The attraction of non-target insects to the male fruit fly lures methyl eugenol (1,2-Dimethoxy-4-prop-2-en-1-ylbenzene), cue-lure (4-[4-(acetyloxy)pheny1]-2-butanone), and trimedlure (t-Buty1-2-methy1-4-chlorocyclohexanecarboxylate) was examined in the main plant communities in California, except the desert, in 2012 and 2013. A total of 39,166 non-target insects were trapped during the study. Of these, 27 species or morphospecies in five orders and 20 families were deemed as attracted to one of the male lures. The most common of these were in the Syrphidae (Diptera) genera: Platycheirus Le Peletier & Serville, 1828, Melanostoma Schiner, 1860, Meliscaeva Zetterstadt, 1843, Ferdinandea Latreille, 1802, Hadromyia Verrall, 1901, Blera Billberg, 1820, and Melangyna Williston, 1882, as well as the genus Empis Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Empididae) and the genus Orchesia Latreille, 1807 (Coleoptera: Melandryidae). The low capture rate of these non-target insects (<4/day maximum), combined with the discrete nature of the California Department of Food and Agriculture's trapping and fruit fly eradication programs using the lures, indicates that the use of these lures will not have a significant impact on non-target insects attracted to them.

Noctua pronuba Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the yellow underwing moth, was recently introduced into western North America. Blacklight traps at multiple sites in eastern Washington State indicate two broad periods of moth flight. A spring flight was evident in May and June, and a late season flight was evident from late August into October. Noctua pronuba moths were captured also in traps baited with acetic acid plus 3-methyl-1-butanol, but not in traps baited with acetic acid or 3-methyl-1-butanol alone. This chemical combination is thought to be a feeding attractant for many noctuid moths and may be useful for monitoring N. pronuba. The seasonal pattern of moths captured in traps baited with this chemical lure was similar to the pattern seen with blacklight traps.

Forests provide critical habitat for tropical butterflies world-wide. However, habitat variation and disturbance within forests can affect butterfly communities and diversity in complex ways. Building on previous research and a known land-use history, we studied butterfly diversity in the mountains of Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam monthly from 2005 to 2008 and 2012 to examine how habitat variation affects the butterfly communities. We sampled butterflies in three different types of forest habitat: an open road in a disturbed forest (which was formerly a path in a closed-canopy forest), bamboo-dominated forest, and secondary forest. A total of 147 species and 4,685 individual butterflies were recorded. The species composition and richness of the open road within forest and the secondary forest were similar to one another but more forest-associated species were found in the secondary forest. The bamboo forest had the fewest species and had a clearly distinct butterfly community consisting largely of satyrine species. This research suggests that road construction within the forests of Tam Dao likely affected the butterfly community such that road-impacted areas now have communities that resemble communities found in secondary forest. Also, the unique but species-poor bamboo forest butterfly community highlights the need for distinction between forest habitat types when studying the ecological and conservation requirements for butterflies and other tropical insects.

Little information exists concerning the distribution of fruit flies in the genus Rhagoletis Loew, 1862 (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Montana, western U.S.A. Here, the presence of and host plant use by Rhagoletis spp. are documented in northwestern Montana. The western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran, 1932, was abundant in the state and infested sweet cherry, Prunus avium (L.) L.; mahaleb cherry, P. mahaleb L.; tart cherry, P. cerasus L.; and bitter cherry, P. emarginata (Douglas ex Hook.) D. Dietr. (Rosaceae). Black cherry fruit fly, R. fausta (Osten-Sacken, 1877), was rare and detected only in bitter cherry. Rhagoletis berberis Curran, 1932, R. basiola (Osten-Sacken, 1873), R. tabellaria (Fitch, 1855), and apple maggot, R. pomonella (Walsh, 1867), were all recorded for the first time in Montana. Flies in Montana were mainly reared from previously reported species of host plants, but new host records also documented include, R. indifferens from black hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii Lindl. (Rosaceae), a new Montana record; R. berberis from sweet cherry; R. basiola from baldhip rose, Rosa gymnocarpa Nutt. (Rosaceae); and R. tabellaria from Hooker's fairy bells, Prosartes hookeri Torr. (Liliaceae). Rhagoletis pomonella, likely introduced into the western U.S., was reared from C. douglasii but not from the relatively few domesticated apple trees, Malus domestica Borkh., (Rosaceae) sampled. The findings extend the known geographic ranges of four Rhagoletis species and indicate that some flies in northwestern Montana have the ability to survive and develop in alternative and novel hosts, consistent with findings for populations in other areas of the western U.S.

The flat bugs (Hemiptera: Aradidae) are primarily mycophagous, and some species may pose a threat to cultivated mushrooms. In addition, at least one species feeds on living plant tissue. For this reason, they are potentially of economic significance. Their identification below family level is sometimes difficult, partly due to the scattered nature of the literature. We present a list of the aradids intercepted at United States Ports of Entry from 1992 to March 2013. In addition, we provide keys and diagnoses for the identification of aradid subfamilies and the intercepted, reportable genera of the Aradidae.

Beneficial insects (predators, parasitoids, pollinators) associated with stinging nettles, Urtica dioica Linnaeus (Urticaceae), were sampled at three sites in central Washington during spring-summer 2011–2013 using transparent sticky traps attached to upper portions of plants. Large numbers (200–400/trap) of beneficial insects were trapped particularly in June and early July, gradually decreasing thereafter. Phytophagous insects (aphids and leafhoppers) were trapped in much lower numbers (< 20/trap). Predatory bugs, carnivorous flies, parasitic wasps (Pteromalidae, Eulophidae, Trichogrammatidae, Scelionidae) and native bees dominated the trap catches. Predatory bugs were the most abundant beneficial insects trapped in 2 years (2011, 2013) with parasitic wasps dominant in 2012. Minute pirate bugs, Orius spp. (Anthocoridae) were dominant, accounting for > 95% of predatory bugs, peaking in abundance in June or July. Predacious flies were dominated by species of Empididae and Dolichopodidae. Native bees were commonly trapped, especially in 2011 and 2012. The data presented here indicate that stinging nettles in the Yakima Valley of eastern Washington may provide an important habitat for beneficial insects and may have a role to play in enhancing conservation biological control in agricultural crops.