The overwintering survival and development of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura were investigated in California's San Joaquin Valley. Drosophila suzukii were exposed to overwintering conditions in cages hung in a citrus orchard, and the pupae were buried in the soil. Eggs exposed from late November to January did not survive; a low percentage (<3%) of larvae and pupae developed into adults. Survival of pupae was significantly higher when buried in the soil than on the citrus tree. From late January to March, all life stages developed into adults and overwintered adult female D. suzukii produced eggs when provided with 10% honey-water and sliced oranges. Adult survival varied among fruit juice provision treatments and overwintering exposure periods, ranging from 3.4 ± 0.9 d (water) to 44.1 ± 3.0 d (10% honey-water). Fruit juices of apple, cherry, grape, orange, and pomegranate were tested as adult food sources; results showed that adult female and male D. suzukii lived only 2 d with water only, whereas adults survived from 14.2 to 34.8 d with fruit juice treatments and the 10% honey-water control. An unexpected event was the oviposition and immature development of D. suzukii with the fruit juice. In a follow-up laboratory trial, when 10% honey-water or orange juice were provided along with an artificial diet for oviposition and immature development, female D. suzukii survived for 21.6 ± 2.4 or 21.6 ± 1.5 d, and produced 106.8 ± 14.1 or 98.5 ± 13.1 offspring, respectively. We discuss factors potentially influencing overwintering survival of D. suzukii.

Rhynchaenus pallicornis (Say) is a pest of commercially grown apples in the upper Midwest. This historic pest has resurged and caused severe yield loss on farms using certified organic production practices. The life history and potential monitoring methods of R. pallicornis are presented. Seasonal abundance data were collected through beat and visual sampling. A phenological model was developed for R. pallicornis. The minimum developmental threshold of R. pallicornis was determined to be 3.5° C with a required degree-day accumulation of 125° D for first adult emergence. Larval damage was observed on >60% of leaves in unmanaged orchards and affected significantly fewer basal leaf clusters (near the trunk), than medially or apically located clusters. Of 2,900 R. pallicornis larval mines collected over two years at three different sites, 18.0% produced at least one adult parasitoid, but the targeted larval stage is unknown. Measurements of R. pallicornis larval head capsules and the simple frequency method were used to determine three larval instars of R. pallicornis. The number of larval instars could also be accurately determined by observing the presence or absence of two sets of thoracic sclerites. Pyramid traps, yellow sticky cards baited with olfactory cues (pear essence, benzaldehyde, and an aggregation of adult R. pallicornis) were evaluated as R. pallicornis monitoring tools. None of the traps or lures tested significantly affected the number of adult R. pallicornis per trap.

Pest phenology models allow producers to anticipate pest outbreaks and deploy integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Phenology models are particularly useful for cropping systems with multiple economically damaging pests throughout a season. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops of Washington State, USA, are attacked by many insect pests including the potato tuberworm (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller), the beet leafhopper (Circulifer tenellus Baker), and the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Each of these pests directly damages potato foliage or tubers; C. tenellus and M. persicae also transmit pathogens that can drastically reduce potato yields. We monitored the seasonal population dynamics of these pests by conducting weekly sampling on a network of commercial farms from 2007 to 2014. Using these data, we developed phenology models to characterize the seasonal population dynamics of each pest based on accumulated degree-days (DD). All three pests exhibited consistent population dynamics across seasons that were mediated by temperature. Of the three pests, C. tenellus was generally the first detected in potato crops, with 90% of adults captured by 936 DD. In contrast, populations of P. operculella and M. persicae built up more slowly over the course of the season, with 90% cumulative catch by 1,590 and 2,634 DD, respectively. Understanding these seasonal patterns could help potato producers plan their IPM strategies while allowing them to move away from calendar-based applications of insecticides. More broadly, our results show how long-term monitoring studies that explore dynamics of multiple pest species can aid in developing IPM strategies in crop systems.

Through their influence on effective population sizes, sex ratio skew affects population dynamics. We examined spatial variation in female-biased sex ratios in the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) outbreak in western Canada to better understand how environmental context affects sex ratio skew. Our specific objectives were to: 1) characterize spatial variation in mountain pine beetle sex ratio; 2) test previously asserted hypotheses that beetle sex ratio varies with tree diameter and year in outbreak; and 3) develop predictive models of sex ratio skew for larval and adult populations. Using logistic regression, we modeled the probability that an individual beetle (n = 2,369) was female as a function of multiple environmental variables across 34 stands in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. We identified a consistent female-biased sex ratio with significantly greater skew in adults (2: 1, n = 713) than in larvae (1.76: 1, n = 1,643). We found that the proportion of larval females increased with decreasing tree size and with outbreak age. However, adults did not respond to tree size and larvae did not respond to outbreak age. Predictive models differed between larvae and adults. All identified models perform well and included predictors related to weather, tree diameter, and year in outbreak. Female-biased sex ratios appear to originate from differential male mortality during development rather than from sex-biased oviposition, suggesting sex ratio skew is not the cause of outbreaks, but rather a consequence.

Population fluctuations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were evaluated over a period of 12 mo in four altitudinal strata (400–750, 750–1,100, 1,100–1,450, and 1,450–1,800 meters above sea level, masl) in Eastern Guatemala. Within each altitudinal range, sampling plots were established in coffee plantations and adjacent areas, in which Jackson traps were set and baited with Trimedlure. Coffee berries and other host fruits were collected. Population density was lowest at the 400–750 masl stratum and highest at 1,450–1,800 masl. At every altitudinal range, the fluctuations of the pest were associated mainly with the availability of ripe coffee berries as a primary host. From 750–1,450 masl, the pest was also associated with the availability of sweet orange and mandarins in commercial and backyard orchards. The highest densities of the pest were recorded in the dry season. Citrus were the main alternate host where ripe coffee berries were not available. This knowledge on population dynamics of C. capitata will contribute to develop more effective area-wide pest management strategies including the use of sterile insects, natural enemies, and bait sprays.

The eastern larch beetle, Dendroctonus simplex LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is distributed throughout the North American boreal forest sympatric with its primary host, the eastern larch or tamarack, Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch. Outbreaks of eastern larch beetles are typically small and associated with stressed tamaracks. Since 2000, however, an outbreak has killed >90,000 ha of tamarack in Minnesota and surrounding Great Lakes region. Identifying the causes of this epidemic is challenging due to knowledge gaps regarding the insect's biology. We present field data from 2011 to 2014 on degree days associated with spring emergence, dispersal, host colonization, and re-emergence from colonized hosts by mature adult beetles, as well as degree days associated with larval development, and prewinter emergence by adult progeny at study sites in northern Minnesota. After initial host colonization in early spring we found that a second brood was established in early summer by re-emerging parents. In 2012, a third brood was established. Across study years, first broods developed to adults by late summer, with many beetles relocating to the base of the host tree to overwinter. Second broods often reached adulthood and initiated prewinter emergence. The third brood of 2012 overwintered as adults, pupae, and late-instars, resuming development the following spring. Each spring, emergence of adult beetles from all broods established the previous year was highly synchronous. Knowledge of the biology of eastern larch beetles along the southern margin of their range aids in understanding how population dynamics may change with a changing climate.

In Germany, the thermophilic European mantid (Mantis religiosa L.) is endangered. Here, we study habitat requirements during its life, and discuss the applicability of the two conservation measures grazing and mowing to this insect species. At two study sites in south-western Germany, which were each subject to one of these measures, we recorded structural and climatic conditions within different microhabitats. We also conducted capture–mark–recapture studies for adult M. religiosa, and mapped adult roosting, oothecae deposition, egg hatching, and imaginal molting in microhabitats over two vegetation periods. In order to assess microhabitat preference of M. religiosa during its life, and identify climatic conditions driving preferences, we applied the Lille habitat preference index and conducted logistic regression analysis for life phases. Our results suggest that temperature is important for egg and nymph development. For egg deposition, females preferred solid substrates with high heat-storing capacities, as those attenuate the negative influence of cold weather periods on egg development. Being ambush predators, males and females preferred roosting sites with sufficient shelter and high prey abundance. Contrary to our expectation, the conservation measures reduced adult population sizes, and presumably reproduction rates. We thus suggest that mowing during the adult phase should reduce vegetation height to a moderate level to keep prey abundance high. Mowing with a clearing saw or grazing over a short period in small fenced areas should be preferred over prolonged grazing, as grazers collaterally stamp down the vegetation. Grazers indirectly reduce prey availability by deteriorating prevailing microclimatic conditions.

It has been reported that Scytodes spiders are predators of spiders of the genus Loxosceles, but the question of the effect of Scytodes globula Nicolet on Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet) populations is still unanswered. The goal of this study is to analyze the population effect of S. globula on the population dynamics of L. laeta by means of simulation with projection matrices, considering the seasonal fluctuation of fecundity, random meetings between the predator and the prey, and limited growth of the L. laeta population. We found that the most important parameters to predict the characteristics of the population at equilibrium are the fertility and the survival function of the spider of advanced developmental stage. Also, the predator S. globula significantly decreases population size, population fluctuations, and the proportion of reproductive individuals of L. laeta. The most probable effect of S. globula on L. laeta populations is a decrease of 20% of the population size. This is insufficient to consider this species as an agent of biological control of L. laeta. However, the action of S. globula is not negligible because decreasing the L. laeta population by about 20% could mean a decrease of about 15% in the incidence of loxoscelism. This action is probably less effective than other epidemiological measures such as house cleaning and insecticides or arachnicides and probably similar to the direct action of humans eliminating one or two spiders per year in their houses, but it helps.

We examined the native community of insects interacting with an invasive species, Tetropium fuscum (F.) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), in its new range to explore reasons for the invader's relatively slow spread. Tetropium fuscum is a European spruce borer established in Nova Scotia since at least 1990, but it has spread only about 125 km from its site of introduction. We compared the densities of Tetropium spp., their known parasitoids, and the community of wood-boring insects at sites located within the invasion zone in Nova Scotia versus well outside this zone, in New Brunswick, Canada. Using red spruce trees stressed by girdling or felling, we tested whether: 1) T. fuscum had altered the native wood-boring community; 2) T. fuscum displaced a native congener, Tetropium cinnamopterum (Kirby); and 3) parasitism rates of Tetropium spp. differed between the invaded and noninvaded zones. Both Tetropium spp. and their parasitoid wasps emerged exclusively from felled trees as opposed to girdled trees. We found no difference in community diversity inside versus outside the invasion zone. The combined densities of both Tetropium spp. and their overall parasitism rates also did not differ between zones, but T. cinnamopterum density was significantly greater outside the invasion zone, suggesting T. fuscum may displace the native congener where they are sympatric. Our results suggest that the native and invasive Tetropium spp. act as a single functional species in the invasion zone. We speculate that natural control agents (predators, parasitoids, and competitors) might be limiting the rate of spread of T. fuscum.

The diversity and abundance of native lady beetles (Coccinellidae) in North America has declined in recent decades. This decline is often correlated with the introduction and establishment of exotic lady beetle species, including Coccinella septempunctata L. and Harmonia axyridis Pallas, suggesting that exotic species precipitated the decline of native lady beetles. We examined species records of native coccinellids in Missouri over 118 yr and asked whether the species composition of the community experienced a shift following the establishment of the exotic species. We found that the contemporary native coccinellid community is different from the community that was present nearly a century ago. However, there was no evidence for a recent abrupt shift in composition triggered by the establishment of exotic species. Instead, our data suggest that the native lady beetle community has been undergoing consistent and gradual change over time, with some species decreasing in abundance and others increasing. While not excluding exotic species as a factor contributing to the decline of native lady beetle species, our findings suggest that other continuous factors, like land use change, may have played a more influential role in determining the composition of the native coccinellid communities within our region.

Increases in agricultural conversion are leading to declines in native grasslands and natural resources critical for beneficial insects. However, little is known regarding how these changes affect pollinator diversity. Land use types were categorized within 300m and 3 km radii of pollinator sampling locations in Brookings County, SD. Pollinator abundance and species richness were regressed on the proportion of the landscape dedicated to row crops, grass and pasture, forage crops, small grains, and aquatic habitats using variance components modeling. Row crops had a negative effect on bee abundance at 300 m, after fixed effects modeling accounted for outliers skewing this relationship. At 3 km, corn positively affected bee abundance and richness, while soybean acreage decreased species richness. The landscape matrix of outlying sites consisted of large monocultured areas with few alternative habitat types available, leading to inflated populations of Melissodes and Halictidae. Syrphids had a positive parabolic relationship between diversity and row crops, indicating potential for competitive exclusion from intermediate landscapes. Unlike other studies, landscape diversity within 300m was not found to significantly benefit pollinator diversity. Within especially agriculturally developed areas of the region, high abundances of pollinators suggest selection for a few dominant species. There was no effect of forage crops or aquatic habitats on pollinator diversity, indicating that less highly managed areas still represent degraded habitat within the landscape. Incorporating pollinator-friendly crops at the farm level throughout the region is likely to enhance pollinator diversity by lessening the negative effects of large monocultures.

Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara L.) is a key noncrop host of the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli Šulc), proposed to be a source of the psyllids that colonize potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) fields in the northwestern United States. Here, we describe the broader community of arthropod potato pests, and also predatory arthropods, found in bittersweet nightshade patches. Over 2 yr, we sampled arthropods in patches of this weed spanning the potato-growing region of eastern Washington State. The potato psyllid was the most abundant potato pest that we found, with reproduction of these herbivores recorded throughout much of the growing season where this was measured. Aphid, beetle, and thrips pests of potato also were collected on bittersweet nightshade. In addition to these herbivores, we found a diverse community of >40 predatory arthropod taxa. Spiders, primarily in the Families Dictynidae and Philodromidae, made up 70% of all generalist predator individuals collected. Other generalist predators included multiple species of predatory mites, bugs, and beetles. The coccinellid beetle Stethorus punctillum (Weise) was observed eating psyllid eggs, while the parasitoid wasp Tamarixia triozae (Burks) was observed parasitizing potato psyllid nymphs. Overall, our survey verified the role of bittersweet nightshade as a potato psyllid host, while suggesting that other potato pests also use these plants. At the same time, we found that bittersweet nightshade patches were associated with species-rich communities of natural enemies. Additional work is needed to directly demonstrate movement of pests, and perhaps also predators, from bittersweet nightshade to potato fields.

Studies of symbioses have traditionally focused on explaining one-to-one interactions between organisms. In reality, symbioses are often much more dynamic. They can involve many interacting members, and change depending on context. In studies of the ambrosia symbiosis—the mutualism between wood borer beetles and fungi—two variables have introduced uncertainty when explaining interactions: imprecise symbiont identification, and disregard for anatomical complexity of the insects. The black twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus Eichhoff, is a globally invasive ambrosia beetle that infests >200 plant species. Despite many studies on this beetle, reports of its primary symbionts are conflicting. We sampled adult X. compactus and infested plant material in central Florida to characterize the fungal symbiont community using dilution series, beetle partitioning, and DNA-based identification. X. compactus was consistently associated with two fungal taxa, Fusarium spp. and Ambrosiella xylebori. Multivariate analyses revealed that A. xylebori was strongly associated with the beetle mycangium while Fusarium spp. were associated with the abdomen and external surfaces. The Fusarium spp. carried by X. compactus are not members of the Ambrosia Fusarium Clade, and are probably not mutualists. Fungal community composition of the mycangium was less variable than external body surfaces, thus providing a more consistent fungal inoculum. This is the first report of spatial partitioning as a mechanism for maintenance of a multimember ambrosia fungus community. Our results provide an explanation for discrepancies among previous reports, and suggest that conflicting results are not due to differences in symbiont communities, but due to inconsistent and incomplete sampling.

The effects of plant quality on natural enemies are often overlooked in planning and executing biological control programs for insect pests in agriculture. Plant quality, however, could help to explain some of the observed variation in effectiveness of biological control, as it can indirectly influence natural enemy populations. In this study, we used the walnut aphid Chromaphis juglandicola (Kaltenbach) to address the effect of increased nitrogen availability to the host plant on parasitism by the specialist parasitoid Trioxys pallidus (Haliday). In laboratory experiments with walnut seedlings, a higher chlorophyll content index of the foliage in response to added nitrogen was correlated with a decrease in the number of mummies produced by female parasitoids over a 24h period but an increase in the proportion and the size of female offspring. In field sampling of walnut orchards, there was no relationship between the percent parasitism of walnut aphids by T. pallidus and the chlorophyll content index of the trees. Nitrogen fertilizer and plant quality can clearly affect biological control and should be given greater consideration in integrated pest management.

Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense Lour., is an invasive shrub within riparian areas of the southeastern United States. Biological control is considered the most suitable management option for Chinese privet. The potential host range of the lace bug, Leptoypha hospita Drake et Poor, was evaluated on the basis of adult feeding and oviposition, combined oviposition–nymphal development no-choice tests, nymphal development no-choice tests, multiple generation comparison on Forestiera pubescens Nutt. and L. sinense no-choice tests, and multiple-choice tests with 45 plant species in 13 families. No-choice tests showed that the host range of L. hospita was restricted to the tribe Oleeae. In adult feeding and oviposition no-choice tests, the bug fed and oviposited significantly more on Chinese privet than all other test plant species except for three native Forestiera spp., two nonnative Syringa spp., and another exotic Ligustrum sp. Among those, only F. pubescens supported complete development in numbers comparable to Chinese privet. However, when reared for multiple generations lace bugs reared on F. pubescens were smaller and had lower fecundity than those reared on L. sinense, suggesting F. pubescens is not an optimal host. In multiple-choice tests, L. hospita displayed a strong preference for feeding and ovipositing on Chinese privet over other test plant species, with the exception of the closely related nonnative Syringa spp. and its congenic species Ligustrum vulgare. The results of this study suggest that the risk to nontarget plant species in North America is minimal, and L. hospita would be a promising candidate for Chinese privet biological control.

Native bees provide essential pollination services to cultivated and wild plants worldwide. Despite the need to conserve pollinators, the foraging patterns of native bees are poorly understood. Classic concepts of resource use have typically categorized bee species as specialists or generalists based on floral visitation patterns. While intraspecific variation in bee foraging likely depends on local land use, sex, and phenological period, among other factors, these potential drivers of floral visitation are rarely explicitly investigated. In this study, we explore the potential for inter- and intra-specific variation in floral visitation by investigating the pollen loads of two solitary, similarly sized, ground-nesting native bee species within the Apinae, Melissodes tepaneca (Cresson) and Diadasia rinconis (Cockerell), categorized as generalist and specialist based on past floral visitation studies, respectively. Our analyses reveal generalist foraging and indicate that natural habitat availability significantly drives pollen load composition for both species. The putative specialist, D. rinconis, exhibited significant differences in pollen load composition between males and females, between pan and net collection methods, and between the different phenological periods. The putative generalist, M. tepaneca, exhibited significant differences in pollen load composition between the sexes, but only in the late season. Both species exhibited significant preference levels for multiple native plant species across the study region. Given that pollen collection is essential for native bee population persistence across natural and human-dominated habitats, our findings suggest consideration of both pollen collection and floral visitation patterns to holistically describe floral usage and develop pollinator conservation strategies.

Mass attack by tree-killing bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) brings about large chemical changes in host trees that can have important ecological consequences. For example, mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) attack increases emission of terpenes by lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.), affecting foliage flammability with consequences for wildfires. In this study, we measured chemical changes to Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Mirb.) Franco) foliage in response to attack by Douglas-fir beetles (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins) as trees die and crowns transitioned from green/healthy, to green-infested (year of attack), to yellow (year after attack), and red (2 yr after attack). We found large differences in volatile and within-needle terpene concentrations among crown classes and variation across a growing season. In general, emissions and concentrations of total and individual terpenes were greater for yellow and red needles than green needles. Douglas-fir beetle attack increased emissions and concentrations of terpene compounds linked to increased tree flammability in other conifer species and compounds known to attract beetles (e.g., α-pinene, camphene, and D-limonene). There was little relationship between air temperature or within-needle concentrations of terpenes and emission of terpenes, suggesting that passive emission of terpenes (e.g., from dead foliage) does not fully explain changes in volatile emissions. The potential physiological causes and ecological consequences of these bark beetle-associated chemical changes are discussed.

The spatial variation in the outcome of the interaction between secondary dispersers and seeds is superimposed upon the variation produced by primary dispersers. Investigating the factors that drive the outcome of the interactions with secondary seed dispersers thus represents an essential refinement to our understanding of the complete seed dispersal process. We studied the interactions between two ponerine ants (Pachycondyla striata Smith, 1858 and Odontomachus chelifer (Latreille, 1802)) with fruits experimentally set on the ground, and estimated the effects of ants on seedling establishment in three areas distributed along a 2-km stretch of a Brazilian Atlantic rainforest that differ in soil properties and vegetation physiognomies. We tested the hypothesis that interactions are more frequent, resulting in greater seedling establishment at the site with harsher abiotic and biotic conditions. Both ant species removed fruits frequently and have a positive effect on seedling establishment in all study areas, but fruit removal did not differ among areas, while seedling establishment was more pronounced at the site with stressful abiotic conditions. The two ant species differed in important aspects of their seed dispersal services, including the propensity to interact with seeds. As a result, both the species of ant and abiotic conditions interact at the scale of 2 km to determine the fate of seeds interacting with ants, thus creating a mosaic of outcomes with variable benefits to plants.

Potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is a key pest of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanales: Solanaceae) and a vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum,” the pathogen associated with zebra chip disease. In addition to its presence on cultivated crops, the psyllid regularly occurs on numerous uncultivated annual and perennial species within the Solanaceae. A better understanding of landscape-level ecology of B. cockerelli would substantially improve our ability to predict which potato fields are most likely to be colonized by infected psyllids. We developed three PCR-based methods of gut content analysis to identify what plant species B. cockerelli had previously fed upon. These methods included—1) sequencing PCR amplicons of regions of plant-derived internal transcribed spacer (ITS) or the chloroplast trnL gene from psyllids, 2) high-resolution melting analysis of ITS or trnL real-time PCR products, and 3) restriction enzyme digestion of trnL PCR product. Each method was used to test whether we could identify psyllids that had been reared continuously on potato versus psyllids reared continuously on the perennial nightshade, Solanum dulcamara. All three methods of gut content analysis correctly identified psyllids from potato and psyllids from S. dulcamara. Our study is the first to demonstrate that plant DNA can be detected in a phloem-feeding insect. Gut content analysis, in combination with other landscape ecology approaches, could help elucidate patterns in landscape-level movements and host plant associations of B. cockerelli.

The melonworm, Diaphania hyalinata L. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is one of the most serious insect problems affecting cucurbit production. We evaluated the relative preference and suitability of yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, and watermelon to melonworm by measuring its oviposition, larval feeding preference, survivorship, and developmental responses in the laboratory. Whole plants were used for oviposition study, whereas host leaf discs were used for all the other studies. Watermelon feeding resulted in the longest larval development period (14.3 d), greatest prepupal weights and survivals rates (92%; first instar to adult) among the four crops. However, for watermelon, adult oviposition preference (199.5 eggs/♀), egg survival (70%), and larval feeding (4.1% defoliation) were numerically or statistically lowest, and larval head capsule widths and wholebody lengths were smallest. When differences occurred among these variables, yellow squash, zucchini, and cucumber were each typically higher (or quicker to develop) than watermelon. So why do melonworm adults not prefer watermelon, or at least select it as frequently as squash and cucumber when ovipositing? The answer likely is that there might be some variation in the important chemical components among these cucurbits. We suggest that comparison of kairomones and allomones from watermelon and related cucurbits would be very useful for determining the combination resulting in the lowest risk of damage to the more susceptible cucurbits (assuming the levels can be modified without seriously affecting the crops).

Selective foraging by granivores can have important consequences for the structure and composition of plant communities, and potentially severe consequences for rare plant species. To understand how granivore foraging behavior affects common and rare plant species, diet selection should be viewed relative to the availability of alternative seed options, and with consideration of the individual attributes of those seeds (e.g., morphology, nutrient content). We examined the foraging decisions of Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus (Olsen), in semiarid grassland dominated by two species of grass, Poa secunda and Bromus tectorum, and two species of mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum and Lepidium papilliferum. The latter is a rare plant endemic to southwestern Idaho, and its seeds are readily consumed by P. salinus. We examined the diets of P. salinus colonies in June and July over three years and compared these values to the weekly availability of seeds on the ground in a 3–12-m radius around individual ant colonies. Small-seeded species (P. secunda, S. altissimum, and L. papilliferum) were usually overrepresented in the diet of ants relative to their availability, whereas the large seeds of B. tectorum were largely avoided despite being abundant and nutritious. The reduced travel time associated with carrying small seeds may overshadow differences in nutritional content among seed types, except in times when small seeds are in short supply. Lepidium papilliferum appears particularly vulnerable to seed predation, likely in part because it grows in dense patches that are easily exploited by foragers.

Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive insect that has caused widespread mortality of ash species in North America. The ability of emerald ash borer to utilize white fringetree as an alternate host was reported recently. We aimed to determine how long white fringetree has been under attack from emerald ash borer, the degree of attack, and the overall success of this beetle on this novel host. Stems from three of nine infested white fringetrees collected from the Dayton and Cincinnati, OH, areas in the winter of 2015 yielded four live adult emerald ash borers after being held in rearing containers, and numerous older exit holes were observed. Measurement and aging of feeding galleries on these stems indicated that emerald ash borer has been using this species since 2011, at least, with peak gallery densities reached in 2012 and 2013 on most of the harvested trees. On average, 32 galleries per square meter were found in these stems with about one-third of them being indicative of fourth-instar larvae. This supports the assertion that emerald ash borer has been using white fringetree as a host plant with moderate to good success for as long as ash species in these particular areas have been utilized.

Since 2003, growers of Florida watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] have periodically suffered large losses from a disease caused by Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV), which is transmitted by the whitefly Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), formerly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B. Common cucurbit weeds like balsam apple (Momordica charantia L.) and smellmelon [Cucumis melo var. dudaim (L.) Naud.] are natural hosts of SqVYV, and creeping cucumber (Melothria pendula L.) is an experimental host. Study objectives were to compare these weeds and ‘Mickylee’ watermelon as sources of inoculum for SqVYV via MEAM1 transmission, to determine weed susceptibility to SqVYV, and to evaluate whitefly settling and oviposition behaviors on infected vs. mock-inoculated (inoculated with buffer only) creeping cucumber leaves. We found that the lowest percentage of watermelon recipient plants was infected when balsam apple was used as a source of inoculum. Watermelon was more susceptible to infection than balsam apple or smellmelon. However, all weed species were equally susceptible to SqVYV when inoculated by whitefly. For the first 5 h after release, whiteflies had no preference to settle on infected vs. mock-inoculated creeping cucumber leaves. After 24 h, whiteflies preferred to settle on mock-inoculated leaves, and more eggs were laid on mock-inoculated creeping cucumber leaves than on SqVYV-infected leaves. The transmission experiments (source of inoculum and susceptibility) show these weed species as potential inoculum sources of the virus. The changing settling preference of whiteflies from infected to mock-inoculated plants could lead to rapid spread of virus in the agroecosystem.

Investigating the chemical ecology of agricultural systems continues to be a salient part of integrated pest management programs. Apple maggot fly, a key pest of apple in eastern North America, is a visual specialist with attraction to host fruit-mimicking cues. These cues have been incorporated into red spherical traps used for both monitoring and behaviorally based management. Incorporating generalist or specialist olfactory cues can potentially increase the overall success of this management system. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the attractiveness of a generalist olfactory cue, ammonium carbonate, and the specialist olfactory cue, a five-component apple volatile blend, when included as a component of a red attracticidal sphere system. Secondly, we assessed how critical it was to maintain minimal deviation from the optimal, full-round specialist visual stimulus provided by red spheres. Finally, attracticidal spheres were deployed with specialist olfactory cues in commercial apple orchards to evaluate their potential for effective management of apple maggot. Ammonium carbonate did not increase residency, feeding time, or mortality in the laboratory-based trials. Field deployment of specialist olfactory cues increased apple maggot captures on red spheres, while the generalist cue did not. Apple maggot tolerated some deviation from the optimal visual stimulus without reducing captures on red spheres. Attracticidal spheres hung in perimeter trees in orchards resulted in acceptable and statistically identical levels of control compared with standard insecticide programs used by growers. Overall, our study contributes valuable information for developing a reliable attract-and-kill system for apple maggot.

Harvester ants can be the dominant seed predators on plants by collecting and eating seeds and are known to influence plant communities. Harvester ants are abundant in coastal sage scrub (CSS), and CSS is frequently invaded by several exotic plant species. This study used observations of foraging and cafeteria-style experiments to test for seed species selection by the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex rugosus Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in CSS. Analysis of foraging behavior showed that P. rugosus carried seeds of exotic Erodium cicutarium (L.) and exotic Brassica tournefortii (Gouan) on 85 and 15% of return trips to the nest (respectively), and only a very few ants carried the native seeds found within the study areas. When compared with the availability of seeds in the field, P. rugosus selected exotic E. cicutarium and avoided both native Encelia farinosa (Torrey & A. Gray) and exotic B. tournefortii. Foraging by P. rugosus had no major effect on the seed bank in the field. Cafeteria-style experiments confirmed that P. rugosus selected E. cicutarium over other available seeds. Native Eriogonum fasciculatum (Bentham) seeds were even less selected than E. farinosa and B. tournefortii.

Variation in foraging behavior may indicate differences in food availability and allow assessment of restoration actions. Ants are prominent bioindicators used in assessing ecological responses to disturbance. However, behavioral data have been poorly incorporated as an index. The foraging performance of red harvester ants was quantified in order to evaluate the success of a restoration ecology experiment in the tropical dry forest of Sierra de Huautla, Morelos, in central Mexico. Foraging performance by granivorous, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, ants was diminished after 6 and 8 years of cattle grazing and wood harvest were excluded as part of a restoration experiment in a highly degraded biome. Despite investing more time in foraging, ant colonies in exclusion plots showed lower foraging success and acquired less seed biomass than colonies in control plots. In line with the predictions of optimal foraging theory, in restored plots where ant foraging performance was poor, ants harvested a higher diversity of seeds. Reduced foraging success and increased harvest of non-preferred foods in exclusion plots were likely due to the growth of herbaceous vegetation, which impedes travel by foragers. Moreover, by 8 years of exclusion, 37% of nests in exclusion plots had disappeared compared to 0% of nests in control plots. Ants' foraging success and behavior were sensitive to changes in habitat quality due to the plant successional process triggered by a restoration intervention. This study spotlights on the utility of animal foraging behavior in the evaluation of habitat restoration programs.

The time allocated by omnivorous predators to consuming prey versus plant-provided foods (e.g., pollen) directly influences their efficacy as biocontrol agents of agricultural pests. Nonetheless, diet shifting between these two very different food sources remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that previous diet composition influences subsequent choice of prey and plant food types. We tested this hypothesis by observing the foraging choices of Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) mites (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae), which were first maintained on either prey (broad mites) or corn pollen, and then offered familiar and unfamiliar foods. A. swirskii exhibited strong fidelity to familiar food, whether prey or pollen, suggesting there are physiological or behavioral costs involved in shifting between such different foods. Results illustrate the importance of previous diet for subsequent pest consumption by omnivorous natural enemies.

The western bean cutworm Striacosta albicosta (Smith), the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are among the major lepidopteran pests of maize in the United States, belonging to the same guild and injuring the reproductive tissues of this crop. Here, intraguild competition of these lepidopterans on non-Bt maize was evaluated through survival analysis of each species under laboratory and field conditions. Competition scenarios were carried out in arenas containing maize silk or ear tissue, using larvae on different stadium of development. Fitness cost competition studies were conducted to examine the influence of intraguild competition and cannibalism and predation rates on larval development. The survival of S. albicosta competing with the other species was significantly lower than in intraspecific competition, even when the larvae were more developed than the competitor. For S. frugiperda, survival remained high in the different competition scenarios, except when competing in a smaller stadium with H. zea. Larvae of H. zea had a high rate of cannibalism, higher survival when competing against S. albicosta than S. frugiperda, and reduced survival when the H. zea larvae were at the same development stadium or smaller than the competitors. Based on fitness cost results, the absence of a competitor for the feeding source may confer an advantage to the larval development of S. frugiperda and H. zea. Our data suggest that S. frugiperda has a competitive advantage against the other species, while S. albicosta has the disadvantage in the intraguild competition on non-Bt maize.

Aerial traps, using combinations of color and attractive lures, are a critical tool for detecting and managing insect pest populations. Yet, despite improvements in trap efficacy, collection of nontarget species (“bycatch”) plagues many insect pest surveys. Bycatch can influence survey effectiveness by reducing the available space for target species and increasing trap screening time, especially in areas where thousands of insects are captured as bycatch in a given season. Additionally, bycatch may negatively impact local nontarget insect populations, including beneficial predators and pollinators. Here, we tested the effect of pheromone lures on bycatch rates of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Apoidea (Hymenoptera), and nontarget Lepidoptera. Multicolored (primarily yellow and white) bucket traps containing a pheromone lure for capturing one of three survey target species, Spodoptera litura (F.), S. littoralis (Boisduval), or Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), were placed in alfalfa and corn fields, and compared to multicolored traps without a pheromone lure. All-green traps with and without H. armigera lures were employed in a parallel study investigating the effect of lure and trap color on bycatch. Over 2,600 Coccinellidae representing seven species, nearly 6,400 bees in 57 species, and >9,000 nontarget moths in 17 genera were captured across 180 traps and seven temporal sampling events. Significant effects of lure and color were observed for multiple taxa. In general, nontarget insects were attracted to the H. armigera lure and multicolored trap, but further studies of trap color and pheromone lure specificity are needed to better understand these interactions and to minimize nontarget captures.

Recent research has shown that several species in the genus Monochamus, including Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say) and Monochamus notatus (Drury), a close congener, are attracted to an aggregation pheromone, monochamol, but only M. s. scutellatus produces it. Investigations were conducted to determine if there is a diel rhythm in production of monochamol or response to monochamol + host attractants in field trials by M. s. scutellatus and M. notatus to prevent cross attraction with each other. Volatiles were collected from males and females of M. s. scutellatus and M. notatus every 8 h and analyzed by coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Traps baited with monochamol and the host volatiles α-pinene and ethanol were checked every 8 h in field tests. Only male M. s. scutellatus produced the pheromone, and did so in similar quantities during each 8-h time interval assessed, suggesting there is no diel rhythm in pheromone production. In field tests conducted in early to mid-July, significantly more M. s. scutellatus were captured during morning hours, and significantly more M. notatus were caught during afternoon or early evening hours, suggesting temporal partitioning of flight or in their response to the pheromone lures when both species are present. A temporal switch occurred later in the seasonal flight period (mid-August) when densities of M. s. scutellatus were low; all M. notatus and only one M. s. scutellatus were caught during morning hours. This suggests a temporal separation in mate location behavior when both species are abundant and using the same host to avoid interspecific mating.

Pitfall trapping is a sampling technique frequently used by entomologists around the world. However, there exist sampling biases linked to particular trapping designs, which require investigation. In this study, we compared the effects of the type of preservative fluid (propylene glycol or formaldehyde) and the presence of fish bait in pitfall traps on the number of specimens (individuals) collected, the species richness, and the species composition of carabid (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and silphid (Coleoptera: Silphidae) beetle assemblages. Traps containing propylene glycol collected a substantially higher number of individuals of both taxa and a higher number of silphid species compared with traps containing formaldehyde. The use of fish bait in the traps increased the number of individuals collected and the number of species collected for silphid beetles but had no effect on the collection parameters for carabids. The species composition of the carabid assemblages was minimally affected by the presence of fish bait or the type of preservative fluid, whereas the fish bait had a substantial effect on the species composition of silphids. The silphid species that feed directly on vertebrate carcasses were almost completely absent in the nonbaited traps. The results suggest that pitfall traps baited with fish and containing propylene glycol as a preservative fluid are optimal for the simultaneous sampling of carabid and silphid beetles, which both provide important ecosystem services (e.g., predation of pests and decomposition of vertebrate carcasses) and are therefore interesting for ecological research.

Methyl bromide is the most effective fumigant for controlling the mold (or ham) mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae), the most significant pest of dry-cured ham. However, methyl bromide is being phased out of use. Therefore, integrated pest management (IPM) methods should be developed to help control mites in dry-cured ham plants. The foundation of a successful IPM program is an effective monitoring program that provides information on pest presence and abundance over time. By using food-baited traps fabricated from disposable petri dishes and a dog food-based bait, mite activity over time and space was monitored in five dry-cured ham aging rooms from three commercial processing facilities that differed in their fumigation frequencies. Weekly sampling of the mite was conducted from June 2012 to September 2013. There were significant differences in the average weekly trap captures in all facilities, especially before and after fumigation, with the majority of mites in traps prior to fumigation. Mite numbers had a pattern of sharp decline after fumigation, followed by a steady increase until the next fumigation. Average trap captures varied due to trap location over the study period at all study sites, indicating that traps could be used to identify specific locations within an aging room where mite infestation of hams was more likely to occur. These findings can inform facility managers of mite population changes that can be used as one factor toward making pest management decisions and assessing the impact of fumigation or other pest mitigation actions.

Exotic ambrosia beetles are among the most damaging pests of trees grown in nurseries. The primary pests Xylosandrus crassiusculus Motschulsky and Xylosandrus germanus Blandford use ethanol to locate vulnerable trees. Research, primarily with X. germanus, has shown that flood-stressed trees emit ethanol and are preferentially attacked by ambrosia beetles. Our goal was to develop a media (also called potting soil) moisture threshold as an integrated pest management (IPM) tactic and assess grower practices that lead to ambrosia beetle attacks. Flooded Cornus florida L., Cornus kousa Burg., and Magnolia grandiflora L. trees incurred more attacks than unflooded trees that were not attacked. To determine optimal media moisture levels, we grew flood-tolerant Acer rubrum L. and flood-intolerant C. florida in containers with 10, 30, 50, 70, or 90% media moisture. No flooded or unflooded A. rubrum were attacked. However, C. florida grown in 70 or 90% moisture were attacked and died, whereas trees at 30 and 50% moisture were not attacked. Thus, we suggest an upper moisture threshold of 50% when growing C. florida and other flood-intolerant trees. However, during peak ambrosia beetle flight activity in spring 2013 and 2014, we found that media moisture levels in commercial nurseries were often between 50 and 90%. Implementing a media moisture threshold, as a new IPM tool, could reduce ambrosia beetle attacks and the need for insecticide applications, which is currently the only available management tactic. Future research should focus on how changes in substrates, irrigation, and other practices could help growers meet this threshold.

In this work, we report the effect of rainfall on Sternechus subsignatus Boheman, 1836, adult emergence after winter dormancy. This weevil is a univoltine soybean pest found in northwestern Argentina, a subtropical region with dry winters and rainy summers. Before harvest, fully grown larvae burrow into the soil where they overwinter. In the spring, they emerge as adults and recolonize the crop during its planting and early vegetative stages. Our study examines the seasonal timing of adult emergence with the aim of improving chemical control strategies and avoiding unnecessary pesticide applications. To do so, we developed a regression model to predict adult emergence onset as a function of cumulated rainfall after 1st November. The regression with the highest coefficient of determination between cumulated rainfall and adult emergence onset was Emergence onset (Julian day) = –7.98 Ln(cumulative rainfall) + 65.7. The negative relationship showed that adults emerged earlier in wet years than in dry years. Also it was observed that adults emerged from late November to mid-March, in pulses following periods of rainfall. Males were more abundant than females at first, but then the reverse was true toward the end of the period. In most cases, there was a suggestion of relationship (though not significantly) between peaks of adult emergence with peaks of rainfall 15 d before adult emergence. These results reveal that rainfall has a significant impact on the beginning and dynamics of adult emergence from the soil.

Determining the upper (CT_max) and lower (CT_min) critical thermal limits of invasive ants provides insight into how temperature could shape their distribution, seasonality, and daily activity. Understanding the potential distribution of invasive ants is imperative to improving quarantine and management efforts. Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (tawny crazy ant) and Solenopsis invicta (Buren) (red imported fire ant) are invasive ants that are established throughout the southeastern United States. Recent studies have found that body size and thermal ramping rate can affect the estimation of critical thermal limits. However, the effects of both variables and their interactions on the thermal limits of N. fulva and S. invicta have not previously been described. Thus, we evaluated the impacts of body size and ramping rate on the critical thermal limits of N. fulva and S. invicta. Overall, N. fulva had a narrower thermal breadth than S. invicta (Nf CT_min = 7.3° C and Nf CT_max = 41.3° C vs. Si CT_min = 4.1° C and Si CT_max = 45.3° C). For both species, slower ramping rates resulted in lower CT_max values and ants with smaller head capsules had a narrower thermal breadth than ants with larger head capsules. These data improve our understanding of the critical thermal limits of both species and could be useful for developing predictive models that estimate the future spread of these invasive ants in nonnative ranges.

The combined effect of temperature and age on development, survival, attack rate, and oviposition of the parasitoid Spalangia cameroni (Perkins) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) exploiting house fly pupae was investigated by conducting life-table experiments at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C. Temperature had a pronounced effect on survival and development of the immature stages. Survival was highest at 25°C, where 88.5% of the parasitized host pupae resulted in adult parasitoids, and lowest at 35°C when only 3.78% emerged. Females constituted between 50% (at 20°C) and 100% (at 35°C) of the surviving immatures. Males developed faster than females, with the shortest developmental times at 30°C (18.18 d for males and 19.41 d for females). Longevity of adult females decreased with temperature from 80 d at 15°C to 18 d at 35°C. Total attack rate of female parasitoids was highest at 20°C (106 hosts per female), and life-time reproduction highest at 20°C and 25°C (about 60 offspring per female). Sex ratio was female biased (65% females). A generic model was used to estimate and predict the temperature effect on the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m), the net reproduction rate (R₀), and the generation time (G). The model predicted that r_m peaks at 33.5°C (r_m = 0.182 d^–1), that maximum R₀ is reached at 27.2°C (R₀ = 50.2), and that the shortest generation time occurs at 34.5°C (G = 21.1 d). Doubling time was 4.19 d at 33°C. In the temperature range between 20°C and 30°C, S. cameroni has the potential to be an efficient control agent against nuisance flies.

Galeruca daurica (Joannis) is a new pest on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China. It is univoltine and overwinters in the egg stage. Larvae and adults feed on the foliage of Allium plants. To assess the requirements to terminate egg diapause and subsequent effects on post-diapause development rate, eggs were held at different temperature regimes. Exposure to low temperatures was required to terminate egg diapause. Prolonged exposure (2mo vs 1 mo) to 5°C and outside ambient conditions (mean temperature: 10.5°C; range: ^_7.1–21.6°C) enhanced the termination of egg diapause. Prolonged exposure also reduced the time to egg hatch; e.g., eggs held for 2mo versus 1mo at 5°C developed more quickly when subsequently placed at warmer temperatures. Egg hatch was observed at 17, 21, 25, and 29°C, but not at 15°C. Regression analysis identified 16.2°C as the minimum temperature for post-diapause development. The temperature requirement to complete embryonic development (from diapause termination to egg hatch) was calculated to be 103.1 to 140.9 degree-days.

We investigated the influence of developmental conditions on adult morphology, reproductive arrest, and winter stress tolerance of the invasive pest of small fruit, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Cooler rearing temperatures (15 °C) resulted in larger, darker “winter morph” (WM) adults than “summer morph” flies reared at optimal temperatures (25 °C). Abdominal pigmentation scores and body size measurements of laboratory-reared WMs were similar to those of D. suzukii females captured in late autumn in Geneva, NY. We evaluated reproductive diapause and cold hardiness in live-captured D. suzukii WMs as well as WMs reared in the laboratory from egg to adult under four developmental conditions: static cool temperatures (SWM; 15 °C, 12:12 h L:D), fluctuating temperatures (FWM; 20 °C L: 10 °C D, 12:12 h L:D), and static cool temperatures (15 °C, 12:12 h L:D) followed by posteclosion chilling (CWM; 10 °C) under short-day (SD; 12:12 h L:D) or long-day photoperiods (LD; 16:8 h L:D). Live-captured D. suzukii WMs and CWMs had longer preoviposition times than newly eclosed summer morph adults, indicating a reproductive diapause that was not observed in SWMs or FWMs. Additionally, recovery after acute freeze stress was not different between CWM-SD females and live captured WM females. More 7-d-old CWMs survived 0, –1, or – 3 °C freeze stress than summer morph adults, and more CWM-SD adults survived –3 °C freeze stress than CWM-LD adults. Survival after –3 °C freeze stress was significantly higher in diapausing, CWMs than nondiapausing SWMs and FWMs.

The effects of three transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) rice lines, KMD1, KMD2, and G8-7, on biological parameters and population dynamics of nontarget insect, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) (Homoptera: Aphididae), were investigated in the laboratory and field. No significant differences were found between Bt and non-Bt rice lines for aphid survival. The developmental time of R. maidis that fed on KMD1 and KMD2 did not differ significantly from those of the individuals feeding on the parental variety Xiushui11, but significantly prolonged developmental time was observed on G8-7 as compared with its parental variety Xiushui110. Aphid fecundity was significantly higher on Bt than on parental rice. A 2-yr field survey indicated that Bt rice did not significantly affect the population dynamics of R. maidis in comparison with non-Bt rice. Additionally, guttation droplets of Bt rice and aphids feeding on Bt rice were analyzed for presence of Cry1Ab using ELISA. No Cry1Ab protein was found in aphid adults feeding on Bt rice lines both in the laboratory and field. By using the guttation droplets from the top of rice seedlings, we designed a novel method to collect phloem sap, and found that relatively low concentrations were detected in the guttation droplets from Bt rice lines. In conclusion, although the Bt rice lines tested in this study stimulate the fecundity of R. maidis, the aphid population density did not increase in Bt rice fields.