Entomology Commons^™

Socio-Economic And Environmental Implications Of Replacing Conventional Poultry Feed With Insect-Based Feed In Kenya, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Chrysantus Tanga, Dennis Beesigamukama, Gracious Diiro

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The growing scarcity of resources for feed production and environmental concerns highlight the unsustainability of conventional feed sources. Insect farming is considered as an alternative feed due to its low land and water requirements, its low ecological footprint, and circular economy contribution by converting biowaste into high-quality feed ingredients. While there is growing research on the technical feasibility and nutritional performance of insect-based feed, its potential beneifts are not quanitified. Using experimental and secondary data, we assess the potential socio-economic benefits of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) to the Kenyan poultry sector. We find that replacing 5–50% of the …

Wireworms, Ryan Davis, Jay B. Karren, Alan H. Roe

All Current Publications

Wireworms are the larvae (immatures) of click beetles. Adults are elongate, slender, hardshelled beetles that take their name from their habit of flipping into the air (sometimes with an audible clicking sound) when they are placed on their backs. This fact sheet reviews the management of wireworms.

Nonnative Insect Invasions In Natural Ecosystems: Impacts, Policy, And Evaluation Of Drivers Using Underutilized Biocontrol Datasets, Ashley N. Schulz

Student Theses and Dissertations

The fundamental goal in invasion ecology is to understand what drives the success of nonnative species. To assess mechanisms of invasion, invasion ecologists traditionally study populations of nonnative species that have already established and spread within an environment. A less common method is to use data from classical biocontrol agents, which are also nonnative and have variable impacts with respect to efficacy and non-target effects. Further elucidation of mechanisms of invasion can help researchers develop better methods for detection, prevention, and control of nonnative species. To make progress in the battle against nonnative species, focus should be placed on both …

How Do Colombian Mountains Shape The Life History Of Treehoppers?, Camilo Flórez Valencia, Olivia Evangelista, Gustavo Londoño, Pablo Guzmán, Juliana Cardona-Duque

International Programs

Assessing the variation in species richness and life history of treehoppers in two mountains in Colombia.

Documenting West And Central African Dung Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) Community Structures And Their Vulnerability To Climate Change, Christie A. Sukhdeo

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Guineo-Congolian (GC) region of West and Central Africa contains high levels of species richness (SR) and endemism. Within the GC region, the Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL) is an important biodiversity hotspot in part due to montane habitats that constitute important ‘sky islands’ refugia during warm periods of the Pleistocene glacial cycles. However, little is known about the diversity of many taxa in the GC region, especially for insects. The main goals of this dissertation are to: 1) document dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) species diversity across the GC region and assess the potential impacts of future climate change on species …

Hind Wing Eyespots Of Brassolini Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae): Evolutionary Diversification And Functions In Anti-Predator Defense And Mating Behavior, Logan Crees

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Ventral hind wing eyespots are prominent pattern elements in Brassolini butterflies, likely functioning in predator-prey interactions and reproductive activities. Caligo and Opsiphanes differ in male mate-seeking behaviors and it has been suggested that Caligo females use the male cua1 eyespot as a mate-locating cue, but Opsiphanes females do not seem to do so. We predict Caligo males should have larger eyespots than congeneric females, but the sexes would not differ in eyespot size in Opsiphanes. Our analyses supported both these predictions. Displacing the eyespot to the center of the wing makes eyespots more conspicuous, we asked if eyespot position …

Potential Of Resampled Multispectral Data For Detecting Desmodium-Brachiaria Intercropped With Maize In A 'Push-Pull' System, B. T. Mudereri, E. M. Abdel-Rahman, T. Dube, T. Landmann, S. Niassy, H. E.Z. Tonnang, Z. R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Poor crop yields remain one of the main causes of chronic food insecurity in Africa. This is largely caused by insect pests, weeds, unfavourable climatic conditions and degraded soils. Weed and pest control, based on the climate-adapted g'push-pull' system, has become an important target for sustainable intensification of food production adopted by many small-holder farmers. However, essential baseline information using remotely sensed data is missing, specifically for the g'push-pull' companion crops. In this study, we investigated the spectral uniqueness of two of the most commonly used g'companion' crops (i.e. greenleaf Desmodium (i Desmodium intortum/i) and Brachiaria (i Brachiaria/i cv Mulato) …

The Impacts Of Prescribed Burning And Mechanical Thinning On Insect Communities In The Arkansas Ozarks, Aaron P. Tormanen

Theses and Dissertations from 2020

Insects are important in woodland ecosystems due to their role as pollinators and as prey for bats. My research investigated the relationships between forest management, vegetation, and insects in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. I selected 30 stands burned at varying frequencies in the last 12 years. Twelve of these stands were burned and mechanically thinned, 12 were only burned, and 6 were untreated. I deployed blacklight traps and malaise traps in each stand monthly from mid-March to mid- November 2019. Over 42,391 insects were collected, and Lepidoptera was the most abundant order. Insects were dried, weighed, and identified …

Nebline, August 2020

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Be an Active Family with Outdoor Activities

EXTENSION OFFICE OPEN

Recipes of the month

What You Need to Know About Having a Well Drilled

Almost Time for Fall Lawn Seeding

Chiggers: Itching in all the Wrong Places

Collect – Share – Practice: Family Emergency Communication Plans

August Blooming Perennial Flowers

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Creating Reading Routines During the Summer Months

HEART OF 4-H

4-H Youth and Volunteers Sew 1,789 Hats and Masks for Bryan Health

4-H’ers Problem Solve Real-Life Situations at County Life Challenge

Virtual State Public Speaking Contest Results

State Fair to Focus on Showcasing …

Entomopathogenic Fungi As Endophytes For Biological Control Of Subterranean Termite Pests Attacking Cocoa Seedlings, Chaba F. Ambele, Sunday Ekesi, Hervé D.B. Bisseleua, Olubukola O. Babalola, Fathiya M. Khamis, Christian T.L. Djuideu, Komivi S. Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study was conducted in the scope of developing a sustainable effective approach against subterranean termite pests using entomopathogenic and endophytic fungus-based biopesticides. Termites, Odontotermes spp. workers, were tested for their susceptibility to 15 entomopathogenic fungal isolates through the direct spraying of conidia suspensions at 1 × 108 conidia/mL. In general, all the isolates screened were pathogenic, with 100% mortality 4–7 days post-inoculation. However, the most virulent isolates were Metarhizium brunneum Cb15-III; the M. anisopliae isolates ICIPE 30 and ICIPE 60; Hypocrea lixii F3ST1; and the Beauveria bassiana isolates ICIPE 279, ICIPE 706 and ICIPE 662. These isolates were further …

Biochar And Gypsum Amendment Of Agro-Industrial Waste For Enhanced Black Soldier Fly Larval Biomass And Quality Frass Fertilizer, Dennis Beesigamukama, Benson Mochoge, Nicholas K. Korir, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Dorothy Nakimbugwe, Fathiya M. Khamis, Thomas Dubois, Sevgan Subramanian, Musyoka M. Wangu, Sunday Ekesi, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens L.) is one of the most efficient bio-waste recyclers. Although, waste substrate amendments with biochar or gypsum during composting process are known to enhance nutrient retention, their impact on agro-industrial waste have not been documented. Hence, this study focuses on a comparative effect of agro-industrial waste amended with biochar and gypsum on BSF larval performance, waste degradation, and nitrogen (N) and potassium retention in frass fertilizer. Brewery spent grain was amended with biochar or gypsum at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% to determine the most effective rates of inclusion. Amending feedstock with 20% …

Testing Flowering Perennial Plants In A Bermudagrass (Cynodon Spp.) Lawn, Paige Elizabeth Boyle, Michelle Wisdom

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Most pollinating insects require a season-long succession of floral resources to fulfill life-cycle requirements. Incorporating forbs into turfgrass sites may create a season-long sequence of flowers to support foraging pollinators. However, persistence of forbs in warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) may be affected by the competitive nature of the turfgrass and routine management practices such as mowing. A 2-year study was conducted to evaluate seven forbs (Bellis perennis L., Lotus corniculatus L., Prunella vulgaris L., Trifolium fragiferum L. ‘Fresa’, Trifolium repens L. ‘Durana’ and ‘Resolute’, Trifolium subterraneum L.) for persistence and ability to produce floral resources …

Using A College Curriculum To Integrate Informal Science Learning Opportunities For University And Middle School Students, Eileen Hebets, Patricia Wonch Hill, Ann Matthews, Kathie Phillips, Susan Weller, Cassidy Whitney, Tyler B. Corey

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

We used community partnerships to develop an integrated science-learning program focused on two groups of learners – university and middle school (MS) students – to increase students’ interest and confidence in science as well as motivation to pursue science. Key program elements include a university course for undergraduate and graduate students, university student-led weekly afterschool clubs held at local middle schools (mostly Title I), and a capstone museum science festival led by university and MS students. Across nine course offerings, 78 university students conducted 25 clubs at seven middle schools and engaged at least 240 MS students. The capstone science …

Do Mosquito Pesticides Harm Their Natural Enemies? Ecological Impacts And Non-Target Effects Of Larvicides On Mosquito Predators, Joseph Nelsen

Master's Theses

Larvicides are chemicals used to kill juvenile mosquitoes. When applied to an area, other aquatic organisms are exposed to these chemicals. The removal or impairment of top insect predators could be beneficial to mosquito populations once harmful pesticide levels dissipate. Two common larvicides were examined: growth regulators (IGRs) and surface films (SFs). The goal of this project was to determine if larvicides harm mosquito predators common to southern Mississippi. I surveyed aquatic sites before and after IGR and SF treatments, and then compared changes in insect community structure. Community evenness was lower in SF treated habitats. When analyzing prey taxa …

A New Species Of Buprestis (S. Str.) Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) From The Southwestern United States, Richard L. Westcott, Clint Burfitt

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Buprestis L., 1758, B. pinyoni Westcott and Burfitt (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is described from Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is compared to other species in the subgenus Buprestis.

New Distribution Records Of Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera) For Mexico, Alejandro Estrada, Jesús Romero Nápoles

Insecta Mundi

We provide new distribution records for 19 species of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Mexico based on the examination of 221 specimens from Mexican entomological collections.

Beetles (Coleoptera) In Cones Of Cycads (Cycadales) Of The Northern Hemisphere: Diversity And Evolution, William Tang, Guang Xu, Thomas Marler, Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam, Rita Singh, Anders J. Lindström, P. Radha, Stephen Rich, Khang Sinh Nguyen, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Three groups of beetles inhabit cones of cycads (Cycadales) in the northern hemisphere and are believed to be involved in their pollination. The primitive weevil subtribe Allocorynina (Coleoptera: Belidae) is restricted to the New World cycad genera Dioon Lindl. and Zamia L. One group of weevils (Curculionidae), found only in Cycas L., appears to be a relatively recent colonizer of northern hemisphere cycads. Members of the beetle subfamily Pharaxonothinae (Erotylidae) occur in all Asian and New World cycad genera. Phylogenetic trees of these beetles, based on DNA analysis and supported with morphological studies, are compared to patterns of continental drift …

First Record Of The Orchid Bee Euglossa Dilemma (Hymenoptera: Apidae) In Hispaniola, The Antilles, Julio A. Genaro, Ismael A. Hinojosa-Díaz, Lisa Mcdowell Johnson

Insecta Mundi

The occurrence of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé and Eltz (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is recorded for the first time for the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles. Males were observed visiting varieties of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus (Lamiaceae)) to obtain fragrances used during courtship and reproduction. Our observations showed that the species is established in Hispaniola and that it does not require the presence of orchids for reproductive success, being able to adapt to new plant resources it finds in the areas it colonizes. These observations correspond to what was found in Florida, United States, where …

Notes, New Records, New Combinations, A New Genus And Three New Species In Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, Daniel Heffern, Juan Pablo Botero, Francisco E. De L. Nascimento

Insecta Mundi

The number of specimens in the type series of Hemilophus leuconotus Laporte, 1840 (= Cirrhicera leu­conota) is corrected. Cirrhicera leucronota Thomson, 1857 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini), currently considered lapsus calami or an error to C. leuconotus, and the number of specimens in the type series is also corrected. Cirrhicera leuconota is recorded from Guatemala for the first time. The sex of the holotype of Lamacoscylus albatus Martins, Santos-Silva and Galileo, 2015, is corrected, and a new state record in Mexico is provided. The description of the antennae in females of Lamacoscylus Martins and Galileo, 1991 is discussed; Malacoscylus …

First Record Of Planchonia Stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Asterolecaniidae) On Asclepias Curassavica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) In Mexico, With Observations On Parasitic Encyrtidae, Hipolito Cortez-Madrigal, Arturo Ramírez-Cruz, Christof F. Stumpf

Insecta Mundi

In April 2018, specimens of an asterolecaniid were collected on infested wild plants of Asclepias curas­savica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) in Jiquilpan, Michoacan, Mexico. The collected specimens were identified as Planchonia stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Asterolecaniidae). In this paper, we record for the first time the presence of P. stentae infesting A. curassavica in Mexico.