Entomology Commons^™

Recruitment Of Reviewers Is Becoming Harder At Some Journals: A Test Of The Influence Of Reviewer Fatigue At Six Journals In Ecology And Evolution, Charles W. Fox, Arianne Y. K. Albert, Timothy H. Vines

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: It is commonly reported by editors that it has become harder to recruit reviewers for peer review and that this is because individuals are being asked to review too often and are experiencing reviewer fatigue. However, evidence supporting these arguments is largely anecdotal.

Main body: We examine responses of individuals to review invitations for six journals in ecology and evolution. The proportion of invitations that lead to a submitted review has been decreasing steadily over 13 years (2003–2015) for four of the six journals examined, with a cumulative effect that has been quite substantial (average decline from 56% of …

Effects Of Temperature And Diet In Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Development, Melina Florez-Cuadros

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Stable flies are among the most important blood feeding ectoparasites of cattle worldwide. The livestock industry is losing more than $2 billion dollar annually in the United States alone. Moist decaying vegetative material with bacteria supports larval development. Temperature and diet quality are important factors for stable fly development, affecting development rates, adult survival, and size, but how temperature affects adult size and interacts with nutrition is unknown. This study characterizes the relationship of temperature and diet quality in the development of stable flies. Two statistical models were used to analyze the effect of temperature alone (Lysyk, 1998) and temperature-diet …

Recruitment, Survival, And Parasitism Of Monarchs In Residential Gardens And Conservation Areas, Emily A. Geest

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are suffering from declining populations due to habitat loss. To help offset this habitat loss conservationists have encouraged planting milkweed gardens to increase the availability of host plants for larvae. A tachinid fly (Lespesia archippivora) that causes mortality parasitizes monarchs. Understanding the influence these gardens can have on parasitism rates and monarch recruitment is vital to evaluating their effectiveness. I am quantifying egg/larval abundance and demography at conservation areas and residential gardens. Additionally, I am collecting and rearing monarch larvae to compare parasitism rates in both areas. My preliminary results suggest that …

Sequential Social Experiences Interact To Modulate Aggression But Not Brain Gene Expression In The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera), Clare C. Rittschof

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: In highly structured societies, individuals behave flexibly and cooperatively in order to achieve a particular group-level outcome. However, even in social species, environmental inputs can have long lasting effects on individual behavior, and variable experiences can even result in consistent individual differences and constrained behavioral flexibility. Despite the fact that such constraints on behavior could have implications for behavioral optimization at the social group level, few studies have explored how social experiences accumulate over time, and the mechanistic basis of these effects. In the current study, I evaluate how sequential social experiences affect individual and group level aggressive phenotypes, …

Unity In Defence: Honeybee Workers Exhibit Conserved Molecular Responses To Diverse Pathogens, Vincent Doublet, Yvonne Poeschl, Andreas Gogol-Döring, Cédric Alaux, Desiderato Annoscia, Christian Aurori, Seth M. Barribeau, Oscar C. Bedoya-Reina, Mark J.F. Brown, James C. Bull, Michelle L. Flenniken, David A. Galbraith, Elke Genersch, Sebastian Gisder, Ivo Grosse, Holly L. Holt, Dan Hultmark, H. Michael G. Lattorff, Yves Le Conte, Fabio Manfredini, Dino P. Mcmahon, Robin F.A. Moritz, Francesco Nazzi, Elina L. Niño, Katja Nowick, Ronald P. Van Rij, Robert J. Paxton, Christina M. Grozinger

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Organisms typically face infection by diverse pathogens, and hosts are thought to have developed specific responses to each type of pathogen they encounter. The advent of transcriptomics now makes it possible to test this hypothesis and compare host gene expression responses to multiple pathogens at a genome-wide scale. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of multiple published and new transcriptomes using a newly developed bioinformatics approach that filters genes based on their expression profile across datasets. Thereby, we identified common and unique molecular responses of a model host species, the honey bee (Apis mellifera), to its major pathogens and parasites: …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 29, No. 2, March 2017

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents: Congratulations - Publications - Blasts from the Past - Grants - Faculty News - This 'n That - Meet an Online Student

Nebline, March 2017

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Extension’s Agricultural Apps Put Management Tools in Producers’ Hands

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Temperature-Dependent Phenology Of Plutella Xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae): Simulation And Visualization Of Current And Future Distributions Along The Eastern Afromontane, Benignus V. Ngowi, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Evans M. Mwangi, Tino Johansson, Janet Ambale, Paul N. Ndegwa, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

There is a scarcity of laboratory and field-based results showing the movement of the diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella (L.) across a spatial scale. We studied the population growth of the diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella (L.) under six constant temperatures, to understand and predict population changes along altitudinal gradients and under climate change scenarios. Non-linear functions were fitted to continuously model DBM development, mortality, longevity and oviposition. We compiled the best-fitted functions for each life stage to yield a phenology model, which we stochastically simulated to estimate the life table parameters. Three temperature-dependent indices (establishment, generation and activity) were …

2016 Soybean Insect Losses In The Southern Us, F. R. Musser, A. L. Catchot Jr., J. A. Davis, G. M. Lorenz, T. Reed, D. D. Reisig, S. D. Stewart, S. Taylor

Midsouth Entomologist

Estimated soybean insect costs and losses experienced during 2016 were collected and compiled following the 2016 growing season to provide a record of insect pressure and management practices for the year. This survey has been done annually in all participating states since at least 2011, with Mississippi having data back to 2004. The 2016 survey represents 10.8 million soybean acres across the southern United States. Overall, corn earworm was the most expensive pest in soybean followed closely by soybean looper and stink bugs. Total insect management costs rose slightly to $26.03 per acre during 2016. Estimated crop losses to insects …

A Role For Intercept Traps In The Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Ipm Strategy At Ornamental Nurseries, C. T. Werle, B. J. Sampson, M. E. Reding

Midsouth Entomologist

Invasive ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) cause significant damage to ornamental nursery tree crops throughout the eastern United States. Depending on surrounding habitat, some nurseries can undergo large influxes of ambrosia beetles from the forest to susceptible nursery stock. Ethanol-baited intercept traps are highly effective as monitoring tools that can capture large numbers of dispersing ambrosia beetles. Beetle trap captures at varying distances within nursery interiors were determined across replicated transects that either included or lacked a row of edge intercept traps. Although nearly 90% of ambrosia beetle captures were from the edge intercept traps, there was no significant difference …

Preliminary Study Of Pan Trapping In Longleaf Pine Flatwoods In Central Florida, Usa, A. B. Orfinger, T. B. Cogen, G. R. Irons, K. V. Kabilan, B. Molligoda, A. L. Moody, J. F. Wisdo, K. F. Phillips

Midsouth Entomologist

It is well documented that pan trap color greatly influences arthropod catch composition. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that pan trapping catch varies with habitat. The goal of this study is to present preliminary data on pan trap yield from an imperiled ecosystem marked by high rates of endemicity, longleaf pine flatwoods. Yellow, blue, and white pan traps were evaluated in a section of longleaf pine flatwoods in June 2017 in central Florida, USA. A total of 360 arthropod specimens representing nine taxonomic orders were recovered, with 117 individuals from yellow traps, 125 from blue, and 118 from white. Contrary …

Green Tea Proanthocyanidins Cause Impairment Of Hormone-Regulated Larval Development And Reproductive Fitness Via Repression Of Juvenile Hormone Acid Methyltransferase, Insulin-Like Peptide And Cytochrome P450 Genes In Anopheles Gambiae Sensu Stricto, Jackson M. Muema, Steven G. Nyanjom, James M. Mutunga, Sospeter N. Njeru, Joel L. Bargul

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Successful optimization of plant-derived compounds into control of nuisance insects would benefit from scientifically validated targets. However, the close association between the genotypic responses and physiological toxicity effects mediated by these compounds remains underexplored. In this study, we evaluated the sublethal dose effects of proanthocyanidins (PAs) sourced from green tea (Camellia sinensis) on life history traits of Anopheles gambiae (sensu stricto) mosquitoes with an aim to unravel the probable molecular targets. Based on the induced phenotypic effects, genes selected for study targeted juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis, signal transduction, oxidative stress response and xenobiotic detoxification in addition to vitellogenesis in females. …

The Role Of Hyalomma Truncatum On The Dynamics Of Rift Valley Fever: Insights From A Mathematical Epidemic Model, Sansao A. Pedro, Shirley Abelman, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

To date, our knowledge of Rift Valley fever (RVF) disease spread and maintenance is still limited, as flooding, humid weather and presence of biting insects such as mosquitoes, have not completely explained RVF outbreaks. We propose a model that includes livestock, mosquitoes and ticks compartments structured according to their questing and feeding behaviour in order to study the possible role of ticks on the dynamics of RVF. To quantify disease transmission at the initial stage of the epidemic, we derive an explicit formula of the basic reproductive number, R0. Using the concept of Metzler matrix, we state necessary conditions for …

Dietary Risk Assessment Of V-Atpase A Dsrnas On Monarch Butterfly Larvae, Huipeng Pan, Xiaowei Yang, Keith Bidne, Richard L. Hellmich, Blair Siegfried, Xuguo Zhou

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

By suppressing the expression of genes with essential biological functions, in planta RNAi can negatively affect the development and survival of target pests. As a part of a concerted effort to assess the risks of RNAi transgenic crops on non-target organisms, we developed an in vivo toxicity assay to examine the impacts of ingested dsRNAs incurred to the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), an iconic eco-indicator in North America. To create the worst case scenario, the full-length v-ATPase A cDNAs from the target pest, western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and the non-target D. plexippus were respectively cloned. A 400 …

Dietary Risk Assessment Of V-Atpase A Dsrnas On Monarch Butterfly Larvae, Huipeng Pan, Xiaowei Yang, Keith Bidne, Richard L. Hellmich, Blair D. Siegfried, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

By suppressing the expression of genes with essential biological functions, in plantaRNAi can negatively affect the development and survival of target pests. As a part of a concerted effort to assess the risks of RNAi transgenic crops on non-target organisms, we developed an in vivo toxicity assay to examine the impacts of ingested dsRNAs incurred to the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (L.), an iconic eco-indicator in North America. To create the worst case scenario, the full-length v-ATPase A cDNAs from the target pest, western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and the non-target D. plexippus were respectively cloned. A …

Distribution And Abundance Of Key Vectors Of Rift Valley Fever And Other Arboviruses In Two Ecologically Distinct Counties In Kenya, Rosemary Sang, Samwel Arum, Edith Chepkorir, Gladys Mosomtai, Caroline Tigoi, Faith Sigei, Olivia Wesula Lwande, Tobias Landmann, Hippolyte Affognon, Clas Ahlm, Magnus Evander

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis of ruminants and humans that causes outbreaks in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula with significant public health and economic consequences. Humans become infected through mosquito bites and contact with infected livestock. The virus is maintained between outbreaks through vertically infected eggs of the primary vectors of Aedes species which emerge following rains with extensive flooding. Infected female mosquitoes initiate transmission among nearby animals, which amplifies virus, thereby infecting more mosquitoes and moving the virus beyond the initial point of emergence. With each successive outbreak, RVF has been found to expand …

The One Health Approach To Identify Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices That Affect Community Involvement In The Control Of Rift Valley Fever Outbreaks, Osama Ahmed Hassan, Hippolyte Affognon, Joacim Rocklöv, Peter Mburu, Rosemary Sang, Clas Ahlm, Magnus Evander

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral mosquito-borne disease with the potential for global expansion, causes hemorrhagic fever, and has a high case fatality rate in young animals and in humans. Using a cross-sectional community-based study design, we investigated the knowledge, attitudes and practices of people living in small village in Sudan with respect to RVF outbreaks. A special One Health questionnaire was developed to compile data from 235 heads of household concerning their knowledge, attitudes, and practices with regard to controlling RVF. Although the 2007 RVF outbreak in Sudan had negatively affected the participants’ food availability and livestock income, …

Resistance Monitoring Of Oebalus Pugnax F., Rice Stink Bug, Against Select Insecticides, Audra Lee Cross

Student Theses and Dissertations

Rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax F. is a pest of rice that impacts quality of grain. Pyrethroid insecticides are the main control method. However, there is concern that pyrethroid insecticides are not providing adequate control, due to development of insecticide resistance. With this in mind, efforts were focused on monitoring rice stink bug resistance to λ-cyhalothrin, a common pyrethroid, and obtaining baseline data for a new chemistry of insecticides, a neonicotinoid (dinotefuran), for rice stink bug. For the purposes of the research presented here the adult vial test was used for monitoring λ-cyhalothrin resistance and a modified adult vial test …

Phylogenetic Analysis And Systematics Of The Acrapex Unicolora Hampson Species Complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini), With The Description Of Five New Species From The Afrotropics, Bruno Le Ru, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Boaz K. Musyoka, Beatrice Pallangyo, Mohamedi Njaku, Onésime Mubenga, Gilson Chipabika, Rose Ndemah, Grégoire Bani, Richard Molo, George Ong’Amo, Gael J. Kergoat

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini) from Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed, including five new species: Acrapex kafula le Ru sp. nov., A. kavumba le Ru sp. nov., A. kiakouama le Ru sp. nov., A. miscantha le Ru sp. nov. and A. simillima le Ru sp. nov. Evidence is provided to transfer the monotypic genus Poecopa Bowden, 1956 to the genus Acrapex. Host plants of five species are recorded, some of them for the first time. Acrapex kavumba sp. nov., A. miscantha sp. nov. and A. simillima sp. nov. were found on one …

Nebline, February 2017

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: 3rd Graders Learn About Life Cycle By Hatching Eggs in Classrooms

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events