A Survey Of The Collembola Of The Buffalo National River Park,
2026
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
A Survey Of The Collembola Of The Buffalo National River Park, Emma Renee Critchfield
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Collembola are a neglected and understudied class with few recent U.S surveys. The aim of this thesis was to survey the Buffalo National River for Collembola and create a catalogue of all known species in the state of Arkansas, USA. Leaf litter, mosses, rotting wood, fungi and malaise trap samples were taken from 13 locations within the Buffalo National River park. In total, 14 families, 34 genera and 59 species were identified from 22,028 collected specimens. Of those, 31 species represent new state records. This survey also validates malaise traps as useful tools for Collembola sampling. The malaise trap samples, …
Dietary Preferences And Food-Seeking Behavior Of Discoid Cockroaches, Blaberus Discoidaliscont.,
2026
Lindenwood University
Dietary Preferences And Food-Seeking Behavior Of Discoid Cockroaches, Blaberus Discoidaliscont., Robert Larsen, Sadie Ariola
2026 Student Academic Showcase
Blaberus discoidalis, also known as discoid cockroaches, inhabit the tropics of South America where their diet consists of leaf litter and decaying organic matter on the ground. This experiment expands on research from two previous years, originally based on the loitering time of the roach's different food types. Such as peanuts, leaf litter, and bananas. The experiment this year was to determine which food was preferred by determining how much it was eaten. Each food item, peanuts, banana, and leaf litter (peanuts alone are crushed) were dried in an oven for 24 hours and weighed before and after each trial. …
Horned Oak Galls And Their Dispersal On Lindenwood's Campus,
2026
Lindenwood University
Horned Oak Galls And Their Dispersal On Lindenwood's Campus, Peyton Birkenmeier, Timothy Sesterhenn
2026 Student Academic Showcase
Horned oak galls are woody growths found on the branches of oak trees (Quercus sp.). These growths are caused by the parasitic wasp, Callirhytis cornigera. These wasps produce the galls by piercing the branch with their ovipositors and laying eggs into the branch. Based on the severity of infestation, these galls can cause severe damage or even death to oak trees. This research determined the dispersal and severity of horned oak galls infesting the different species of oak trees around the heritage side of Lindenwood. This was done by walking around the heritage side of campus and observing different species …
Environmental Stability Drives Development In Drosophila Melanogaste,
2026
Lindenwood University
Environmental Stability Drives Development In Drosophila Melanogaste, Nestor Omar Rivera Guevera
2026 Student Academic Showcase
The development of Drosophila melanogaster is highly sensitive to environmental conditions, particularly temperature, which has been shown to influence both developmental rate and lifespan. Previous studies report that higher temperatures accelerate development but may reduce adult longevity, while field observations in related Drosophila species indicate that stable environmental conditions support greater population success compared to fluctuating ones. Building on this, the present study examined the combined effects of temperature and humidity on fruit fly development. Groups of 10 female flies were placed in culture tubes containing standard medium, with three replicates per treatment. After 48 hours of egg-laying, adults were …
Wild Bee Foraging And Movement Behavior In Urban Gardens,
2026
Providence College
Wild Bee Foraging And Movement Behavior In Urban Gardens, Claire Crowther, Maggie Ritchie
Biology Student Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Efficacy Of Homemade Botanical Insecticides Against Diamondback Moth (Plutella Xylostella) And Cabbage Aphids (Brevicoryne Brassicae) On Brassica Crops,
2026
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Efficacy Of Homemade Botanical Insecticides Against Diamondback Moth (Plutella Xylostella) And Cabbage Aphids (Brevicoryne Brassicae) On Brassica Crops, Nancy Munyoki, Edward N. Karanja, Komivi S. Akutse, Noah Adamtey, Martha Musyoka, Komi K. Fiaboe, David Bautze, Edwin Nderitu, Felix Matheri, Dubois Thomas, Milka Kiboi, Chrysantus M. Tanga
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
The growing need for accessible alternatives to synthetic insecticides has renewed interest in farmer-made botanical formulations for pest management. This study evaluated the efficacy of selected homemade botanical insecticides against diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) on cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and kale (B. oleracea var. acephala) under laboratory and semi-field conditions. Three homemade formulations were assessed: a one-day-old multi-plant extract with neem (Azadirachta indica; PE + N), a one-day-old extract without neem (PE), and a fourteen-day-old, fermented extract without neem (PE14). These were compared with three commercial botanical products. In replicated leaf- and plant-based bioassays, …
Hormetic Ethanol Effects On Fitness And Attraction In Irradiated Aedes Aegypti,
2026
New Mexico State University
Hormetic Ethanol Effects On Fitness And Attraction In Irradiated Aedes Aegypti, Kayden Robey, Gabriel Borg, Immo Hansen
The Agora
Sterile insect technique (SIT) is an increasingly important strategy for controlling mosquito populations while reducing reliance on chemical insecticides and genetically modified organisms. A major limitation of SIT is the reduced fitness and competitiveness of irradiated male mosquitoes, which can compromise population suppression efforts. This study investigates whether hormetic ethanol exposure improves post-irradiation fitness in Aedes aegypti males, a primary vector of dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Adult male mosquitoes were fed either a standard sugar solution or a sugar solution supplemented with 5% ethanol prior to irradiation. Males were sterilized using X-ray irradiation at 50 Gy and assessed for …
Semiochemicals And Odorant Receptors Underlying Potato Cultivar Susceptibility And Resistance To Potato Tuber Moth,
2026
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Semiochemicals And Odorant Receptors Underlying Potato Cultivar Susceptibility And Resistance To Potato Tuber Moth, Ruipeng Chen, Wangtao Hu, Qin Hu, Junjie Yan, Jiao Yin, Fathiya M. Khamis, Yulin Gao, Walter S. Leal
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Infestation of potato by the potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) varies markedly among cultivars, yet the chemical and molecular mechanisms underlying this variation remain poorly understood. Here, we combine field surveys, chemical ecology, functional genomics, and structural modeling to reveal how cultivar-specific volatile profiles shape moth oviposition behavior and pest outcomes. Field and laboratory assays identified marked differences in adult attraction, oviposition, and larval damage among potato cultivars, which correlated with distinct blends of emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Behavioral analyses revealed that among other VOCs, trans-nerolidol and β-ionone act as attractants, whereas 3-carene and benzyl tiglate function as oviposition …
Modelling The Temporal Dynamics Of Microsporidia Mb Prevalence In Anopheles Mosquitoes Under Environmental Variability,
2026
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box : 67, Dschang, Cameroon. [email protected].
Modelling The Temporal Dynamics Of Microsporidia Mb Prevalence In Anopheles Mosquitoes Under Environmental Variability, Charlène N. Mfangnia, Matteo Pedercini, Henri E. Tonnang, Jeremy K. Herren
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Releasing Microsporidia MB-positive mosquitoes is being investigated as a promising component of Integrated Vector Management (IVM) strategies for malaria control. In this study, we developed a System Dynamics model to replicate the observed interactions between humans, mosquitoes, the Plasmodium parasite, and the symbiont MB. The model accounts for the impact of environmental variables - such as humidity, rainfall, and temperature - on mosquitoes, Plasmodium, and MB, using exogenous inputs derived from daily climatic observations (rainfall, relative humidity, and temperature) recorded during the mosquito field surveys. We calibrate the model using data collected from Ahero in Kenya, available for 3 years …
Bluebird Bait: Quantifying The Attraction Of Ectoparasites To Nestling Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis),
2026
Arkansas Tech University
Bluebird Bait: Quantifying The Attraction Of Ectoparasites To Nestling Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis), Ella Grace Bollinger
ATU Scholars Symposium
Ectoparasites, such as mosquitoes (Culicidae), blackflies (Simuliidae), and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), have been shown to reduce population viability by lowering post-fledging survival and decreasing the lifetime reproductive success of adult birds. This issue is particularly concerning for songbirds such as the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) because their nestlings are relatively naked and have limited mobility, making them highly vulnerable to attacks by biting flies. However, the specific mechanisms attracting ectoparasites to nests remain understudied. We hypothesized that biting fly and mosquito abundance would be significantly higher at active Eastern Bluebird nests than that of empty boxes and would increase with …
Developing A Range Prediction For The Imperiled Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Badius) Using Species Distribution Modeling,
2026
The University of Southern Mississippi
Developing A Range Prediction For The Imperiled Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Badius) Using Species Distribution Modeling, Noah Williamson
Honors Theses
The Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius) was once widespread and commonplace throughout the sandhills of the Southeastern United States, providing key ecosystem services, such as seed dispersal and soil aeration. Over recent decades, however, Florida Harvester Ant populations have declined in some areas. Current literature postulates that Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), and the insecticides used to manage them, as well as further human encroachment onto their habitat, all likely contributed to Florida Harvester Ant population declines. Thus, to better protect these organisms, pursue data-driven conservation efforts, and guide management practices, more information about their nest site selection, as well …
An Insight Into The Venom Gland Proteome Of The Two-Spined Trap-Jaw Ant, Odontomachus Haematodus,
2026
The University of Southern Mississippi
An Insight Into The Venom Gland Proteome Of The Two-Spined Trap-Jaw Ant, Odontomachus Haematodus, Aaron Morgan
Honors Theses
Ants are ecologically important and highly abundant organisms, playing key roles in many ecosystems. One recently introduced species in the southeastern United States is Odontomachus haematodus (the two-spined trap-jaw ant), a South American native that has often been misidentified, contributing to limited research on its biology and venom composition. This study aimed to provide the first detailed characterization of the venom apparatus and proteome of O. haematodus. Specimens were collected and dissected, and venom-related proteins were extracted and analyzed using SDS-PAGE and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS-ESI). Confocal microscopy was also used to visualize the sting apparatus, including F-actin filaments and …
Land-Use Changes Shape Mosquito Assemblages, Host-Feeding And Arbovirus Infection In Baringo County, Kenya,
2026
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Zoological Sciences, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Land-Use Changes Shape Mosquito Assemblages, Host-Feeding And Arbovirus Infection In Baringo County, Kenya, Caroline Getugi, Elizabeth Kokwaro, Anthony Nyamache, Inga Slothouwer, Gilbert Rotich, Rosemary Sang, Sandra Junglen, David P. Tchouassi
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Environmental transformation driven by human activity has profound implications for the ecology of mosquito vectors and the pathogens they transmit. This study investigated the influence of land-use change on mosquito assemblages, host-feeding patterns, and arbovirus infection across sylvatic-rural-peri-urban land-use types in Marigat subcounty, Rift Valley, Kenya. Adult mosquitoes were collected using CO₂-baited CDC light traps and BG-Sentinel traps across three sites: Kiborgoch conservancy (sylvatic), Ntepes village (rural) and Marigat town (peri-urban). Sampling was conducted during three sessions including September 2022, August 2023, and December 2023. The mosquitoes were morphologically identified to species, and indices of abundance, richness and diversity compared …
Spider Mite Response, Agronomic Performance, And Stability Of A Urochloa Spp. Diversity Panel Under Field Conditions,
2026
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi
Spider Mite Response, Agronomic Performance, And Stability Of A Urochloa Spp. Diversity Panel Under Field Conditions, Adrian Mating’I Kimani, David Kariuki Muruu, Paula Espitia-Buitrago, Sylvia Henga, Catherine Muui, Frank Chidawanyika, Rosa Noemi Jauregui
All Peer-Reviewed Publications
Spider mites (Oligonychus trichardti) are emerging as a major constraint to Urochloa forage productivity in East Africa; however, knowledge of genotypic variation and tolerance remains limited. Herein, 55 Urochloa genotypes were evaluated under field-infested and non-infested conditions across two seasons using an alpha-lattice design. Agronomic and physiological traits, including plant height (PH), tiller number (TN), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), total dry weight (TDW), and mite damage indices (visual severity index (VSI) and stress tolerance index (STI)) were assessed. Infestation reduced biomass by 22.4% on average, with reductions of up to 45% in susceptible genotypes. Significant genotypic variation was …
Organic Management Of Pillbugs And Sowbugs In Strawberries And Other Fruits,
2026
Utah State University
Organic Management Of Pillbugs And Sowbugs In Strawberries And Other Fruits, Briger Carey, Marion Murray, Emilie Demard, Jennifer R. Reeve
All Current Publications
Pillbugs and sowbugs are collectively known as isopods that typically feed on soil organic matter, but under certain conditions, they can be a pest of many young plants and berries. This fact sheet reviews identification, life cycle, damage, and organic management strategies for pillbugs and sowbugs.
New Distributional Record Of Dacus Persicus (Diptera: Tephritidae), A Biocontrol Agent Of Calotropis Procera (Apocynaceae), From Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan,
2026
Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
New Distributional Record Of Dacus Persicus (Diptera: Tephritidae), A Biocontrol Agent Of Calotropis Procera (Apocynaceae), From Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Adnan Bodlah, Imran Bodlah, Aleena Kanwal, Alishbah Mohsin, Ayesha Younas, Muhammad Tariq Siddique, Hafiz Muhammad Zia Ullah Ghazali, Muhammad Salman Yousafzai
Journal of Bioresource Management
The tephritid species Dacus persicus Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) exhibits strict host specificity to Calotropis species and is known as a destructive seed feeder of Calotropis procera. During field surveys, D. persicus larval stages were obtained from infested fruits of C. procera whereas adults were collected through sweep net sampling. This study documents the occurrence of D. persicus from southern district of Punjab, thereby extending its known distribution within the province beyond previous records from northern Punjab. Adult’s specimens were reared from field collected fruits and net-sweeping. Adults were identified based on detailed morphological examination of external characters and female …
Seasonal Activity Pattern Of Ambrosia Beetles In Southeast Virginia,
2026
Old Dominion University
Seasonal Activity Pattern Of Ambrosia Beetles In Southeast Virginia, Umme H. Akter, Sajrim Chowdhury, Deborah A. Waller
Knowledge and Creativity Expo
Ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are wood-boring insects that influence forest ecosystems through fungal symbioses, rapid host colonization, and invasive species dynamics. Despite their ecological importance, seasonal activity patterns remain poorly characterized in southeastern Virginia. This study integrates field trapping and statistical modeling to examine species-specific seasonal activity across two forested sites in Norfolk, Virginia. Beetles were monitored using ethanol and essential oil-baited bottle traps alongside ethanol-soaked bolt traps. Overall abundance peaked in April, indicating strong early-season emergence. Ethanol-baited traps captured 3-7 times more beetles than essential oil traps, and negative binomial generalized linear models confirmed bait type as a significant …
Trapping Ambrosia Beetles (Curculionidae) With Ethanol-Soaked Tree Bolts In Southeastern Virginia.,
2026
Old Dominion University
Trapping Ambrosia Beetles (Curculionidae) With Ethanol-Soaked Tree Bolts In Southeastern Virginia., Sajrim Chowdhury, Umme H. Akter, Deborah A. Waller
Knowledge and Creativity Expo
Native and invasive ambrosia beetles infest a wide variety of tree species in southeastern Virginia and cause significant damage. We investigated trapping ambrosia beetles by using ten different tree species as lures. One objective of the study was to determine the most effective lure for each species of ambrosia beetle related to tree species and the diameter of the bolt. Sections of tree limbs of two different diameters and 25cm in length were soaked in ethanol and hung from trees in several natural locations, both near water and away from water. Beetles attracted to the lures bored into the bolts …
Louisiana Species Of The Genus Xestia Hübner And The Genus Agnorisma Lafontaine,
2026
International Lepidoptera Survey
Louisiana Species Of The Genus Xestia Hübner And The Genus Agnorisma Lafontaine, Vernon Antoine Brou Jr., Charlotte Dozar Brou
The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey
We address three species of the genus Xestia Hübner recorded for the state of Louisiana: Xestia dilucida (Morrison), Xestia elimata (Guenée) and Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus), and we also address new state capture records for Agnorisma badinodis (Grote) and Agnorisma bollii in Louisiana.
Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus Occidentalis),
2026
Utah State University
Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus Occidentalis), Emilie Demard
All Current Publications
This fact sheet provides information on the western conifer seed bug, including native range, life cycle, plant hosts, symptoms and damage, and management options.
