Montana supports a diverse assemblage of bumble bees (Bombus Latreille) due to its size, landscape diversity, and location at the junction of known geographic ranges of North American species. We compiled the first inventory of Bombus species in Montana, using records from 25 natural history collections and labs engaged in bee research, collected over the past 125 years, as well as specimens collected specifically for this project during the summer of 2015. Over 12,000 records are included, with 28 species of Bombus now confirmed in the state. Based on information from nearby regions, four additional species are predicted to occur in Montana. Of the 28 species, Bombus bimaculatus Cresson and Bombus borealis Kirby are new state records. The presence of B. borealis was previously predicted, but the presence of B. bimaculatus in Montana represents a substantial extension of its previously reported range. Four additional “eastern” bumble bee species are recorded from the state, and three species pairs thought to replace one another from the eastern to western United States are now known to be sympatric in Montana. Additionally, our data are consistent with reported declines in populations of Bombus occidentalis Greene and Bombus suckleyi Greene, highlighting a need for targeted surveys of these two species in Montana.

Brassolines are among the largest Neotropical butterflies, with large eyespots resembling vertebrate eyes in their wings. Some subspecies of co-occurring brassolines show striking similarities in wing traits to the extent that mimicry within the tribe has been suggested. When adults exhibit phenotypic convergence, data on immature stages can be used to uncover similarities derived from common descent. Here, evidence for future phylogenies to support Selenophanes relatedness to either Opsiphanes or Catoblepia are provided by comparing novel molecular (barcode sequence) and morphological (immature) data. While barcoding showed Selenophanes sequences to be nested within Catoblepia, with intergeneric distances smaller than between Catoblepia species, the state of the art of immature morphological descriptions showed that Catoblepia and Opsiphanes were more similar than either were to Selenophanes. Despite their popularity, brassolines are difficult to find in nature, partly because they are active during dawn and dusk. S. cassiope is a rare species, so the hitherto unknown female of S. cassiope guaranyCasagrande, 1992 is described, as well as morphologically and ecologically relevant adult traits. Analysis of sensory organs revealed a possible reversal of brassoline adaptations to the crepuscular habit. The pigment class of wing cells from several regions with different colors was melanin, except for white (colorless) scales. Multitrophic interactions with an Arecaceae host plant, and egg (Anastatus sp., Galeopsomyia sp.) and pupal (Eurytoma sp.) parasitoids are also reported. This integrative approach benefits from a group with great potential to explore the interplay, from molecules to ecology, of adaptive evolution.

The green belly stink bug, Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas), has become an important pest of maize in the Neotropics in recent years. Thus, more studies are needed to understand its feeding behavior in order to find ways to reduce its damage. One way to do so is through the technique known as electrical penetration graph (EPG), which allows unveiling the stylet activities of piercing–sucking hemipterans. The goal of this study was to investigate the feeding behavior of D. melacanthus on maize seedling and create a waveform library. The feeding activities were monitored on maize stem using the new AC–DC EPG monitor. Seven distinct waveforms were recorded: Z, Np, O, Dm1, Dm2, Dm3a, and Dm3b, grouped into two families—P (Em1) and I (Dm1, Dm2, and Dm3). Histological studies of severed stylets were carried out during Dm1, Dm2, and Dm3a waveforms to correlate with the specific activities. Z, Np, and O represented the nonprobing phase; in Z the insect was still on the stem surface; in Np the insect was walking on the stem; and in O occurred egg deposition. Dm1, Dm2, and Dm3 correspond to the probing waveforms, where Dm1 represents the insertion and deep pathway of the stylets in plant tissue and secretion of salivary sheath; Dm2 represents the sap ingestion from xylem vessels; and Dm3 represents the cell rupturing feeding (waveform Dm3a), and the ingestion of cellular contents derived from mechanical (laceration) and chemical (maceration) degradation (waveform Dm3b).

The nonnative ambrosia beetles Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford) and Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) are destructive pests of plants and trees growing in ornamental nurseries and tree fruit orchards. Perception of stress-induced volatiles plays an important role in aiding female X. germanus and X. crassiusculus in locating vulnerable hosts, while adult males of both species are flightless and not involved in host selection. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the antennae of both species, which consisted of a scape, funicle, and club. Emphasis was placed on the type, structure, and distribution of sensilla associated with the antennal clubs of female and male X. germanus and X. crassiusculus. Sensilla observed on the anterior surface of the club for females and males of both species include one type of sensillum chaeticum (SC1), one type of sensillum trichodeum (ST1), and five types of sensilla basiconica (SB1–5). Sensilla are distributed in association with two sensory bands and/or a basal cluster. SB1, the most abundant sensilla type found on female and male clubs for both species, appears to be highly porous. No obvious sexual dimorphism was observed regarding sensilla type, but most types are more abundant on the antennal clubs of females compared with males for X. germanus and X. crassiusculus. Possible functions of the sensilla types are discussed based on morphology. These results provide an improved understanding of sensilla associated with X. germanus and X. crassiusculus that will aid electrophysiological investigations into their host selection behavior.

Ovoviviparity and viviparity have evolved independently multiple times in animals. Although females exhibit extensive parental care of their eggs, (ovo)viviparity has only been reported in a few species of free-living, non-epizoic earwigs. In contrast, to date, all the studied members of families Arixeniidae and Hemimeridae, which live on mammals, are viviparous. We herein report ovoviviparity in the tropical earwig species, Spongovostox semiflavus (Bormans, 1894) (Forficuloidea: Spongiphoridae: Spongiphorinae). We observed that females of this species retain well-developed embryos within the ovaries and then lay them with complete egg envelopes just before hatching. An average of 9.4 embryos concurrently developed in a female's body. A similar condition has been reported for only one other species Marava arachidis (Yarsin, 1860), in the subfamily Spongiphorinae. Without additional mating, Spo. semiflavus females produced at least three clutches, consisting of an average of nine offspring within a period of 14–27 d. Both Spo. semiflavus and M. arachidis males are characterized by elongated male genitalia that are more than twice as long as their body lengths. Interestingly, elongated male genitalia are also present in the two other spongiphorids for which (ovo)viviparity has been reported. We discuss the causes of the potential convergence of the evolution of the male genital structure and the development of (ovo)viviparity in females.

The canopy of the Neotropical forest hosts a wide diversity of arthropods, where ants represent one of the most abundant and diverse groups. This diversity may be due to the preference of some insect species for certain species of trees. In order to determine the diversity of ants and their patterns of association with trees, nine tree species of two zones (soils based on limestone or volcanic rock) of the tropical dry forest were chosen in San Andrés de la Cal, Tepoztlán, in Morelos state, Mexico. Ants were collected directly from the branches of 5–10 individuals per tree species or by using pitfall traps. Estimated sampling efficiency was 96%, and a total of 27 species of ants belonging to 13 genera and 6 subfamilies were found. Of these species, 56% are tree-dwelling while the rest are generalist species that climb the trees to forage in the canopy. Ant species richness differed among tree species, with a gradient from Ipomoea murucoides with the highest richness, to Bursera fagaroides with the lowest. No differences were found among the tree species in terms of the composition of ant species, but 44% of the species were found in one forest zone only and one species was found more frequently in one zone than in the other. With the information generated in this study, eight species and one genus (Tapinoma) have been added to the 89 species and 29 genera recorded in the state of Morelos. While ant species composition did not differ among tree species, the difference in richness suggests that three of the studied tree species offer a greater provision of resources to the ants and that the floristic differences between forest zones generate different ant assemblages.

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), exhibits a lek mating system in which males aggregate on plants, weakly defend leaf territories that lack any resources vital to females, and produce pheromone to attract potential mates. Males are attracted to and feed on the plant-borne compound raspberry ketone (RK) as well as its synthetic analogue, cue lure (CL), and studies have demonstrated that females mate preferentially with males fed these chemicals over males denied them. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether females gained direct fitness benefits by mating with CL-fed males, potentially via CL-mediated modifications in male ejaculate composition and quantity that act to enhance female longevity and reproduction. Mating trials were first performed to re-confirm that CL-feeding conferred a mating advantage to males. Then, having detected an advantage, female survival, fecundity, and fertility were compared between females mated to CL-fed males versus nonfed males. In addition, the incidence and duration of successful egg-to-pupa development were compared between the two groups of females. None of the comparisons suggested that fitness was enhanced by mating with a CL-fed male, and one parameter—fertility or egg hatch rate—showed a potential cost to mating with CL-fed males. Thus, mating with CL-fed males does not appear to confer direct fitness benefits to females. Factors potentially confounding interpretation of this finding are noted, and the possible role of a runaway selection process, mediated via RK or CL consumption, in shaping female mate choice in this species is proposed.

Catalase is an important antioxidant enzyme that protects aerobic organisms from oxidative damage by degrading hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. In order to indicate the role of catalase in the thermotolerance of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), a major pest of agricultural and horticultural crops, we cloned the cDNA encoding catalase from F. occidentalis in this study. Sequence analyses indicated that the catalase gene from F. occidentalis (FoCAT) encoded a protein containing 506 amino acids, including three catalytic amino acid residues (His-73, Asn-146, and Tyr-356), the proximal heme-ligand signature sequence, ⁶²FDRERIQERVVHAKGAG⁷⁸, and the proximal active site, ³⁵²RIFSYADTH³⁶⁰. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CAT from different insect species could be grouped into a well-supported cluster that included Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hemiptera. qRT-PCR analyses initially indicated that FoCAT expression was significantly up-regulated under heat and cold stress. When F. occidentalis nymphs were incubated at 37 or – 6 ° C, FoCAT expression showed a significant increase at 2 h for both temperatures and then declined when the temperature duration was 4 or 8 h. The enzymatic activity of FoCAT was significantly elevated at moderate heat stress (33 ° C), but showed a significant decrease at – 6 ° C. When F. occidentalis nymphs were incubated at 37 or – 6 ° C, FoCAT activity showed a gradual decline for both temperatures and was lowest at the 8-h exposure time. In conclusion, FoCAT plays an important role in the thermotolerance of F. occidentalis, which may partially explain the widespread distribution of this important pest.

Paralytic, cytotoxic, and cytolytic effects of Pimpla turionellae L. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) venom has previously been shown toward its natural host Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The effects of P. turionellae venom and parasitization on hemolymph carbohydrate and lipid levels of the host larvae and pupae were studied in the present study for a more complete understanding of metabolic alterations that accompany parasitism. Larval and pupal carbohydrate levels were increased at 4 and 24 h posttreatment at lower venom doses. Venom-induced reductions were only observed at the highest venom dose in larval stage at two time points posttreatment. Parasitization reduced the pupal hemolymph carbohydrate at 24 h postoviposition compared to untreated control. The magnitude of differences in lipid content of larva was not dose dependent and fluctuated among treatments. However, in pupal stage venom caused an elevation in total lipid content except for 0.05 VRE. Total lipid amounts of G. mellonella pupae were reduced by > 50% postparasitization. We conclude that experimental envenomation and parasitization of G. mellonella by the idiobiont endoparasitoid P. turionellae altered carbohydrate and lipid contents depending on host developmental stage.

The relationship between the solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid Misotermes mindeni Disney and Neoh (Diptera: Phoridae) and its termite host Macrotermes gilvus (Hagen) (Termitidae: Macrotermitinae) was examined. Misotermes mindeni were reared from parasitized M. gilvus major soldiers in the laboratory. Adult female parasitoids were on average larger (4.67 ± 1.29 mg) than males (3.73 ± 1.18 mg). The influence of the size of the parasitoid on its fitness was studied under laboratory conditions. No relationship was found between adult female size and the number of laid eggs, but weak positive relationship was observed between adult male size and longevity. The sex of emerging adults of M. mindeni was correlated positively with the size of the major soldiers of M. gilvus. Females emerged from the larger hosts, whereas males emerged from the smaller hosts. The host size ranges differed between the sexes. This may suggest that the parasitoids modified the size of their hosts. The body sizes of both female and male parasitoids at pupal and adult stages were significantly correlated with host size, such that larger hosts ultimately yielded larger parasitoids and smaller hosts yielded smaller ones.

Anthropogenic changes in land use and habitat fragmentation are thought to be greater drivers of declines in the abundance and species richness of pollinating insects such as bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) than agricultural intensification and pesticide use. Yet, few studies have examined how habitat fragmentation by urbanization affects pollinator nesting dynamics. We investigated the nesting dynamics of native solitary bee species that inhabit fragments of Sonoran Desert in Tucson, AZ. Specifically, we compared floral densities, nest completion, and nest attack rates of cavity-nesting bees in large (>2 ha) and small (<0.5 ha) fragments. In small fragments, where resource density was high, more nests were occupied and females responded by provisioning offspring more quickly than in larger fragments where resource density was low. However, nests in small fragments were more likely to be attacked by natural enemies than those in large fragments. In this desert system, habitat size, the most-often used metric for examination of how pollinators respond to habitat fragmentation, affects nesting dynamics and demographics through its interactions with nest-site availability, abundance of floral resources, and natural enemy attack. As landscape fragmentation increases, pollinator conservation should not only consider food sources but also nesting requirements and interactions with natural enemies.

Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot is used as a biocontrol agent against various pests. Pollen grains not only provide important nutrients but also play an important role in providing the energy source of migration and aid in the reproduction process for different predators such as phytoseiid mites, especially if being consumed along with main prey. Because no research has addressed the nutritional value of a combination of non-prey food diets with Tetranychus urticae Koch for A. swirskii, this study aims to determine some biological characteristics of this predator fed on T. urticae in the presence and absence of three different pollens. Individuals of A. swirskii successfully completed their immature development on all diets tested. The shortest and longest female and male developmental times were observed on T. urticae+almond pollen and T. urticae+bee pollen, respectively. Not only in the presence but also in the absence of T. urticae feeding on almond pollen resulted in higher intrinsic (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) compared with feeding on date and bee pollens. The highest female predation rate was observed for the T. urticae diet compared with other diets. The predators consumed more prey in the presence of bee pollen than in the presence of almond and date pollen. Amblyseius swirskii required an average of 17.69, 32.33, 27.87, and 18.04 prey to produce a single predator egg on date+T. urticae, bee pollen+T. urticae, T. urticae, and almond+T. urticae, respectively. Overall, A. swirskii had greater control potential of T. urticae in the presence of almond pollen than other diets.