Entomology Commons^™

Drought And Herbivory Have Selective Transgenerational Effects On Soybean Eco-Physiology, Defence And Fitness, Manish Gautam, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soybeans, one of the most important legumes, face multiple stresses including drought and herbivory. But the potential transfer of the interactive effects of these stressors onto the transgenerational plants has not been understood. We hypothesised that progeny from stressed parents will have enhanced ecophysiology and defence traits through priming, affecting fitness. Experimental plants were derived from seeds of drought (D), drought and herbivory interaction (D & times; H), herbivory (H) and well-watered (WW) treatments imposed on parental generation. The findings revealed significant transgenerational effects of D, D & times; H, H and WW treatments; D & times; H treatment had …

Update To: Advancing Butterfly Systematics Through Genomic Analysis, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

In this update, we propose (type species or type localities in parentheses): Lochris Grishin, nom. nov. (Lasaia oileus Godman, 1903; Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) as a new substitute name for Locris Grishin, 2025 preoccupied by Locris Stål, 1866 (Cercopis rubra Fabricius, 1794; Hemiptera: Cercopidae), 5 new species, and 5 new subspecies: Emesis (Mandania) mandarina Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Santa Catarina) and Emesis (Mandania) mandela Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela, Carabobo) in Riodinidae Grote, 1895 (1827); others in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809: Telegonus (Rhabdoides) flavifimbro Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia), Urbanus (Urbanoides) dolus Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: …

Examining The Performance Of An Insect Generalist Reared On Unused Host Plants In Colorado, Maxwell J. Meyer, Kanshita Dam, Kailey G. Hicks, Emma J. Sellers, Mykaela M. Tanino-Springsteen, Jd Reigrut, Dhaval K. Vyas, Shannon M. Murphy

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Dietary generalist insects are important to ecological communities because they are commonly found in many environments and play important roles in ecosystem services like pollination and decomposition. Although dietary generalist herbivores eat a broad range of plant species, regional populations of these species may have significantly narrower or specialized diet breadths. Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea, hereafter FW) is a dietary generalist at the species level, but we do not know if there is dietary generalism at the population level or how generalism varies across populations. In Colorado, FW larvae feed on only a few plant species, but many plant species …

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Transgenerational Imprints Of Sequential Herbivory Onsoybean Physiology And Fitness Traits, Insha Shaft, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sequential herbivory leads to a multitude of effects on plants, influencing processes like growth, physiology, defense, and fitness. However, whether the sequential herbivore attack can elicit any transgenerational consequences is poorly examined. In this study, we show evidence of transgenerational impacts of sequential herbivory by two chewing herbivores, fall armyworm (Spodopterafrugiperda , FAW) and soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens , SL) on soybean (Glycine max ) progeny. Seeds from the parents subjected to different herbivore sequences (SL-FAW: initial attack by SL followed by FAW and FAW-SL: FAW followed by SL) were used for the transgenerational experiment. Our main hypothesis was that …

Response Of Various Body Parts Of House Flies, Musca Domestica, To Sucrose, Panchalie B. Gunathunga, Merveille Muyizere, Bethia H. King

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Insects use multiple body parts, not just their mouth, to taste. Whether a particular body part has a taste function can be determined by examining the morphology or electrophysiological response of its sensilla (sense organs) or by its behavioral response. The present study investigated taste response of each of the three pairs of tarsi, tibiae, femurs, as well as the antennae and wings, in house flies, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). This was done by measuring the proboscis extension response (PER), and in the case of the wings, also the grooming behavior. PER is a visible precursor to consumption. The …

Squash Bug Integrated Pest Management, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

This infographic reviews integrated pest management for squash bugs. It includes information on the following: resistant varieties of vegetables to plant and crop rotation, homemade traps, mechanical destruction, mulches, trap crops, natural enemies, and organic and synthetic insecticides.

Preferred Plants And Nectar Collecting Times For Honey Production, David Macfawn, Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe, Sophie Warny, Carol Wymer, June Rampy Ponder

Clemson Extension Publishing

This book addresses three important questions for South Carolina beekeepers – which plants are bees in South Carolina using for nectar forage, when bees collect nectar from those plants, and how can understanding nectar foraging habits inform beekeepers as they work to gather specific types of premium honey? In 2021, the South Carolina Beekeeper’s Association, led by David MacFawn, designed and implemented a statewide pollen study, the first in any state in over fifty years, to answer these questions. Informed by data gathered from 19 apiaries across the state, this book contains the results of that study, including large-scale melissopalynological …

Attitudes Towards Insects: An Attempt To Change Negative Attitudes To Neutral Or Positive, Christina Chapman

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Purpose and Summary

The purpose of this project was to examine whether negative attitudes towards insects could be changed in children after learning about them in a safe and enjoyable environment. At the start of this project, I was a science teacher in an urban middle school, where most students were neither fond of nor interested in insects. This experience shaped my project: I wanted to change attitudes from negative to positive, transforming “eww gross, kill it!” into “let it live; it has a job to do.” Through my studies in the entomology program, my belief that insects are highly …

Field Responses Of Glossina Pallidipes And Glossina Fuscipes Fuscipes Tsetse Flies To Novel Repellent Blend And Waterbuck Repellent Compounds In Kenya, Benson M. Wachira, Richard Echodu, Johnson O. Ouma, Imna I. Malele, Daniel Gamba, Michael Okal, Kennedy O. Ogolla, Clement Mangwiro, Robert Opiro, Deusdedit J. Malulu, Bernard Ochieng, Raymond E. Mdachi, Paul O. Mireji

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Control of tsetse flies constitutes a cornerstone of trypanosomiasis control and elimination efforts in Africa. The use of eco-friendly odor-based bait technologies has been identified as a safer method for control of tsetse flies. These technologies are significantly augmented by development of effective repellents that reduce contact between trypanosome-infected tsetse flies and their vertebrate hosts. Waterbuck Repellent Compounds (WRC) and Novel Repellent Blend (NRB) are recently developed tsetse fly repellent formulations. Information on relative efficacy of these formulations against major tsetse fly vectors of trypanosomiasis in Kenya is limited. Such information can inform choices of repellent technology for optimal control …

Meeting Report On An Integrated Research Agenda For Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses, Angela K. Ulrich, Nicolina M. Moua, Alison Mack, Natsuko Imai-Eaton, J. Erin Staples, Angela J. Mehr, Julia T. Ostrowsky, Tabitha Leighton, Ana Cehovin, Petra C. Fay, Josephine P. Golding, Emma Maynard, Luke Alphey, Diana P. Rojas Alvarez, Lark L. Coffey, Nuno R. Faria, Rafael Maciel-De-Freitas, Kevin Maringer, Kris A. Murray, Henrik Salje, Rosemary Sang, Pedro F.C. Vasconcelos, Yee Sin Leo, Steven P. Sinkins, Jocelyne Neto De Vasconcelos, Samuel K. Dadzie, Eva Harris, Thais H. Dos Santos, Raman Velayudhan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The emergence and re-emergence of mosquito-borne arbovirus (MBV) diseases pose a rapidly expanding global health threat fueled by the convergence of multiple ecologic, economic, and social factors, including climate change, land use, poverty, deficiencies of water storage and sanitation, and limitations of vector control programs. On December 6, 2023, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy held a meeting titled "An integrated approach to mosquito-borne arboviruses: a priority research agenda."The meeting comprised presentations, panels, and facilitated discussions aimed at describing the state of the field, highlighting recent accomplishments, identifying novel strategies, and …

Seasonal And Landscape-Driven Variations In Forage Resources Of Apis Mellifera Scutellata: Implications For Pollination Sustainability And Colony Health In Taita Taveta County, Kenya, Mary Chege, Mbatha B. Wambua, Wambua J. Kilonzo, Sevgan Subramanian, Beatrice T. Nganso

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Seasonality and land-use change are key factors influencing forage availability for managed honey bee colonies, yet knowledge of forage identity and how these factors influence forage availability remains limited in Africa. To address these gaps, we used DNA metabarcoding to identify nectar and pollen plant species supporting the nutrition of the African savannah honey bee, Apis mellifera scutellata, across different land-use/land cover types and seasons in Taita Taveta County, Kenya. We identified 224 forage plant species from 65 families, with Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Myrtaceae being the top contributors. Forage availability was significantly influenced by landscape and season, with honey bees …

Heterogeneous Impacts For Malaria Control From Larviciding Across Villages And Considerations For Monitoring And Evaluation, Ellie Sherrard-Smith, Ulrike Fillinger, Jean Philippe B. Tia, Peter Winskill, Benjamin G. Koudou, Emile S.F. Tchicaya, Antoine Sanou, Fredros Okumu, Mercy Opiyo, Silas Majambere, Arran Hamlet, Giovanni Charles, Ben Lambert, Thomas S. Churcher

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Malaria vector control tools currently focus on insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying in malaria-endemic locations, but additional preventative strategies are needed to address protection gaps. Larval source management (LSM) includes larvicide application to aquatic habitat and an array of alternative forms of environmental efforts. An individual-based transmission model for falciparum malaria is used to demonstrate the theoretical benefit of suppressing malaria adult mosquito vector densities through LSM. The model simulates results of epidemiological trials from Western Kenya (a hilly area with papyrus swamps adjacent to human settlements and moderate to high perennial malaria transmission) and Côte d’Ivoire …

Longitudinal Surveillance Of Aedes Aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) In Urban Coastal Kenya: Population Dynamics, Blood Feeding Frequency And Dengue Virus Infection Rates, Josephine Osalla, Louis Clement Gouagna, Gilbert Rotich, Maureen Nzilani, Penina Safari, Kennedy Senagi, Francis Mutuku, Baldwyn Torto, David P. Tchouassi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The coastal region of Kenya has emerged as a focal point for urban dengue virus transmission driven by Aedes aegypti as the primary vector. To gain a deeper understanding of the epidemiological situation, we carried out a year-long longitudinal study (December 2021- November 2022) of the population dynamics of A. aegypti through weekly mosquito surveys using ovitrap and CO2-baited Biogents (BG) mosquito traps in Ukunda, an urban township in the coastal region. Aedes eggs laid in ovitraps were exclusively A. aegypti with 80.8% mean hatch rate. A total of 35,109 adult A. aegypti were captured, with twice as many females …

Assessment Of Bg-Pro (Biogent Ag) And Silver Bullet 2.1 (Lumin8) Uv-Light Traps Efficiency For Surveillance Of Malaria Vectors In Western Kenya, Billy L. Amugune, Richard Tamre, Dylan Mogaka, Oscar Mbare, Tullu Bukhari, Ulrike Fillinger, Margaret M. Njoroge

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) light trap is widely used for malaria vector surveillance, but its acquisition logistics pose challenges in Africa. Evaluating new traps can improve surveillance tools. This study compared the efficiency of the BG-Pro UV and Silver Bullet 2.1 UV (SB 2.1 UV) against the UV LED CDC trap in western Kenya’s rice irrigation area. The traps were tested indoors in eight houses over 64 nights. Light properties and fan speed were analyzed using spectrometry and an anemometer. The BG-Pro UV trap performed better than the UV LED CDC trap for An. gambiae s.l. (RR 2.0, …

Lifecycle Of Greater Wax Moth Galleria Mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) And Its Control By Natural Products, Tahani A. Alzahrani, Hanan S. Alyahya, Shatha I. Alqurashi, Jazem A. Mahyoub

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture

The great wax moth (Galleria mellonella) is a major pest that affects honeybee colonies, causing serious damage to the honeycomb and disrupting beekeeping operations. This paper aims to review the life cycle of this insect and the natural control strategies used to manage its populations. This paper examines the different stages of growth of the great wax moth, including the stages of eggs, larva, pupae, and adults. The life cycle of this insect depends largely on environmental conditions, especially temperature, humidity and food quality, in addition, this paper focuses on natural control strategies, such as the use of plant extracts …

Annotated Checklist And Distribution Of The Jewel Beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Of Idaho, Luc Leblanc, Emma L. Eakins

Insecta Mundi

An annotated checklist of the 102 species of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) known to be present in the state of Idaho is provided, with photographs and detailed distribution maps for each species. The checklist is based on label data from 7,506 museum specimens, 21 observations obtained from iNaturalist.org and Bug-Guide.net, and 63 distribution records from published literature. Buprestis consularis Gory is a new record for Idaho, formerly reported as Buprestis nutalli Kirby, which is not known to occur in the state. Obscure past records of Anthaxia retifera LeConte and Melanophila occidentalis Obenberger published in the literature are regarded as dubious and are …

Genomics-Based Taxonomic Refinement Of Emesis Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae), Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

Expanded genomic sequencing of Emesis [Fabricius], 1807 (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae Grote, 1895) reveals additional taxonomic insights. As a result of this study, one subgenus and 10 species are proposed as new (type species or type localities in parenthesis): Sinuata Grishin, new subgenus (Emesis sinuatus Hewitson, 1877) of Exoplisia Godman and Salvin, 1886; Emesis (Mandania) mandaca Grishin, new species (Mexico: Oaxaca); Emesis (Mandania) mantunga Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Tungurahua); Emesis (Tenedia) hidalga Grishin, new species (Mexico: Hidalgo); Emesis (Tenedia) vera Grishin, new species (Mexico: Veracruz); Emesis (Tenedia) nica Grishin, new species …

The Millipede Genus Alocodesmus Silvestri, 1896 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Batodesmini): Description Of A New Species From Colombia And The Identity Of A. Hanseni (Silvestri, 1898), Juan Romero-Rincon, Santiago Alvear

Insecta Mundi

The genus Alocodesmus Silvestri, 1896 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Batodesmini) currently comprises six valid species, three of which are recorded for Colombia, including A. danielae Romero-Rincon and Alvear, new species, from Yondó, Antioquia Department. Two species are known from Panama and one from Venezuela. The new species differs from its congeners by having a spoon-shaped prefemoral process that is ventrally extended forming a conspicuous concave space with branch Z being shorter than branches X and Y. The identity of A. hanseni Silvestri, 1898, previously of uncertain status, is revised, and the species is herein proposed as a new synonymy …

Three New Species Of Dichotomius Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) From Mexico And Central America, Ángel Solís, Burt Kohlmann

Insecta Mundi

Three new species assigned to the satanas species-group of Dichotomius Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are described from North and Central America: Dichotomius pisuicas Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from the Caribbean slope of Honduras to Panama; D. lucifer Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from the Costa Rican and Panamanian Pacific rainforests; and D. chamuco Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from Mexico to Honduras. A description, diagnosis, images, and distributional map are presented for each species.