Entomology Commons^™

Ento(O)Mics: The Intersection Of ‘Omic’ Approaches To Decipher Plant Defense Against Sap-Sucking Insect Pests, Prince Zogli, Lise Pingault, Sajjan Grover, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plants are constantly challenged by insect pests that can dramatically decrease yields. Insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts, for example, aphids, whiteflies, and leaf hoppers, seemingly cause less physical damage to tissues, however, they feed on the plant’s sap by piercing plant tissue and extracting plant fluids, thereby transmitting several plantpathogenic viruses as well. As a counter-defense, plants activate an array of dynamic defense machineries against insect pests including the rapid reprogramming of the host cell processes. For a holistic understanding of plant-sap-sucking insect interactions, there is a need to call for techniques with the capacity to concomitantly capture these dynamic changes. …

First Description Of The Female Of The Rare Megasoma Lecontei Hardy (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Dynastini), Brett Ratcliffe, Guillermo Nogueira, Rich Cunningham

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Megasoma lecontei Hardy is the most rarely collected of all species of Megasoma Kirby, and the female remained undescribed. A description and illustrations of the female of M. lecontei are provided for the first time based on several specimens from near Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico. A revised key to the Megasoma species occurring in Baja California Sur, Mexico is presented.

Phenology And Dispersal Of The Wheat Stem Sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) Into Winter Wheat Fields In Nebraska, Chris T. Mccullough, Gary L. Hein, Jeff Bradshaw Dr.

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Historically, the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton was a pest in spring wheat-growing regions of the northern Great Plains. However, in the 1980s, it was found infesting winter wheat fields in Montana. Infestations were first detected in western Nebraska in the 1990s, and have since spread throughout the Nebraska Panhandle. Larval damage occurs from stem-mining, but stem girdling that results in lodged stems that are not harvested results in the greatest yield losses.The biology and phenology of the wheat stem sawfly are well described in the northern portion of its range, but they are lacking in Colorado, southeast Wyoming, …

Description Of A New Species Of Gymnetis Macleay (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini) From Colima, Mexico, Brett Ratcliffe, Guillermo Nogueira

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Gymnetis pedroreyesi Ratcliffe and Nogueira, new species, is described from the state of Colima, Mexico. The description is accompanied by illustrations, a diagnosis to distinguish it from similar species, observations on natural history, and a key to the 12 Mexican species of Gymnetis MacLeay, 1819.

Gymnetis pedroreyesi Ratcliffe y Nogueira, nueva especie, es descrita del Estado de Colima,M´exico. La descripci´on es acompa~nada por ilustraciones, diagnosis para distinguirla de especies similares, observaciones y caracter´ısticas de su h´abitat y una clave para las 12 especies mejicanas de Gymnetis MacLeay, 1819.

Genome Sequence Of A Small Rna Virus Of The Southern Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica Undecimpunctata Howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Sijun Liu, Arnubio Valencia-Jiménez, Molly Darlington, Ana M. Vélez, Bryony C. Bonning

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The genome sequence of a novel small RNA virus, tentatively named Diabrotica undecimpunctata virus 1 (DuV1), was discovered from the transcriptome of the southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber. DuV1 has a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome that encodes a single polyprotein of 3,401 amino acids with limited similarity to other viruses.

Maize Defense Elicitor, 12-Oxo-Phytodienoic Acid, Prolongs Aphid Salivation, Sajjan Grover, Suresh Varsani, Michael V. Kolomiets, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

12-Oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), an intermediate in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway, regulates diverse signaling functions in plants, including enhanced resistance to insect pests. We previously demonstrated that OPDA promoted enhanced callose accumulation and heightened resistance to corn leaf aphid (CLA; Rhopalosiphum maidis), a phloem sap-sucking insect pest of maize (Zea mays). In this study, we used the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique to monitor and quantify the different CLA feeding patterns on the maize JA-deficient 12-oxo- phytodienoic acid reductase (opr7opr8) plants. CLA feeding behavior was unaffected on B73, opr7opr8 control plants (- OPDA), and opr7opr8 plants that were pretreated …

Greenbug (Schizaphis Graminum) Herbivory Significantly Impacts Protein And Phosphorylation Abundance In Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum), Prince Zogli, Sophie Alvarez, Michael J. Naldrett, Nathan A. Palmer, Kyle G. Koch, Lise Pingault, Jeffrey D. Bradshaw, Paul Twigg, Tiffany M. Heng‐Moss, Joe Louis, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is an important crop for biofuel production but it also serves as host for greenbugs (Schizaphis graminum Rondani; GB). Although transcriptomic studies have been done to infer the molecular mechanisms of plant defense against GB, little is known about the effect of GB infestation on the switchgrass protein expression and phosphorylation regulation. The global response of the switchgrass cultivar Summer proteome and phosphoproteome was monitored

by label‐free proteomics shotgun in GB‐infested and uninfested control plants at 10 days post infestation. Peptides matching a total of 3,594 proteins were identified and 429 were differentially expressed proteins in …

Spatial Repellency, Antifeedant Activity And Toxicity Of Three Medium Chain Fatty Acids And Their Methyl Esters Of Coconut Fatty Acid Against Stable Flies, Gwang H. Roh, Xiaaojie Zhou, Yansu Wang, Steven C. Cermak, James A. Kenar, Alexander Lehmann, Baoyu Han, David B. Taylor, Xiaopeng Zeng, Chung Gyoo Park, G. J. Brewer, J.J. Zhu

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Stable flies are one of the most detrimental arthropod pests to livestock. With changing climates and agronomic practices, they expand their roles as pests and disease vectors as well. Their painful bites reduce livestock productivity, annoy companion animals, and interfere with human recreational activities. Current management technologies are unable to effectively control stable flies. The present study reports new results concerning the contact, spatial repellency, and toxicity of a bio-based product, coconut fatty acid and their methyl ester derivatives of free fatty acids of C8:0, C10:0 and C12:0 to stable flies.

RESULTS: Three medium chain fatty acid methyl esters …

Abundance And Diversity Of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) As Affected By Grazing Management In The Nebraska Sandhills Ecosystem, Patrick M. Wagner, Gandura Omar Abagandura, Martha Mamo, Thomas Weissling, Ana Wingeyer, Jeffrey D. Bradshaw

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) serve a significant role in regulating ecosystem services on rangelands. However, the influence of grazing management on dung beetle communities remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate dung beetle abundance and diversity throughout the grazing season in the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion. Grazing treatments included: continuous grazing (CONT), low-stocking rotational grazing (LSR), high-stocking rotational grazing (HSR), and no grazing (NG). The abundance and diversity of dung beetles were measured in the 2014 and 2015 grazing seasons using dung-baited pitfall traps. Dung beetle abundance for each grazing treatment was characterized through four indices: peak …

Sublethal Endpoints In Non-Target Organism Testing For Insect-Active Ge Crops, Andrew Roberts, Chad J. Boeckman, Marina Mühl, Jörg Romeis, John L. Teem, Fernando H. Valicente, Judith K. Brown, Steven L. Levine, Richard L. Melnick, Thais B. Rodrigues, Ana M. Vélez, Xuguo Zhou, Richard L. Hellmich, Martin G. Edwards

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Historically, genetically engineered (GE) plants that have incorporated genes conferring insect protection have primarily used Cry proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to achieve their insecticidal phenotype. As a result, regulators have developed a level of familiarity and confidence in reviewing plants incorporating these insecticidal proteins. However, new technologies have been developed that produce GE plants that incorporate pest protection by triggering an RNA interference (RNAi) response or proteins other than Bt Cry proteins. These technologies have new modes of action. Although the overall assessment paradigm for GE plants is robust, there are ongoing discussions about the appropriate tests and …

Improved Sentinel Method For Surveillance And Collection Of Filth Fly Parasitoids, Christopher J. Geden, Dana M. Johnson, David B. Taylor

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Parasitoids are important natural enemies of house flies and other muscoid flies. The two most commonly used methods for collecting fly parasitoids from the field have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Collections of wild puparia depend on the ability to find puparia in sufficient numbers and are prone to localized distortions in relative species abundance because of the overrepresentation of samples from hot spots of fly larval activity. Placement and retrieval of sentinel puparia is convenient and allows consistent sampling over time but is strongly biased in favor of Muscidifurax spp. over Spalangia spp. An improved sentinel method is described that …

Proceedings Of The 2020 American Bee Research Conference, Bradley N. Metz, Judy Wu-Smart, Michael Simone-Finstrom

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2020 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held on 9–10 January 2020 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Trade Show in Schaumburg, IL. Over the two-day conference, a total of 65 oral and poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 30 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. These proceedings contain the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2020 American Bee Research Conference.

The First Mitochondrial Genome Of The Living-Fossil Sawfly Macroxyela Ferruginea (Hymenoptera: Xyelidae, Macroxyelinae), Bo-Ying Zheng, Ze-Kai Li, Xiao-Fei Li, Jia-Chen Zhu, Michael J. Sharkey, Pu Tang, Xue-Xin Chen

Entomology Faculty Publications

The living-fossil sawfly Macroxyela ferruginea (Xyelidae: Macroxyelinae) was one of the oldest species of Hymenoptera. We sequenced the mitochondrial genome, 15,465 bp in size. All 37 typical mitochondrial genes were possessed. There is only one rearrangement of gene order, where trnM and trnQ were shuffled. We also found this order was shared with Xyela sp., which also belongs to family Xyelidae. The 13 protein-coding genes of this sequence and the other 10 species from eight superfamilies in Hymenoptera were all used for phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood (ML) analysis and Bayesian inference (BI), with Ascaloptynx appendiculatus from Neuroptera as an …

Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Land Use And Water Quality In Kittitas County, Wa, Lindsay Schulz

All Master's Theses

Water in Kittitas County is extremely valuable since it supports farming, recreation, and cultural activities, as well as environmental processes and a diversity of biological life while providing many ecosystem services. However, land conversions required by agricultural and urban land uses can negatively impact water quality and the biological function of the stream. I studied how forested, agricultural, and urban land use affect six streams. Fourteen sites were sampled, once each in July, August, and September 2019. Land use was calculated as a percentage of forested, agricultural, and urban land use within a 100-m buffer of the stream, upstream of …

The Host Gatekeeper: Using The Flagellar Pathway To Understand Symbiont Host Adaptation, Adam R. Pollio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The acquisition of microbial partners is a strategy used by a diverse group of arthropods to overcome ecological barriers that might normally make certain niches uninhabitable. The unique phylogenetic opportunities attainable from the natural experiment of the Sodalis-allied clade allow for better understanding of how molecular structures evolve through time. Here, we focus on the evolution of the flagellar synthesis pathway, due to its complexity and ability to diverge in response to ecological pressures. We used this molecular pathway and natural experiment to show that normal evolutionary outcomes associated with symbiosis (i.e., genome reduction) do not explain the predicted conservation …

Trees, Fungi, Insects: How Host Plant Genetics Builds A Community, Sandra Jeanne Simon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Organisms, such as fungi and insects, can cause millions of acres of agricultural and forest damage, while others provide billions of dollars in ecological services such as education, aesthetic enjoyment, pollination, and gardening. Plant breeding and biotechnology can potentially help establish a balance between the proliferation of detrimental pests and attraction of beneficial insects. Variation in plant physiological and morphological characteristics are extremely important in the ability of host tissues to support many different types of organisms. When that variation is genetically heritable in a plant population, shifts in the underlying genes can have predictable consequences in structuring entire ecosystems. …

The Importance Of Surface Mining As A Landscape Variable In Shaping Wild Bee Communities In Central Appalachian Forests, Amanda Sheryl Dunaway

Online Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic disturbance has led to widespread losses in biodiversity. Native bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) provide essential pollination services and have been declining in abundance dramatically in recent years. One potential cause of these declines is anthropogenic disturbance. Eleven sites were established in Southeastern Kentucky, U.S.A. where surface mining for coal is common. Data was analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effect models to detect the most important landscape scale variables, including mining, in shaping bee communities. Bee species richness was significantly lower on sites that contained surface mines, but abundance was similar between mined and unmined sites. The proportion of each nesting group …

Bee Abundance Along A Tropical Montane Elevational Gradient And Implications For Crop Pollination Services, Kristin M. Conrad

Online Theses and Dissertations

Tropical forests are among the biologically richest ecosystems on Earth, but how most organisms in these forests will respond to a warming climate remains uncertain. Insects are expected to be highly responsive to climate change due to their short life cycles that are strongly influenced by temperature. Plants depend on pollinators to set seed and reproduce, and many animal populations rely on the resources provided by flowering plants. There is an urgent need to document elevational distributions and thermal specialization for tropical bee species to understand how these important pollinators may respond to warming temperatures. My four-year study (2016-2019) aims …

Impacts Of Driving Factors On Annual Cicada Emergence In Relation To The Seasonal Abundance Of Eastern Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix), Jesse Christian Sockman

Online Theses and Dissertations

For many species, life history events are cyclical and often correspond to specific environmental conditions. As a result of environmental variability, the optimal conditions that regulate the range and activity of highly regulated cyclical organisms, like cicadas, are subject to temporal change. Variability in cicada emergence and abundance has been shown to impact the species that rely on the rapid influx of nutrients. One such predator is the Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) that has been noted feeding on emerging cicadas throughout their range. In eastern Kentucky, observations of copperheads congregating to feed on cicadas has been documented in recreational areas. …

Improving The Biological Control Of Persicaria Perfoliata (Polygonaceae) Using Rhinoncomimus Latipes Korotyaev (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Jaewon Kim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross (Polygonaceae; Mile-a-minute weed) is a rapid-growing invasive vine introduced from eastern Asia to northeastern United States in the 1930s. This vine has been invaded in disturbed areas and reforestation sites in 15 states in the U.S. and forms dense, monocultural patches that may inhibit natural forest regeneration. To control this weed, a host-specific biocontrol agent, Rhinoncomimus latipes Korotyaev (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been released in the P. perfoliata invaded states in the U.S. during the past 15 years. Currently, R. latipes is released by hand to the invaded area where the presence of the weed is …