Larval Environments Affect The Implementation Of The Sterile Insect Technique On Aedes Mosquitoes,
2025
Illinois State University
Larval Environments Affect The Implementation Of The Sterile Insect Technique On Aedes Mosquitoes, Katherine G. Evans
Theses and Dissertations
Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is an effective method for controlling pests and has been increasing in popularity to control Aedes mosquitoes. SIT involves inundating an area with sterilized male mosquitoes to reduce egg hatch and ultimately the number of wild adults. Previous research indicates that enacting mortality early in the larval life of Aedes mosquitoes can result in counter-productive effects, due to reduced competition among developing larvae. I hypothesize that the effectiveness of SIT at reducing adult populations is modified by densitydependent mortality and density-dependent growth among larvae. I performed two field-to-lab studies and developed an individual-based model to test …
Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems,
2025
University of Central Florida
Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal
Honors Undergraduate Theses
There are many parallels between two seemingly disparate forms of non-verbal communication: the waggle dance of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and human kinesic signaling systems. Through a comparative semiotic analysis, this research aims to conduct a comparative semiotic analysis, investigating structural and functional similarities between these communication methods, challenging anthropocentric assumptions about meaning making in the natural world. This research employs a meta-synthesis approach, drawn from a methodological literature review to examine historical representations of bee-human relationships, semiotics of non-verbal communication, and the specific mechanisms of the waggle dance and human kinesics. This methodology involves systematic categorization and analysis of extracted …
Evaluation Of Two Stem Boring Insects In South Dakota: A Survey Of Wheat Stem Sawfly And Determining The Impact Of Planting Date On Dectes Stem Borer Infestations In Sunflowers,
2025
South Dakota State University
Evaluation Of Two Stem Boring Insects In South Dakota: A Survey Of Wheat Stem Sawfly And Determining The Impact Of Planting Date On Dectes Stem Borer Infestations In Sunflowers, Khuma Kumari Bhusal
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., are major crops in South Dakota that are threatened by stem-boring insect pests capable of reducing yield and harvestability. In wheat, the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, has long been recognized as a destructive pest in the Northern Great Plains, yet its actual distribution within South Dakota remained uncertain. To determine its presence, a two-year survey was conducted across the state from 2023–2024, during which one to four wheat fields per county were sampled using standardized sweep net transects. Wheat stem sawflies were collected only from Harding and Perkins Counties …
Risk Of Oak Wilt Expanding Northward: Examining Nitidulidae Vector Communities And Host Phenology Beyond The Current Disease Range,
2025
Michigan Technological University
Risk Of Oak Wilt Expanding Northward: Examining Nitidulidae Vector Communities And Host Phenology Beyond The Current Disease Range, Kathleen E. Bershing
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Oak wilt is a fatal fungal pathogen to oak trees, caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum. This fungus targets oak species (Quercus spp.), where members of the red oak group (sect. Lobatae) are at greatest risk of mortality. Oak wilt is widespread throughout the eastern United States, currently present in 24 states. Recently in 2023, oak wilt was detected in trees for the first time in Canada. Although removed from the locations of the first Canadian detections, there is continual concern that the range of oak wilt is at risk for expansion northward. This is further evident …
A Review On Wolbachia- A Viable Alternative To Control Aedes-Born Arboviral Diseases,
2024
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan
A Review On Wolbachia- A Viable Alternative To Control Aedes-Born Arboviral Diseases, Fatima Khizar, Iqra Mushtaq, Hafsa Masud, Muhammad Sajjad Sarwar
Journal of Bioresource Management
The endemic geographic ranges of mosquitoes are expanding due to various anthropogenic activities including rapid international travel and trade, urbanization, deforestation, and global warming. Hence, Aedes-borne arboviral diseases like dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, or Zika infections would cause severe future outbreaks in non-endemic regions of the world. This threat to global public health highlights an urgent need for the development of efficient and effective mosquito control strategies. To date, a large number of mosquito vector-control strategies have been developed. Each of them has its strengths and weaknesses but the use of intracellular, endosymbiotic reproductive parasitic bacteria named Wolbachia pipientis …
An Analysis Of Moth Diversity In Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Basistha, Assam, India,
2024
Department of Zoology, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, Meghalaya, India
An Analysis Of Moth Diversity In Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Basistha, Assam, India, Golphina Ahmed, Arup Nama Das, Lupamudra Borah, Rezina Ahmed
Journal of Bioresource Management
The Garbhanga Reserve Forest, located on the south-western side of Guwahati City, covers an area of about 117 km2 and borders the foothills of Meghalaya (26°05´36˝N and 91°44´57˝E). Despite the constant threat of exploitation due to its proximity to the rapidly developing city, this area hosts a diverse ecosystem of moths and butterflies. In a study conducted over one year from January 2022 to December 2022, a total of 140 moth species were documented, with the majority belonging to the Erebidae family (46 species) and 1090 individuals, followed by the Crambidae family (31 species) and 704 individuals. The dominance of …
Thriving Hives: Cleaning And Sterilizing Beekeeping Equipment,
2024
Utah State University
Thriving Hives: Cleaning And Sterilizing Beekeeping Equipment, Brynn Meredith, Bailey Parkinson, Andree' Walker Bravo
All Current Publications
Honeybees are susceptible to many types of diseases and parasites, most of which can spread easily through equipment. Your hives' health and safety depend on your attention to detail and efforts to keep your equipment clean and sterile. This fact sheet lists several methods for sterilizing beekeeping equipment. The list is not exhaustive but includes some of the most cost-effective options.
Re-Indigenizing And Collaboratively Tending Urban Greenspaces,
2024
Portland State University
Re-Indigenizing And Collaboratively Tending Urban Greenspaces, Divinity Nnenne Adewale
University Honors Theses
This work details the active process of land tending with the intention of re-Indigenization in the Pacific Northwest at several Portland sites; The Native American Student Community Center, PSU Oak Savanna, and the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Land tending is an intuitive process, one rooted in love and respect for life of all forms as well as becoming the perpetual student; land tending is not a skill to be mastered, only practiced. Unlike environmental management, tending cannot be done separate from the earth, in a classroom or otherwise. Connections are what tending is built on top of: the foundation; effort …
Evaluation Of Current Management Strategies For The Tarnished Plant Bug And Tobacco Thrips In Midsouthern Cotton,
2024
Mississippi State University
Evaluation Of Current Management Strategies For The Tarnished Plant Bug And Tobacco Thrips In Midsouthern Cotton, Hunter Lane Lipsey
Theses and Dissertations
The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is an important economic pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), in the Midsouth region of the United States. An experiment was conducted to determine the impact of insecticide class loss on yield and Lygus populations in the recently commercialized ThryvOn cotton technology. Data indicated no significant yield loss when excluding any currently utilized insecticide class for tarnished plant bug management. An additional objective was to reevaluate the sampling interval necessary to scout ThryvOn cotton for Lygus. No significant differences were observed between a 3 or 7-day sample interval compared to plots …
Review – Insect Farming For Food And Feed In The Global South: Focus On Black Soldier Fly Production,
2024
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Review – Insect Farming For Food And Feed In The Global South: Focus On Black Soldier Fly Production, K. B. Barragán-Fonseca, D. Gómez, C. H. Lalander, D. Dzepe, S. Y. Chia
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Clear differences exist between the Global South and the Global North with respect to economic development. The majority of small and medium-sized insect production farms are located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which face challenges to food production and organic waste management in general. These regions have a long history of insect use, as well as environmental advantages, making production of insects in general - and the black soldier fly in particular - a promising option for sustainable food production and organic waste management. This study aimed to identify the current state of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) …
Ecological Interactions, Host Plant Defenses, And Control Strategies In Managing Soybean Looper, Chrysodeixis Includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Rahul Debnath, Justin George, Manish Gautum, Insha Shafi, Rupesh Kariyat, Gadi V.P. Reddy
Entomology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Soybean looper (SBL), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker 1858) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most damaging insect pests of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., in the mid-south region of the United States, and causes significant economic losses to cotton, sunflower, tomato, and tobacco crops in the United States, Brazil, and Argentina. Soybean production in the southern region accounted for 15.5% of the total production in the United States, and yield losses due to invertebrate pests were 5.8%, or 1.09 million metric ton, in 2022. As insecticide resistance of SBL continues to rise, the lack of alternate control strategies is a serious …
Biological Control Of Roseau Cane Scale With Parasitoid Wasps In Louisiana,
2024
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Biological Control Of Roseau Cane Scale With Parasitoid Wasps In Louisiana, Tanner C. Sparks
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Roseau cane scale, Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) is an invasive species of scale insect negatively impacting Phragmites australis (Cyperales: Poaceae) stands within the Mississippi River Delta. The scales were first detected in 2017 from reports of Phragmites die-back within the MRD by landowners. Initial range surveys located RCS infested Phragmites stands were primarily limited to southeastern Louisiana with a single population near Port Arthur, Texas. Follow-up field surveys conducted annually from 2021 to 2023 monitoring further range expansion by the scale show the current range extends nearly 600 km between High Island, Texas and Bayou la Batre, Alabama. Climate matching …
Survey And Comparative Analysis Of Pollinator Diversity, Abundance, And Foraging Activity Of Diptera And Hymenoptera In Selected Habitats Of South Texas,
2024
Texas A&M International University
Survey And Comparative Analysis Of Pollinator Diversity, Abundance, And Foraging Activity Of Diptera And Hymenoptera In Selected Habitats Of South Texas, Melissa Villarreal
Theses and Dissertations
With the declining bee population, non-bee pollinators can serve as an alternative source for pollination. Diptera is a potential source of untapped pollinator resources based on their abundance and visitation rate, but they are understudied in the field of pollination ecology. This study aimed to characterize the pollinator community in selected areas of South Texas. It focused on the Diptera and Hymenoptera families to compare their diversity, relative abundance, foraging behaviors, environmental influences, and vegetation associations. Active sampling and line transect were used in the survey to sample the Hymenoptera and Diptera communities to their family taxonomic rank. Statistical analyses …
High-Severity Wildfires Alter Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Assemblage Structure In Montane Coniferous Forests And Grasslands In The Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, Usa,
2024
Missouri University of Science and Technology
High-Severity Wildfires Alter Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Assemblage Structure In Montane Coniferous Forests And Grasslands In The Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, Usa, Jonathan Knudsen, Robert Parmenter, Theodore Sumnicht, Robin M. Verble
Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works
High-severity wildfires create heterogeneous patterns of vegetation across burned landscapes. While these spatial patterns are well-documented, less is known about the short- and long-term effects of large-scale high-severity wildfires on insect community assemblages and dynamics. Ants are bottom-up indicators of ecosystem health and function that are sensitive to disturbance and fill a variety of roles in their ecosystems, including altering soil chemistry, dispersing seeds, and serving as a key food resource for many species, including the federally endangered Jemez Mountain salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus). We examined the post-fire effects of the 2011 Las Conchas Wildfire on ant communities in the Valles …
The Mayfly Newsletter,
2024
The Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera
The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson
The Mayfly Newsletter
The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.
Effects Of Fast And Slow-Wilting Soybean Genotypes On Plant-Herbivore Interactions,
2024
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Effects Of Fast And Slow-Wilting Soybean Genotypes On Plant-Herbivore Interactions, Jessica Ayala
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is one of the most important food crops in the world due to its multiple uses in agriculture sector. A major limiting factor in soybean production system is drought stress, causing up to 80% reduction in yield. Due to climate change and associated rise in ambient temperatures, water scarcity is a major concern in crop production, and consequently researchers are turning to soybean accessions that demonstrate better water use efficiency (WUE) traits. However, field grown soybean is also under severe pressure from insect herbivores, often accounting for a 30% reduction in yield. Among these, …
Feeding Habits And Malaria Parasite Infection Of Anopheles Mosquitoes In Selected Agroecological Areas Of Northwestern Ethiopia,
2024
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi
Feeding Habits And Malaria Parasite Infection Of Anopheles Mosquitoes In Selected Agroecological Areas Of Northwestern Ethiopia, Aklilu K. Belay, Abebe Asale, Catherine L. Sole, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Baldwyn Torto, Clifford M. Mutero, David P. Tchouassi
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Background: Surveillance of the host–anopheline mosquitoes’ interaction is important for assessing malaria transmission risk and guiding vector control. We assume that changes in malaria vector species’ feeding habits, as well as the surrounding environment, have a substantial impact on varied malaria transmission. In this study, we determined the vertebrate host feeding patterns of anopheline mosquitoes to characterize entomologic risk factors for malaria in Jabi Tehnan, Northwestern Ethiopia. Methods: Blood-fed anophelines surveyed during malaria surveillance in Jabi Tehnan district of northwestern Ethiopia were utilized in this study. They were collected using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps deployed …
Effect Of Microsporidia Mb Infection On The Development And Fitness Of Anopheles Arabiensis Under Different Diet Regimes,
2024
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi
Effect Of Microsporidia Mb Infection On The Development And Fitness Of Anopheles Arabiensis Under Different Diet Regimes, Godfred Yaw Boanyah, Lizette L. Koekemoer, Jeremy K. Herren, Tullu Bukhari
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Background: Microsporidia MB (MB) is a naturally occurring symbiont of Anopheles and has recently been identified as having a potential to inhibit the transmission of Plasmodium in mosquitoes. MB intensity is high in mosquito gonads, with no fitness consequences for the mosquito, and is linked to horizontal (sexual) and vertical (transovarial) transmission from one mosquito to another. Maximising MB intensity and transmission is important for maintaining heavily infected mosquito colonies for experiments and ultimately for mosquito releases. We have investigated how diet affects the MB-Anopheles arabiensis symbiosis phenotypes, such as larval development and mortality, adult size and survival, as well …
Evaluating The Roles Of Pollinators In Shaping The Floral Color Variation Of Phacelia Dubia,
2024
Clemson University
Evaluating The Roles Of Pollinators In Shaping The Floral Color Variation Of Phacelia Dubia, Katherine Riddle
All Theses
Floral color variation within a species is a common occurrence and its maintenance has been a long-standing question in evolutionary biology. Differences in flower color between populations can be shaped by pollinator-mediated selection. Pollinators can exhibit innate and learned preferences for color that may influence floral color variation. These preferences may be molded by the visual environment in which pollinators forage. Most current understanding of how pollinators shape floral color variation involves dramatic differences in dominant pollinators between populations (e.g., hawkmoth vs. bee) and most behavioral work utilized model pollinators like honeybee and bumble bee. However, less is known about …
Lateral Dispersal Of Adult Trichoptera: Flight Distance And Traveling Pattern,
2024
Clemson University
Lateral Dispersal Of Adult Trichoptera: Flight Distance And Traveling Pattern, Peilin Tan
All Theses
Trichoptera species (caddisfly) are usually used as bio-indictors for surface water quality due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, and if assessing water quality with light-trapped adults, knowing their travelling patterns will improve the accuracy of such assessments. To investigate how far a caddisfly will migrate from their emerging stream, three streams in South Carolina with different widths (Wildcat Creek 1.2 m, Brasstown Creek 11.2 m and Chattooga River 26.95 m) were selected for this study with light traps placed at three distances (0 m, 50 m, 100 m) from the streams. How long and when? Both species richness and …
