Entomology Commons^™

A Synopsis Of The Cimicoidea (Heteroptera) Of Michigan, Daniel R. Swanson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

An overview of the 20 species of Cimicoidea (Anthocoridae, Cimicidae, Lasiochilidae, Lyctocoridae) found in Michigan is presented, along with identification keys, distribution maps, and relevant literature. Five new state records for the following species, representing three of the four cimicoid families found in Michigan, are presented: Oeciacus vicarius Horváth (Cimicidae: Cimicinae), Cimexopsis nyctalis List (Cimicidae: Haematosiphoninae), Amphiareus obscuriceps (Poppius) (Anthocoridae), Cardiastethus borealis Kelton (Anthocoridae), and Lyctocoris stalii (Reuter) (Lyctocoridae).

Redescription Of The Female Of Oobius Depressus (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Newly Found In Michigan, U.S.A., Serguei V. Triapitsyn, Toby R. Petrice, Vladimir V. Berezovskiy

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A female of Oobius depressus (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), collected in a modified Malaise trap in the canopy of a black locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, at Rose Lake State Wildlife Area in Bath Charter Township, Clinton Co., Michigan, U.S.A., is re-described and illustrated. This species was previously known only from the type series of headless specimens of both sexes from the type locality in Morristown, Henry Co., Illinois, U.S.A. These type specimens were from a single cohort of locust borer, Megacyllene robiniae (Forster) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), eggs collected and reared over one hundred years ago. An updated taxonomic key to females of …

New Records Of Aulacigaster Neoleucopeza Mathis And Freidberg (Diptera: Schizophora: Aulacigastridae) From Wisconsin, Daniel K. Young, Craig M. Brabant

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In Wisconsin, Aulacigaster neoleucopeza was previously known from but a single Dane County record dating from April 1951. We report one specimen captured with a flight-intercept trap on private property in Lafayette County, five specimens recovered from Lindgren funnel and Malaise traps at the Hemlock Draw, Nature Conservancy Preserve in Sauk County, and 659 specimens from Malaise traps at the Quincy Bluff State Natural Area in Adams County. The specimens were taken from mid-April 1998, late April to mid-May 2014, and early to mid-April 2010, respectively. As

Evaluating Simulated Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae) Damage In Cotton (Malvales: Malvaceae) And Identifying Conducive Environments, Reece Starnes Butler

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluated the effects of simulated threecornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH), Spissistilus festinus (Say), damage in cotton and aimed to identify environments that may contribute to an increase in TCAH injury. During the 2023 and 2024 growing season, simulated TCAH damage was imposed at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% at the three and six leaf growth stage. Agronomic data included plant heights, node counts, and plant mapping, which was collected throughout the growing season, while lint yield was recorded at harvest. Damaged plants exhibited reduced plant heights and node counts, with an increase in nodes above cracked boll …

Taking Flight: Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Systems To Sample Insects In Soybean, William "Covey" Lockhart

Theses and Dissertations

Insect scouting in soybean is a labor-intensive task but is needed throughout the season to minimize losses. When soybeans are tall, soils are wet, or soybeans are planted in narrow rows, walking through these fields can be difficult. To overcome these limitations of manual sampling, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sampling platform was developed that can collect insects in a sweep net attached to the bottom of a UAV. This system has been named the “Drone Insect Net Sampling System” (DINSS). Previous research with this system has shown positive correlations to traditional manual sampling methods. To improve this system, modifications …

First Report Of Retocomus Wildii (Leconte, 1855) (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) From Nebraska, Edwin L. Freese

The Great Lakes Entomologist

[excerpt]

The beetle species Retocomus wildii is reported from Nebraska for the first time with three specimens collected at Indian Cave State Park, which is located adjacent the Missouri River, in the southeast corner of Nebraska. The first specimen was collected 9 June 1992 in Nemaha County by C. A. Springer and deposited in the University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln. The second specimen was collected 30 June 2011 in Richardson County, no collector given. Both specimens were identified by Matt J. Paulsen during 2011 (Paulsen, pers. comm.). The third specimen was first located as a photo posted at http://bugguide. …

First Record Of Eurypogon Niger (Melsheimer) (Coleoptera: Artematopodidae) In Illinois, Jordan D. Marché Ii

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The elateroid species, Eurypogon niger (Melsheimer) (Coleoptera: Artematopodidae), is recorded for the first time from Illinois. This brings to 10 the number of U.S. states (plus the District of Columbia) from which the species has been reported. Its occurrence has also been noted in Canada.

Description Of The Nymph Of Ophiogomphus Smithi (Odonata: Gomphidae), With A Key To The Species Of Ophiogomphus In The Western Great Lakes Region, William A. Smith, Kenneth J. Tennessen

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Ophiogomphus smithi Tennessen & Vogt is a gomphid dragonfly with restricted distribution which includes northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and central to northwestern Wisconsin. The nymph is described and illustrated based on 173 specimens (66 exuviae of reared specimens plus 107 nymphs) from throughout the species’ range. The nymph of O. smithi is very similar to nymphs of O. carolus Needham, O. colubrinus Selys, and O. rupinsulensis (Walsh). Nearly all (99%) of O. smithi sampled can be distinguished from O. colubrinus by prementum terminal width less than or equal to 2.97 mm (98% of O. colubrinus greater than 2.97 mm), and …

Moths Of The Douglas Lake Region (Emmet And Cheboygan Counties), Michigan: Vii. Tortricidae (Lepidoptera), Brian G. Scholtens, Michael Sabourin

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Two hundred thiry-four species of Tortricidae are documented from Emmet and Cheboygan counties in Michigan, including 32 state records. This is the second major taxon of microlepidoptera inventoried from the area, and provides the first significant listing of a regional tortricid fauna from the state. Several additions are expected for this list as additional habitats and seasons are sampled more effectively.

The Family Mantispidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) In North Dakota, Eduardo I. Faúndez

The Great Lakes Entomologist

New records of mantidflies are given for the state of North Dakota. Climaciella brunnea (Say, 1824) is formally recorded, including the first precise locality records for the state. These records are for Barnes, Billings, Cass, Ransom, Richland and Slope counties. Dicromantispa sayi (Banks, 1897) is recorded for the first time in the state from Burleigh County. An illustrated key is provided to identify the species that occur in the state.

The Caddisflies (Trichoptera) Of An Undisturbed Lower Michigan Habitat, David C. Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The caddisfly assemblages of small streams, medium floodplain and forested rivers, and lakes within the Black River Ranch, a relatively undisturbed habitat in northern Lower Michigan, were sampled during 2014–2015 using ultraviolet light traps to establish a reference assemblage for the caddisflies of the region. A total of 117 species were collected including three—Hydroptila amoena Ross, H. novicola Blickle and Morse, and H. quinola Ross—not previously reported from Michigan. All species and their habitat affinities are reported herein. Individual sampling sites all had high levels of species richness compared to similar habitat types throughout Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and included …

Consumption Of Insect Pests By The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) In Southeastern Michigan, Olivia M. Münzer, Brian Schaetz, Allen Kurta

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Diet of a colony of evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis Rafinesque) in Lenawee County, Michigan, was studied during 2006–2007, using standard fecal analysis. Of the 594 fecal pellets examined, the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber: Coleoptera), green stink bug (Chinavia hilaris Say: Hemiptera), and emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire: Coleoptera) were identified and occurred at a frequency of 15, 12, and 0.8%; respectively, over the two years combined. In some weeks, up to 64% of the pellets analyzed contained fragments of spotted cucumber beetles, and up to 43% contained green stink bugs—two of the most injurious pests to …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Population Decline In Oarisma Poweshiek (Hesperiidae) In Michigan And Minnesota Between 1990 And 2013, Elise C. Rosengren, David A. Andow

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The recent contraction of the geographic range of Oarisma poweshiek (Poweshiek skipperling) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) resulted in its listing as an endangered species in 2014 (USFWS 2014). However, changes in population density within sites associated with this contraction are still not understood. This range-wide contraction of Poweshiek skipperling appears to indicate a regional cause. Using population data from multiple sites in Michigan and Minnesota, we investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of population decline to determine if regional or site-specific factors likely contributed to the decline. We hypothesized that if regional factors caused the density declines, then the declines would be …

Associations Among Serropalpus Substriatus (Coleoptera: Melandryidae) And Sirex (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Communities, Tonya D. Bittner, Ann E. Hajek, James K. Liebherr

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Serropalpus substriatus Haldeman (Coleoptera: Melandryidae) develops within the same trees as Sirex noctilio F. and Sirex cyaneus F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). This species is now reported emerging from red pine (Pinus resinosa Sol. ex Aiton) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) (Pinaceae) in eastern North America. Numbers of Se. substriatus emerging from pines were always much lower than numbers of Sirex in trees, and 18% of Se. substriatus required 2 years before emergence. During first years of emergence, Se. substriatus was found in only 12 of 41 sampled red pines infested by Si. noctilio. Trees from which Se. substriatus emerged …

The Biogeography Of A Disjunct Plant-Insect Relationship: Thimbleberry And Diastrophis Kincaidii (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) In The Great Lakes Region, Michael C. Rotter, Mac Strand

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The clonal shrub thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) ranges throughout western North America and is disjunct to the northern Great Lakes region. Diastrophis kincaidii (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) is an obligate gall wasp of thimbleberry that has long been known from western North America but has only been reported from the Great Lakes region since the early 1990s. It has been suggested that Diastrophis kincaidii was only recently introduced into the Great Lakes region sometime in the 1980s. We conducted a survey to determine the distribution of D. kincaidii and its parasitoids within the thimbleberry range in the Great Lakes region. We found that …

A New Species Of Erioptera Meigen Crane Fly (Diptera: Limoniidae) From Michigan With Notes On Closely Related Species, Stephen W. Taber

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A new Nearctic species of Erioptera Meigen crane fly was discovered in Michigan, USA. It belongs to the green chlorophylla species group of the nominate subgenus. Erioptera michigana Taber sp. n. is most closely related to Erioptera subfurcifer Alexander but their reproductive structures are different. Their close relative Erioptera georgei Alexander is illustrated for the first time.

Impact Of Unconventional Gas Extraction On Tributaries Of Tenmile Creek, Greene County, Pennsylvania: A 12-Year Perspective, Christian L. Beall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of southwestern Pennsylvania has been central to a rapid increase in development for unconventional natural gas extraction in the past two decades. The continued monitoring of streams over their lifetime as extraction sites is pivotal to understanding the effects of fracking on local waterways and their ability to provide for wildlife and human use. Here, using multiple indices of biotic integrity (IBI), I perform analyses of fish and macroinvertebrate communities as well as water chemistry on two streams, Bates Fork (with shale wells) and Fonner Run (without), as part of a follow-up to work performed there from 2010-2012. Fish …

Digitization And Archival Of Insect Collections: Literature Review, Rebekah Rogers

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

A slide presentation discussing how and why digitization has become a key component in the curation and care of natural history collections.

Impacts Of German Yellowjacket (Vespula Germanica) Removal On Pollinator Communities In Western New York, Jonathan M. Promowicz

Biology Theses

Invasive social insects can restructure native arthropod communities through predation and competition. Vespula germanica (German yellowjacket) is a globally invasive wasp species that dominates vespid assemblages across urban and suburban landscapes. This study tested the hypothesis that reducing V. germanica using protein-based fipronil baits would increase native pollinator abundance, species richness and native vespid abundance. Vespula germanica was experimentally suppressed at suburban and urban sites. Pollinator abundance and richness increased with V. germanica baiting. Native vespids had mixed results from baiting with suburban sites increasing in overall abundance and urban sites decreasing. These results indicate that suppressing dominant invasive wasps …

Assessing The Prevalence Of Ehrlichia Spp. In Ticks Associated With Canids In Arkansas, Eva J. Berryhill

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Canine ehrlichiosis is a disease that is commonly seen in dogs. In previous studies, the southeastern part of the United States has been identified as an area of high prevalence. Arkansas was included in the region where the prevalence is high. Changes in climate, household income, and tick population were identified as factors contributing to this high prevalence. Canine ehrlichiosis is caused by three Ehrlichia spp., which are E. canis, E. ewingii, and E. chaffeensis. Ticks are responsible for transmitting the disease, specifically R. sanguineus, D. variabilis, and A. americanum. For this study, the goal was to determine the prevalence …