Entomology Commons^™

Binding, Protection, And Rna Delivery Properties Of Porous Silica Nanoparticles In Spodoptera Frugiperda Cells, Emily Nadeau

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Traditional methods of pest control are threatened by the development of insecticide resistance, both to traditional insecticides and Bt toxins. Discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has created opportunities to develop new insect control mechanisms. However, RNAi responses appear to be robust in coleopteran pests, but other orders, e.g. Lepidoptera and Hemiptera, present varied or ineffective RNAi responses. Current delivery strategies for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) include microinjection, ingestion, and soaking. These approaches have benefits and problems. This study investigates the potential for porous silica nanoparticles (pSNPs) to improve the delivery of dsRNA and induce an RNAi response in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. …

A Non-Native Forest Invader Alters Forest Structure And The Associated Arthropod Community, Matthew B. Savage

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a non-native wood boring beetle that is causing extensive ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality in eastern North America, affecting both urban and wildland forests and drastically altering forest structure and composition. As EAB-induced ash mortality progresses, native arthropod associates of ash forests are impacted by the effects of rapid and broad scale tree mortality. These include loss of food source, increased canopy gap formation, alterations in litter inputs causing shifting temperature and moisture regimes on the forest floor, and significant accumulation of coarse woody debris.

I assessed the sub-canopy …

Modeling Microorganism Transmission With Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches: An Inquiry Activity, Hillary Guzik, Kessler Mccoy-Simandle

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Students will test Madagascar hissing cockroach’s capacity as a vector for transmission of microorganisms. By comparing a cockroach exposed to human contact (handled by students) and a cockroach with limited exposure (not handled), students can assess the ability of cockroaches to transmit microorganisms from one location (hands) to another (agar plate where the microorganism will be grown). This will allow students to determine if the Madagascar hissing cockroach, the classroom pet, is a potential vector for microorganisms. Students then will be able to question and relate the concept of insects and objects as vectors for common pathogen transfer.

Transcriptional Analysis Of Defense Mechanisms In Upland Tetraploid Switchgrass To Greenbugs, Teresa Donze-Reiner, Nathan A. Palmer, Erin D. Scully, Travis J. Prochaska, Kyle G. Koch, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Jeffery D. Bradshaw, Paul Twigg, Keenan Amundsen, Scott E. Sattler, Gautam Sarath

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Aphid infestation of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has the potential to reduce yields and biomass quality. Although switchgrass-greenbug (Schizaphis graminum; GB) interactions have been studied at the whole plant level, little information is available on plant defense responses at the molecular level.

Results: The global transcriptomic response of switchgrass cv Summer to GB was monitored by RNA-Seq in infested and control (uninfested) plants harvested at 5, 10, and 15 days after infestation (DAI). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in infested plants were analyzed relative to control uninfested plants at each time point. DEGs in GB-infested plants induced …

Method Development For Monitoring Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma Trifurcata (Forster) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Susceptibility To Thiamethoxam Seed Treatments On Soybeans, Chelsea L. Tietjen, Thomas Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, David A. Cassada, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The increased use of thiamethoxam seed treatments for controlling pests such as the bean leaf beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), suggests the need for methods to measure and monitor the development of resistance to thiamethoxam. The objectives of this study were to develop a bioassay method that can be used to monitor bean leaf beetle susceptibility to thiamethoxam, and to quantify the relative concentrations of thiamethoxam and clothianidin in early growth stage soybean tissue treated with thiamethoxam as a seed treatment. Overwintered and F1 bean leaf beetles were collected from alfalfa and soybean fields and used in excised soybean …

Yield Response Of Tolerant And Susceptible Soybean To The Soybean Aphid, Lia Marchi-Werle, Renata Ramos Pereira, John C. Reese, Thomas Hunt

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is the most economically important soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] pest of North America. Multiple studies have identified soybean expressing antibiosis and/or antixenosis; however, soybean tolerance remains underexplored. Tolerance to soybean aphid injury was previously identified in soybean KS4202. This research examined the yield response of KS4202 infested with soybean aphid at specific plant stages and identified at what plant stage tolerance initiates. A preliminary study evaluated the yield parameters of the tolerant genotype at low (4000– 5500 cumulative aphid-days [CAD]) and high aphid pressure (7500–8500 CAD) at different growth stages (V1, V3, …

Reproductive Status Of Drosophila Suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Females Influences Attraction To Fermentation-Based Baits And Ripe Fruits, Katharine A. Swoboda-Bhattarai, Douglas R. Mcphie, Hannah Burrack

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is an invasive species that is a devastating pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. Although much effort has been directed toward developing traps and attractants to monitor for D. suzukii, current monitoring tools do not reliably predict fruit infestation. The objective of this study was to determine if D. suzukii females at different developmental stages are differentially attracted to monitoring traps with fermentation-based baits and ripe fruits. Females were collected on the surface of traps, within traps, and on ripe fruits during three experiments at field locations in North Carolina, USA, and were dissected to determine their reproductive …

Dr. Kenneth P. Pruess Obituary, Robert J. Wright, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Dr. Kenneth P. Pruess, age 84, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died 11 December 2016. Kenneth was Professor of Entomology Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was born 21 June 1932 in Troy, Indiana, to Elmer and Clara (Grass) Pruess. Kenneth graduated from Purdue University in 1954 and earned his M.S. in Entomology in 1955 and Ph.D. in 1957, both from The Ohio State University. His dissertation was titled “Studies on the Clover Root Borer, Hylastinus obscurus (Marsham).” He married Neva Currie on 15 June 1963. He worked at the University of Nebraska’s North Platte Experiment Station from 1957–1965, Entomology Department …

Performance Of Seed Treatments And In-Furrow At-Plant Insecticides For Protection Against Cry3bb1-Resistant Western Corn Rootworm, 2015, Jonas Victor De Macedo,, Kayla A. Mollet, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western corn rootworm is an important pest of corn that can compromise yield by feeding on plant roots during its larval stage. WCRW management has been complicated by the development of resistance in some regions, including Nebraska, to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) traits, particularly the protein Cry3Bb1, which confers cross-resistance to mCry3A. A field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of neonicotinoid seed treatments in combination with in-furrow insecticides on a corn hybrid expressing mCry3A Bt proteins against corn rootworm in an area with a history of rootworm resistance. The trial was conducted in a farmer’s field in …

Influence Of Calcareous Soil On Cry3bb1 Expression And Efficacy In The Field, David S. Wangila, Arnubio Valencia, Haichuan Wang, Blair D. Siegfried, Lance Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Greater than expected injury by western corn rootworm (WCR) (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) to Cry3Bb1 expressing maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) has been reported in southwestern Nebraska. Affected areas of some fields are often associated with high pH calcareous soils where maize growth is poor and iron chlorosis is common. As part of a comprehensive study to understand potential causes of unexpected injury, experiments were conducted during 2013 and 2014 to ascertain whether the calcareous soil conditions and associated poor maize growth negatively affect the expression of Cry3Bb1. Quantitative determination of Cry3Bb1 protein expression levels in root tissues …

Description Of The Female Of Hologymnetis Reyesi Gasca And Deloya (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), With New State Records For Mexico And A Bilingual Key To The Species Of Hologymnetis Martínez, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Hector Jaime Gasca-Alvarez, Cuauhtemoc Deloya

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The female of Hologymnetis reyesi Gasca and Deloya is described and illustrated for the first time based upon specimens from Estado de México, Mexico, new state record. The species is also herein reported from the state of Guerrero, new state record. A bilingual key in Spanish and English to all the species of Hologymnetis Martínez is presented and accompanied by maps showing distributions for all species in the genus.

Population Growth Rate Of Dry Bulb Mite, Aceria Tulipae (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), On Agriculturally Important Plants And Implications For Its Taxonomic Status, Agnieszka Kiedrowicz, Brian G. Rector, Suzanne Lommen, Lechosław Kuczyński, Wiktoria Szydło, Anna Skoracka

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Dry bulb mite (DBM), Aceria tulipae, is an economically important mite with a worldwide distribution and a broad host range. As a generalist, it is the most important eriophyoid mite attacking bulbous plants such as garlic, onion and tulip. To date, DBM has been recorded on host plants belonging to the families Liliaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Melanthiaceae and Asparagaceae. However, a precise understanding of DBM host range is lacking as it is largely based on casual records of mites on plants, some of which may include accidental hosts. Moreover, the possible existence of cryptic species has not been considered. In this …

Effect Of Metarhizium Anisopliae (Ascomycete), Cypermethrin, And D-Limonene, Alone And Combined, On Larval Mortality Of Rhipicephalus Sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae), Omar Francisco Prado-Rebolledo, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, Roberto Lezama-Gutierrez, Luis Jorge Garcia-Marquez, Yureida B. Minchaca-Llerenas, Eduardo Morales-Barrera, Guillermo Tellez, Billy Hargis, S. R. Skoda, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The effect of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae Ma14 strain, D-limonene, and cypermethrin, alone and combined, on the mortality of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille larvae was evaluated. Eight separate groups with 25 tick larvae were inoculated with the fungus, cypermethrin, and D-limonene, and four groups were used as untreated controls. The groups were inoculated with serial dilutions of each treatment material: for example, conidial concentrations were 1 x 10¹, 1 x 10², 1 x 10³, 1 x 10⁴, 1 x 10⁵, 1 x 10⁶, 1 x 10⁷, and …

Biology And Ecology Of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), Zinan Wang

LSU Master's Theses

The crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), is an exotic pest on crapemyrtles, Lagerstroemia spp. (Myrtales: Lythraceae). Because of its recent arrival in the US, little is known about its biology and ecology. The purpose of my thesis was to improve the knowledge about A. lagerstroemiae in four aspects involving its thermal tolerance, physiological adaptations to cold temperatures, temperature-dependent development and host range. Thermal tolerance was determined to understand how temperature extremes constrain the distribution of A. lagerstroemiae in the US. Results suggested that A. lagerstroemiae can tolerant high heat, but its potential distribution to the northern US …

Susceptibility Of The Southern House Mosquito, Culex Quinquefasciatus, In East Baton Rouge Parish To Larval Insecticides, Nicholas Alexander Delisi

LSU Master's Theses

Mosquito control districts in Louisiana focus their efforts on Culex quinquefasciatus, the primary vector of West Nile virus in the southern United States, with rigorous larvicide treatments. However, the development of resistant populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus in response to extensive insecticide application has been demonstrated repeatedly. Examining changes in insecticide susceptibility and larvicide efficacy in real world scenarios can help inform mosquito control districts as to whether or not their treatments are killing mosquitoes. We hypothesized that frequent larvicide applications for the control of mosquitoes in East Baton Rouge Parish had lowered susceptibility of wild Cx. quinquefasciatus to insecticides, and …

A New Genus And New Species Of Brachynemurini From Ecuador (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini), Robert B. Miller, Lionel A. Stange

Insecta Mundi

A new genus, Dejunaleon Miller and Stange, is described with two new species: Dejunaleon loja Miller and Dejunaleon maculosus Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini). A key to species is provided as well as distributional data. A description of the larva of Dejunaleon loja is given. A key to genera of the tribe Brachynemurini is provided based on larvae and adults.

Se describe un género nuevo, Dejunaleon Miller y Stange, de Ecuador con dos especies nuevas: Dejunaleon loja Miller y Dejunaleon maculosus Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Brachynemurini). Se provee una clave para las especies con datos sobre sus …

Sex-Ratio Of Miridae (Hemiptera) Taken Via Uv Light-Traps In Arkansas, Usa., Stephen W. Chordas Iii, Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We determined the sex-ratio of 1,095 plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) taken from 60 individual UV light-trap samples in Clark County, Arkansas over a two year period. We found that of the 21 taxa in which a sex-ratio determination could be made, 61.9% of them (13 of 21) contained a majority (over 50%) of males. Three taxa were exclusively represented by males, while two taxa were exclusively represented by females. Although taxa dependent, our data indicate that male mirids are, in general, more frequently encountered in UV light-traps. However, contrary to the notion that sparked this study (see herein) light-trap content …

Literature Record Checklist Of True Bugs (Hemiptera) For Arkansas, U.S.A., As Of 2018., Stephen W. Chordas Iii

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages Between Perennial And Intermittent Headwater Streams Of The Mattole River In Northern California, Usa, Mason S. London

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Intermittent streams are common throughout the world and comprise 60% or more of total river lengths in the conterminous United States. Despite their prevalence, intermittent streams are understudied, particularly first-order headwater streams, which are vital for maintaining the function, health and biotic diversity of river networks. In June 2016, I sampled five intermittent and five perennial headwater streams in the Mattole River watershed in northwestern coastal California, USA, to compare benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) assemblages between intermittent and perennial streams. BMI samples were collected using a 500µm mesh D-net at eight randomly located riffles along a 150-m reach, and then composited, …

A Comparison Of Honey Bee-Collected Pollen From Working Agricultural Lands Using Light Microscopy And Its Metabarcoding, M. D. Smart, R. S. Cornman, D. D. Iwanowicz, M. Mcdermott-Kubeczko, J. S. Pettis, M. S. Spivak, C. R.V. Otto

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Taxonomic identification of pollen has historically been accomplished via light microscopy but requires specialized knowledge and reference collections, particularly when identification to lower taxonomic levels is necessary. Recently, next-generation sequencing technology has been used as a cost-effective alternative for identifying beecollected pollen; however, this novel approach has not been tested on a spatially or temporally robust number of pollen samples. Here, we compare pollen identification results derived from light microscopy and DNA sequencing techniques with samples collected from honey bee colonies embedded within a gradient of intensive agricultural landscapes in the Northern Great Plains throughout the 2010–2011 growing seasons. We …