Previous morphological studies within the claybank group of tiger beetles concluded that C. limbalis, C. splendida, and C. denverensis were separate species, but results from a limited mitochondrial DNA analysis suggested they may represent a single species. Here we review relevant literature on the relationships between C. limbalis and C. splendida and present results of mtDNA analysis of several populations of these taxa, including a Virginia population with specimens morphologically matching both species. Mitochondrial haplotypes for cob and coxl revealed that C. limbalis and C. splendida from several populations were closely related and could not be diagnosed under the criterion of exclusivity. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted under parsimony criteria and Bayseian inference, and in all reconstructions, C. limbalis and C. splendida (and a reference sample of C. denverensis) were united into a large polytomy. Nested clade analysis revealed no patterns of geographic distribution significantly different from panmixia. The lack of geographic structure across the sampled range recovered no support for earlier phylogeographic hypothesis that C. splendida and C. limbalis separated in the foothills of the Appalachians during the Pleistocene. It is hoped that these findings will provide impetus for a thorough systematic analyses of the claybank group of tiger beetles.

Taxonomic and distributional information need to be constantly updated as federal, state, and local agencies continue to use aquatic macroinvertebrates as biological indicators of water quality. While processing benthic macroinvertebrate samples provided by federal and state agencies, production taxonomists at EcoAnalysts, Inc. encountered larvae and pupae of the Neotropical chironomid Oliveiriella Wiedenbrug and Fittkau (Orthocladiinae) and Onconeura semifimbriata (Sæther) (Orthocladiinae) from sites in New Mexico and Arizona, USA. These occurrences represent the first Nearctic records of Oliveiriella, establishing a New World distribution, and expand the Nearctic range of Onconeura semifimbriata. We also identified larvae of Tempisquitoneura merrillorum Epler (Orthocladiinae) from 1 site in Nevada, 1 site in Utah, and 6 sites in Arizona, USA. These records expand the Nearctic range for T. merrillorum. These genera are very similar in appearance to other commonly encountered Orthocladiinae genera, but only the larva of Tempisquitoneura is included in a current taxonomic key for North America.

Five ischnoceran lice (Brueelia cyclothorax, Sturnidoecus hannoo, Neopsittaconirmus elbeli, Columbicola columbae and Anaticola crassicornis) infesting the house sparrow, common myna, Indian parakeet, domestic pigeon and mallard duck, were reared in vitro conditions (35 ± 1°C, 75–82% RH, at a feather diet), to record the incubation period, adult longevity and daily egg rate. The data obtained were used to construct the life table and to determine the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r). The values of r of aforesaid species were 0.032, 0.049, 0.050, 0.053 and 0.074 female per day, respectively. Likewise, the doubling time of the population differed, as follows, 21.35, 14.21, 13.93, 14.2 and 9.01 days, respectively. The results indicate that reproductive potentials of different phthirapteran species exhibit considerable variation.

This work reports free-living opossums (Didelphis aurita and Didelphis albiventris) and a rodent species (Thrichomys laurentius) naturally infested by the immature stages of Amblyomma fuscum Neumann, 1907 in Brazil. Previously the only host record for the A. fuscum immature stages was for a single nymph collected on an opossum D. aurita in the state of Sâo Paulo. Herein are presented two new host records (D. albiventris and T. laurentius) for A. fuscum. Our results indicate that opossums (Didelphis spp.), and one small rodent species (T. laurentius) are major hosts for immature stages of A. fuscum in Brazil. Based on the known feeding habits of immature stages of A. fuscum, coupled with previous reports of the adult stage parasitizing humans, A. fuscum is a potential vector of spotted fever group rickettsiae.

The eastern North American dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus (L.), is newly reported from 78 counties in Kentucky, U.S.A. Additionally, 35 previous county records from Kentucky are included. The larvae, known as hellgrammites, have been documented from 94 percent of the counties in the state. Larvae were found in a variety of lotic environments, including streams previously impacted by strip-mining activities. Corydalus cornutus and the fishfly, Nigronia serricornis (Say), were sympatric in 43 of 458 streams sampled in Kentucky.

Limacodid larvae were collected from 2004 – 2007 on leaves of the following host plants in the District of Columbia and Maryland: Carya glabra, pignut hickory; Quercus alba, white oak; Quercus rubra, northern red oak; Nyssa sylvatica, black gum; Prunus serotina, black cherry; and Fagus grandifolia, American beech. Field-collected larvae were brought to the laboratory where they were kept in isolation for the purpose of rearing parasitoids. The rogadine braconid Triraphis discoideus (Cresson) was reared from the following host-host plant combinations: Acharia stimulea (Clemens), Adoneta spinuloides (Herrich-Schäffer), Lithacodes fasciola (Herrich-Schäffer), and Parasa chloris (Moore) on red oak; Euclea delphinii (Boisduval) on black gum and red oak; Isa textula (Herrich-Schäffer) on American beech, red oak, and white oak; Natada nasoni (Grote) on American beech, black gum, red oak, and white oak; Prolimacodes badia Hübner on black cherry and red oak; and an undetermined species of Tortricidia Packard on American beech. Host use was previously unknown for T. discoideus. Host use and phenology are discussed for Triraphis harrisinae (Ashmead), the only other described species of Triraphis in the Nearctic Region.

The genus Procidelphax, gen. nov., is described to accommodate two unusual new Tropidocephalini, P. depressa, n. sp. and P. dejecta, n. sp., from Peru and Bolivia, respectively. Procidelphax, gen. nov., is easily distinguished from all other New World Tropidocephalini by being strongly dorsoventrally flattened, and having the median carina of the frons broadly forked ventrad. The New World Tropidocephalini is briefly reviewed and a provisional key to the five genera provided.

The origin, historical trajectory, and present status of the insect collection of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (collection coden: UPRM) are reviewed. The collection initiated in the mid 1920s and has grown relatively continuously thanks to efforts by several outstanding entomologists working at UPRM. As of 2007, the collection includes more than 130,000 objects (individual specimens, slides, or vials) pertaining to 25 hexapod orders. The numbers of collection objects per order are listed. The geographic emphasis is on Puerto Rico and surrounding islands. The auchenorrhynchous Hemiptera, Collembola, and Coleoptera are particularly well represented. The collection is in a process of reorganization and is available for specimen loans and related collaborative activities.

Corythuca ciliata has spread rapidly through southern China. Integrated control methods are needed to effectively control this pest,

Short diagnoses, original keys to the Chinese species of the genera Hydrophoria and Zaphne, and descriptions of the two new species, namely Hydrophoria disticrassa sp. nov. and Zaphne laxibarbiventris sp. nov. are given. Twelve species of Hydrophoria and sixteen species of Zaphne are known to China.

A colony of the solitary parasitoid ampulicid wasp Ampulex compressa was established under laboratorial conditions. A total of 23 wasps were reared, which attacked about 80 cockroach hosts. Wasps' longevity and development mean times recorded were 55.85 ± 26.09 and 43.17 ± 3.58 days, respectively. Of the attacked cockroaches, 60% yielded ordinary solitary brood (sexual ratio approximately 1:1), 23.75 % failed to hatch, and 16.25 % presented one egg over each middle coxa. The two eggs laid on one prey always produced two dwarf male wasps. Laying two eggs on one prey has never been reported before. Not all cockroaches were attacked by the wasps, and some avoided being stung by aggressively reacting against the wasps' approaches. We consider these finds to demonstrate the plasticity of the host-handling behaviour of A. compressa, illustrating how synovigenic parasitoids can adapt rapidly to surrounding conditions.

Thoressa maculata sp. nov., from Mt. Maoershan, Xinan County, Guangxi Province is described and illustrated. The new species resembles T. hyrie and T. luanchuanensis, but it can be distinguished from hyrie by the spots in spaces M₃ and Cu₁ overlapping on forewing, hindwing underside with marked small black spots in spaces Sc R₁ to Cu₁, uncus in dorsal view with a small prong on the inside of each arm and valvae symmetrical; and from luanchuanensis by forewing with cell spots totally fused and only two spots in apex; hindwing upperside without orange spots centrally, underside with small black spots in subapical area. Male genitalia with gnathos fused distally, foot-stalks symmetrical.

A new species of oecophorid, Ripeacma umbellata Wang, is described based on the specimens collected from Hong Kong, China. Images of the adult and figures of the genital structures are provided.