Spatial distribution of larvae of the pestiferous midge, Glyptotendipes paripes Edwards in relation to selected sediment physical conditions was monitored for 1 year in 3 eutrophic central Florida lakes. Two of these lakes (Monroe and Wauburg) supported a distribution pattern of high densities on the firm peripheral sediments of the lakes, while the third lake (Eustis) displayed the opposite pattern of higher densities in the soft sediments at the lake center. Linear and multivariate analyses revealed that the presence of larval fecal pellets and larger sized particles in the Lake Eustis sediments were strongly associated with the latter distribution pattern. In all 3 lakes, sediment dry weight, and particle size composition were not significantly associated with larval density. In these lakes, G. paripes distributions appear to be strongly influenced by the physical structure of the soft, organic sediments at the lake center; sediments with large particles and considerable accumulation of fecal pellets would support higher densities of the larvae which also exist in relatively firm sediments close to the lake margin. This provides valuable information to lake managers attempting population management of this nuisance species.

A spatio-temporal larval distribution model of the nuisance midge Glyptotendipes paripes Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae) was used to design resource efficient sampling plans for the assessment of location(s) supporting nuisance population levels of this species in Lake Monroe (central Florida, USA). The model used bathymetric and sediment maps with lake water levels and temperatures of the prior month to estimate lake areas supporting relatively low larval populations (<100/m²) that require minimal monitoring effort, and areas that potentially support nuisance levels of G. paripes larvae, requiring greater sampling resources. The advantage of this system is that the geographic stratification can be altered for each sampling effort to meet prevailing conditions in the lake and without relying on a generic stratification that may not match the existing lake situation.

We surveyed poneromorph ants of Morelos state in south-central Mexico with pitfall traps and hand collecting. In total, we collected 16 poneromorph species representing 9 genera (Anochetus, Ectatomma, Gnamptogenys, Hypoponera, Leptogenys, Odontomachus, Pachycondyla, and Patythyrea). Although all 16 species are previously known from Mexico, our records increase the number of poneromorphs known from Morelos from 5 to 18. The most commonly collected species were O. clarus, G. striatula, E. tuberculum, and H. opaciceps, all extremely widespread Neotropical species. Some information is provided on distribution, foraging strati, and nesting.

The influence of temperature on the insecticidal effect of 3 commercially available modified diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations and their mixture against adults and larvae of Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val originating from different European geographical locations was evaluated in laboratory tests. The temperatures tested were 20, 25, and 30°C. The T. confusum populations (strains) originated from Greece, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Denmark. Mortality counts were carried out after 7 d of exposure of T. confusum individuals to DE-treated wheat. The 3 modified DEs tested were PyriSec, Insecto, Protect-It, and a mixture of the three. The dose rates tested were 500 and 1000 ppm. The strains from Portugal and France were the least susceptible to DEs, while the most susceptible one was the strain from the United Kingdom. The increase of temperature in many of the combinations tested increased the efficacy of DE formulations against both adults and larvae, but there were some cases in which temperature had no effect on DE efficacy. Moreover, adults were more tolerant than larvae to the DEs tested as well as to their mixture, regardless of the strain or temperature. The present study clearly indicates that there are serious variations in the efficacy of DEs against T. confusum individuals originating from different geographical regions, and several factors affect this efficacy, such as the type of formulation and the temperature level prevailing.

A new neotropical species of Aganaspis (Hymenoptera: Figitidae, Eucoilinae) is described and compared to other Aganaspis species occurring in the Neotropical Region. This thelytokous species was reared from pupae of 2 species of fruit flies in the genus Rhagoletis (Diptera: Tephritidae), both in the suavis species group, and collected from 2 species of native walnuts in Mexico. Evidence of host specialization through diapause timing and notes on basic biology are provided.

A new species, Encarsia citricola sp. n., reared from Trialeurodes floridensis (Quaintance) collected in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico, is described and illustrated. A review and a key to 9 parasitoid species attacking T. floridensis are provided. In addition, 4 species of chalcidoid wasps are recorded for the first time as parasitoids of T. floridensis in the New World.

Little is known about the frequency of water mite ectoparasitism (Acari: Hydrachnida) within and among damselfly species of Central Florida. Here I present a field survey of the assemblage of damselflies and their water mite parasites at the Archbold Biological Station (Lake Placid, FL) during late Mar, 2006. During this period, 4 species of damselfly were abundant: Ischnura hastata (Say) and Nehalennia gracilis Morse captured only at pond sites; and Argia fumipennis atra Gloyd and Ischnura ramburii (Selys) captured at a lake site. Only pond damselflies had water mites, and 12.2% and 12.5% of I. hastata and N. gracilis were parasitized, respectively. These are 2 novel and unreported odonate-acari associations for this area. I also examined within-species differences in ectoparasitism by sex, body size, and wing-cell fluctuating asymmetry. However, these factors did not relate to the prevalence and intensity of parasitism in the field. My study indicates that brief surveys of odonates in Central Florida will likely generate novel, unreported associations with parasitic water mites—this information is important to address the gap in natural history for southeastern distributions of North American water mites.

Fly longevity is critical to sterile release programs for Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) because the longer sterile flies are present after a release, the greater the probability of mating. Current release programs provide sterile, adult medflies with sucrose in an agar matrix for 2-3 d before release. We used cages to compare the effects of different diets on the longevity of medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). A diet of dry hydrolyzed yeast sucrose supplied during the pre-release interval did not significantly affect field survivorship of medfly adult males relative to the standard sucrose diet. Post-release diets, simulating nitrogen and sugar sources that released medflies may find after release, had significant effects on medfly survivorship. Hydrolyzed yeast sucrose resulted in the highest medfly survivorship, followed by sucrose, and then water alone. Finally, diets containing hydrolyzed yeast were not found to have significant amounts of protein and thus are more likely nitrogen or amino acid sources for flies, rather than sources of protein.

Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope Noyes & Menezes (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a gregarious, koinobiont parasitoid of the Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). We investigated effects of larval competition on development, survival, and progeny body size of the parasitoid over a range of brood sizes and sex ratios. We recorded the brood size, sex ratio, and fitness parameters of parasitoids developing from second instars and adult P. madeirensis. Adult mealybugs as hosts produce larger brood and progeny body sizes and more female progeny. Second instar P. madeirensis continued to develop after parasitism, and mummies achieved a more advanced developmental stage yielding parasitoid cohorts of larger brood and body sizes, female-biased sex ratio, and longer developmental time than mummies formed from younger host instars. Overall, the sexual composition within a brood had little or no effect on the development, survival and body size of the parasitoid progeny developing from second instar and adult mealybugs. Larval competition among brood-mates developing in adult mealybugs caused a reduction in the progeny tibial length with increasing brood sizes. In contrast, parasitoids developing from second instar mealybugs had a longer developmental time and little (although positive) or no response in the progeny tibial length to increasing brood size. We hypothesize that the continuous development of second instar mealybugs allows the hosts to accumulate additional resources, thus, reducing competition among parasitoid brood mates for limited resources. The continuous development of hosts of younger developmental stages after parasitism may have the potential to alter the direction and intensity of larval competition of the koinobiont gregarious parasitoid.

Experiments were conducted in 2005 and 2006 in western Washington state to determine effects of adding ammonium carbonate (AC) and ammonium acetate (AA) to GF-120 NF Naturalyte® Fruit Fly Bait (Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN) on attraction, feeding, and control of the apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh). In the field, sticky yellow panel traps baited with GF-120 10% AC attracted more flies than those baited with GF-120 10% AA or GF-120 alone. In the laboratory, female flies responded more frequently to sucrose and 20% GF-120 than to water and 40% GF-120 10% AA on apples, perhaps because of the confined conditions during testing. In the field, fly attraction and feeding were greater for GF-120 10% or 2.5% AC or AA than GF-120 alone on apple leaves. In 2 spray tests with 100 mL of GF-120 alone and GF-120 2.5% AC or AA applied on single apple trees, larval infestations in fruit were reduced up to 99% compared with controls, but there were no differences among treatments, and none was different from spinosad alone. Results indicate the attractiveness of GF-120 to R. pomonella can be increased with added ammonia, but that this does not necessarily result in greater control, perhaps because the added ammonia volatilizes too quickly. Results suggest that at the spray volumes used, GF-120 alone or even spinosad alone can greatly reduce local R. pomonella populations in Washington.

Planthoppers in the genus Belocera Muir, 1913 (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae: Delphacinae: Tropidocephalini) feed exclusively on bamboo (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). Three species, B. sinensis Muir (Macao, Taiwan, Guizhou, Hainan, China), B. nigrinotalis Ding and Yang (Yunnan, China), B. fuscifrons Chen (Guizhou, China), and 2 new species, B. lanpingensis Chen and Yang sp. nov. (Yunnan, China), B. ampelocalama Chen and Tsai sp. nov. (Guizhou, China) are described in this manuscript. One new synonymy reported, B. huangbiana Kuoh, 1980 is a junior synonym of B. sinensis Muir, 1913. The male of B. fuscifrons is reported and described for the first time. The generic characteristics are redefined. The main morphological features, male genitalia of 5 species and female genitalia of 3 species are described or redescribed and illustrated (excluding B. nigrinotalis). A key for identifying the species of the genus of Belocera is provided.

Four species in the genus Arcofacies Muir, 1915 in China (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae: Delphacinae: Tropidocephalini) feeding exclusively on bamboo (Bambusoideae), are reviewed. The 4 species are A. fullawayi Muir, 1915 (Fujian: Wuyishan; Taiwan: Taibei, Gaoxiong, Nantou; Sichuan; Hainan; Guizhou: Luodan, Wangmo), A. maculatipennis Ding, 1987 (Guizhou: Luodian, Guiyang, Xishui, Chishui, Daozhen, Changshui, Fuqian), A. strigatipennis Ding, 1990 (Fujian: Wuyishan), and A. ampelocalamus Chen sp. nov. (Guizhou: Daozhen). The main morphological characters and male genitalia of the 4 species are described or redescribed and illustrated. A key for identifying the species of Arcofacies from China is provided. The importance of these as a pest on bamboo is discussed briefly, and biological notes of the new species are given.

Acanalonia excavata Van Duzee, described from Nicaragua, has been found at 4 localities in Florida. Although 6 species of Acanalonia have been reported from Florida, 2 species known from single disjunct records, A. concinnula Fowler and A. virescens Stål, are either in error, or finds have not been replicated. A key for the identification of the resulting 5 species known to occur in Florida is provided. The male and female genitalia of A. excavata are illustrated, and the placement of this species in the key to the United States species is indicated.

A survey of parasitoids of the pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii Cano), one of the most important pests of peppers in North America, was conducted in Mexico as part of a search for biological control agents of this pest. Surveys were conducted in different years on the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts in Mexico. We recovered parasitoid species belonging to 7 genera: Triaspis eugenii Wharton & López-Martínez, Urosigalphus sp., Bracon spp.; Catolaccus hunteri Crawford; Eurytoma spp.; Eupelmus sp.; and Ceratoneura sp. The latter species might be a newly recorded genus for this pest. Catolaccus hunteri, T. eugenii, and Urosigalphus sp. represented 96% of all recovered specimens. Triaspis eugenii was collected only in Nayarit, and Urosigalphus sp. predominated in Oaxaca; both locations are on the Pacific Coast. Catolaccus hunteri was present at every sample site. The biology of the braconids T. eugenii and Urosigalphus sp. would seem to make them best suited for biological control of pepper weevil due to their presumed host specificity and habit of attacking the host egg.

Experiments to determine the toxicity of commercially available dishwashing liquids (Palmolive®, Dawn® and Joy®) and household cleaners (409®, Fantastik®, Fantastik® Orange, Dawn® Power Dissolver, and Greased Lightning®) against cockroaches were conducted with two application techniques, spray and immersion. All brands and formulations of dishwashing liquids and cleaners tested were equally as toxic to adult German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), achieving 92-100% mortality at 1% dishwashing liquid solution and 83-100% mortality with 100% cleaner solution via an immersion application. The Palmolive® dishwashing liquid LC₅₀ was 0.54% against adult German cockroaches with a spray application and 0.56% with an immersion application. Contact sprays were not effective against adult American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana (L.). However, dishwashing liquid immersion applications resulted in a 0.24% LC₅₀. Mortality of German cockroach nymphs compared to adults was tested by contact spray and immersion applications of Palmolive® dishwashing liquid. Mortality of nymphs and adults by immersion were equal with 94-100% nymphal mortality and 97-100% adult mortality at a 1.4% dishwashing liquid concentration. Upon immersion in the dishwashing liquid solution, German cockroaches arched their abdomen and air bubbles were observed escaping from the abdominal spiracles. Cockroaches were unable to remain at the surface of the solution and sank to the bottom of the container within 30 seconds of immersion.

Traps baited with pheromone lures were deployed in a Florida citrus grove at various dates over the course of 1 year to describe the seasonal flight phenology of the leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton. To compensate for lure degradation, a correction factor was applied based on a regression model of relative lure efficiency, expressed as a percent of the catch of a freshly deployed lure as a function of the number of days each set of lures was deployed. The regression of percent trap catch vs. number of days deployed yielded a quadratic expression that predicts 50% loss of lure attractiveness at 50 d after lure deployment and 90% loss at 137 d. The data transformed for lure degradation revealed 4 apparent population density peaks including 2 minor peaks with highest mean trap catch in early Apr and late Oct, and 2 major peaks with highest mean trap catch on 31 May and 1 Aug. A very small number of moths were collected on control traps without a lure. However, the pattern of trap catch on unbaited sticky cards closely paralleled that of the pheromone-baited traps.

The psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama vectors a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, in Florida which is responsible for citrus greening disease (huanglongbing), one of the most serious diseases of citrus. Despite the great economic importance of D. citri to citrus production, little is known about the reproductive biology and behavior of this insect. We conducted studies to determine the copula duration, the age at which both males and females reach reproductive maturity, the pre-oviposition period, the daily timing of mating activity in a laboratory colony, and the temporal dynamics in the sex ratio of a cohort of newly eclosed adults. The emergence patterns of males and females were strikingly similar, with no evidence for protandry or protogyny. Both sexes reached reproductive maturity by 2-3 d post-eclosion. Oviposition generally began within 1 d after mating, but was longer when females were mated at 2 d of age. Mean ± SEM copula duration was 48.3 ± 8.4 minutes (range: 15.2-98.0). Mating on orange jasmine was observed almost exclusively on flush shoots during daylight hours, with no obvious peak of daily mating activity. Mating activity may be constrained during scotophase in part by cooler temperatures and lack of light. Methods for carrying out mating experiments with this species are described.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren is a serious invasive insect that is native to South America. Its presence was officially announced in mainland China in Jan 2005. To date, it has been identified in 4 provinces in mainland China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Fujian) in a total of 31 municipal districts. The total area reported to be infested by S. invicta in late 2006 was about 7,120 ha, mainly in Guangdong Province (6,332 ha). Most of the reported human stings are in the heavily infested area around Wuchuan City. The most commonly reported reactions have been abnormal redness of the skin, sterile pustules, hives, pain, and/or fever. It has been predicted that most of mainland China is viable habitat for red imported fire ants, including 25 of 31 provinces. The probable northern limit of expansion reaches Shandong, Tianjing, south Henan, and Shanxi provinces. Traditional and new insecticides including the bait N-butyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide and the contact insecticide Yichaoqing have been developed and used to control S. invicta. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Chinese government have established an 8-year eradication program (2006 to 2013) for S. invicta in China.

The clover stem borer (CSB), Languria mozardi Latreille (Coleoptera: Languriidae) at various life stages (larva, pupa and adult), was discovered on canola (Brassica napus L.; Brassicaceae) during the 2000-01 growing season; these plantings were part of the canola nursery at Alabama A&M University's Winfred Thomas Agricultural Research Station (WTARS) located in northern Alabama. This was the first and, so far, the only record of L. mozardi on canola. Given the wide range of host plants on which CSB has been reported to occur, this North American endemic species may pose a potential threat to canola production in the United States. Although our data showed differential preference for canola cultivars by CSB, damage by this species on canola was negligible. A comprehensive list of plant hosts of L. mozardi is also presented in this report.

The predatory hemipteran Empicoris subparallelus McAtee and Malloch, belonging to the family Reduviidae, subfamily Emesinae, is reported from Grassy Key, Key Largo, Long Point Key, and No Name Key in the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida. This is a new species record for the Florida fauna, and only the second state record for the United States. A diagnosis, description, and digital images of the adult are provided to help distinguish this species from other species of Empicoris in Florida.

Large numbers of field-collected tobacco budworms Heliothis virescens L., and/or bollworms Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (heliothines) might be difficult to obtain depending upon host plants available to the insects. Of the >95 cultivated and wild plants that have been identified as their hosts, some are highly attractive to these insects, some are also widely available and of those, some could be used to collect large numbers of both insect species. However, the reliability of these plants in space and time in providing abundant samples of larvae and/or moths is not well understood. We studied naturally-occurring heliothine populations over a 3-year period in 2 different geographic locations in plots of garbanzo bean (Cicer arietinum L.), upland cotton (Gossipium hirsutum L.), and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medikus) finding that garbanzo bean produced significantly higher numbers of tobacco budworm and bollworm larvae and adults as compared to the other 2 plant species. Tobacco budworm larvae were found in at least 1 host plant (primarily garbanzo) all the years in both locations while bollworm larvae were not. Field moth emergence represented ≤10% of its larval densities and abiotic factors made a difference on moth emergence between years. When large numbers of both insects are needed for field or laboratory studies, garbanzo bean offers a clear advantage over cotton or velvetleaf to obtain collections of heliothines.