Chromosomes and C-banding karyotypes of Chorthippus brunneus huabeiensis Xia et Jin and Chorthippus minutus Zhang were studied for the first time, which respectively collected in Songhua Lake, Jilin Province China and Daqinggou, Inner Mongolia China. In the males, the chromosome numbers of these two species was found to be 2n (♂) =17, with three metacentric pairs and five telocentric pairs, and X chromosomes are telocentric. This genus has the basic Orthopteran sex determining mechanism XX♀/XO♂. All the chromosomes possess centromeric C-bandings. The differences of these two species are also very remarkable, such as genome formula, terminal bandings, medial bandings and content of heterochromatin.

We examined specific leg structures in eastern cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) to determine whether they were sexually dimorphic as a result of adaptation or allometry. Females were on average larger than males by every measure, and female hind tibial spurs were longer than those of males, even independent of body mass. The femora of females were not significantly wider relative to femur length than those of males, but the hind tibiae of females were significantly wider than the respective tibiae of males relative to tibia length. Spurs have concave surfaces that contact the loose soil and brush-like structures where spurs meet the substrate; however, these details are essentially the same in males and females. Enlarged hind tibial spurs in females appear to be an exaptation evolved primarily by increase in spur size relative to body size, without changes in shape or external microstructure.

The natural parasitism rate and effectiveness of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was studied for the first first time in Turkey in 2002 by rearing and releasing it against the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Releases of T. evanescens were made twice against the three generations of H. armigera during June, July, and August in the Cukurova region. Four replicates were used in both the Trichogramma release (without insecticides) treatments and the control (without Trichogramma and without insecticides). In each Trichogramma release, approximately 120,000 parasitoids ha⁻¹ (a total of 720,000 parasitoids ha⁻¹) were released. The parasitization rate on H. armigera averaged 52.5% in the release plots and only 28.5% in the control plots. Compared to the control plots, the reduction in the number of H. armigera larvae averaged 33.3% and the reduction in the number of damaged bolls averaged 42.8% in the release plots. Compared to the control plots, in fields where only insecticides were used, the number of H. armigera larvae was reduced by 68.0% and the number of damaged bollworm was reduced by 71.4%. In adjacent cotton fields treated with insecticides and excluded from the experimental area the natural parasitization rate of T. evanescens was low. Of the 241 H. armigera eggs of those collected on cotton, only 14 were parasitized (5.8%) by T. evanescens. Perhaps, pesticides used to control the cotton pests had non-target side effects on the parasitoids, and many T. evanescens could have been destroyed. Bollworm egg parasitism could be substantially increased with augmentative releases of T. evanescens wasps in cotton. Trichogramma evanescens has potential in the biological control of H. armigera.

Two new species of Cubrasa from the Dominican Republic are described, C. brevida and C. longula.

This paper reports a new genus i.e. Parapachyacris gen. nov and a new species Parapachyacris taiwanensis sp. nov in Cyrtacathacridinae. The new genus is similar to Pachyacris Uvarov, 1923 and differs from the latter in: 1) foveolae lacking; 2) hind tibiae with 10 spines on inner side and 8 spines on outer side; 3) basal part of prosternal process thickened; 4) cross veins right angled with longitudinal veins in apical part of tegmina and 5) the back of body with yellow longitudinal stripe in middle. The new genus is also similar to Patanga Uvarov, 1923 and differs from the latter in: 1) foveolae lacking; 2) basal part of prosternal process thickened; 3) upper side of hind femora with three dark bands and 4) black spots of tegmina lacking. Type specimen is deposited in the National Museum of Natural Science (NMNH), Taichung, Taiwan, China.

A new species of Palliduphantes Saaristo and Tanasevitch in 2001 is described from Turkey. Differences between the new species and related species are discussed.

Two new genera are described that are closely related to the genus Luteobalmus. The new genus Barolineocerus contains nine new species, including B. bispinus (type of genus), B. chiasmus, B. acius, B. furcatus, B. elongatus, B. declivus, B. apiculus, B. spinosus, and B. ornatus. The new genus Isolineocerus contains one new species I. pusillus. Both genera are from northern South America.

Paralectotypes of three Aphrophora species, A. flavipes Uhler, 1896, A. intermedia Uhler, 1896, and A. major Uhler, 1896 (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Aphrophoridae), described by P. R. Uhler (1896) from Japan, recently found in the Natural History Museum in London are documented. The dorsal habitus images, taxonomic notes, host plant and distribution information of the three Aphrophora species are provided.

Four new species of the genus Nemoura from China are described: N. cocaviuscula Du and Zhou, sp. nov., N. lui Du and Zhou, sp. nov., N. magnispina Du and Zhou, sp. nov., and N. rotundprojecta Du and Zhou, sp. nov.

Peristenus digoneutis Loan, a European species, was first established by USDA-ARS in New Jersey for the biological control of the tarnished plant bug, which damages many crops. This parasitic wasp has steadily dispersed since its establishment in 1984, and it is now present in 11 states, a 38% increase since our last report in 2003, and has been found in 69 counties in the United States. Peristenus digoneutis is now present in all of the northeastern states, is moving westward along the southern edge of Lake Erie, and is well established in at least three Canadian provinces.

In this paper, we demonstrate the occurrence of Gomphus flavipes in Turkey. The single European Turkish record of this taxon was until now confused with the closely related Asiatic species Gomphus ubadschii, therefore it could be said that G. flavipes is new to Turkey. The distribution of the two species in Turkey is evaluated. Besides, Ophiogomphus cecilia, a species which was previously reported from Anatolia based on a misidentification, now for the first time is recorded for Turkey, in the Turkish Thrace.

The occurrence of the biological control weevil Rhinocyllus conicus is documented for the first time on the non-target thistle species, Cirsium hillii, in Wisconsin. Rhinocyllus conicus was released locally twice in Wisconsin before studies showed non-target compatibility with the rare C. hillii and the federally threatened C. pitcheri. These previously unpublished studies from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Consumer, and Trade Protection prevented further releases of R. concnicus in Wisconsin during the early 1980s. Despite only localized releases, data from state collection records indicate that R. conicus has spread at least 80 miles from the initial release location. While R. conicus's effects on other non-target Cirsium species are well documented, the lack of information on the biology of C. hillii precludes understanding the effects of R. conicus on this species' conservation.

Hilara bolkarensis sp. n. is described from the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey (Bolkar Mountains). Male and female are described, compared with related species and male genitalia as well as fore leg illustrated. A key to the species related to H. bolkarensis sp. n. is provided.

The spider Anyphaena pontica Weiss, 1988 (Araneae, Anyphaenidae) and Anyphaenidae family are recorded from Turkey for the first time.