Spring and fall field trials were conducted to determine the efficacy of two species of entomopathogenic nematodes for the control of larvae of Diaprepes abbreviatus in a citrus grove with alfisol type soil (sandy clay loam). Both Steinernema riobrave (Bio Vector 355) as a water-dispersible granule and Heterorhabditis indica (Grubstake™ 100) as a paste on sponge at rates from 22-108 IJ’s/cm² failed to reduce larval populations in the tree rhizosphere at 25 d post-treatment. Larval parasitism by entomopathogenic nematodes in baited screen cages was sporadic over time, with the only significant treatment effect occurring at the highest rate (108 IJ’s/cm²) of S. riobrave in the fall at 7 d post-treatment. Possible constraints to nematode efficacy are discussed.

This study describes field experiments that compare the relative attraction of male Mediterranean fruit flies (or medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), to trimedlure and ginger root oil, which contains the natural attractant α-copaene. The ginger root oil was embedded in a paste-like matrix, and the concentration of α-copaene was enhanced 20-fold above natural levels (hence the term “enriched” ginger root oil or EGRO). In tests conducted in a mixed fruit orchard in Waimanalo, Hawaii, 8 Jackson traps (4 baited with trimedlure, 4 baited with enriched ginger root oil) were placed in a circle (40 m radius) about a central point from which 500 males were released per replicate. Trap catches were scored 48 h after male release. In experiments using fresh (non-aged) lures, the amount of trimedlure used per trap was constant (1 ml), but the amount of EGRO-containing paste used in traps was 1, 10, or 20 drops. Significantly more males were captured in the trimedlure traps than the EGRO traps over all doses of EGRO. Similar experiments conducted in a small citrus grove yielded the same results. Additional experiments revealed that female medflies showed no attraction to either trimedlure- or EGRO-baited traps and that immature and mature males showed equal, short-range attraction to trimedlure and EGRO-baited traps.

The toxicities of four classes of insecticides, emamectin benzoate (avermectin), chlorfenapyr (pyrrole), fipronil (phenylpyrazole), and tebufenozide (benzoylhydrazide) were compared using an artificial diet assay and a residual efficacy assay against several species of Lepidoptera. Emamectin benzoate was consistently the most toxic insecticide; it was 20- to 64,240-times more toxic than the other compounds tested. The LC₉₀ values for emamectin benzoate ranged from 0.0050 to 0.0218 ug/ml for six species of Lepidoptera. Similarly, chlorfenapyr displayed consistent toxicity to all species, with LC₉₀ values ranging from 1.9 to 4.6 ug/ml. The toxicities of fipronil and tebufenozide varied among the species tested. Fipronil LC₉₀ values varied 501-fold (range, 0.64 to 321.3 ug/ml), while tebufenozide toxicity varied 113-fold (range, 0.24 to 27.1 ug/ml) among species tested. In residual efficacy tests conducted in the glasshouse, all compounds were effective (i.e., >90% mortality) at controlling Heliothis virescens on garbanzo bean at projected field rates and at 1/10 of projected field rates with fipronil and emamectin benzoate. Emamectin benzoate, chlorfenapyr and tebufenozide were effective at controlling Spodoptera exigua on sugar beet at projected field rates. However, mortality with fipronil was reduced to 20% or less at 7 to 14 days after treatment. All compounds at projected field use rates were effective against Trichoplusia ni on cabbage, although tebufenozide was the only compound effective at 1/10 of projected field rate for 14 days after treatment. However, tebufenozide was ineffective against Plutella xylostella at projected field use rates on cabbage while emamectin benzoate, chlorfenapyr, and fipronil were effective. The potential of these compounds for arthropod pest management are discussed.

Phorid flies from the genus Pseudacteon are parasitoids of Solenopsis ants. Recent efforts of controlling imported fire ants in the United States have focused on rearing and releasing these flies as biocontrol agents. We studied eclosion, mating, and grooming behavior of Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier in an effort to increase understanding of its biology. The sex ratio of eclosing flies in the lab was 1:1. The flies emerged only in the morning and were protandrous. Mating in the lab occurred on the substrate and did not require disturbed ants. Males and probably also females mated multiply.

Perillus bioculatus (F.) can be maintained in the laboratory on a diet of Heliothis virescens F. larvae if supplemented with Colorado potato beetle (CPB) eggs. Here we demonstrate that an artificial diet can replace the CPB eggs and maintain the colony for at least three generations. This enables us to maintain our Perillus colonies at high numbers independent of the normal fluctuations in our CPB colony. Survival of nymphs, adult longevity, start of ovipositioning, total number of eggs per female, total number of clutches per female, and percent hatch were equivalent between the two rearing regimes for three generations. Fecundity on the artificial diet was greatly reduced by the sixth generation, leading to the collapse of the colony during the seventh generation.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary protein on the mating behavior and survival of male Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies), Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), as a means of enhancing the effectiveness of mass-reared males in sterile release programs to suppress wild populations. Conducted in the laboratory, our study addressed three main questions: 1) Does the inclusion of protein in the adult diet affect mating success of wild and mass-reared males? 2) Are copulation duration and remating tendency of wild females affected by the strain (wild versus mass-reared) and diet (protein-fed versus protein-deprived) of their initial mating partner? 3) Does the inclusion of protein in the adult diet affect the longevity of mass-reared males? In mating trials involving wild flies, protein-fed males had a mating advantage over protein-deprived males. However, the addition of protein to the diet did not boost the mating success of mass-reared males in competition with wild or mass-reared males for wild females. The inclusion of protein in the male diet had no apparent effect on female remating tendency, copulation duration, or male longevity. Independent of male diet, we found no difference between wild and mass-reared males in the duration of copulations with wild females, and wild females mated initially to wild and mass-reared males displayed similar remating propensity. The implications of these findings for SIT are discussed.

A statewide survey in Louisiana on the current distribution of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, and other termite species was conducted with 91 pest control companies, city and state agencies, and the New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board from January 1999 to August 2002. A total of 812 samples were used in the survey constituting all eight known termite species from Louisiana. The subterranean termite species identified were Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), R. virginicus (Banks), R. hageni Banks, and C. formosanus. The drywood termite species identified were Incisitermes snyderi (Light), I. minor (Hagen), Cryptotermes brevis (Walker), and Kalotermes approximatus (Snyder). Incisitermes minor was also collected in Mississippi and is a new record in that state. The collective data on the flight season of each species was also recorded.

The oviposition behavior of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) and natural parasitism of this pest by Trichogramma spp. at different phenological stages of corn were evaluated under field conditions. The distribution of S. frugiperda eggs varied according to the phenological stage of the corn. The preferred site for oviposition was the lower region of the plant and the abaxial leaf surface during the early development stages of the crop (4-6 leaves), changing to the middle and upper regions of the plant and the adaxial leaf surface at subsequent stages (8-10 and 12-14 leaves). A larger number of egg masses, and, therefore, of eggs was collected at the 4-6 and 8-10 leaf stages compared to plants in the 12-14 leaf stages. Natural parasitism was low, with a maximum of 2.21% eggs parasitized, especially on the lower and middle parts of the plant. The distribution and degree of parasitism by Trichogramma spp. on different regions of the plant were independent of the developmental stage of the crop. Trichogramma pretiosum Riley was the most frequent parasitoid, found in 93.79% of the parasitized eggs, followed by Trichogramma atopovirilia Oltman & Platner, with 2.07%.

Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) egg shipments from three commercial California insectaries were evaluated during a nine-month period. All three insectaries shipped similar numbers of eggs per unit weight (range 301.0 ± 10.3 to 315.4 ± 7.8 eggs/25 mg). Estimated total number of eggs per shipment for all three insectaries was between 1.80 and 3.30 times the number ordered (1,000). The estimated number of dead eggs per shipment ranged from 76.0 to 418.0 and the estimated number of larvae per shipment ranged from 0 to 9.9. Final hatch rates for all three insectaries were between 70.9% and 73.9%. Hatch began on the third day after shipment receipt and 70% of total hatch had occurred by the fourth day. Implications for timing of egg and larval releases are discussed.

Tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum Dunal, wetland nightshade, S. tampicense Dunal, and turkey berry, S. torvum Swartz, are considered three of Florida’s most invasive plant species. These nonnative perennial broadleaf weeds are disrupting native plant communities in agricultural areas and natural ecosystems. The lack of natural enemies in Florida is thought to be an important factor contributing to their invasiveness. The North American leaf beetles Leptinotarsa defecta (Stål) and L. texana (Schaeffer) that attack silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav., a native congener of the three nonnative solanums, were evaluated for their potential as biological control agents. The suitability of tropical soda apple, wetland nightshade and turkey berry as host plants for the native Leptinotarsa beetles was studied in a quarantine laboratory using single plant and paired plant tests. Neonate larvae of L. defecta developed to the pupal stage only on their natural host plant silverleaf nightshade. Feeding damage on turkey berry and wetland nightshade was negligible and no feeding occurred on tropical soda apple. In contrast, development and reproduction of L. texana on the nonnative turkey berry were comparable with silverleaf nightshade. These results suggest the nonnative turkey berry may be included in the potential host range of the native silverleaf nightshade beetle L. texana.

The New World fairyfly genus Kalopolynema is divided into two subgenera, Kalopolynema s. str., the nominal subgenus with the type species K. (Kalopolynema) discrepans Ogloblin, and Floripolynema S. Triapitsyn and Berezovskiy, subgen. nov. with the type species K. (Floripolynema) mizelli S. Triapitsyn and Berezovskiy, sp. nov., described from Florida, USA. The four known species of Kalopolynema are keyed and illustrated, including the North American K. (Kalopolynema) ema (Schauff and Grissell), comb. nov. from Polynema, and K. (Kalopolynema) poema S. Triapitsyn and Berezovskiy, sp. nov. from Argentina. Both Kalopolynema and its relative Platypolynema, a monotypic genus from Argentina also treated in this review, are characterized by the presence of subantennal grooves on the face.

A new species, Encarsiella tamaulipeca Myartseva and Coronado-Blanco sp. nov., from Mexico is described and illustrated. A new combination is proposed, Encarsiella narroi (Gomez & García) from Encarsia. A key to the species of Encarsiella (females) of the New World is given.

The alternate, sexual generation of Callirhytis quercuscornigera (Osten Sacken), comb. rev. was found by experimental rearing and field observations. Descriptions of the adult, gall, biology, and host plants of the sexual generation are given. A new species of cynipid inquiline, Ceroptres cornigera Melika & Buss, reared from galls of the sexual and asexual generations of Callirhytis quercuscornigera (Osten Sacken) of the eastern United States is also described and illustrated. This is the first known species of Ceroptres to inhabit galls from alternating generations of its host cynipid. Descriptive data, diagnostic characters, distribution, and biological information are given.

Trapping studies using three different types of traps placed in several wild and cultivated habitats in North Florida (Jefferson Co.) produced 97 different species of adult weevils in the family Curculionidae and the closely related primitive families Anthribidae, Brentidae and Ithyceridae. Sixty-one of 97 species trapped have not been reported previously from Jefferson Co. Furthermore, seven species of Curculionidae are first records for the state, with four of these being important agricultural pests (Hypera meles, H. nigrirostris, H. punctata and Sitona lineatus). In addition, some weevils taken in our traps represent undescribed species of Apteromechus, Cercopeus and Conotrachelus. Herein we include: (1) an alphabetical listing of species collected in these traps, (2) a description and illustration of the traps used, and (3) months of the year and generalized habitats where traps were placed and specimens were collected. Information on host associations is provided for many species.

Thripinema khrustalevi (Chizov et al.) isolate Chile, a parasite of Frankliniella australis (Morgan), was collected from Cestrum parqui (L’Herit.) in the Aconcogua Valley of central Chile. Percent infection of males and females of F. australis by T. khrustalevi in the flowers of C. parqui was estimated biweekly for two years at three locations, including the La Campana National Park. Males were less infected than females. Numbers of F. australis adults and larvae in the flowers of C. parqui were greatest in the winter and early spring when parasitism of the adult females was low. Populations declined in late spring when parasitism was high. Parasitism remained high through the summer and fall, and populations of thrips remained very low. Highest parasitism of the females and males of F. australis was 84 and 60%, respectively.

The history is recounted of developing the sterile insect technique to eradicate the screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), from the Caribbean island of Curacao, Florida and the southeastern U.S. Observations of screwworm biology and challenges faced in conducting these eradication projects are described by the author who worked on all aspects of the research and field operations. Eradication was first demonstrated on Curacao, essentially a 170 mi² outdoor laboratory. The population dynamics of the wild screwworm was determined and overflooding ratios and dispersal patterns essential for population suppression were defined. Eradication was achieved with minimal resources by attacking the pest during the time of year when it is least abundant. In Florida, eradication was greatly facilitated by an unusually cold winter that reduce the range and density of the target population. Eradication could not be attained easily by only suppressing the reproduction of adult screwworms. The larval population also had to be reduced to increase the ratio of sterile to wild males. It was essential to control the immature stages by diligent inspection and treatment of animal wounds. Leadership of the cattle producers was critical not only for securing program resources from the clientele, state legislatures and U.S. Congress, but also for gaining the cooperation of virtually all livestock owners. Additionally, leadership was required to acquire adequate research, extension and public information resources. Lessons learned from this work were corroborated repeatedly as the screwworm eradication program moved into the Southwest, Mexico and the Central America.