Three new synonyms are proposed for the Gyrophaena Mannerheim species from East Asia: G. cariniventris Cameron, 1933 = G. tricuspidata Assing, 2005; G. triquetra Weise, 1877 = G. sunanica Pasńik, 2001; and G. yotsudeba Cameron, 1933 = G. defecta Cameron, 1933. Redescriptions, habitus photos, and line drawings of diagnostic characters are provided. Gyrophaena cariniventris and G. yotsudeba are reported for the first time in the Korean peninsula.

A survey of Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) was conducted in a forest fragment and an orange orchard located in the Gavião Peixoto municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil to identify dominant predator species that may be important in the biocontrol of orange pests. Beetles were captured by pitfall traps arranged along 2 parallel transects 200 m long, placed across the orchard/forest boundary, extending 100 m into each habitat. The Shannon-Wiener diversity and Bray-Curtis similarity indices were calculated for both habitats, and habitat preference of abundant species were investigated by analysis of variance. Carabids comprised 91% and 86% of the beetles observed in the fragment and orchard, respectively. Abaris basistriata Chaudoir, Athrostictus sp.1, Tetracha brasiliensis (Kirby), Pseudabarys sp. 1, Selenophorus seriatoporus Putzeys, Selenophorus sp.4, and the staphylinid Xenopygus sp.2 were the dominant species. There was no significant increase or decrease in carabid and staphylinid species richness from the edge to the interior of the fragment and orchard. Abaris basistriata prefered the forest fragment and the orange orchard, while Athrostictus sp.1, Pseudobarys sp., Selenophorus sp.4, and S. seriatoporus were orchard associated. The presence of ground vegetation on the orchard soil can have favored the establishment of ground-dwelling beetles that may be acting to control important orange pests. Dominant species determined in this study should be considered in future researches aiming to enhance the biocontrol in orange orchards.

The genus Bagnalliella Karny is an endemic North American genus of Phlaeothripidae with 7 species associated with the New World plant genus Yucca; 2 Old World species currently placed in the genus are probably not congeneric. The number of sensoria on antennal segments III and IV has been used to distinguish the Bagnalliella species on Yucca, but an invasive population of Bagnalliella yuccae (Hinds) is reported here from Australia, at Brisbane, Queensland, in which the number of sensoria varied between individuals and even between left and right antennae of single individuals. These observations cast considerable doubt on the validity of some of the North American species of Bagnalliella. The Australian population was damaging young leaves of Yucca elephantipes, and indicates the ease with which thrips can be distributed by the horticultural trade.

Two new species of the genus Longipenis Wu (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae), L. paradeltidius M. Wang and Xiong, sp. nov. and L. dentivalvus H. Wang and M. Wang, sp. nov. are described from South China. Longipenis paradeltidius is very similar to L. deltidius Wu in external morphology, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by M3 free from CuA1 in the hindwing and cornutus as long as 2/3 length of aedeagus. Longipenis dentivalvus differs from the 2 preceding species by uncus not apically forked. Adults, male genitalia, and wing venation are illustrated. A key and a distribution map of the species are given. The type specimens are deposited in the Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.

The subfamily Ischnorhynchinae is distributed worldwide and is represented by 3 genera Kleidocerys, Neokleidocerys, and Polychisme in the American Continent. Here, we report this subfamily for the first time from Costa Rica, redescribe Kleidocerys virescens, Neokleidocerys goldmani, Polychisme poecilus, and describe a new species, Kleidocerys costaricensis n. sp. A dorsal habitus illustration of the male, drawings of the male genitalia, and scanning electron micrographs of some morphological features are provided for this new species. A key to all Costa Rican species in the subfamily is presented.

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype Q was first reported as an invasive species in 2005 in China. The present study is the first with this serious pest to determine the distribution and proportion with B. tabaci Q-SCAR (sequence characterized amplified region) marker, and to identify the distribution of the biotype Q through extensive survey and systematic sampling in most regions of China. We made 22 collections from 15 provinces in Sep–Oct, 2007. The results showed that B. tabaci biotype Q was found in 19 collections from Shangdong, Gansu, Shaanxi, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Guizhou, Tianjin, Shanxi, Hunan, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Hainan provinces. The proportion (%) of B. tabaci biotype Q occurrence varied from 6.4% to 95.2% in these 19 collections, and it dominated (>50%) in 10 collections. The genetic divergence analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene revealed that QSCAR marker was specific to biotype Q, and the non-Q biotypes mainly consisted of biotype B. The present results revealed that the biotype Q has become dominant across the country, and suggested that the displacement of non-Q biotypes by biotype Q has occurred in many regions. Furthermore, the introduction of the biotype Q might has mainly occurred through human activities rather than natural sources.

Many fruit flies in the genus Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini) are economically important insects. However, little attention has been given to the molecular phylogenetic relationship among Bactrocera subgenera. We explored the phylogenetic relationship among the 8 subgenera Afrodacus, Austrodacus, Bactrocera, Daculus, Gymnodacus, Paratridacus, Tetradacus, and Zeugodacus based on the sequences of 2 mitochondrial DNA fragments with a combined length of 1034 base pairs. The 2 mtDNA fragments are a 689-bp segment of the COI gene and a 345-bp segment of the 16S rDNA gene. Thirty-five individuals representing 7 Bactrocera species found in the Chongqing region in China were sequenced for both fragments, and sequences of the same gene regions were acquired from GenBank for another 20 Bactrocera species and 2 other tephritid species, Anastrepha ludens and Ceratitis capitata, which were used as out-groups for the phylogenetic analyses. We reported Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax and Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) diaphora sequences for the first time, and the subgenus Bactrocera (Tetradacus), here represented by B. (T.) minax and B. (T.) tsuneonis, was included for the first time in an analysis of the genus Bactrocera phylogeny Results of our analyses showed within-subgenus nucleotide diversity ranged from 9.1 to 19.0% among the subgenera, and the net divergence among subgenera ranged from 4.6 to 12.7%. Results of phylogenetic analyses based on maximum parsimony method supported that subgenus Bactrocera (Bactrocera) and Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) are paraphyletic. The subgenus Zeugodacus, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) caudate, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) diaphora, and Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) scutellata are closely related to Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) tau and Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) Cucurbitae. This results indicated that subgenus Austrodacus and Zeugodacus, which attack cucurbit plants, are closely related to species of the subgenus Afrodacus, Bactrocera, and Gymnodacus, which attack plants of numerous families. In addition, subgenus Paratridacus is a sister group to subgenus Tetradacus, and 7 species of the Bactrocera (Bactrocera) dorsalis complex (as defined by Drew & Hancock 1994) included in this study formed a monophyletic clade. Subgenus Daculus is 1lineage by itself, which does not fall into the Bactrocera group or Zeugodacus group.

Xylella fastidiosa is a plant pathogenic bacterium that causes many economically important agricultural diseases and is transmitted by the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Efficient detection of X. fastidiosa in field collected H. vitripennis in an area-wide management program can contribute to risk assessment associated with insect presence in vineyards. Prior to conducting molecular assays for detection of X. fastidiosa in individual insects, H. vitripennis must be removed from yellow sticky traps with a solvent such as orange oil. In this study, we determined the effect of orange oil concentration on extraction of individual H. vitripennis following trap removal on detection of X. fastidiosa by qRT-PCR. In a ten-fold dilution series of orange oil, increasing amounts of orange oil caused decreasing levels of X. fastidiosa detection in standardized positive samples. Additionally, tests on the effects of Stickem® brand trap adhesive on qRT-PCR and development of methods which lowered the concentration of orange oil often present in field samples determined the point where detection of X. fastidiosa was negatively impacted. These results benefit the monitoring and screening for Xylella fastidiosa from leafhoppers collected on sticky cards used in regulatory area-wide management.

A colony of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum Berg, suffered a die-off that involved 100% larval mortality in selected rearing containers. Preliminary microscope examination of wet mounts prepared from dead larvae revealed the presence of numerous uniform, highly refractive particles reminiscent of bacterial spores. Utilizing a combination of bacteriological, molecular, and chemical methods the causal agent responsible for this die-off was found to be a strain of the insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki. Significantly, larvae that were killed supported bacterial growth and sporulation. The gregarious feeding habit of this insect combined with the ability of this bacterium to amplify in dead larvae explains in part the observed rapid spread of sepsis in the rearing containers. Screening the various diet ingredients demonstrated that the cannellini bean flour harbored a variety of heat resistant bacilli including both Bacillus cereus and B. thuringiensis implicating it as the likely source of toxicity.

Two new species of the bamboo-feeding genus Bambusiphaga, B. hainanensis Hou and Chen sp. nov. and B. basifusca Hou and Chen sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), from Hainan Island, Hainan Province, southern China, are described and illustrated. Bambusiphaga hainanensis belongs to the citricolorata group and B. basifusca belongs to the fasica group. A key to the 22 known species of this genus in the world is provided.

In this study of the development cycle of Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal, during the month of Feb the incubation period of eggs averaged of 5.9 d. There were 6 instars, and larval development was completed in an average of 34.9 d. Adults lived an average of 413.8 d. During Sep, eggs hatched in 5.5 d, and there were 8 instars, lasting 54.2 d; adult longevity averaged of 433.7 d. There were 7 instars. The size of the head capsule was 0.7 mm for L1 and up to 2.8 mm for L7. Measurements of head capsule width used to determine instar in the field fell into 9 numerical groups, indicating there are 9 well-defined larval stages for S. acupunctatus. There is high mortality in the egg stage and of larvae in the first stages; while in the final larval stages and in the emergence of the adults there is a long period of stability in which the mortality is reduced to the minimum, and increases noticeably at the end of the adult stage.

Two new species, Anteon liui sp. nov. and Anteon zhangae sp. nov., are described from China. The first species was collected in Henan Province, Mt. Baiyunshan, and Zhejiang Province, Mt. Fenyangshan; the second species was collected in Guizhou Province, Mt. Leigongshan. Anteon liui can be recognized from the related Oriental species A. hirashimai Olmi 1993 and A. austini Olmi 1991 by the different length of notauli (reaching about 0.65 length of scutum in A. liui, reaching 0.3–0.4 length of scutum in A. hirashimai and A. austini). Anteon zhangae can be recognized from the related Oriental species A. muiri Olmi 1984 by the following characters: in A. muiri, notauli reaching about 0.65 length of scutum; scutum weakly punctate; head with OOL more than twice as long as OL; in A. zhangae, notauli reaching about 0.8 length of scutum; scutum sculptured by large and deep punctures similar to areolae; head with OOL slightly longer than OL.

Microtheca ochroloma Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), the yellow-margined leaf beetle, is a serious pest of crucifer crops in the southeastern USA. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of straw mulch on the abundance of M. ochroloma and ground predators in turnips in Florida, and subsequent influence on crop damage and yield. Eight plots (5 m long × 9 m wide) were established, and each plot consisted of 5 beds with 10 turnip plants each (50 turnips per plot). An 8–10-cm layer of straw mulch was applied by hand 2 d after planting to half of the plots in a complete randomized block design. The abundance of M. ochroloma and other insect herbivores were recorded twice weekly from Mar 13 to Apr 24, 2009. In addition, 3 pitfall traps per plot were used for sampling predatory arthropods during each sampling period. Higher numbers of M. ochroloma were found in plots with mulch compared to plots with no mulch, whereas greater numbers of ground predators were obtained in the no mulch treatment. The most abundant predators found in pitfall traps were ants, earwigs, and spiders, while lower numbers of predatory beetles were recorded. At the end of the experiment, greater leaf biomass (dry weight) was obtained from turnip plants grown in plots with straw mulch, but those plants suffered greater herbivory since the leaf area removed was greater in that treatment. Mean weight of tubers did not vary significantly between treatments. In conclusion, the use of straw mulch as a pest management option for M. ochroloma in crucifer crops on organic farms is not recommended.

Eastern cicada killer wasps (Sphecius speciosus Drury) mass-provision underground nest burrows with cicadas they capture and paralyze in nearby trees. We studied provisioning by female cicada killers at 2 aggregations in north Florida where a variety of cicada species, with a large range in body size, are used as prey. We captured and measured samples of male and female wasps and we uniquely marked samples of females. We measured and identified paralyzed cicadas that we retrieved from females as they were provisioning their nests. We compared the body sizes of male and female wasps, and cicada prey, between locations. The mean body sizes of male wasps, female wasps, and cicadas from the St. Johns site were much larger than those from the Newberry site. We determined the relationship between the size of individual female wasps and the size of their prey at both locations. Previous studies had concluded that cicada killer hunting is opportunistic, with females provisioning their nests with cicadas of different sex, species, and size in proportion to their relative abundance in the environment. However, we found that individual female cicada killers at these locations exhibited prey specificity by size. Small wasps brought only small cicadas to their nests, as they are likely constrained from carrying large cicadas in flight. Large wasps, not similarly constrained, rarely provisioned with small cicadas. The wasps appear to selectively hunt the largest prey they can carry in flight. Evidence suggests that the cicadas retrieved from wasps at the Newberry site were smaller because small female wasps predominate there, and not because there is a difference in the body size distributions of the cicadas between the 2 local environments.

It is unclear which ratios of yeast extract to sucrose result in maximum egg production and survival in many tephritid fruit flies. Objectives here were to determine yeast extract:sucrose ratios that maximize egg loads without compromising survival in western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran, and their effects on mortality caused by spinosad bait (GF-120). Yeast extract:sucrose ratios of 20:80 and 30:70 maximized egg loads without reducing survival in most cases. In 1 experiment, mortality of flies with low to high egg loads exposed to fresh GF-120 for 1 or 2 h in the absence of food did not differ. In a separate experiment, egg loads were lowest in flies fed 0:100 and 1:99 diets and highest in flies fed 20:80, 30:70, and 50:50 diets. When these flies were exposed to dried GF-120 for 6 h in presence of yeast extract and sucrose, percent mortality was lower in flies fed 20:80 and 30:70 (40%) than 0:100 (69%) and 1:99 (63%) diets. In another experiment, egg loads were lowest in flies fed 0:100 and 1:99 diet and highest in flies fed 20:80 diet. When these flies were exposed to dried GF-120 for 6 h in the presence of sucrose only, percent mortality was lower in flies fed 20:80 (39%) than 0:100 (72%) and 1:99 (62%) diets. High yeast extract:sucrose ratios result in high egg loads in R. indifferens and may reduce the fly's feeding responses to GF-120, although not to the extent that the bait is rendered completely ineffective.

Many bioassays of insect species are dependent on the use of laboratory-reared insects. If the purpose of the research is to assess the genetic variance present for an insect trait, e.g., insecticide-resistance monitoring, it is imperative to understand the potential mating dynamics and genetic contributions of adults to the larvae evaluated in bioassays. We report the results of a study utilizing a laboratory-reared colony of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). The changes in the population dynamics (e.g., numbers of males, females, fertile egg masses, mated females) were evaluated. Although the numbers of emerging females, living females, mated females and fertile egg masses changed during the experiment, the percentage of total females that were mated did not change (∼54%). The first of the females to emerge were beginning to die as later-emerging females were mating. Results suggest that experimental designs that rely on laboratory-reared O. nubilalis will need to test larvae from several nights of oviposition to better ensure that the total genetic composition of the population is sampled.

Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier is a figitid parasitoid of Anastrepha fruit fly larvae infesting fallen fruit. It is of potential use in biological control as a complement to parasitoids that attack larvae infesting fruit still on the tree and to parasitoids that can only oviposit into larvae near the surface of the fruit, because Odontosema pursues larvae deep within the pulp. A newly discovered Mexican all-female (presumably thelytokous) population, provisionally referred to here as O. near anastrephae, appears to be morphologically indistinguishable from arrhenotokous individuals. Thelytokous reproduction can potentially lower costs in mass rearing facilities and increase parasitoid efficacy in the field. PCR amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ITS2) genetic sequences suggested that these populations are genetically distinct, but no more so than often occurs among distinct populations within recognized species. In addition to the description of an all-female population of Odontosema, this study presents the first genetic sequence data for members of the genus Odontosema, enabling phylogenetic comparison between Odontosema and other figitid genera and the development of methods for the identification of Odontosema species by PCR. The implications of thelytoky for a cladistic definition of speciation, especially for newly diverging populations such as these, as well as the potential practical implications of our findings for fruit fly biological control, are discussed.