Entomology Commons^™

Control Of Vegetable Pests In Benin - Farmers' Preferences For Eco-Friendly Nets As An Alternative To Insecticides, Faustin Vidogbéna, Anselme Adégbidi, Rigobert Tossou, Françoise Assogba-Komlan, Mathieu Ngouajio, Thibaut Martin, Serge Simon, Laurent Parrot, Kerstin K. Zander

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

We investigated if eco-friendly nets (EFNs) are a viable and acceptable alternative to extremely high levels of insecticide use in vegetable production. Using a choice experiment, we found that vegetable producing farmers in Benin preferred all of the characteristics of EFNs except the higher labor requirements. The nets had been distributed in a trial phase for free but in the long run farmers would need to purchase the EFNs. The break-even point for investing in nets was found to vary with the lifespan of EFNs, their purchase price and potential health benefits from avoiding large quantities of insecticides. To break …

Integrated Multiple-Tactic Management Of The Redbanded Stink Bug On Soybeans In Louisiana, Miyanda Nzala Moonga

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are major pests of soybeans in Louisiana and heavy infestations often lead to economic losses. The stink bug species complex has changed in the past decade with the prevalence of the invasive redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), which causes greater damage than other stink bug species. Moreover, control of the redbanded stink bug has been faced with challenges because it is less sensitive to recommended insecticides. Therefore, studies were conducted to evaluate different control options for P. guildinii. Among the studies conducted was the current status of egg parasitoids of stink bugs in Louisiana. Telenomus …

Density And Diversity Of Bees In The Midwestern Agricultural Landscape: Influence Of Surrounding Agricultural Land Use And Biofuel Candidate Crops, Andrew J. Ridgway, Ai Wen, Kenneth Elgersma

Undergraduate Student Work

Recent trends in land management practices have led to dramatic population decline in bees and other insect pollinators (Cameron et al. 2011). Concerns about “Colony Collapse Disorder” in domestic honeybees, for example, have received widespread high-profile attention in the scientific community. While concerns have centered mainly on the domestic honeybee, native bees also provide indispensable, cost-free pollination services to crops production. Despite the value of native bee species, little is known about them in the Midwest region, and recent studies suggest their populations may be in decline specifically due to a lack of native vegetation in this highly agricultural landscape. …

Prehistoric Earth Oven Facilities And The Pathoecology Of Chagas Disease In The Lower Pecos Canyonlands, Karl Reinhard, Adauto Araujo

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Understanding the endemic region of a disease is part of developing a concept of the disease’s natural history and its threat to human health in both ancient and modern times. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and has recently been identified as an emergent disease in North America. Ancient endemicity and reemergence has been demonstrated by an examination of a mummy found on the border between Coahuila, Mexico and Texas, USA. This mummified man, who died over 1000 years ago, exhibits the gross pathology of megacolon, which is consistent with Chagas disease. We are now exploring the …

Cuticular Hydrocarbons Corroborate The Distinction Between Lowland And Highland Natal Fruit Fly (Tephritidae, Ceratitis Rosa) Populations, Lucie Vaníčková, Radka Břízová, Antonio Pompeiano, Sunday Ekesi, Marc De Meyer

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) and morphology of two Ceratitis rosa Karsch (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations, putatively belonging to two cryptic taxa, were analysed. The chemical profiles were characterised by two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. CHs of C. rosa that originated from the lowlands and highlands of Kenya comprised of n-alkanes, monomethylalkanes, dimethylalkanes and unsaturated hydrocarbons in the range of the carbon backbone from C14 to C37. Hydrocarbons containing C29, C31, C33 and C35 carbon atoms predominated in these two populations. 2-Methyltriacontane was the predominant compound in both populations. Quantitative differences in the distribution of hydrocarbons of different chain lengths, …

Description Of Third Instar Larvae Of Ceratitis Fasciventris, C. Anonae, C. Rosa (Far Complex) And C. Capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae), Gary J. Steck, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Third instar larvae of members of the Ceratitis FAR complex, including Ceratitis fasciventris (Bezzi), Ceratitis anonae Graham, and Ceratitis rosa Karsch are described and compared with those of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Diagnostic characters, such as presence vs. absence of a secondary tooth on the mandibles, previously used to separate C. capitata from C. rosa, are shown to vary in each species. Significant variation in diagnostic morphological characters among populations of C. rosa from east and south Africa is documented; however, the differences are not simply congruent with the R1 and R2 designations based on other studies. Quantitative measures of numerous …

Interactions Between Phaedrotoma Scabriventris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) And Diglyphus Isaea Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Parasitoids Of Liriomyza Huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), K. S. Akutse, J. Van Den Berg, N. K. Maniania, K. K.M. Fiaboe, S. Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Liriomyza leafminer flies represent a serious threat to horticultural production in East Africa. Total field parasitism rates recorded in Kenya are below 5%, with the indigenous ectoparasitoid Diglyphus isaea Walker being one of the key parasitoid species. The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (. icipe), in collaboration with the International Potato Centre (CIP), imported into Kenya the endoparasitoid Phaedrotoma scabriventris Nixon to improve natural control of leafminers. The objective of this study was to investigate the interactions between D. isaea and P. scabriventris when used together for the biological control of Liriomyza species. These interactions were studied under …

Description Of A New Species Of Plesioclytus Giesbert (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) From Georgia, And Transfer Of The Genus To Plesioclytini Wappes And Skelley, New Tribe, James E. Wappes, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Plesioclytus morrisi Wappes and Skelley new species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Ohoopee dune system in central Georgia is described with comments on the biology of the new species. The taxonomic placement of Plesioclytus Giesbert in the tribe Clytini is questioned as key characters are found to differ from the current characters used to define the tribe in the New World, resulting in its transfer to the newly erected Plesioclytini Wappes and Skelley new tribe, defined herein. Habitat photos for the new species and habitus photos for it and P. relictus Giesbert are provided.

Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) Found On Dracaena And Ficus Plants (Asparagales: Asparagaceae, Rosales: Moraceae) From Southeastern Asia, Soo-Jung Suh, Khanxay Bombay

Insecta Mundi

A collaborative survey of the scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) found on dracaena and ficus plants in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam conducted in 2015 identified 49 species of scale insects belonging to 36 genera in six families (25 species on dracaena, 42 species on ficus). Of the species of scale insects that have been reported on dracaena and ficus plants in southeastern Asia in the ScaleNet database (Ben-Dov et al. 2015), 32% and 17% were species collected in this survey, respectively. Twenty-three species (47%) of scale insects have been intercepted at Korean ports of entry on imported dracaena and ficus …

Identificación De Las Especies Mexicanas Del Género Xyleborus Eichhoff, 1864 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Mauricio Pérez Silva, Armando Equihua Martínez, Thomas H. Atkinson

Insecta Mundi

Xyleborus is one of the most diverse and abundant genera of ambrosia beetles, several species of which are considered important tropical pests. Given the current importance of this group, we present taxonomic keys for the 18 Mexican species of Xyleborus, using distinct external morphological features. A brief diagnosis and illustrations are included for each species.

Xyleborus es uno de los géneros más diversos y abundantes de coleópteros ambrosiales; algunas especies son consideradas plagas tropicales importantes. Debido a su importancia actual, se presenta una clave taxonómica enfocada a las 18 especies mexicanas del género Xyleborus, para lo cual se …

Redescripción De Megaplatypus Exaratus (Blandford 1896) Con Notas Sobre Su Distribución En México Y Centroamérica (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae), Armando Burgos-Solorio, Thomas H. Atkinson

Insecta Mundi

New host and geographic records are given from Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica for Megaplatypus exaratus (Blandford), previously reported only from three localities in Guatemala. Like most Platypodinae it is polyphagous and breeding hosts are reported from five genera in four unrelated families. A redescription and updated diagnosis is included.

Se presentan nuevos registros geográfi cos y de hospederos de México, Guatemala, y Costa Rica para Megaplatypus exaratus (Blandford), previamente reportado de tres localidades en Guatemala. Al igual que la mayoría de Platypodinae es una especie polífaga y se reporta aquí de hospederos de cinco géneros en cuatro familias no …

A New Species Of Paraberismyia Woodley (Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Beridinae) From Chiapas, Mexico, Norman E. Woodley

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Paraberismyia Woodley (Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Beridinae), P. imitator, n. sp., is described from Chiapas, Mexico. The new species is compared to previously described species and diagnostic notes are presented for separation of Paraberismyia from Berismyia Giglio-Tos.

Butterflies Of The Suusamyr Valley, Kyrgyzstan (Lepidoptera, Diurna), Amadeus Dekastle

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Abstract: This list of butterflies of the Suusamyr Valley contains 20 species. Each species is listed with the scientific name, common name (if applicable), flight times, elevation, habitat, food plants, and life cycle. In addition to their natural history, each species has an included distribution map.

Introduction: Although the Suusamyr Valley is only 7-8 hours away by car from Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, this region is very poorly studied in regards to its ecology. Information on butterfly distributions in this region is lacking in most currently available resources. As a result, the data presented within provides new information …

Evolution Of Hematophagous Habit In Triatominae (Heteroptera: Reduviidae), Fernando Otálora-Luna, Antonio J. Pérez-Sánchez, Claudia Sandoval, Elis Aldana

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

All members of Triatominae subfamily (Heteroptera: Reduviidae), potential vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of the Chagas disease, feed on blood. Through evolution, these bugs have fixed special morphological, physiological, and behavioral aptations (adaptations and exaptations) adequate to feed on blood. Phylogeny suggests that triatomines evolved from predator reduvids which in turn descended from phytophagous hemipterans. Some pleisiomorphic traits developed by the reduvid ancestors of the triatomines facilitated and modeled hematophagy in these insects. Among them, mouthparts, saliva composition, enzymes, and digestive symbionts are the most noticeable. However, the decisive step that allowed the shift from predation to hematophagy …

Parental Rna Interference Of Genes Involved In Embryonic Development Of The Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte, Chitvan Khajuria, Ana María Vélez, Murugesan Rangasamy, Haichuan Wang, Elane Fishilevich, Meghan L.F. Frey, Newton Portilho Carneiro, Premchand Gandra, Kenneth E. Narva, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

RNA interference (RNAi) is being developed as a potential tool for insect pest management and one of the most likely target pest species for transgenic plants that express double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is the western corn rootworm. Thus far, most genes proposed as targets for RNAi in rootworm cause lethality in the larval stage. In this study, we describe RNAi mediated knockdown of two developmental genes, hunchback (hb) and brahma (brm), in the western corn rootworm delivered via dsRNA fed to adult females. dsRNA feeding caused a significant decrease in hb and brm transcripts in the adult females. Although …

Identification And Comparative Analysis Of Subolesin/Akirin Ortholog From Ornithodoros Turicata Ticks, Hameeda Sultana, Unnati Patel, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Subolesin is an evolutionary conserved molecule in diverse arthropod species that play an important role in the regulation of genes involved in immune responses, blood digestion, reproduction and development. In this study, we have identified a subolesin ortholog from soft ticks Ornithodoros turicata, the vector of the relapsing fever spirochete in the United States.

Methods: Uninfected fed or unfed O. turicata ticks were used throughout this study. The subolesin mRNA was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequenced. Quantitative-real time PCR (QRT-PCR) was performed to evaluate subolesin mRNA levels at different O. turicata developmental stages …

Sewer Overflows And The Vector Mosquito Proximity To Human West Nile Virus Infections, Andrea Simone Bowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

DeKalb and Fulton Counties, which share the metropolitan Atlanta area, have seen an increase in West Nile infected vector mosquitoes; the increase is associated with close proximity to combined sewer overflow facilities. Despite completion of the remediation system in 2008, the mosquito population testing positive for West Nile virus has increased each year from 2010 through 2012. Guided by the Geographical Information System framework and using spatial analysis and regression analyses, this study described and quantified the relationship between sewer system overflows and amplification of vector mosquitoes; an additional goal was to investigate their proximity to human cases of West …

Butterfly And Floral Community Dynamics At A Native Prairie Agrofuel Research Site, Benjamin J. Hoksch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Agrofuel production in the Midwest has historically relied upon monoculture food crops (Zea mays and Glycine max) that do little to support biodiversity or maintain soil and water quality. The University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center is investigating the feasibility of establishing and harvesting diverse mixes of native prairie vegetation for use as a sustainable agrofuel. In 2009 48 research plots were established on three soil types, on land with a >30 year history of row crop production in Black Hawk County, IA. Each plot was seeded with one of four native prairie agrofuel crops: (1) Switchgrass1, (2) Grasses5 …

Effects Of The Exotic Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta) On The Growth And Survival Of The Threatened Hooded Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia Minor), Edward Marques

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plants and insects are some of the most biodiverse groups in the world and are constantly interacting. One unique interaction that has been observed occurs between carnivorous plants and insects; some plant species are capable of capturing and digesting insects for nutrients. Despite preying on these insects, there are cases where such interactions can been viewed as mutualistic. For instance, a nectar reward is produced by the plant to attract insects, and during visitation insects may fall prey to these plants. Additionally, carnivorous myrmecophytic plants may receive an added indirect benefit in the form of reduced herbivory, since ants have …

Assessing Chemical Control Of Earthworms At Airports, Thomas W. Seamans, Bradley F. Blackwell, Glen E. Bernhardt, Daniel A. Potter

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Earthworms originating from Europe (e.g., Lumbricus spp., Aporrectodea spp.), which are common in the United States and southern Canada can create hazardous conditions at airports by attracting birds that pose a threat to aircraft. These nonnative earthworms are also considered pests on golf courses and sports fields, as well as having detrimental effects on temperate boreal forests. No toxicants or repellents are currently registered for earthworm control in the United States. Our purpose was to identify products that could be used to repel or suppress nonnative earthworms on airports or other managed sites where they pose a hazard or nuisance. …