Entomology Commons^™

Microfabricated Sufaces For The Physical Capture Of Insects, Catherine Loudon, Robert Corn, Megan Szyndler, Kenneth F. Haynes, Michael F. Potter

Entomology Faculty Patents

Novel devices and methods of capturing, controlling and preventing infestation of insects using microfabricated surfaces are provided. In particular, a mechanism of insect capture inspired by the microstructures of the leaf surfaces of plants and the key features of those surfaces with respect to the capture and control of pests have been determined and engineered into a variety of microfabricated surfaces capable of reproducing the effectiveness of these physical capture methods.

Functional Value Of Elytra Under Various Stresses In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, David M. Linz, Alan W. Hu, Michael I. Sitvarin, Yoshinori Tomoyasu

Entomology Faculty Publications

Coleoptera (beetles) is a massively successful order of insects, distinguished by their evolutionarily modified forewings called elytra. These structures are often presumed to have been a major driving force for the successful radiation of this taxon, by providing beetles with protection against a variety of harsh environmental factors. However, few studies have directly demonstrated the functional significance of the elytra against diverse environmental challenges. Here, we sought to empirically test the function of the elytra using Tribolium castaneum (the red flour beetle) as a model. We tested four categories of stress on the beetles: physical damage to hindwings, predation, desiccation, …

Lessons From The Far End: Caterpillar Frass-Induced Defenses In Maize, Rice, Cabbage, And Tomato, Swayamjit Ray, Saumik Basu, Loren J. Rivera-Vega, Flor E. Acevedo, Joe Louis, Gary W. Felton, Dawn S. Luthe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plant defenses to insect herbivores have been studied in response to several insect behaviors on plants such as feeding, crawling, and oviposition. However, we have only scratched the surface about how insect feces induce plant defenses. In this study, we measured frass-induced plant defenses in maize, rice, cabbage, and tomato by chewing herbivores such as European corn borer (ECB), fall armyworm (FAW), cabbage looper (CL), and tomato fruit worm (TFW). We observed that caterpillar frass induced plant defenses are specific to each host-herbivore system, and they may induce herbivore or pathogen defense responses in the host plant depending on the …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 4, October 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome New Students - Congratulations - ESA National Meeting//ICE Meeting News - Faculty News - Publications - Grants - Meet Buddy Roper, an Online Student - Student News - BugFest 2016

Nebline, October 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Legends of the Fall — Accidental and Occasional Invaders

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Development On Rice Fractions And Oviposition Preference, Brook A. Hale

Student Theses and Dissertations

The red flour beetle (RFB), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), is a stored-product insect commonly found in rice mills. To understand how RFBs develop on different types of rice fractions occurring in a rice mill, I conducted three studies. I examined egg to adult development on nine rice fractions (rough rice, rice hulls, paddy rice dust, brown rice, rice bran, milled broken kernels, milled whole kernels, milled rice dust and rice flour) and identified brown rice, bran, milled kernels and rice flour were best for development. A second study examined neonate adult development using rice fractions and temperature as variables and found …

The Spatial Distribution And Density Of The Emerald Ash Borer Infestation In Rock Island And Moline, Il, Kendall Smith, Victoria Lason, Tierney Brosius, Michael Reisner

Celebration of Learning

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Copleoptera: Buprestidae) is a destructive colonizer of ash trees that arrived in the United States in 2002. Since then, EAB has been detected in 22 states and two Canadian provinces, and has proven to be a complicated management issue for many cities including Rock Island. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and density of the EAB infestation in Rock Island, Ill and to identify potential correlations between host larval densities and visual symptoms. A continuation of spatial distribution was determined through a tree survey examining specific species …

Female Adult Aedes Albopictus Suppression By Wolbachia-Infected Male Mosquitoes, James W. Mains, Corey L. Brelsfoard, Robert I. Rose, Stephen L. Dobson

Entomology Faculty Publications

Dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses are pathogens with an increasing global impact. In the absence of an approved vaccine or therapy, their management relies on controlling the mosquito vectors. But traditional controls are inadequate, and the range of invasive species such as Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito) is expanding. Genetically modified mosquitoes are being tested, but their use has encountered regulatory barriers and public opposition in some countries. Wolbachia bacteria can cause a form of conditional sterility, which can provide an alternative to genetic modification or irradiation. It is unknown however, whether openly released, artificially infected male Ae. albopictus can …

A Revision Of The Genus Rhinolaemus Steel (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae), Michael C. Thomas

Insecta Mundi

The genus Rhinolaemus Steel is revised. A new island and a new country record are presented for the type species, R. maculatus Steel. A new species, R. niueensis Thomas, new species, is described from Niue, and Rhinolaemus tuberculatus (Grouvelle), new combination, is transferred from Laemophloeus (sens. lat.). The members of the genus are illustrated and a key to their identification is presented.

A New Species Of Neostenoptera (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae) From Eastern North America, John D. Plakidas, Michael L. Ferro

Insecta Mundi

A new species of paedogenetic gall midge, Neostenoptera appalachiensis sp. nov., (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Winnertziinae: Heteropezini) from the eastern United States is described and illustrated, and pertinent collection and biological data are also provided. It is compared to its congeners, N. kiefferi (Meunier), a subfossil described from African copal, and N. congoensis Gagné, from the Congo. This rare, exciting discovery is the first record of the genus Neostenoptera in the New World.

While conducting research in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) (North Carolina and Tennessee, USA) (Ferro et al. 2012), MLF collected numerous unidentifi able fl ies as bycatch from …

Sybra Alternans (Wiedemann) (Lamiinae: Apomecynini): An Asian Cerambycid Established On Easter Island, Chile, José Mondaca, Francisco Ramírez, Sergio Rothmann

Insecta Mundi

Seven specimens of Sybra alternans (Wiedemann) (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Apomecynini) were captured with a UV light trap and by beating branches of trees in the urban area of Easter Island (Chile) during 2011–2016, representing the fi rst record of the species in this Chilean insular territory, but not continental Chile. Sybra alternans is native to Southeast Asia and has been introduced accidentally to Hawaii and Florida in the United States of America. Data are presented from the literature on this species’ distribution, host plants, and biological information.

Resumen. Siete ejemplares de Sybra alternans (Wiedemann) (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Apomecynini) fueron capturados con una …

Taxonomic Supplement (2001 To 2015) To The Catalogue Of New Zealand Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera), André Larochelle, Marie-Claude Larivière

Insecta Mundi

A supplement to the “Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera): catalogue” published by Larochelle and Larivière (2001; Fauna of New Zealand 43), is provided. A total of 99 genera and 547 species and subspecies belonging to 21 tribes and 8 subfamilies of Carabidae (including Cicindelini and Rhysodini), is recorded for New Zealand. Endemism is high, with 93% of the species and subspecies as well as 62% of the genera recorded from this country only. Changes to the 2001 catalogue are documented. The synonymy and type locality of taxa described between 2001 and 2015 are also provided.

Provisional Revision Of The Genus Epimelitta Bates, 1870 And Associated Genera, With A Brief Synopsis Of The Genus Acorethra Bates, 1873 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Robin O.S. Clarke

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. Epimelitta Bates, 1870 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) is redescribed with two species: Epimelitta scoparia (Klug, 1825) and Epimelitta rufiventris Bates, 1870; Epimelitta meliponica Bates, 1870 syn. nov. and Epimelitta acutipennis Fisher, 1947 syn. nov. are considered junior synonyms of E. scoparia. Exepimelitta gen. nov. is described with five species: Exepimelitta mimica (Bates, 1873), Ex. nigerrima (Bates, 1892), Ex. consobrina (Melzer, 1931) (= Epimelitta nigerrima var. flavipubescens Fisher, 1947, syn. nov.), Ex. lestradei (Peñaherrera-Leiva and Tavakilian, 2003) and Ex. windsori sp. nov. Charisia Champion, 1892 is revalidated and redescribed with six species: Charisia euphrosyne (Newman, 1840), C. mneme (Newman, 1841), …

Delayed Emergence Of Trachykele Blondeli Blondeli (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Joshua P. Basham, Jason B. Oliver, Claire E. Herzog

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Prolonged emergence of Trachykele blondeli blondeli Marseul (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is reported from kiln-dried and subsequently painted wood in this report. The specimen emergence is a new record for Florida. Because the specimen did not emerge from host plant material grown in Florida, it is likely that its origin was exterior to Florida. Because of delayed and prolonged emergence capability in Buprestidae, as well as specimen survival of wood preservation processes like kiln drying, the current report does indicate a concern for redistribution of non-indigenous buprestid species to new areas.

Rapid Museum, Gary Barwin

The Goose

Poetry by Gary Barwin

Nebline, September 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: 4-H Youth Showcase Projects, Develop Skills at the Super Fair

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Multiple Lines Of Evidence From Mitochondrial Genomes Resolve Phylogenetic Relationships Of Parasitic Wasps In Braconidae, Qian Li, Shu-Jun Wei, Pu Tang, Qiong Wu, Min Shi, Michael J. Sharkey, Xue-Xin Chen

Entomology Faculty Publications

The rapid increase in the number of mitochondrial genomes in public databases provides opportunities for insect phylogenetic studies; but it also provides challenges because of gene rearrangements and variable substitution rates among both lineages and sites. Typically, phylogenetic studies use mitochondrial sequence data but exclude other features of the mitochondrial genome from analyses. Here, we undertook large-scale sequencing of mitochondrial genomes from a worldwide collection of specimens belonging to Braconidae, one of the largest families of Metazoa. The strand-asymmetry of base composition in the mitochondrial genomes of braconids is reversed, providing evidence for monophyly of the Braconidae. We have reconstructed …

Sub-Lethal Effects Of Dietary Neonicotinoid Insecticide Exposure On Honey Bee Queen Fecundity And Colony Development, Judy Wu-Smart, Marla Spivak

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Many factors can negatively affect honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health including the pervasive use of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides. Through direct consumption of contaminated nectar and pollen from treated plants, neonicotinoids can affect foraging, learning, and memory in worker bees. Less well studied are the potential effects of neonicotinoids on queen bees, which may be exposed indirectly through trophallaxis, or food-sharing. To assess effects on queen productivity, small colonies of different sizes (1500, 3000, and 7000 bees) were fed imidacloprid (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ppb) in syrup for three weeks. We found adverse effects of imidacloprid on queens …

Evaluation Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Foraging Behavior, Gabriela Harvey

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Introduction

The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (CVMVCD) examined the activity of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, from May 2015 until May 2016. Ant abundance was measured to determine the most effective time for vector control technicians to conduct surveillance and to make treatments to control the ants. Since ants adapt and exploit their environment, the purpose of the study was to understand when the ants forage, so that the CVMVCD can manage the ants effectively. During the summer months, the temperatures can get up to as high as 120°F (49°C). These high temperatures are not …

Ifly: Code Development For An App To Support Automating Entomological Data Collection, Michael P. Cosentino, Trevor Stamper

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

We are developing a prototype entomological data-collection application called "iFly," which runs on a field-capable iPad device. In this phase, we tackled refining screens and introducing a database manager to streamline operations as info is entered, stored, retrieved and delivered. We used SQLite3 database in Apple's Xcode Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Xcode gives mixed programming results. Apple's iOS environment ensures functional and fairly error-free apps can be built. But the sophisticated Xcode IDE requires specialist developers and valuable project time is spent as new programmers learn key techniques. The iFly prototype was advanced with improved database integration; however, more work …