Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), glassy-winged sharpshooter, was collected in California and several states in the southeastern United States in 2002 and 2003 and analyzed for endosymbiotic bacteria. Hemolymph, eggs, and bacteriomes were examined for the presence of bacteria by polymerase chain reaction. A subset of hemolymph and egg samples had their 16S rRNA gene amplicons cloned and sequenced or analyzed by restriction digest patterns of samples compared with known bacterial DNA. Baumannia cicadellinicola, one of the primary symbionts of glassy-winged sharpshooter, was found in the majority of hemolymph samples, although it has been considered until now to reside primarily inside the specialized host bacteriocytes. Wolbachia sp., a common secondary symbiont in many insect taxa investigated to date, was the second most frequently detected bacterium in hemolymph samples. In addition, we detected bacteria that were most closely related (by 16S rRNA gene sequence) to Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Acinetobacter in hemolymph samples of one and/or two glassy-winged sharpshooters, but their origin is uncertain.

Nesting substrates and construction materials are compared for 65 of North America’s 139 described native species of Osmia bees. Most accounts report Osmia bees nesting in preexisting cavities in dead wood or pithy stems such as elderberry (Sambucus spp.), with cell partitions and plugs made from a pulp of finely masticated leaf tissue. Mud is widely used by species constructing free-form clumps of nest cells against stone surfaces. Some Osmia bees adopt abandoned nests of other Hymenoptera, particularly those of mud dauber wasps (Sceliphron spp.) and larger ground-nesting bees (e.g., Anthophora spp.). Reports of subterranean nesting by Osmia species are uncommon but possibly under-represent the habit, because subterranean nests are obscure and likely to be scattered. Ground- or surface-nesting habits are suspected for species that are absent from intensive trap-nesting programs in their native ranges but that otherwise have been commonly taken at flowers. The range of nesting habits and materials of European species are largely comparable, although records indicate that far more European species may nest in empty snail shells.

The family Troctopsocidae is newly recorded in Taiwan. In this article, males and females of a new species, Coleotroctellus huisunensis, are described and illustrated, including external morphology and detailed genitalic structures. Scanning electron photomicrographs showing details of epicuticular sculpturing, coxal organ, and pretarsal claw are provided. The habitats of this sexually dimorphic species are discussed. A key to species of the genus Coleotroctellus Lienhard also is provided.

The Oriental bamboo leafhopper genus Mohunia Distant, 1908 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Mukariinae) is revised to include one known species, Mohunia bifasciana Li & Chen (Guizhou), and two new species, Mohunia ventrospina Chen & Li, sp. nov. (Guizhou), Mohunia introspina Chen & Yang, sp. nov. (Guizhou, Yunnan) from China. Two new genera, Neomohunia Chen & Li, gen. nov. and Paramohunia Chen & Li, gen. nov., closely related to Mohunia, are described and illustrated. Two new combinations, Neomohunia pyramida (Li & Chen), com. nov. and Paramohunia notata (Li & Chen), com. nov., both transferred from Mohunia, are proposed. The species Mohunia biguttata Wang & Li was transferred to the subfamily Typhlocybinae. Keys to genera and species of the Mohunia groups are provided. The importance of these groups as a pest on bamboo (Bambusoideae Ascherson & Graebner) is discussed briefly. Biological notes and a discussion of those groups’ pest states are given.

A number of species of Argidae were proposed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, all of which later were regarded as a single color-variable species, Schizocerella pilicornis (Holmgren). In the mid-1970s, an external-feeding type was reported in the literature, and it also was identified as S. pilicornis, although previously S. pilicornis was only known to feed by leaf mining. Thus, the uniqueness of a species with two distinct feeding types led us to question the taxonomy of S. pilicornis. We use data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) to show that the two feeding types have a sequence divergence of 5.8%, which exceeds the difference between many insect taxa currently classified as different species. Considering the existing evidence on morphological, behavioral, allozymic, and ecological differences, we here recognize these two feeding types as distinct species: Schizocerella pilicornis (Holmgren) as the leaf-mining species and Schizocerella lineata (Rohwer) as the external-feeding species. We provide a diagnosis for each species, and show that adults of S. pilicornis have a mostly black mesonotum, whereas adults of S. lineata have an orange–red mesonotum.

Two new species of Idiomacromerus Crawford (Hymenoptera: Torymidae), Idiomacromerus luteus Nieves-Aldrey & Askew and Idiomacromerus mesoplanus Askew & Nieves-Aldrey are described from Spain. The two new species were reared from stem galls in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L., induced by the cynipid Iraella luteipes (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). The last instar of I. luteus also is described, and the generic placement and taxonomic affinities of the two species are discussed. Data also are given on the biology of the new species, including illustrations of the host plant and galls. I. luteus and I. mesoplanus are part of a community of undescribed parasitic chalcid wasps associated with the opium poppy stem gall. The remaining species will be described elsewhere.

The species of the genera Aspidobracon van Achterberg, 1984 and Philomacroploea Cameron, 1905 in China are revised. Five species are recognized, and two new species, Aspidobracon flavithorax sp. nov. and Aspidobracon longyanensis sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The genus Philomacroploea Cameron and the species Aspidobracon hesperivorus van Achterberg and Philomacroploea basimacula Cameron are reported from China for the first time. A key to the species of the genus Aspidobracon van Achterberg is provided.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major economic pest throughout the Western Hemisphere. Studies of populations in the southern United States and the Caribbean demonstrated the existence of two morphologically identical but genetically distinct host strains. These races can be distinguished by using polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene that define two distinct maternal lineages that correlate with strain-specific behaviors in Florida populations. Although there is evidence of different biotypes in Brazil, it has not been demonstrated that these biotypes are equivalent to the U.S. strains. Sampling from Brazil indicates that its fall armyworm populations consist of the two strain-specific haplotypes found in Florida and also display the expected biases in plant host distribution. The same genetic markers also were present in samples from Texas, a major source of migrating fall armyworm in North America. These results indicate that the biology and behaviors of Brazilian fall armyworm populations are similar to those found in North America.

Anthocoris antevolens White (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is a widespread predatory bug in North America that exhibits substantial geographic variation in coloration, body measurements, size and shape of the male genitalia, pubescence, and sexual behavior. Earlier behavioral studies with three populations (including two populations that are sympatric in central Washington) showed that there was limited or no successful mating between insects from nonlike populations, despite vigorous mating attempts by males. The current study shows that males from those three populations diverge also in size and shape of claspers, length of the phallus, body measurements, and pubescence. Divergence extends to the two sympatric populations. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows that phenotypic divergence is associated with genetic divergence. Results reported here, in combination with the earlier published mating trials, support statements made elsewhere by us that A. antevolens is actually a complex of an unknown number of externally similar species.

The external morphology and development of immature stages of Fidiobia dominica Evans & Peña (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), a Neotropical solitary endoparasitoid of the eggs of Diaprepes spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are reported. This species behaves as a solitary idiobiont endoparasitoid. It has a stalked egg and two instars. The first instar is cyclopoid and seven-segmented, whereas the second instar is hymenopteriform and 11-segmented. Mandibulae are conspicuous in both instars. On completion of the larval development, the host egg turns amber transparent, making parasitized eggs easily recognizable. The pupa is exarate. F. dominica is a protandrous species and once emerged, males help females to emerge.

Primary reproductives of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), complete their first reproductive cycle in ≈60 d after nest formation. During this period, the pairs mate several times. The spherical, aflagellate sperm, after transfer by the male, are stored in the female’s spermatheca. Sperm numbers in the spermatheca increase significantly between day 20 and 40, and thereafter they show a steep decline, indicating that the pairs may not be mating after day 40. The spermatheca is bean shaped with an extremely narrow duct. The thick wall of the spermatheca consists mainly of type 3 cells made up of secretory and duct cells. Cuticle-lined ducts are interspersed throughout these cells. Finger-like extensions of the cuticle-lined interior wall project into the spermathecal lumen. The secretory cells presumably provide nutrition for the sperm during their long storage. Eleven anaerobic and six aerobic species of bacteria were cultured and identified from the spermatheca. The role of these bacteria is unknown.

The immature development and morphological characteristics of Opius caricivorae Fischer (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an endoparasitoid of dipteran leafminers, were studied under laboratory conditions at 25°C constant temperature on the host Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Most of the parasitoid females prefer to oviposit into the third instars of the host. They always laid a single egg per ovipositor insertion and superparasitized the same host in a few occasions when hosts were limited. Parasitoid eggs are of the hymenopteriform type. During the embryonic development (49 h) the eggs increased in size more than two-fold. Five instars occurred in this species. The first instar is of the caudate-mandibulate type bearing falcate appendages, whereas the second to fifth instars are hymenopteriform with simple mandibles, and they are similar to each other. The first instar remains inside its chorion after hatching until it molts into a second instar. A new structure, namely, transverse sclerite, in the cephalic structure of the fifth instar was found located between the maxillary palpi. Under laboratory conditions, the duration of the total immature stages lasted ≈327 h. The immature stages are described and illustrated using light microscopy, and they are compared with those of other apocritan parasitoids.

Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), the southern green stink bug, has body color polymorphisms. N. viridula f. smaragdula is the common green morph, whereas the rare morph N. viridula f. aurantiaca is uniformly orange. Crossing studies were conducted to determine the inheritance of the orange body color trait. Mendelian genetic analysis suggested that orange body color is a simple, sex-linked recessive trait. In sperm precedence studies using orange females crossed with green and then orange males, or vice versa, the proportion of offspring attributable to the second male, P2, averaged 73.3% (extremes 23.5–100%). The average P2 in the first egg mass deposited after the new pairing was 71.8%. The pattern of sperm use provided evidence for incomplete sperm mixing, sperm stratification, and sperm displacement. Green females preferred mating with orange males (88%) compared with green males (12%), suggesting that disassortative mating may operate.