Entomology Commons^™

Comparative Toxicity Of Acaricides To Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Workers And Queens, Lizette Dahlgren, Reed M. Johnson, Blair D. Siegfried, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Acaricides are used to treat honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies to control the varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman), a worldwide threat to honey bee health. Although acaricides control a serious honey bee parasite and mitigate bee loss, they may cause harm to bees as well. We topically applied five acaricides, each with a different mode of action, to young adult queen and worker bees to generate dose-response curves and LD₅₀. Twenty-four hours after treatment, queens were found to be three times more tolerant of tau-fluvalinate and six times more tolerant of thymol than …

Human Risk Of Infection With Borrelia Burgdorferi, The Lyme Disease Agent, In Eastern United States, Maria A. Diuk-Wasser, Anne Gatewood Hoen, Paul Cislo, Robert Brinkerhoff, Sarah A. Hamer, Michelle Rowland, Roberto Cortinas, Gwenaël Vourc’H, Forrest S. Melton, Graham J. Hickling, Jean I. Tsao, Jonas Bunikis, Alan G. Barbour, Uriel Kitron, Joseph Piesman, Durland Fish

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The geographic pattern of human risk for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the tick-borne pathogen that causes Lyme disease, was mapped for the eastern United States. The map is based on standardized field sampling in 304 sites of the density of Ixodes scapularis host-seeking nymphs infected with B. burgdorferi, which is closely associated with human infection risk. Risk factors for the presence and density of infected nymphs were used to model a continuous 8 km × 8 km resolution predictive surface of human risk, including confidence intervals for each pixel. Discontinuous Lyme disease risk foci were identified in …

Morphological Characterization And Molecular Mediated Genetic Variation Of Thief Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Ralph B. Narain, Shripat T. Kamble, Thomas O. Powers

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The morphological characterization and molecular genetic variation were determined in populations of thief ants, Solenopsis molesta (Say). The genetic variations were elucidated using mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mDNA) sequences of cytochrome oxidase I. DNA from thief ants was extracted with Qiagen’s Gentra PUREGENE DNA Isolation Kit using their solid tissue protocol. Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were run on the extracted DNA using primers Lep-F1 (forward) and Lep-R1 (reverse). The DNA products were concentrated and purified by Microcon Centrifugal Filter Unit YM-100. Purified DNA samples were sequenced at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) DNA Sequencing Core Facility. The sequences were …

Inbreeding-Stress Interactions: Evolutionary And Conservation Consequences, David H. Reed, Charles W. Fox, Laramy S. Enders, Torsten N. Kristensen

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The effect of environmental stress on the magnitude of inbreeding depression has a long history of intensive study. Inbreeding-stress interactions are of great importance to the viability of populations of conservation concern and have numerous evolutionary ramifications. However, such interactions are controversial. Several meta-analyses over the last decade, combined with omic studies, have provided considerable insight into the generality of inbreeding-stress interactions, its physiological basis, and have provided the foundation for future studies. In this review, we examine the genetic and physiological mechanisms proposed to explain why inbreeding-stress interactions occur. We specifically examine whether the increase in inbreeding depression with …

Susceptibility Of Cry1ab Maize-Resistant And -Susceptible Strains Of Sugarcane Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) To Four Individual Cry Proteins, Liping Zhang, Fangneng Huang, B. Rogers Leonard, Mao Chen, Thomas Clark, Yu Cheng Zhu, David S. Wangila, Fei Yang, Ying Niu

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), is a major target of Bt maize in South America and many areas of the US mid-south region. Six laboratory strains of D. saccharalis were established from six single-pair F2 families possessing major resistance alleles to Cry1Ab maize hybrids. Susceptibility of the six strains was evaluated on diet treated with each of four purified trypsin-activated Bt proteins, Cry1Ab, Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, and Cry1F. Bt susceptibility of the six strains was compared with that of known Cry1Ab-susceptible and -resistant strains of D. saccharalis. At least two of the six strains demonstrated a similar level (>526-fold) …

Using Video-Tracking To Assess Sublethal Effects Of Pesticides On Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera L.), Bethany S. Teeters, Reed M. Johnson, Marion D. Ellis, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Concern about the role of pesticides in honey bee decline has highlighted the need to examine the effects of sublethal exposure on bee behaviors. The video-tracking system EthoVisionXT (Noldus Information Technologies) was used to measure the effects of sublethal exposure to tau-fluvalinate and imidacloprid on honey bee locomotion, interactions, and time spent near a food source over a 24-h observation period. Bees were either treated topically with 0.3, 1.5, and 3 μg tau-fluvalinate or exposed to 0.05, 0.5, 5.0, 50, and 500 ppb imidacloprid in a sugar agar cube. Tau-fluvalinate caused a significant reduction in distance moved at all dose …

A Comparison Of Dung Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Attraction To Native And Exotic Mammal Dung, Sean D. Whipple, W. Wyatt Hoback

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Although the preference of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) for specific types and conditions of dung has been given substantial attention, little has been done to investigate the potential effects of exotic mammal introduction for game farms or rewilding projects. We used pitfall traps baited with various native and exotic herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore dung to evaluate dung beetle preference in the Great Plains of North America. Additionally, we analyzed the nutrient quality of each dung type. In total, 9,089 dung beetles from 15 species were captured in 2 yr of sampling. We found significant differences (P < 0.05) in mean dung beetle capture among omnivore, herbivore, and carnivore dung as well as differences in individual species preference for dung type. Omnivore dung was the most attractive with chimpanzee and human dung having the highest mean capture (291.1 ± 27.6 and 287.5 ± 28.5 respectively). Carrion also was highly attractive with a mean of 231.9 ± 20.6 beetles per trap (N = 8). …

Genetic Variability Of Digitonthophagus Gazella (F.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) From Vieques, Puerto Rico And South Africa, Sean D. Whipple, Erica Lindroth, W. Wyatt Hoback, Marc C. Albrecht, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Digitonthophagus gazella (F.) has been widely introduced to the New World and both natural dispersal and intentional releases continue. In this study, we compare a population of D. gazella from South Africa and from the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. Genetic diversity was found to be high in both South Africa (H = 0.3623) and Vieques (H = 0.3846), providing no evidence of inbreeding depression on Vieques. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 69% of genetic diversity is within the populations and 31% of genetic diversity is between the populations, indicating that …

Population Genetics Of The Western Bean Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Across The United States, Erica Lindroth, T. E. Hunt, S. R. Skoda, M. D. Culy, D. Lee, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith), is a secondary pest of maize (Zea mays L.) and dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the western United States. Recently, this insect has undergone a major territory expansion into the eastern United States and has become a pest throughout much of the Corn Belt. This study was instigated to examine the population genetics of this pest to facilitate control and resistance management, as well as to shed light on the current habitat expansion. S. albicosta individuals were collected from 24 different locations across the traditional and expanded range and amplifed …

Pheromone–Mediated Mating Disruption In The Millet Stem Borer, Coniesta Ignefusalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Ousmane Youm, Yacouba Maliki, David R. Hall, Dudley I. Farman, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The millet stem borer, Coniesta ignefusalis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major pest of pearl millet in the Sahelian region of Africa. The female sex pheromone has been identified and synthesized, and previous research had shown that the synthetic pheromone could cause high levels of reproductive communication disruption in small plots when released at rates of 640 mg/ha/day, using PVC resin formulation renewed every seven days to maintain efficiency. In the present research, in experiments in farmers’ fields in Niger, 86.8% (SE = 2.6%) communication disruption was achieved when polyethylene vials loaded with 0.5 mg pheromone at 400 dispensers/ha were …

Increase In Susceptibility To Insecticides With Aging Of Wild Anopheles Gambiae Mosquitoes From Côte D’Ivoire, Mouhamadou S. Chouaibou, Joseph Chabi, Georgina Bingham, Tessa B. Knox, Louis N'Dri, Nestor B. Kesse, Bassirou Bonfoh, Helen V Pates Jamet

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Appropriate monitoring of vector insecticide susceptibility is required to provide the rationale for optimal insecticide selection in vector control programs.

Methods: In order to assess the influence of mosquito age on susceptibility to various insecticides, field-collected larvae of An. gambiae s.l. from Tiassalé were reared to adults. Females aged 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 days were exposed to 5 insecticides (deltamethrin, permethrin, DDT, malathion and propoxur) using WHO susceptibility test kits. Outcome measures included the LT50 (exposure time required to achieve 50% knockdown), the RR (resistance ratio, i.e. a calculation of how much more resistant the wild population …

Larval Performance And Kill Rate Of Convergent Ladybird Beetles, Hippodamia Convergens, On Black Bean Aphids, Aphis Fabae, And Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Travis M. Hinkelman, Brigitte Tenhumberg

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Generalist predator guilds play a prominent role in structuring insect communities and can contribute to limiting population sizes of insect pest species. A consequence of dietary breadth, particularly in predatory insects, is the inclusion of low-quality, or even toxic, prey items in the predator’s diet. Consumption of low-quality prey items reduces growth, development, and survival of predator larvae, thereby reducing the population sizes of generalist predators. The objective of this paper was to examine the effect of a suspected low-quality aphid species, Aphis fabae (Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on the larval performance of an abundant North American predator, Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville) …

Evolution Of Starvation Resistance In Drosophila Melanogaster: Measurement Of Direct And Correlated Responses To Artificial Selection, Tiffany E. Schwasinger-Schmidt, Stephen D. Kachman, Lawrence G. Harshman

Lawrence G. Harshman Publications

Laboratory selection for resistance to starvation has been conducted under relatively controlled conditions to investigate direct and correlated responses to artificial selection. With regard to starvation resistance, there are three physiological routes by which the trait can evolve: resource accumulation, energy conservation and starvation tolerance. A majority of energetic compounds and macromolecules including triglycerides, trehalose and other sugars, and soluble protein increased in abundance as a result of selection. Movement was additionally investigated with selected males moving less than control males and selected females exhibiting a similar response to selection. Results obtained from this study supported two of the possible …

Notes On Notonectidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) From Southeastern Asia, Mostly From Brunei And The Philippines, Hendrik Freitag, Herbert Zettel, David J.W Lane, Clister V. Pangantihon

Biology Faculty Publications

Updated distribution data are presented for the following species of Notonectidae (Heteroptera) in southeastern Asia: Anisops breddini Kirkaldy, 1901, A. kuroiwae Matsumura, 1915, A. nasutus Fieber, 1851, A. nigrolineatus Lundblad, 1933, A. occipitalis Breddin, 1905, A. rhomboides Nieser & Chen, 1999, A. stali Kirkaldy, 1904, Aphelonecta philippina Zettel, 1995, Enithares bakeri Brooks, 1948, E. freyi Brooks, 1948, E. intha Paiva, 1918, E. mandalayensis Distant, 1910, E. martini martini Kirkaldy, 1898, E. quadrispinosa Lansbury, 1967, E. sinica (Stål, 1854), E. subparallela Lansbury, 1968, E. uncata Lundblad, 1933, E. cf. vicintricata Lansbury, 1968, and Nychia sappho Kirkaldy, 1901. There are six fi …

Digital Microscopic Imaging Of Important Taxonomic Characters Of Philippine Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) Species, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Biodiversity surveys have revealed several new aquatic beetle species of minute size (0.9 mm to 1.8 mm body length). Following modern standards of morphological taxonomy, internal and external microstructures such as aedeagus, ovipositor, spermatheca, gonocoxite as well as the distribution pattern and shape of certain hair structures were used to illustrate the distinguishing characters of new species. As even the smallest diaphragm opening of light microscopes fails to retrieve images of sufficient depth of the field, light microscope images under ZEISS Primo Vert inverted microscope, equipped with ZEISS LD Plan-ACHROMAT 20X objective lens, and an OLYMPUS SZ 61 stereomicroscope, were …

Molecular Characterization And Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Of Dermacentor Variabilis Α-Catenin In Response To Rickettsial Infection, Piyanate Sunyakumthorn, Natthida Petchampai, Michael T. Kearney, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Kevin R. Macaluso

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Alpha catenin is a cytoskeleton protein that acts as a regulator of actin rearrangement by forming an E-cadherin adhesion complex. In Dermacentor variabilis, a putative α-catenin (Dvα-catenin) was previously identified as differentially regulated in ovaries of ticks chronically infected with Rickettsia montanensis. To begin characterizing the role(s) of Dvα-catenin during rickettsial infection, the full-length Dvα-catenin cDNA was cloned and analysed. Comparative sequence analysis demonstrates a 3069-bp cDNA with a 2718-bp open reading frame with a sequence similar to Ixodes scapularis α-catenin. A portion of Dvα-catenin is homologous to the vinculin-conserved domain containing a putative …

Diversity And Community Assembly Patterns Of Epigean Vs. Troglobiont Spiders In The Iberian Peninsula, Pedro Cardoso

International Journal of Speleology

Cave-obligate organisms usually have smaller ranges and their assemblages have higher beta diversity than their epigean counterparts. Phylogenetic and functional diversity is usually low in cave communities, leading to taxonomic and functional disharmony, with entire groups missing from the subterranean realm. The objective of this work is to compare range, beta diversity, phylogenetic and functional diversity, taxonomic and functional disharmony of epigean versus troglobiont spiders in the Iberian Peninsula.

The median extent of occurrence was found to be 33 times higher for epigean than for cave species. Beta diversity was significantly higher for troglobiont assemblages. Cave assemblages present lower phylogenetic …

The World’S Deepest Subterranean Community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus), Alberto Sendra, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

International Journal of Speleology

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown.

An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate …

Management In A Neotropical Show Cave: Planning For Invertebrates Conservation, Thais Giovannini Pellegrini, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

International Journal of Speleology

Lapa Nova is a dolomitic cave about 4.5 km long located in northwestern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The cave experiences intense tourism, concentrated over a single period of the year, during the Feast of Our Lady of Lapa. In order to evaluate the impacts felt by the invertebrate community from this tourism, a new methodology was proposed. Four types of areas (intense visitation area, outlying visitation areas, moderate visitation areas and no-visitation areas) were sampled for invertebrates. There was one sampling prior and another on the last day of the 128^th feast, to evaluate the effects of visitation on …

Mosquito Species Abundance And Diversity In Malindi, Kenya And Their Potential Implication In Pathogen Transmission, Joseph M. Mwangangi, Janet Midega, Samuel Kahindi, Laban Njoroge, Joseph Nzovu, John Githure, Charles M. Mbogo, John C. Beier

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are important vectors of human disease-causing pathogens. Mosquitoes are found both in rural and urban areas. Deteriorating infrastructure, poor access to health, water and sanitation services, increasing population density, and widespread poverty contribute to conditions that modify the environment, which directly influences the risk of disease within the urban and peri-urban ecosystem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mosquito vector abundance and diversity in urban, peri-urban, and rural strata inMalindi along the Kenya coast. The study was conducted in the coastal district of Malindi between January and December 2005. Three strata were selected which …