Entomology Commons^™

Effects Of Felled Shortleaf Pine (Pinus Echinata Mill.) Moisture Loss On Oviposition Preferences And Survival Of Sirex Nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), Jessica Hartshorn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) utilizes pine as its host during larval development. Females drill through pine bark to deposit eggs, a symbiotic fungus, Amylostereum, and phytotoxic mucus into the tree. In their native range, these insects are not viewed as primary pests because they attack dead or dying trees. Over the last century, this woodwasp has been accidentally introduced into several countries in the southern hemisphere. Some regions have incurred millions of dollars in damage to large plantations of the widely planted pine species, radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don). Sirex noctilio was discovered …

Community Structure And Ecological Specialization In Plant-Ant Interactions, Paola Barriga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Positive associations among species have contributed to the maintenance of biodiversity. These interactions are typically studied in pairwise fashion where two interacting organisms are the focus. This dissertation uses network theory to analyze positive plant-ant associations in three Neotropical forests. Obligate plant-ant mutualisms were used, where plants host the ants in domatia and provide food bodies while the ants protect the plants and can feed them. A network approach was used to depict all obligate plant-ant interactions within a community. The main questions asked at the community level were: 1) Do network structure and levels of specialization change geographically and, …

The Biological Control Of Spotted Knapweed In The Southeastern United States, Carey R. Minteer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spotted knapweed is an invasive, short-term-perennial plant that is native to Eurasia. It was accidentally introduced into North America in the early 1890's and has since spread across The United States and Canada. Spotted knapweed degrades rangelands and pastures by negatively impacting native plants, increasing soil surface runoff and stream sediment yields, and reducing soil infiltration. A biological control program for spotted knapweed using Larinus minutus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was initiated in Arkansas in 2008. In this dissertation I described the releases of L. minutus and investigated the adult activity in the southeastern United States (Chapter 1), investigated the effects of …

Effects Of Associated Subcortical Beetles On Oviposition Behavior And Early-Stage Survival Of Sirex Nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), Ace J. Lynn-Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sirex (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) woodwasps develop within xylem of host conifers. Sirex females drill through the bark, phloem and into xylem tissues where they deposit eggs along with a symbiotic Amylostereum fungus. The presence of Amylostereum is necessary for successful development of Sirex immatures as the larvae are unable to derive adequate nutrition from xylem in the absence of the fungus. The Eurasian woodwasp, Sirex noctilio F., was discovered in northeastern North America in 2004. Sirex noctilio has caused significant economic damage in Pinus radiata D. Don plantations of the southern hemisphere, but is of little economic significance in its native …

Treatment Thresholds For Bollworm (Helicoverpa Zea) In Dual-Gene Bt Cotton, Kristen Carter

All Theses

Dual-gene Bt cotton has reduced the need for insecticide treatments for bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), compared with original single-gene Bt technology. Bollgard II¨ (Monsanto, St. Louis, MO) and WideStrike¨ (Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN), both produce the Cry1Ac protein and a second protein, Cry2Ab or Cry1F, respectively. These dual-gene Bt cottons provide enhanced control of lepidopteran pests, but remain less than 100% effective against bollworm, particularly when population pressure is high. Current recommended treatment thresholds for bollworm on cotton in South Carolina are as follows: treat with insecticides when three or more large larvae are found per 100 plants or when …

Comparison Of Three Collection Techniques For Capture Of Coleoptera, With An Emphasis On Saproxylic Species, In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Usa, Michael L. Ferro, Matthew L. Gimmel, Kyle E. Harms, Christopher E. Carlton

Insecta Mundi

Collection methods and/or habitats sampled influence how many and which species are captured during entomological surveys. Here we compare Coleoptera catches among three survey activities, each using a single collection method, at the same study sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Activities included: short-term flight intercept trapping (FITs); sifting/Berlese funneling of leaf litter and extremely decayed downed coarse woody debris; and using emergence chambers containing coarse woody debris of various decay classes. In total, 2472 adult beetle specimens, representing 217 lowest identifiable taxa within 164 genera and 42 families, were collected during the FIT survey. Each survey activity …

Characterization Of Head Transcriptome And Analysis Of Gene Expression Involved In Caste Differentiation And Aggression In Odontotermes Formosanus (Shiraki), Qiuying Huang, Pengdong Sun, Xuguo Zhou, Chaoliang Lei

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background

The subterranean termite Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is a serious insect pest of trees and dams in China. To date, very little is known about genomic or transcriptomic data for caste differentiation and aggression in O. formosanus. Hence, studies on transcriptome and gene expression profiling are helpful to better understand molecular basis underlying caste differentiation and aggressive behavior in O. formosanus.

Methodology and Principal Findings

Using the Illumina sequencing, we obtained more than 57 million sequencing reads derived from the heads of O. formosanus. These reads were assembled into 116,885 unique sequences (mean size = 536 bp). …

Investigating The Tolerance Response Of Early Vegetative Stage Soybeans To Aphis Glycines Matsumura, Lia Da Silva Marchi

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives of this research were to evaluate the impact of soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) feeding on the yield response of V1, V3, and R1 KS4202 soybean plants and examine the effect of soybean aphid feeding on peroxidase activity in V1 and V3 KS4202 plants. KS4202 plants infested during the early vegetative stages (VC, VE and V1) were identified as highly susceptible based upon plant damage and stunting of the plants. In contrast, V3, V4, and V5 stage KS4202 soybeans were classified as moderately resistant. In the yield response study, V1, V3 and R1 plants had aphid numbers …

Secondary Contact And Admixture Between Independently Invading Populations Of The Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera In Europe, Gérald Bermond, Marc Ciosi, Eric Lombaert, Aurélie Blin, Marco Boriani, Lorenzo Furlan, Stefan Toepfer, Thomas Guillemaud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most destructive pests of corn in North America and is currently invading Europe. The two major invasive outbreaks of rootworm in Europe have occurred, in North-West Italy and in Central and South-Eastern Europe. These two outbreaks originated from independent introductions from North America. Secondary contact probably occurred in North Italy between these two outbreaks, in 2008. We used 13 microsatellite markers to conduct a population genetics study, to demonstrate that this geographic contact resulted in a zone of admixture in the Italian region of Veneto. We show …

Open Release Of Male Mosquitoes Infected With A Wolbachia Biopesticide: Field Performance And Infection Containment, Linda O'Connor, Catherine Plichart, Ayo Cheong Sang, Corey L. Brelsfoard, Hervé C. Bossin, Stephen L. Dobson

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a globally significant disease, with 1.3 billion persons in 83 countries at risk. A coordinated effort of administering annual macrofilaricidal prophylactics to the entire at-risk population has succeeded in impacting and eliminating LF transmission in multiple regions. However, some areas in the South Pacific are predicted to persist as transmission sites, due in part to the biology of the mosquito vector, which has led to a call for additional tools to augment drug treatments. Autocidal strategies against mosquitoes are resurging in the effort against invasive mosquitoes and vector borne disease, with examples that include field …

Wolbachia Strain Wpip Yields A Pattern Of Cytoplasmic Incompatibility Enhancing A Wolbachia-Based Suppression Strategy Against The Disease Vector Aedes Albopictus, Maurizio Calvitti, Riccardo Moretti, Amanda R. Skidmore, Stephen L. Dobson

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is induced in nature by Wolbachia bacteria, resulting in conditional male sterility. Previous research demonstrated that the two Wolbachia strains (wAlbA and wAlbB) that naturally co-infect the disease vector mosquito Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) can be replaced with the wPip Wolbachia strain from Culex pipiens. Since Wolbachia-based vector control strategies depend upon the strength and consistency of CI, a greater understanding is needed on the CI relationships between wPip, wAlbA and wAlbB Wolbachia in Ae. albopictus.

METHODS: This work consisted of a collaborative series of crosses carried out in Italy and in US to study …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 24, No. 5, November 2012

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents: Welcome -- Congratulations -- Grants -- Publications -- Faculty News - Meet an Off Campus Student -- Student News -- Calendar of Events

Nebline, November/December 2012

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Co-Parenting For Successful Kids Online Class Has Great Response in First Year

Farm Views

Urban Agriculture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Environmental Focus

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Cerambycidae In The Hawk Rise Sanctuary, Linden, Nj, Tiffany R. Mauro

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The family Cerambycidae is a diverse group. These wood borers greatly impact the flora and fauna of the habitat in which they reside. One of the most destructive invasive cerambycids is the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Anoplophora glabripennis. It has devastated both the urban and forested landscapes in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio. It threatens the maple syrup industry, logging, and tourism tied to the fall foliage in New England. In New Jersey thousands of trees were removed and chemically treated due to the ALB infestation. The communities where this infestation occurred were greatly impacted as …

Sheep Skin Odor Improves Trap Captures Of Mosquito Vectors Of Rift Valley Fever, David P. Tchouassi, Rosemary Sang, Catherine L. Sole, Armanda D.S. Bastos, Klaus Mithoefer, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In recent years, the East African region has seen an increase in arboviral diseases transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods. Effective surveillance to monitor and reduce incidence of these infections requires the use of appropriate vector sampling tools. Here, trapped skin volatiles on fur from sheep, a known preferred host of mosquito vectors of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), were used with a standard CDC light trap to improve catches of mosquito vectors. We tested the standard CDC light trap alone (L), and baited with (a) CO2 (LC), (b) animal volatiles (LF), and (c) CO2 plus animal volatiles (LCF) in two highly …

Additions To The Genus Goera Stephens (Trichoptera, Goeridae) From Southeast Asia, Brian J. Armitage, Tatiana I. Arefina-Armitage

Insecta Mundi

Two new species of Goera, G. zwicki and G. nozakii (Trichoptera, Goeridae), from the Philippines and one new species, G. meyi, from Vietnam are described and illustrated herein. In addition, type specimens of G. disparilis Banks, G. octospina Banks, G. tagalica Banks, and G. uniformis Banks are illustrated. All species of Goera known from both the Philippines and Vietnam are listed.

The Cave Mouth Antlions Of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Robert B. Miller, Lionel A. Stange

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. Larvae of thirty one species of antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) belonging to eleven genera live in the protection of cave mouths or large rock overhangs in Australia. New taxa proposed here include the following three new genera: Australeon, Newleon, Speleon. The following twelve new species are described: Froggattisca kakadu; Froggattisca rennerensis; Newleon fragilis; Speleon cavernicolus; Speleon pilliga; Speleon yallingup; Stenoleon xanthopsis; Xantholeon cavernicolus; Xantholeon kakadu; Xantholeon newi; Xantholeon pallens; Xantholeon pentlandensis. Two cave species are transferred into a new genus becoming new combinations …

A New Species Of Reticulitermes Holmgren, 1913 (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) From The Southeastern United States, Su Yee Lim, Brian T. Forschler

Insecta Mundi

Reticulitermes nelsonae, a new species of subterranean termite (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) is described from Sapelo Island, Georgia, United States of America, with specimens also found in North Carolina and Florida. The adult and soldier castes are described and illustrated to distinguish R. nelsonae from the four described Reticulitermes spp. known to occur in the southeastern United States.

A Survey Of Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) Of Prince Of Wales Island, Alaska; Combining Morphological And Dna Barcode Identification Techniques, Jozef Slowik, Gergin A. Blagoev

Insecta Mundi

Surveys during the summer of 2004 and August 2009 on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, USA resulted in collection of 1064 adult spiders representing 84 species. Barcoding of spiders collected in 2009 resulted in DNA barcode data for 212 specimens representing 63 species. DNA barcode data were then used to facilitate the identification of otherwise unidentifiable juvenile and female specimens as well as to investigate phylogenetically four lineages with large branch lengths between specimens. Using morphological and DNA barcode identifications provided a more complete list of identified specimens than was possible using morphological data alone.

Rediscovery And Status Of Cylindera (S. Str.) Lunalonga (Schaupp, 1884) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) In The San Joaquin Valley Of California With A Comparison To A Sierra Nevada Population, Mike Kippenhan, C. Barry Knisley, R. Dennis Haines

Insecta Mundi

Surveys for adult Cylindera (s. str.) lunalonga (Schaupp) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) were conducted between 2001 and 2011 at over 80 sites throughout the species’ historic range in the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Previously considered extirpated from the Valley, these surveys resulted in finding adults at 18 sites, several with large populations (>50 individuals). As suggested by historic records, our studies confirmed that the Valley populations of Cy. lunalonga occur in what were historically wetland sites, but are now lowland agricultural croplands. Adults were always associated with wet, muddy soil within and along the edges …