Entomology Commons^™

Impact Of Buckwheat And Methyl Salicylate Lures On Natural Enemy Abundance For Early Season Management Of Melanaphis Sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae) In Sweet Sorghum, Nathan Mercer

Entomology Research Data

Tested effect of buckwheat flowers and methyl salicylate lures to attract natural enemies to sweet sorghum fields to manage Melanaphis sacchari, a recent pest of sweet sorghum.

Imported Fire Ants, Ryan Davis, Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

Imported fire ants (Order Hymenoptera, Family Formicidae) (IFA) are social insects representing two South American ant species: the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) and black imported fire ant (Solenopsis richteri Forel), along with their hybrid offspring. IFA are native to South America, where their colonies are kept in check by native competitors, predators, and parasites. However, they have invaded other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S., causing agricultural, ecological, economical, nuisance, and public health problems, which are described in more detail in this fact sheet. Management is also addressed.

Juvenile Hormone Mediation In An Insect With Parental Care Behavior, Jessica M. Rodino

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a well-known catalyst for hormonal processes in insects. However, the role of JH in insects that exhibit parental behavior is unknown. We investigated the influence of JH on parental behavior in the burying beetle (Nicrophorus orbicollis). In the first experiment, we manipulated the JH production of females via the administration of varying doses of fluvastatin sodium immediately following oviposition. We found that with increasing fluvastatin dosage, the total mass of offspring and number of offspring decreased while at the same time less of the food source was consumed. These results suggest a link between …

Nebline, March 2020

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Nutrition Education Program Fosters Healthy Families and Communities

Everyone Counts. 2020 Census

Recipes of the Month

Private Applicator Trainings, March 9 & 10

Southeast Nebraska Soil Health Conference, March 3

Dicamba Training, March 10

Recent Workshop Recordings Online

Pruning to Create Strength and Good Structure in Young Trees

Bug Word Search

Avoid Unwanted Guests at Your Bird Feeders

2020 All-America Selections Vegetable Winners

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Look Who's Hatching Program for Childcare Centers "Incubates" Imagination

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Clayton Haman

4-H Announcements for 4-H'ers and Volunteers

4-H Achievement Celebration

Extension Calendar

4-H Horse Hippology …

2019 Soybean Insect Losses In The United States, F. R. Musser, A. L. Catchot Jr., S. P. Conley, J. A. Davis, C. Difonzo, J. K. Greene, G. M. Lorenz, D. Owens, D. D. Reisig, P. Roberts, T. Royer, N. J. Seiter, R. Smith, S. D. Stewart, S. Taylor, K. Tilmon, R. T. Villanueva, M. O. Way

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated insect management costs and losses due to insects in soybean during the 2019 growing season were collected and compiled from 17 states to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. These annual estimates provide an historical record of pest pressure and insect management and have been compiled in some states since 2004. Participating states represented 39% of soybean acreage grown in the United States, with near 100% participation in southern states. Overall, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean followed by corn earworm. Total insect management costs were $15.48 per …

2017 Rice Insect Losses In The United States, N. R. Bateman, G. M. Lorenz, B. C. Thrash, J. Gore, M. O. Way, B. E. Wilson, L. A. Espino, F. R. Musser

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimates of the costs and losses associated with multiple insect pests of rice were compiled for 5 rice-producing states. Participating states included Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, accounting for approximately 90% of the rice grown in the US. Overall, insects accounted for more than $133 million in costs and losses during 2017, averaging $60.40 per acre. Rice water weevil caused more yield loss than all other insect pests across all participating states, followed by rice stink bug and true armyworm.

A History Of Zinnias: Flower For The Ages, Eric Grissell

Purdue University Press Book Previews

A History of Zinnias brings forward the fascinating adventure of zinnias and the spirit of civilization. With colorful illustrations, this book is a cultural and horticultural history documenting the development of garden zinnias—one of the top ten garden annuals grown in the United States today.

The deep and exciting history of garden zinnias pieces together a tale involving Aztecs, Spanish conquistadors, people of faith, people of medicine, explorers, scientists, writers, botanists, painters, and gardeners. The trail leads from the halls of Moctezuma to a cliff-diving prime minister; from Handel, Mozart, and Rossini to Gilbert and Sullivan; from a little-known confession …

Immunocompetence Of Gynaikothrips Uzeli (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) Populations From Different Latitudes Against Beauveria Bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), Deyi Yu, Peng Huang, Yongwen Lin, Jinai Yao, Yanyang Lan, Komivi Senyo Akutse, Xiangyu Hou

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Gynaikothrips uzeli gall thrips are protected from insecticide exposure by their leaf gall habitat. A biocontrol strategy based on entomopathogenic fungi is an alternative approach for the control of G. uzeli. Higher temperatures can promote the reproduction and spread of pests; however, the impact of higher temperatures on biological control is unclear. We studied the immunocompetence of thrips from different latitudes and determined the effect of degree days on thrips immunity. We examined the potential impact of temperature on the biocontrol provided by entomopathogenic fungi. Beauveria bassiana pathogenicity against thrips increased with decreasing latitude, suggesting that immunity of thrips increased …

Influence Of Seeing A Red Face During The Male–Male Encounters Of Mosquito-Specialist Spiders, Fiona R. Cross, Robert R. Jackson, Lisa A. Taylor

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Males of Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), have bright red faces. Here, we investigated how seeing a red face might influence a male’s behaviour during encounters with another male. We applied black eyeliner to conceal the red on a male’s face and measured the spectral properties of male faces with and without the eyeliner. Only the faces without eyeliner reflected in the long-wavelength range corresponding to red. In experiments over 2 days, where eyeliner was absent on the first day and present on the second, we compared how two groups of males responded to their mirror images. …

Honeybees Fail To Discriminate Floral Scents In A Complex Learning Task After Consuming A Neonicotinoid Pesticide, Julie A. Mustard, Annie Gott, Jennifer Scott, Nancy L. Chavarria, Geraldine A. Wright

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Neonicotinoids are pesticides used to protect crops but with known secondary influences at sublethal doses on bees. Honeybees use their sense of smell to identify the queen and nestmates, to signal danger and to distinguish flowers during foraging. Few behavioural studies to date have examined how neonicotinoid pesticides affect the ability of bees to distinguish odours. Here, we use a differential learning task to test how neonicotinoid exposure affects learning, memory, and olfactory perception in foraging-age honeybees. Bees fed with thiamethoxam could not perform differential learning and could not distinguish odours during short and long-term memory tests. Our data indicate …

New Genera, Species, And Records Of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) From Hispaniola, Steven W. Lingafelter

Insecta Mundi

Two new genera of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Luctithonus Lingafelter and Duocris­tala Lingafelter, are described from Hispaniola. Two new species of Luctithonus are described: Luctithonus aski Lingafelter and L. duartensis Lingafelter. A third species, L. pantherinus (Zayas), is newly recorded from Hispan­iola and the Dominican Republic (new country record), and transferred from Sternidius Haldeman as a new combination. Additional new species of Lamiinae are described from Hispaniola: Eugamandus albipumilus Lingafelter; Leptostylopsis opuntiae Lingafelter; and Lethes turnbowi Lingafelter. Keys to tribes of Lamiinae, genera of Acanthocinini, and species of Luctithonus in Hispaniola are included.

New State Record And Range Extension For Mycterus Youngi Pollock (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) – But Is It Really Rare?, Daniel K. Young

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Mycterus youngi was described from Wisconsin and “L.S” (presumed to indicate along Lake Superior). All but one of the specimens in the type series were collected between 1947 and 1949. Herein, three females of M. youngi are reported from Michigan, between 1910 and 1940. A discussion of possible implications of the few, and largely old collection dates is provided.

Further New Records Of Coleoptera And Other Insects From Wisconsin, Jordan D. Marche Ii

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Specimens of eleven different species of insects, representing seven separate families of Coleoptera, and one family each of Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera, are herein reported as new to Wisconsin. These genera or species occur respectively within the following families: Leiodidae, Monotomidae, Cucujidae, Cryptophagidae, Ciidae, Tetratomidae, Curculionidae, Pentatomidae, Glyphipterigidae, Phoridae, and Pteromalidae. All but one of these insects were collected at or near the author’s residence (Dane County); the pentatomid was taken in northern Wisconsin (Oconto County). Three of the four non-coleopteran fauna are introduced species.

Parasitism Of Female Neotibicen Linnei (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) By Larvae Of The Sarcophagid Fly Emblemasoma Erro In Wisconsin, Allen M. Young

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Herein it is reported an unusual case of parasitism of a female Neotibicen linnei (Smith and Grossbeck) by the sarcophagid Emblemasoma erro (Aldrich) in western Wisconsin. Sarcophagids typically attack male cicadas, locating them by the latter’s acoustical behavior.

Some members of the dipteran family Sarcophagidae are parasitic on male cicadas (e.g. Soper et. al. 1976, Lakes-Harlan et. al. 2000, Faris et. al. 2008, Stucky 2015). Parasitoids such as Emblemasoma species are attracted to larviposit on male cicadas by responding to the latter’s acoustical signals (Tron et. al. 2016). Sarcophagids, therefore, are generally not attracted to mute female cicadas. In this …

Ciidae Of Michigan (Insecta: Coleoptera), Luna Grey, Anthony I. Cognato

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The family Ciidae Leach, 1819, occurs worldwide with approximately 720 species. In the United States there are 84 species in 13 genera. Given their relatively small size (~0.5 to 6 mm) and cryptic habitats, feeding in decaying fungi, recent regional fauna studies are lacking including the northeastern United States. To alleviate this gap in knowledge, in part, we review and identify 2,123 undetermined specimens collected in Michigan. We provide new state records for four species: Ceracis pecki Lawrence 1971, Cis americanus Mannerheim, 1852, Cis submicans Abeille de Perrin, 1874, Dolicocis manitoba Dury, 1919 which increases the total for Michigan …

Leaf Mining Insects And Their Parasitoids In The Old-Growth Forest Of The Huron Mountains, Ronald J. Priest, Robert R. Kula, Michael W. Gates

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Leaf mining insects in an old-growth forest along the south central shore of Lake Superior in Michigan are documented. We present the results of a 13-year survey of leaf mining species, larval hosts, seasonal occurrence, and parasitoids, as well as report biological observations. Representative larvae, mines, adults, and parasitoids were preserved. Among the larval host associations, 15 are reported as new. Additionally, 42 parasitoid taxa were identified resulting in six first reports from the New World and 32 new host associations. Two undescribed species (Gelechiidae and Figitidae) discovered through this research were described in earlier publications.

Effect Of Laboratory Heat Stress On Mortality And Web Mass Of The Common House Spider, Parasteatoda Tepidariorum (Koch 1841) (Araneae: Theridiidae), Aubrey J. Brown, David Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We determined the effects of chronic heat stress on web construction of Parasteatoda tepidariorum (Araneae: Theridiidae) by measuring the survival and web mass of specimens after a 48-h period within a temperature chamber at 21, 30, 35, 40, or 50°C. The 21, 30 and 35°C treatments had the highest mean survival rate (100%), the 50°C treatment had the lowest (0%), and the 40°C treatment was intermediate (58%). The 21, 30, and 35°C treatments had the highest mean web mass, and the 40 and 50°C treatments had the lowest. Web mass did not correlate with spider mass for specimens across all …

Hidden Dangers To Researcher Safety While Sampling Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Ralph D. Stoaks

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Abstract

This paper reviews hidden dangers that threaten the safety of freshwater (FW) researchers of benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs). Six refereed journals containing 2,075 papers were reviewed for field research resulting in 505 FW BMI articles. However, danger was reported in only 18% of FW BMI papers. I discussed: 1) papers that did not warn of existing danger and consider researcher safety, 2) metric threshold values (e.g., chemical hazards), and non-metric dangers, (e.g., caves and aquatic habitats), 3), the frequency of danger occurrence, 4) baseline and extreme values. Examples of 28 danger factors that posed a threat to BMI researchers in …

Lessons Learned: Rearing The Crown-Boring Weevil, Ceutorhynchus Scrobicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), In Containment For Biological Control Of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Elizabeth J. Katovich, Roger L. Becker, Esther Gerber, Hariet L. Hinz, Ghislaine Cortat

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In this paper, we describe lessons learned and protocols developed after a decade of rearing Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis Nerenscheimer and Wagner in a Biosafety Level 2 containment facility. We have developed these protocols in anticipation of approval to release C. scrobicollis in North America for the biocontrol of garlic mustard. The rearing protocol tried to minimize the potential of attack by the adult parasitoid, Perilitus conseutor, which may be present in field collected C. scrobicollis from Europe to prevent inadvertent introduction of parasitoids into North America.

All C. scrobicollis used for our quarantine rearing were field collected near Berlin, Germany. We …

Photoperiodic Response Of Abrostola Asclepiadis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), A Candidate Biological Control Agent For Swallow-Worts (Vincetoxicum, Apocynaceae), Lindsey R. Milbrath, Margarita Dolgovskaya, Mark Volkovitsh, René F.H. Sforza, Jeromy Biazzo

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A biological control program is in development for two swallow-wort species (Vincetoxicum, Apocynaceae), European vines introduced into northeastern North America. One candidate agent is the defoliator Abrostola asclepiadis (Denis and Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The moth reportedly has up to two generations in parts of its native range. We assessed the potential multivoltinism of Russian and French populations of the moth by rearing them under constant and changing photoperiods, ranging from 13:11 to 16:8 hour (L:D). The French population was also reared outdoors under naturally-changing day lengths at a latitude similar to northern New York State. Less than six …