape Against Blood-Sucking Flies, Junwei J. Zhu, Gwang-Hyun Roh, Yosuke Asamoto, Kujtim Bizati, Jen-Chieh Liu, Alexander Lehmann, Kyle Harrison, David B. Taylor, Hironao Otake

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Stable flies are one of the most important arthropod pests of livestock that reduce cattle weight gain and milk production leading to annual economic losses in excess of $2 billion to the US cattle industry. The host-seeking behavior is primarily mediated by associated odors from stable fly larval development environments and host animals. The present paper reports the development and evaluation of attractant-impregnated adhesive tapes to reduce stable fly attacks on cattle. Laboratory bioassays showed that only m-cresol impregnated adhesive tapes caught significantly more stable flies (16 ± 1) than the control tape without attractant added (7 ± 1), with …