Cockroaches are important pests with public health implications. Little is known about their daily activities and there have been controversies about the peak time of their activities. At four equal intervals (00:00, 06:00, 12:00 and 18:00), adult male and female Periplaneta americana (L.) (Blattodea: Blattidae), were captured and their guts removed and divided into three major regions: foregut, midgut, and hindgut. From each gut section, the presence and quantity of five enzymes (amylase, lipase, proteinase, glucosidase and cellulase) were analysed using standard methods. Result showed that all enzymatic activities (except cellulase) were at the highest level at 00:00, followed by 06:00, whereas at 18:00 the enzyme activities were the lowest. Amylase activities were 55.6, 50.7, 38.5 and 35.9 absorbance/min at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00 and 18:00 sample periods, respectively. Amylase had the highest level of enzyme activity. The hindgut had the highest enzyme activities (except for cellulase) and the foregut had the least. Comparison of means showed that adult females of P. americana had a higher level of enzyme activity than males for all the enzymes except amylase. This study suggests that cockroaches are endowed with enzymes necessary for the digestion of the various diets, also there are variations in the daily activities of these enzymes, with the highest enzyme activities at night. This suggests that nocturnal insects not only restrict their activities at night, but also their internal physiological activities.

The authors report the first records of the generalist predator Orius (Dimorphella) maxidentex (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) from different cropping systems in Senegal (West Africa) and propose fast and accurate identification based on morphological traits and molecular analyses. Orius maxidentex is a frequent and abundant predatory bug in Senegalese agro-systems, especially, millet, maize and tomato fields. It is likely to play an important role in regulating the populations of several pests, and its potential involvement in natural pest control in these cropping systems is discussed.

Worldwide losses of stored and post-harvested products are mainly due to insect attacks. Although conventional pesticides are widely applied to control pest invasions, there has been an increasing pressure to reduce reliance on conventional pesticides in the interests of avoiding health and environmental consequences. In this work, the effect of ingested Makisterone A, which is a phytoecdysteroid, was tested on the major insect pest of stored products, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Firstly, the effect of this molecule on post-embryonic development parameters (mortality, pupation and adult emergence) was tested after ingestion at 300, 600, 900 and 1200 ppm. Secondly, the effect of the Makisterone A was also tested on the biochemical parameters (proteins, alpha-amylase, detoxification enzymes). Ingestion of Makisterone A by T. castaneum larvae induced mortality and significantly reduced pupation and adult emergence rates. Our results show that the level of proteins decreases significantly (P < 0.001) in larvae treated with Makisterone A in comparison with the controls in a dose-dependent manner. Protein content was 176.94, 106.72, 93.16 and 39.32 µg/larva, respectively for 300, 600, 900 and 1200 ppm. In addition, a significant inhibition of alpha-amylase activity was also registered. Its activity achieved 131.68 ± 1.7 µg of starch consumed/larva at 1200 ppm. Results also showed that ingestion of Makisterone A decreased the esterase and P-450 monooxygenases activities when used at higher concentration. In contrast, glutathione S-transferase activity increased in a dose dependent manner. The activity reached 273.26 ± 6.4 nanomoles of substrate conjugated/min/mg of protein using Makisterone A at 1200 ppm. All the results showed the bioinsecticidal potential of phytoecdysteroids in control of insect pests of stored products.

Scirtothrips aurantii (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a recently confirmed economic pest of avocado (Persea americana). Damage by S. aurantii, through their feeding on avocado fruit results in corky tissue development (scarring), making the fruit unsuitable for export. The study aimed to monitor S. aurantii population dynamics during the critical early fruiting period by means of dispersal/emergence (D/E) traps and fruit infestation indices. The field efficacy of biologicals (Beauveria bassiana, Steinernema feltiae), the pyrethroid beta-cyfluthrin, and the semi-synthetic spinosyn, spinetoram, against soil-dwelling stages of S. aurantii during early fruit development were determined. Finally, the study aimed to establish the pupation sites of S. aurantii in avocado. Above ground, population dynamics fluctuated directly in response to the host plant's phenological changes and were modified by rainfall. Control of soil-dwelling stages by the insecticides and the effectiveness of D/E traps in monitoring S. aurantii populations were not demonstrated, probably because the populations trapped using the D/E traps were not representative of the above-ground populations, as evidenced by fruit infestation indices. Under laboratory conditions, 81.60 % of mature larvae pupated away from the soil, demonstrating that S. aurantii does not passively drop to the ground in an avocado orchard, but actively seeks out dark, sheltered areas to pupate.

Fruit flies (Tephritidae) have been reported to be a serious pest worldwide. In Mauritius, the major fruit fly species of economic and quarantine importance in agricultural production are Bactrocera zonata (Saunders), Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) and Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). In line with the government's policy for sustainable and organic agriculture under the challenge of climate change, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is being investigated as an alternative to chemical control. For successful cost-effective SIT programme island-wide, the production of competitive and sterile individuals for release is a key requirement. The aim of this study was to investigate the life cycle parameters of B. zonata to evaluate the feasibility of optimum mass rearing of this species. It was observed that B. zonata has a pre-oviposition period of 8 days, an oviposition duration of 51 days, the number of eggs per female along the complete oviposition period was 705 eggs and the peak egg hatchability varied from 88.5 to 91.5 %. The study showed that egg collection could be started as from day 13. The findings demonstrated that 5 weeks of egg collection is optimal for a rearing facility of B. zonata and production cages should be discarded on day 41. It was found that B. zonata has a net reproductive rate of 300.04 females and a mean generation time of 28.73 days. Given a positive Ro and a short T, it can be concluded that mass rearing of B. zonata is economically viable. Within a short period a laboratory population of this species for mass rearing can be established.

The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is a key pest of the Solanaceae, which is commercially controlled worldwide using insecticides. In this study, the toxicity of various concentrations of four insecticides, a thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin combination, indoxacarb, acetamiprid, and hexaflumuron, were assessed against second-instar larvae of T. absoluta. Results showed that indoxacarb with a LC₅₀ value of 7.13 mg a.i./l was more toxic than acetamiprid, thiamethoxam + lambdacyhalothrin, and hexaflumuron. Sub-lethal effects of insecticides on demographic and biological parameters of T. absoluta were evaluated using LC₃₀ concentrations estimated from bioassays. The lowest intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) was shown in indoxacarb treatments (0.083/day). Except for hexaflumuron, the net reproductive rate (R₀) and gross reproductive rate (GRR) were significantly lower in all treatments compared to the control. The shortest and longest adult longevities were shown in the indoxacarb treatment (18.92 days) and the control (26.94 days), respectively. The lowest fecundity was observed in the indoxacarb treatment (46.62 offspring/female). Except for hexaflumuron, the pupal weight was significantly decreased in all insecticide treatments. With the results of this study, combined with acute toxicity data, the significant adverse effects of indoxacarb, acetamiprid, and thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin on demographic and biological parameters of T. absoluta larvae were determined providing support for their consideration in commercial use in suppressing this pest.

Mopane worm is the edible larva of Imbrasia (Gonimbrasia) belina (Westwood, 1894), a species of emperor moth that is generally found in central and southern African tropical regions. Both over-harvesting of larvae and the destruction of the mopane woodlands are threatening its biodiversity. An insect with a description matching that of I. belina was observed in the northern coastal region of KwaZulu-Natal, a subtropical biota. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the potential of the northern coastal region of KwaZulu-Natal as a sanctuary for I. belina. The presence of I. belina in the subtropical biota of the coastal region of KwaZulu-Natal was confirmed through mitochondrion CO1 gene sequences, this being so far its southernmost occurrence. Field surveys revealed the occurrence of four morphologically distinct variants within the uMkhanyakude District, inclusive of the protected iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe Game Reserve from the beginning of September to early November as do most of the populations in the mopane woodlands but differs from them by having one outbreak per season instead of two. Imbrasia belina is polyphagous and feeds off hosts including marula (Sclerocarya birrea [(A. Rich.) Hochst.] [Anacardiaceae]) and seven other tree species. There is therefore scope to use the northern KwaZulu-Natal coastal region as a sanctuary for biodiversity conservation of I. belina. There are initiatives to cultivate marula for its fruit in the region, which further increases the potential of the area as a sanctuary for I. belina by farming marula for both its fruit and I. belina. The protected nature reserves present in the region will ensure areas of controlled use by humans.

A new species of scale insect, Aclerda restionae sp. n., is described and illustrated.

The beetle Caryedon furcatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) attacks and destroys the seeds of Senegalia macrostachya (Fabales: Mimosaceae), thereby limiting their availability as food throughout the year. Very few studies have focused on the ability of this pest to develop on S. macrostachya seeds. The objective of this study was to determine some bio-demographic parameters of C. furcatus on the seeds of S. macrostachya. The results of this study showed that the peak of female oviposition occurs on the second day after emergence. The female laid during her lifetime, an average of 37 eggs of which an average of 35 hatched, while larval survival until imago was 87.14 %. The weight and size of emerged adults did not differ statistically by sex. However, the sex ratio was female-biased. The mean development time for C. furcatus to complete its development on the seeds of S. macrostachya was 50 days. With a population that doubles every 4.75 days, C. furcatus could cause significant damage to the seed stocks of S. macrostachya.

The harshest period for honey bee colonies in most countries is the winter season. During this period high percentages of colonies are lost due to low air temperature. Searching for the suitable areas to place bee colonies during winter (wintering) is very essential to reduce colony losses. In this study, several datasets (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind speed, slope, distance from roads, and distance from plants) were analysed to identify suitable areas for wintering of bee colonies in Egypt with a focus on deserts. Indeed, deserts represent the highest percentage of the Egyptian land. The study classified Egypt into three suitability degrees: more suitable, suitable and less suitable. The south and some western areas contained the more suitable areas while some governorates had only either suitable or less suitable areas. The more suitable areas for bee wintering in deserts concentrated mainly at Matrouh and Red Sea governorates, and some areas in South Sinai and Al Wadi Al Gadid governorates. The equal contribution of datasets in the suitability map was tested and confirmed by creating a modified suitability map. It is better for beekeepers to keep their colonies in dry and warm areas during winter. The method presented in this study can be employed by other researchers to boost survival of bee colonies during winter in their countries.

The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Everts), is considered one of the most destructive insect pests of wheat storages worldwide, whereas phosphine fumigation is common to manage this pest. The efficacy of phosphine use largely depends on its concentration, exposure time and target species. However, building an effective relationship between phosphine concentration and exposure time for T. granarium is of great importance. This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of concentration and time on phosphine toxicity against susceptible or resistant strains of T. granarium. Both strains of T. granarium were exposed to phosphine gas at various concentrations and exposure times in a laboratory. Our results showed that the exposure time was the more important variable than the phosphine concentration against both T. granarium strains; in contrast, the concentration was comparatively more important against the resistant strain than the susceptible one. This study highlights the importance of concentration and exposure time in phosphine fumigation efficacy against T. granarium.

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the family Steinernematidae are effective biological control agents against important pest insects. The in vitro liquid culture method of mass production is used to produce EPNs of high quantity, quality and with reduced cost by upscaling. The first step in liquid mass production is the use of shake flasks to obtain monoxenic infective juvenile (IJ) inoculum for optimisation purposes, followed by upscaling to a desktop fermenter. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of the addition of agar and glucose to the culture medium, as well as assessing the impact of bacterial cell density inoculum on IJ recovery and yield. Steinernema jeffreyense was cultured in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks, with the mutualistic bacterium Xenorhabdus khoisanae. In this study the impact of four different agar and glucose concentrations showed negligible impact on nematode recovery and yield. Different initial bacterial inoculum densities inoculated to the culture medium showed a low inoculum density of 2 % (6 × 10⁶ cells) of the bacteria culture to be the optimal inoculum concentration. A bacterial growth curve for X. khoisanae in tryptic soy broth, showed 40–44 h to be the optimum time for introduction of the initial nematode inoculum into the complex medium.

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a worldwide maize pest originating from the American continent. It invaded Africa during 2016, causing important economic damages, forcing African countries to take urgent actions to tackle this new invasive pest. In Burkina Faso, several chemical insecticides were promoted, but farmers have quickly and repeatedly reported control failures. In this work, we collected seven fall armyworm populations in as many maize-producing areas of Burkina Faso. Following the approved IRAC leaf bioassay protocol, we evaluated the susceptibility of third instar larvae to seven commercially available insecticide formulations, including various modes of action: methomyl and chlorpyriphos-ethyl (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors), deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin (sodium channel modulators), emamectin benzoate and abamectin (chloride channel activators) and Bacillus thuringiensis (a microbial disruptor of insect midgut membranes). Lethal concentrations (LC₅₀), resistance ratios (RR50) and relative toxicity were calculated for each population and active ingredient. LC₅₀ values for all S. frugiperda populations were, in order of importance: emamectin benzoate (0.33–0.38 µg/l), methomyl (18–73 mg/l), abamectin (58–430 mg/l), chlorpyrifos-ethyl (199–377 mg/l), deltamethrin (70–541 mg/l) and lambda-cyhalothrin (268–895 mg/l). LC₅₀ of the B. thuringiensis formulation ranged from 430 to 614 MIU/l. Lambda-cyhalothrin was the least efficient of the tested chemical pesticides, and emamectin benzoate the most efficient (relative toxicity ×2 712 969). Methomyl (×49), abamectin (×15), deltamethrin (×13), chlorpyriphos-ethyl (×4) were also more toxic than lambda-cyhalothrin. Based on these results, we conclude that emamectin benzoate, methomyl and chlorpyriphos-ethyl insecticides are the most efficient for the control of the fall armyworm in Burkina Faso. We discuss the importance to implement a national-level resistance survey for this major pest, which would allow rapid and efficient adaptation of the control strategy.

A review of the family Ulidiidae in Egypt is given. Twelve species assigned to six genera, two tribes and two subfamilies are confirmed to occur in Egypt, namely Ceroxys urticae (Linnaeus), Herina paludum (Fallén), H. strigulosa Walker, Melieria nigritarsis Becker, M. omissa (Meigen) [subfamily Otitinae, tribe Otitini], Physiphora alceae Preyssler, P. elbae Steyskal, P. flavipes (Karsch), P. smaragdina Loew, Timia xanthaspis (Loew), Ulidia facialis Hendel and U. wadicola Steyskal [subfamily Ulidiinae, tribe Ulidiini]. An identification key for all taxa, in addition to diagnoses, ecological comments, illustrations of head, wings and genitalia, and photographs of habitus and genitalia are provided for the species.

International agricultural trade is a pathway by which pests and diseases can be transported and introduced to new areas. We examined South Africa's import of kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) as a pathway for the introduction of mites in the genus Brevipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). Kiwifruit is imported as fresh fruit and propagation material from various countries. This study aimed to analyse the risk posed by these mites associated with the importation of kiwifruit over a period of 11 years (2009–2019). The majority of mite interceptions were associated with fresh fruit (97 %) mainly from Italy. Five mite species were recorded: Brevipalpus obovatus, B. chilensis, B. hondurani, B. lewisi and a new, undescribed species in genus Brevipalpus. The majority of specimens intercepted belonged to the new species. Any species not present in South Africa, particularly this Brevipalpus sp. nov., may pose a potential threat to South Africa's agricultural and horticultural industries and environment as well as biodiversity. The introduction of these species is a major phytosanitary concern because these polyphagous Brevipalpus spp. could find favourable conditions for their survival, development, reproduction and dispersal since South Africa is a country of diverse environmental conditions and various host plants.

A prototype of an electrostatic nozzle was developed for spraying cotton crops in a project titled ‘Design and development of an electrostatic nozzle for agricultural applications’. The study was carried out to evaluate the locally-developed electrostatic nozzle and compare its performance with an imported electrostatic nozzle and solid cone nozzle (conventional knapsack sprayer) in the cotton crop at the departmental research farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. Different spray performance parameters, i.e. number median diameter (NMD), volume median diameter (VMD), uniformity coefficient, droplet density, the volume of spray deposition, and area covered with droplets were determined with the help of water-sensitive paper (WSP) method of deposition collection. There was comparatively less variation in uniformity coefficient with the imported and locally-developed electrostatic nozzles than the solid cone nozzle at a 5 % level of significance. The average droplet density obtained with both the imported and locally-developed electrostatic nozzles was significantly more compared to the solid cone nozzle. The area covered by the droplets of the locally-developed prototype of the electrostatic nozzle was more than the solid cone nozzle. The volume of spray deposition differed significantly for all three treatments at a 5 % level of significance. Overall, there was no significant difference in the performance of both electrostatic sprayers, but they were found to be more effective than the solid cone nozzle.

In the current study, insecticidal activity, growth regulation, adult performance and repellency of petroleum ether, methanol, chloroform and ethanol extracts of Salix safsaf leaves were tested against third instar larvae of the housefly, Musca domestica. Different concentrations were applied through larval feeding to further investigate different biological aspects. Obtained data revealed that mortality percentages among the third instar larvae and pupal stage increased with increasing concentration. Moreover, larval and pupal duration was remarkably lengthened in a concentration-dependent manner vs the control. Furthermore, pupation and adult emergence percentages were inversely decreased with applied concentrations. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values may be arranged as follows: petroleum ether (467.714 and 793.348 ppm), methanol (423.22 and 710.18 ppm), chloroform (533.55 and 942.88 ppm) and ethanol (384.90 and 712.33 ppm), respectively, compared with synthetic insecticide deltamethrin as a positive control that showed an LC₅₀ value of 0.889 ppm and LC₉₀ of 1.367 ppm. Overall, the toxic effects of methanol and ethanol extracts of S. safsaf could compete with the synthetic insecticide deltamethrin as a natural insecticide in the control. Different tested extracts affected the adult longevity, pre-maturation period, maturation period and post-maturation period in a delayed manner. Tested extracts exhibited potent repellency action that reached about 67.0 % for petroleum ether and 87.3 % for ethanol extract at a concentration of 800 ppm. Generally, S. safsaf leaf extracts may be considered as a potent candidate for housefly control and could be exploited as a component of integrated vector control strategies that may help in developing future safe and cheap insecticides of natural origin.

Hermetia illucens, the so-called black soldier fly (BSF), has been reported as an important insect in treating domestic and agricultural manure wastes. With the ability to live well in the environment of decomposition or waste containing a variety of substances, many types of microorganisms can be related to the intestinal microflora, helping the larvae digest, grow and develop well, even creating protection against parasites and pathogens. The present study aimed to identify the microbial community associated with larvae and determine the dominant species in their intestine. To understand the role of intestinal microflora of BSF larvae for partly explaining the excellent treatment and the ability to live well in the waste environment, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequencing methods were conducted in three parts of BSF larval intestine. The results indicated that the appearance of 11 dominant bands of larval intestinal microflora. Moreover, by using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, our research has clearly classified seven specific strains of bacteria found in BSF larval intestine including Clostridium amazonese, Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridium tertium, Clostridium saccharolyticum, Actinomycetaceae, Dialister sp. and Dygonomonas. In particular, Clostridium is the most dominant genus compared to other groups and present in all three parts of larval intestine. The results obtained in this study provided insight into the bacterial community composition of black soldier fly larvae that can be used in the environmental, agricultural, and biomedical industries.

This study dealt with the ant species that were identified on albino rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769) carcasses in two habitats ecologically differentiated in Riyadh. The study was conducted from 14 January to 23 February 2018, at Al-Dir'iya, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 502 ants in three subfamilies and seven species were classified and recorded during the putrification process. From the carcasses placed in a botanical garden, Tapinoma magnum, Tetramorium sericeiventre, Tetramorium semilaeve, Monomorium sp., Paratrechina longicornis, Camponotus fellah and Cataglyphis albicans were recorded. But, from the carcasses kept on the building roof of the college a Tapinoma magnum and P. longicornis were only recorded. The carcasses at the botanical garden involved the maximum number of ants compared to the carcasses at the roof. The most-encountered species at both sites was T. magnum. This study showed that ant species could be present during the bloat, decay and dry stages of decomposition, demonstrating they were not an indicator of insect succession. This data suggest that specific ant species of the Formicidae family could play critical roles in forensic entomology and as biological tools in criminal investigations in Al-Dir'iya, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The African mirid bug (Sahlbergella singularis) is the most economically important insect pest in cocoa farms. Pesticide management, although controversial due to the adverse effects of these substances on the environment and on human health, remains the main option used for controlling this pest. In the recent decades, the development of alternative approaches to synthetic pesticides is a requirement. Therefore, we used neem oil (NO) and ethanolic extracts (EE) from leaves at different concentrations to evaluate, in vitro, their insecticidal potentials against mirids. Mirid mortality increased significantly with increase in concentrations, values ranged from 32.5 to 92.5 % for EE and 52.5 to 97.5 % for NO. Apart from negative controls, Tween 80 and distilled water, that showed significant low mortality rates, both extracts revealed effectiveness comparable to the reference insecticide used in controlling mirids, except for EE by ingestion. Mirids treated by contact showed significantly high mortality rates (72.5 to 97.5 %) compared to those treated by ingestion (32.5 to 70.0 %). The greatest biological effectiveness values were obtained at a concentration of 8 % by contact exposure: 0.88 ml/ml (NO) and 0.73 g/ml (EE) for LC50 and ≈1 day to both extracts for LT₅₀. Given effectiveness comparable to that of the insecticide, both tested extracts should be considered as effective biopesticides for IPM against mirids, especially S. singularis.

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are pupiparous insects that transmit African trypanosomes to humans and animals. Using three species of tsetse flies belonging to two subgenera, Nemorhina and Glossina, our data provide a first answer to the following question: do the juvenile stages of tsetse flies provide metric traits allowing reliable species and/or sex identification? We compared three species using their wings and their pupae: Glossina palpalis gambiensis, Glossina tachinoides and Glossina morsitans submorsitans. To separate size and shape information, 11 landmarks per wing were submitted to the Generalised Procrustes Analysis (GPA). The contour of the pupae was processed by elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA).A validated reclassification method was used to compare the taxonomic power of each organ, as well as its utility for sex recognition. The contour of the pupae did not provide a satisfactory species signal (75 %), relative to the one obtained from wing landmarks (99 %). However, the overall pupae size was much more satisfactory than the wings size (93 % versus 57 %). In spite of a lower taxonomic signal, the morphometric variation observed on pupae was in agreement with known phylogenetic relationships. Contrary to the wings, sexual dimorphism was much reduced in pupae and not strong enough to allow any reliable sex identification.

The objective of this study was to test the use of plant volatiles as a simple, safe and effective technology for postharvest insect pest control. Specifically, the fumigant action of the three local plant essential oils, namely Cinnamomum sp. (Lauraceae), Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae), and Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae), were tested against Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which has recently become a major pest of dry beans in Egypt. To test the efficacy of each oil, 7 μl was added to a piece of filter paper at various concentrations (4–11 %) and then placed inside a perforated gelatin capsule. This technique was used to eliminate direct contact between the volatile oils and stored beans (to avoid any adverse effects to beans). At 48 h post-treatment, adult insect mortality was significantly increased for all tested oils relative to the untreated control. Based on probit analysis at 48 h post-treatment, the Cinnamomum sp. essential oil was the most effective (LC50 = 4.55 %; 4.23–4.89 %). Eucalyptus sp. (LC50 = 7.47 %; 7.15–7.80 %) and S. officinalis (LC50 = 7.57 %; 7.20–7.96 %) had similar but lower efficacies. The main component in Cinnamomum sp. oil was (E)-cinnamaldehyde (a phenylpropene), while in Eucalyptus sp. oil it was 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), and in S. officinalis oil they were eucalyptol and camphor (terpenoids). The fumigant activity of the tested oils is attributable to their richness in volatile phenylpropene and terpenoids. The gelatin capsule is a simple yet effective technique that could be used in integrated pest management programmes for postharvest treatments, but further testing is required, especially in small-to-medium storage environments.

In Algeria, grain-based products occupy a huge place, both in terms of nutrition and economy. Common wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the second most cultivated cereal after durum wheat (Triticum durum), the latter being often subject to attack from various storage pests. To address this issue, phosphine fumigations are used most of the time. Unfortunately, these types of conventional pesticides have caused the emergence of resistant insect populations, and represents a real danger for the environment and human health. The objective of this study is the introduction of a sustainable biological solution to control Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) populations using the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum. To this end, O. gratissimum essential oil was extracted by steam distillation, then chemically characterised by CGMS. A preliminary study was conducted to demonstrate its insecticidal effects on adults of R. dominica. The impact of the extracted essential oil was also estimated on the mineral fraction and the physicochemical and rheological properties of healthy soft wheat flour, R. dominica infested flour, and treated wheat. After 30 days of incubation, the results showed that the essential oil is active by fumigation. The LD₅₀ is 14.36 (µl/l air) for a TL50 of 153.690 h. The repellent effect was estimated at 64.44 %. The essential oil does not affect the rheological and physicochemical characteristics of the flour, which remain compliant with ISO standards. The mineral fraction showed no significant differences at P-values < 0.05.

Nine new species of Caenis from Angola are described herein: Caenis wegeneriana sp. n. (imago), Caenis angolensis sp. n. (imago and larva), Caenis branchiata sp. n. (larva), Caenis filappendicessp.n.(imago),Caenisulesisp.n.(larva),Caeniscubangosp.n.(larva),Caenisarmata sp. n. (imago), Caenis brevispinata sp. n. (imago), and Caenis gallocristata sp. n. (imago). The relationship between the newly described species and other known African species is discussed. The vicariant biogeographic affiliation of Caenis wegeneriana to a related species group in South America, separated by continental drift, is considered. A key to the male imagoes is provided, including Caenis antelucana , Caenis brevipes Kimmins, 1956, Caenis douglasi and Caenis jinjana Kimmins, 1956, which have previously been recorded in the Cunene River, along the shared border with Namibia.

This study selected sheep as an animal model for domestic and wildlife ruminants to collect and identify arthropods of forensic importance. Two adult Merino sheep were humanely killed (each in cold and warm season) at Ukulinga Research and Training Farm of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Five decomposition stages were observed as fresh, bloated, active, advanced and dry stages. Calliphoridae, Muscidae and Sarcophagidae flies comprising of Chrysomya marginalis (Wiedemann), Ch. putoria (Wiedemann), Ch. albiceps (Wiedemann), Ch. chloropyga (Wiedemann.), Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Musca domestica (Walker) and Sarcophaga calcifera (Boettcher) were recorded. Colonisation by coleopterans during the warm season started as early as the fresh stage with Dermestes maculatus (De Geer), Thanatophilus micans (Fabricius) and Onthophagus crassicollis (Boucomont), whilst the same species were collected from the bloated stage in the cold season. Chrysomya marginalis, M. domestica, D. maculatus, T. micans and O. crassicollis persisted on the carcass throughout the five stages of decomposition during the warm season. Results from this study generated important information on the endemic arthropod species that are attracted to sheep carcass during the warm and cold season in a locality of the KwaZulu-Natal province and their succession pattern can be further investigated as potential indicator species in estimating the post-mortem interval in this locality.

Several studies have reported on insecticide resistance in mosquitoes; however, there is a lack of information about the resistance of Culex pipiens in Egypt. This study was conducted to investigate insecticide resistance status in three Cx. pipiens populations. These populations were collected from two rural breeding sites and one urban site in Egypt. Al-Beshlawy drainage canal and El-Khartoum irrigation ditch were selected to represent rural sites in Giza and Beheira governorates, respectively. One man-made ground hole was selected in Tanta, Gharbia Governorate, as an urban breeding site. Insecticide residues were analysed in water samples collected from the three breeding sites. Four insecticides, malathion chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin and fipronil, were tested against Cx. pipiens third-instar larvae of three field populations and one insecticide-susceptible (reference) population. Four insecticide residues and one additive (piperonyl butoxide) were detected; only malathion and piperonyl butoxide concentrations exhibited significant differences among all breeding sites. The level of malathion residue in the Giza breeding site was significantly higher than those in the Gharbia and Beheira breeding sites. According to the lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) of the applied insecticides, the susceptibility of Cx. pipiens third-instar larvae to different insecticides demonstrated the order fipronil > chlorpyrifos > deltamethrin > malathion. Variations in the percentage mortality of Cx. pipiens were observed following malathion application between the Gharbia population and with both Giza and Beheira populations. Culex pipiens populations exhibited low resistance to most tested insecticides; however, the populations of Giza and Beheira exhibited moderate resistance to malathion. The variation in the resistance of Cx. pipiens populations to malathion could provide new information about the intraspecific variation among some mosquito populations in Egypt.

To control adults of the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a pheromone Bio-Trap^® containing the commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana (Broadband^™) was integrated with neem-based insecticide, (azadirachtin). Beauveria bassiana at 40 ml suspension of 1 × 10⁹ spores/ml caused 100% mortality of RPW. The LC₅₀ of neem-based insecticide, (azadirachtin) to RPW by direct spraying was 1810.3 ppm, whereas that by feeding was 2117.80 ppm. The lowest concentration of neem that was 100 % repellent to RPW was 800 ppm. The repellency effect of neem was integrated with the pheromone Bio-Trap in three net houses (5 × 5 m), each planted with five offshoots of palm trees (height, 1–1.5 m). In two of the net houses, wounds were made on offshoots and sprayed weekly with 800 ppm neem, and a pheromone Bio-Trap was introduced. The third net house was the control, in which wounds were made on the offshoots without the spraying of neem and a pheromone non-Bio-Trap (without fungus) was introduced. Thirty adults were introduced, and after 30 days in the net houses with the pheromone Bio-Trap, all RPW died because of contamination by fungi. The repellency of neem prevented the insects from laying eggs in the wounded offshoots, and no larvae were found. However, in the control net house, only 60 % of the adults were trapped and killed in the pheromone non-Bio-Trap, and two of the five offshoots were infested with 26–34 larvae.

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive and key pest of maize, which has been recently introduced to South India. There are two strains reported, viz. rice strain and maize strain. Though several diets were tried in different parts of the world, none of them contained rice leaf powder as a component from natural host. Hence a study was conducted to evaluate the biology, nutritional indices, age-stage and two-sex life table to assess the suitability of the different artificial diets for S. frugiperda larval development. Six differently modified artificial diets were tested to evaluate the following biological parameters: duration of larva and pupae, survival of larvae and pupae, pupal weight, sex ratio, fecundity, adult pre-oviposition period, total pre-oviposition period, adult longevity and total lifespan. The following nutritional indices were determined: growth rate, relative growth rate, consumption rate, consumption index, approximate digestibility, efficiency of conversion of ingested food, efficiency of conversion of digested food and metabolic cost. Larval development showed a significant difference among the diets, in relation to the life table parameters. The results indicated that optimal growth, development and food utilisation by S. frugiperda occurred in the mixture of rice leaf powder and chickpea flour-based diet followed by the mixture of maize leaf powder and common bean powder-based diet. Evaluated diets also had a significant effect on the net reproductive rate, gross reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, mean generation time and population doubling time. The values of these parameters were higher in the mixture of rice leaf powder and chickpea flour-based diet followed by mixture of maize leaf powder and common bean powder-based diet. Based on the results, the most adequate diet for rearing in the laboratory was the mixture of rice leaf powder and chickpea flour-based diet.

Under laboratory conditions, the alkane hydrocarbon n-pentadecane attracts gravid female tsetse (Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood) to potential larviposition sites. We describe field-testing of this chemical, which is the first such test for any putative tsetse larviposition pheromone. We replicated randomised block experiments at 11 sites near Rekomitjie Research Station, Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. Each site comprised a cluster of four artificial warthog burrows constructed from 200-litre steel drums. We placed six trays, filled with sand and covered with leaf litter, inside each burrow. Both species of tsetse inhabiting this region entered these artificial burrows and deposited 1282 pupae in the trays during the experiments. In 13 experiments, n-pentadecane was tested at three different concentrations against a control. We were unable to find any conclusive evidence that the presence of n-pentadecane resulted in an increased larviposition rate for either G. m. morsitans or G. pallidipes. This finding was independent of the concentration of n-pentadecane used, and was not influenced by the presence or absence of added water, acetone or warthog urine. Any small effect of the pheromone is likely masked by the important physical characteristics of burrow larviposition sites. Order of magnitude increases in larviposition rates when leaf litter was added to larviposition sites were far greater than those due to the use of putative larviposition pheromones.

Since aphids are considered among the most dangerous pests to crops, it is important to know the species existing in a given biotope. The results showed a total richness of 48 aphid species, divided into 29 genera, six tribes and four subfamilies. Aphis fabae, Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae are the most captured species with 14.74 %, 11.96 % and 9 % respectively. This paper presents the first finding of Aphis ruborum () (Hemiptera: Aphididae) for Algeria and the second record for the African continent. This aphid is reported for the first time from the Tizi-Ouzou province. The first winged individuals were caught in yellow traps installed in a potato field in Makouda (Tizi-Ouzou, northern Algeria). Several colonies were detected on wild brambles around this field. Two aphid species are found on potato leaves, namely M. persicae and A. fabae. M. persicae was the most abundant species with 1082 individuals.

Calycemorda kamerunensis is redescribed and illustrated based on the only two known specimens since the collection of the holotype; the species is recorded from Gabon for the first time.

Susceptibility of fourth-instar larvae of Trogoderma granarium Everts to gas mixtures containing CO₂ at concentrations of 30 %, 50 %, 70 %, and 90 % and phosphine (PH₃) at concentrations of 1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.062 mg/l was determined. The toxicity of 30 % CO₂ combined with an LC₅₀ of PH₃ was tested against the same instar, and the side effects on wheat grain quality and germination were also evaluated after 4 days. Complete mortality was observed only at 70 % and 90 % CO₂ after 15 and 7 days, respectively. At the two other CO₂ concentrations, 30 % and 50 %, the maximum recorded mortalities at the end of the experiment (15 days) were 73.3 % and 95.0 %, respectively. The calculated LT₅₀ values were 11.62, 8.69, 6.84, and 2.28 days at 30 %, 50 %, 70 %, and 90 % CO₂, respectively. Larvae treated with PH₃ showed different mortality percentages ranging from 98.3 % at 1.0 mg/l to 24.6 % at 0.062 mg/l, while the calculated LC₅₀ was 0.12 mg/l. The combination of 30 % CO₂ and an LC₅₀ of PH₃ resulted in 100 % mortality after 4 days of treatment, in comparison with 1.2 % mortality in the control. The moisture content, total protein, and carbohydrate of treated wheat grains under this combination was significantly decreased in comparison with the control. It appears that the combination of CO₂ and PH₃ can reduce the necessary time to control T. granarium larvae and the minimum residue of PH₃.