Entomology Commons^™

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Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

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High Resolution Modeling Of Tick Density And Detection Of Rickettsia Spp. In Dermacentor Spp. Ticks At Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Wa, Justin L. Donahue

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The tick species Dermacentor andersoni and Dermacentor variabilis are known vectors of pathogens. One such pathogen is the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii, which causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The detection of this bacterium in ticks at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) indicates a potential risk to human health. In order to follow up on this discovery, we had two separate objectives. First we developed a high resolution predictive map for Dermacentor spp. distribution across the public use area of TNWR. To do so, 50m transects (27 in total) were established across the public use area. Ticks were collected weekly within the …

Ectoparasite Presence In Select Northcentral Kansas Bat Species, Elizabeth Schumann

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Working with other graduate students on a grant given to Fort Hays State University, from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, I looked at presence and species of ectoparasites on bat species. The main goal of our grant was to quantify and qualify the status of the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in the state of Kansas, and to record data on any bycatch. I worked on our grant in the summer field seasons of 2016 and 2017, May to October, as described by the Indiana bat protocol.

Bats were captured by using mist nets set over …

Rates Of Water Loss And Metabolism In The Eggs Of Stick Insect Eurycantha Calcarata, Garret K. Jolma

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The thorny devil stick insect (Eurycantha calcarata) of New Guinea has eggs that take four months or more to develop—incredibly long for an insect. Long development times can be a challenge for eggs because of their finite resources, including nutrients, energy to support development, and water. I investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying long development times in stick insect eggs.

The first experiment examined rates of water loss and survival of eggs held in different experimental humidities (0, 75, or 100% RH). Eggs dried quickly in the 0% humidity “dry” container; and more slowly in the 75% humidity “intermediate” …

Biology And Management Of The Soybean Stem Borer, Dectes Texanus Leconte, In Kentucky, Izabela Gomes

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Dectes texanus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a longhorn beetle species endemic to eastern United States. Originally described as a pest of weeds from the family Asteraceae, D. texanus has expanded its host range and is found infesting the stems of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) through the southwestern and middle United States. Female D. texanus chews a hole in the epidermis of a petiole and oviposits on it. Then, the D. texanus larva depletes all the pith of the stem making a tunnel down to the base of the plant and girdle the stem about 5 cm above the …

Soil Fauna Accelerate Dung Pat Decomposition And Nutrient Cycling Into Grassland Soil, Kenneth S. Evans, Martha Mamo, Ana Wingeyer, Walter Schacht, Kent Eskridge, Jeff Bradshaw, Daniel Ginting

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil fauna play critical roles in various ecosystem functions and services, but empirical data measuring their impact on dung pat decomposition and subsequent nutrient cycling into rangeland soils are limited. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of soil fauna, using dung beetle as an indicator, on dung decomposition and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into grassland soil over time. A field experiment was conducted early in the summer season and late in the summer season of 2014 and 2015. In each season, dung beetle abundance, changes in dung properties, and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into …

Opda Regulates Maize Defense Against Aphids, Suresh Varsani, Sajjan Grover, Shaoqun Zhou, Kyle G. Koch, Pei-Cheng Huang, Michael V. Kolomiets, W. Paul Williams, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Gautam Sarath, Dawn S. Luthe, Georg Jander, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2019 American Society of Plant Biologists.

DOI:10.1104/pp.18.01472

Rnai Targeting Of Rootworm Troponin I Transcripts Confers Root Protection In Maize, Elane Fishilevich, Andrew J. Bowling, Meghan L. F. Frey, Po-Hao Wang, Wendy Lo, Murugesan Rangasamy, Sarah E. Worden, Heather E. Pence, Premchand Gandra, Shannon L. Whitlock, Greg Schulenberg, Eileen Knorr, Linda Tenbusch, Jamie R. Lutz, Stephen Novak, Ronda L. Hamm, Karl D. Schnelle, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is the major agronomically important pest of maize in the US Corn Belt. To augment the repertoire of the available dsRNA-based traits that control rootworm, we explored a potentially haplolethal gene target, wings up A (wupA), which encodes Troponin I. Troponin I, a component of the Troponin-Tropomyosin complex, is an inhibitory protein involved in muscle contraction. In situ hybridization showed that feeding on wupA-targeted dsRNAs caused systemic transcript knockdown in D. v. virgifera larvae. The knockdown of wupA transcript, and by extension Troponin I protein, led to deterioration of the …

P7 And P8 Proteins Of High Plains Wheat Mosaic Virus, A Negative-Strand Rna Virus, Employ Distinct Mechanisms Of Rna Silencing Suppression, Adarsh K. Gupta, Gary L. Hein, Satyanarayana Tatineni

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

High Plains wheat mosaic virus (genus Emaravirus), an octapartite negative-sense RNA virus, encodes two RNA silencing suppressors, P7 and P8. In this study, we found that P7 and P8 efficiently delayed the onset of dsRNA-induced transitive pathway of RNA silencing. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) revealed that only P7 protected long dsRNAs from dicing in vitro and bound weakly to 21- and 24-nt PTGS-like ds-siRNAs. In contrast, P8 bound strongly and relatively weakly to 21- and 24-nt ds-siRNAs, respectively, suggesting size-specific binding. In EMSA, neither protein bound to 180-nt and 21-nt ssRNAs at detectable levels. Sequence analysis revealed that …

Age- And Sex-Related Abc Transporter Expression In Pyrethroid-Susceptible And – Resistant Aedes Aegypti, Leslie C. Rault, Ellis J. Johnson, Scott T. O'Neal, Rui Chen, Sarah E. Mccomic, Daniel R. Swale, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Resistance mechanisms to synthetic insecticides often include point mutations and increased expression of genes encoding detoxification enzymes. Since pyrethroids are the main adulticides used against Aedes aegypti, which vectors pathogens such as Zika virus, understanding resistance to this insecticide class is of significant relevance. We focused on adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in the pyrethroid-resistant Puerto Rico (PR) strain of Ae. aegypti. We investigated the expression patterns of six ABC transporters previously characterized as differentially expressed in insecticide-challenged mosquitoes, or increased mRNA expression in pyrethroid-resistant Ae. aegypti, by comparing PR to the Rockefeller (Rock) susceptible strain. …

Cold Tolerance, Temperature Mediated Discontinuous Gas Exchange, And Emergence Of The Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia Lignaria), Logan Kral

All Master's Theses

The relationship between low temperatures, emergence and supercooling point of Osmia lignaria were the subject of this study. One hundred sixty-eight bees were subjected to 5 pre-wintering temperature treatments (two constant temperature controls - 22^oC, 14^oC, one of which with and one without a 12h photoperiod, and three 12h:12h thermoperiod treatments – 14:10^oC, 14:5^oC, and 14:0^oC) and were then evaluated in terms of emergence time and post-emergence vigor. An additional 70 bees were tested for metabolic rate and discontinuous gas exchange in response to test temperature conditions. An additional sample …

An Ecological Survey Of Forest Succession In A Northeast Ohio Ecosystem Following An Emerald Ash Borer Infestation, Joseph Haas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper will be an ecological survey of a selected 28 acre piece of land in northeast Ohio impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer. This invasive species arrived in North America in 2002 and has since spread throughout the country wreaking havoc on the ash tree population. The purpose of this study is to determine what tree species are replacing the native ash trees in the succession of the forest. In order to achieve this goal, a section of the selected land will be blocked off and subdivided into manageable sections to facilitate data collection, namely the location of the …

Hypericum Kalmianum (St. Johnswort) Confirmed As A New Host Of The Crapemyrtle Bark Scale In Virginia, U.S.A., Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), is an invasive pest of crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) that has expanded its range across the southeastern United States since its initial detection in 2004. Although previously considered host-specific to crapemyrtle in the United States, limited reports have suggested a broader host range. In 2018, infestations of scale insects were observed on Hypericum kalmianum (‘Blue Velvet’) at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach, VA. Morphological identification and mitochondrial COI DNA sequencing confirmed the specimens as A. lagerstroemiae, with 99.5% sequence similarity to published GenBank records. Approximately 20% …

Molecular Survey For The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Trypanosome Parasites Crithidia Mellificae And Lotmaria Passim, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Honey bee populations in the United States have been fluctuating in recent years. Although this has not been attributed to any one cause, recent studies have shown that multiple interactions among mircoorganisms may contribute to their decline. Several honey bee internal parasites have been overlooked as probable causes of decline; these include two different species of trypanosomes Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim. Both parasites have been understudied in honey bee populations and could contribute to population disease dynamics. This study explored a molecular diagnostic survey for C. mellificae and L. passim using multiplex-PCR. Honey bee samples from both feral and …

Susceptibility Of Corn To Stink Bug (Dichelops Melacanthus) And Its Management Through Seed Treatment, Paulo Roberta Da Silva, Ademar Novais Istchuk, Thomas E. Hunt, Cristina Schetino Bastos, Jorge Braz Torres, Karolayne Lopes Campos, Josemar Foresti

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

We determined the susceptibility of vegetative corn stages to Dichelops melacanthus damage, and how seed treatment can reduce damage and yield loss. Two field trials were carried out. In the first, corn plants were artificially infested with D. melacanthus male/female pairs at rate of 0.5 pair per plant at different vegetative stages and infestation periods lasting 7-28 days (V1-V3, V1-V5, V1-V7, V1-V9, V3-V5, V3-V7, V3-V9, V5-V7, V5-V9, and V7-V9), plus a control without infestation. In the second, corn plants were artificially infested at a rate of one male/female pair per plant at different vegetative stages and infestation periods (V1-V3, V1-V5, …

A New Pest Species Of Resseliella (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) On Soybean (Fabaceae) In North America, With A Description Of The Genus, Raymond Gagne, Junichi Yukawa, Ayman K. Elsayed, Anthony J. Mcmechan

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A new species, Resseliella maxima Gagne, is reported that feeds on the lower stems of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. (Fabaceae) in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota. It is described and illustrated and compared in detail with other Resseliella spp. DNA data support its status as a new species. A general description is given for Resseliella.

Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Alters The Transcriptome Of Its Vector, Wheat Curl Mite (Aceria Tosichella Keifer), To Enhance Mite Development And Population Expansion, Adarsh K. Gupta, Erin D. Scully, Nathan A. Palmer, Scott M. Geib, Gautam Sarath, Gary L. Hein, Satyanarayana Tatineni

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV; genus Tritimovirus; family Potyviridae) is an economically important wheat virus that is transmitted by the wheat curl mite (WCM; Aceria tosichella Keifer) in a persistent manner. Virus–vector coevolution may potentially influence vector gene expression to prolong viral association and thus increase virus transmission efficiency and spread. To understand the transcriptomic responses of WCM to WSMV, RNA sequencing was performed to assemble and analyse transcriptomes of WSMV viruliferous and aviruliferous mites. Among 7291 de novo-assembled unigenes, 1020 were differentially expressed between viruliferous and aviruliferous WCMs using edgeR at a false discovery rate ≤0.05. …

Biotic Potential And Reproductive Parameters Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Débora Goulart Montezano, Alexandre Specht, Daniel R. Sosa-Gomez, Vânia F. Roque-Specht, Juaci V. Malaquias, Silvana L. Vieira De Paula Moraes, Julie A. Peterson, Thomas E. Hunt

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a native to the Americas and recently reported in Africa, Germany, the Netherlands and India, is a significant pest of many crop species. Although a widespread and important pest, information on its biology and development are incomplete and require detailed study. In this study, the biotic potential and reproductive parameters of S. frugiperda were evaluated under controlled conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase). The longevity, pre-, post- and oviposition periods, fecundity, and fertility of 30 pairs were evaluated. The longevity of …

Composition And Host-Use Patterns Of A Scarab Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Community Inhabiting The Canopy Of A Lowland Tropical Rainforest In Southern Venezuela, Susan Kirmse, Brett C. Ratcliffe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The adult scarab beetle fauna of the canopy in a lowland tropical rainforest in southern Venezuela was observed and collected by means of a 42 m-tall tower crane for a complete year. This first census of an entire Amazonian canopy scarab community was embedded within the interdisciplinary research project "Towards an understanding of the structure and function of a Neotropical rainforest ecosystem with special reference to its canopy" organized by the Austrian Academy of Science. The Scarabaeidae represented one of the most species-rich beetle families in the canopy of the crane plot and were therefore selected for a detailed analysis …

Soil Arthropod Abundance And Diversity Following Land Application Of Swine Slurry, Nichole R. Schuster, Julie A. Peterson, John E. Gilley, Linda R. Schott, Amy M. Schmidt

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Soil arthropods play an important role in nutrient cycling and maintenance of soil structure, and their abundance and diversity provide an indication of the biological quality of soil. Land application of livestock manure provides crop nutrients and may also impact the soil arthropod community. This study was conducted to quantify soil arthropod abundance and diversity for a pe-riod of one year following swine manure application via broadcast or injec-tion. Arthropods were extracted from plot soil samples using Berlese funnels, identified and counted, and the QBS index (Qualità Biologica del Suolo) was calculated for each soil sample. Collembola (Hypogastruridae and Isotomi-dae) …