The redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is an exotic wood-boring insect that vectors laurel wilt, a lethal vascular disease of trees in the Lauraceae, including avocado (Persea americana) and native Persea species (redbay, swampbay). As part of research to identify host-based attractants for X. glabratus, we discovered that a diverse array of non-target ambrosia beetles was attracted to the same substrates as X. glabratus. During Sep–Dec 2009, several field tests were conducted in north Florida (in woodlands with advanced stages of laurel wilt) with traps baited with commercial lures of the essential oils, manuka and phoebe, and with freshly-cut wood bolts of avocado (a known host) and lychee (Litchi chinensis, a non-host high in the sesquiterpene αcopaene, a putative host attractant). In addition, manuka-baited traps were deployed in avocado groves in south Florida to monitor for potential spread of X. glabratus. The combined trapping results indicated that none of these substrates was specific in attraction of X. glabratus. Numerous non-target ambrosia beetles were captured, including 17 species representative of 4 tribes within the subfamily Scolytinae. This report provides photo-documentation and data on the species diversity and relative abundance for a group of poorly-studied beetles, the scolytine community in Florida Persea habitats.

Laboratory studies were conducted during the 2007 and 2008 dispersal seasons of the West Indian drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker), a serious urban pest of wooden structures. Attraction to light and subsequent colonization of this species were studied by observing the response of alates to lit and dark chambers. Several intensities of light were tested to determine if light intensity had a role in the alates' attraction to light and subsequent colonization. A bioassay was conducted with semi-shaded wood blocks to quantify negative phototaxis for the dealates. We found that the alates of C. brevis preferred flying into lit areas for colonization, and that the number of colonizations was highest in the high light intensity treatments. Negative phototaxis of the dealates was observed because these preferred to colonize in the dark habitat treatments. This information is important when deciding what control methods may be used to prevent C. brevis from colonizing wood structures. Traps with a high intensity light to attract C. brevis alates and to prevent infestation may be a way to monitor and control this urban pest.

Because both the application of a juvenile hormone analog, methoprene, and the addition of protein to the adult diet increased the sexual success of male Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), it was hypothesized that both might also impact male nutritional status. Total content of lipid and of protein in A. suspensa males were measured to discover if there was an effect of these treatments alone or in combination on the content of each of these subtstances. In the first 24 hours following adult emergence, 6 different treatments were applied (all possible combinations of methoprene in acetone solution or acetone alone, and protein-diet enrichment). Adult weight was determined for all treatments at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 d post-emergence. Dietary protein had a positive effect on the weight and total lipid and protein contents during the first 35 d of adult male life. There were minimal negative impacts from methoprene applications. Even though males were more active sexually, there was no significant change in weight or protein content during the study period. However, total lipid content decreased with age. The usefulness of methoprene to enhance the sexual performance of mass-reared tephritids destined for sterile release appears to outweigh any physiological costs/limitations that such treatment might confer.

The larvae of Cucujus c. clavipes Fabricius and C. c. puniceus Mannerheim are fully described and illustrated in detail for the first time. Based on larval and adult morphology the present recognition of two subspecies is maintained.

A total of 12,540 ripe fruits belonging to 46 species in 25 plant families were sampled from either the trees or the ground in 6 municipalities in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil between 2002 and 2006 to determine which fruit fly species developed on various host plants. Each fruit was weighed and placed into a plastic flask filled with sterilized sand 7 cm deep, and the opening of the flask was covered with sheer fabric. The flasks were kept under controlled conditions (25 ± 3°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 12h photophase). After 7 d, the pupae were sifted from the sand and transferred to Petri dishes lined with filter paper. Twenty-one species of Tephritoidea were recovered consisting of 13 species of Tephritidae, 6 of Lonchaeidae, and 2 of Ulidiidae. We present new host records for some species of fruit flies.

The southern chinch bug (Blissus insularis Barber) is the most damaging insect pest of St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum Walt. Kuntze), across the southern U.S.A. Susceptibility to the southern chinch bug and reproductive potential of the bugs on 24 cultivars from 7 genera in 8 turfgrasses were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Stenotaphrum secundatum (‘Raleigh’, ‘Texas Common’, and ‘Captiva’) cultivars were the most susceptible among all the turfgrass genera and each produced populations ≥97.5 bugs per 15-cm diameter plant within the 11-week test period from Jul to Sep 2008. Substantial populations also developed on zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) (‘Emerald’, ‘Empire’, ‘Palisades’, and ‘Zorro’) cultivars and on ‘609’ buffalograss (Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.). Low population development was recorded on cultivars of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.), centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.), seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.).

The importance of soil organic matter for Tomaras subtropicus Blatchley larval development and survival, the amount of damage larvae could cause on turfgrasses, and potential larval host range were investigated in greenhouse experiments. First instars were reared individually in seedling trays containing sand or peat, with or without St. Augustinegrass. Survival, developmental stage, and final weight were recorded 1 month after introduction. First instars died in the pots with peat but no grass, so it appears that grass roots were critical for larval growth and development. Soil organic matter did not significantly affect grub weight gain and development, but more root loss occurred with grass grown in sand. In host range tests (2005 and 2006), first and third instars were reared on 6 species of warm season grasses and ryegrass. Grub weight gain, development, survival and grass root reduction were determined 2 months after introduction. Larval survival ranged from 62–93% if grubs were reared on warm season grasses to only 40% if reared on ryegrass. Grubs reared on warm season grasses gained weight and successfully developed into third instars, indicating that all of the tested warm season turfgrasses were suitable for larval T. subtropicus growth and development. Grub feeding caused significant root reduction of all grasses in our study, which ranged from 36 to 87% and differed among grass species. As result, quality ratings and clipping yields decreased for most of the turfgrasses after 5 weeks of infestation, but bahiagrass and seashore paspalum were less affected by T. subtropicus root feeding, compared to the other grass species.

Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) forms dense monocultures that displace native vegetation in wetlands of southern Florida, USA. Faunal studies in the tree's native Australian range revealed several prospective biological control agents, including the leaf-blotching bug, Eucerocoris suspectus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae). This herbivore was imported into quarantine to assess risk to Florida native and ornamental species after preliminary Australian studies had indicated that it might be useful. Ornamental Melaleuca spp. suffered heavy feeding in no-choice adult feeding trials, with moderate feeding on some native Myrtaceae. Native species sustained light to heavy feeding in multichoice adult feeding trials and in a no-choice nymphal feeding trial. Feeding increased on native species in a large enclosure after M. quinquenervia was cut, allowed to dry, and then removed. Nymphs completed development only on M. quinquenervia and ornamental bottlebrushes, Melaleuca spp. However, inability to fully develop on non-target species is of limited importance as a criterion for release of insects with highly mobile immature stages as compared to less vagile species. Local movement from the host to other plant species could result in unacceptable non-target damage despite seemingly adequate developmental specificity. This insect would clearly harm native and ornamental Myrtaceae and should therefore not be released.

Field tests were conducted in south Florida to compare capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), in Multilure traps baited with either of the liquid protein baits torula yeast/borax or Nulure/borax, or with food-based synthetic lures including two-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine) and three-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine, trimethylamine). The highest relative proportion of females captured was in traps baited with the two-component Biolure (44–61%), intermediate capture was in traps baited with the three-component Biolure (14–24%) or torula yeast/borax (8–25%), and the lowest capture tended to be in traps baited with Nulure/borax (0–19%). Similar results were obtained for capture of males. Tests of the unipak two-component Biolure, which has a reduced ammonium acetate release rate and is a single package with both ammonium acetate and putrescine sections, captured similar numbers of both females and males as Biolure formulated in 2 individual packages. Traps baited with unipak Biolure combined with the addition of a trimethylamine lure captured fewer females than the unipak alone, but this was greater than capture in traps baited with torula yeast/borax. Our studies confirmed that the best lure for A. suspensa is ammonium acetate and putrescine. However, C. capitata-targeted traps baited with three-component Biolure should be as effective for A. suspensa detection and monitoring as traps baited with torula yeast/borax. The unipak two-component Biolure will provide the improved handling that has been requested by users.

Lures based on odors released by hydrolyzed protein were assessed for their attractiveness to Anastrepha obliqua and A. suspensa at 3 locations in Puerto Rico in Aug through Oct 2009. Lures compared included ammonium acetate combined with putrescine, hydrolyzed corn protein (Nulure) with borax, freeze-dried Nulure, freeze-dried Nulure in combination with ammonium acetate, freeze-dried Nulure in combination with ammonium acetate and putrescine, and the Unipak lure, a single lure containing ammonium acetate and putrescine. Where the distribution of trapped flies departed significantly from what would be expected given an equal attraction of the baits, Nulure and freeze-dried Nulure always attracted fewer flies than the other baits tested, regardless of species, sex, or location. Although all of the baits or bait combinations containing ammonium acetate attracted more flies than the Nulure or freeze-dried Nulure baits, there was a distinct trend of ammonium acetate and putrescine and the Unipak lures to attract more flies after the 4th week of the study and for the freeze-dried Nulure with ammonium acetate or in combination with ammonium acetate and putrescine to attract more flies in the 1st 4 weeks of the study. This trial is unique in that it was conducted in orchards of carambola, Averrrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae), a poor host for both fly species. Our results are compared with other studies on lures of A. obliqua and A. suspensa and the implications for monitoring/detecting pest Tephritidae are discussed.

The preferences of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) for larvae of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were evaluated under laboratory conditions in no-choice and dual-choice tests, based on percent parasitism, proportion of emerged parasitoids, proportion of female offspring, and number of parasitoid female visits to and ovipositor probes on the artificial oviposition device as different measures of host preference. In no-choice tests D. longicaudata females did not demonstrate a significant preference between C. capitata and A. fraterculus larvae. Nevertheless, D. longicaudata females showed a strong preference for A. fraterculus larvae in dual-choice test. Although female biased parasitoid progeny resulted in all assays, significantly more D. longicaudata female offspring emerged from A. fraterculus pupae than from C. capitata pupae. Thus, this study confirmed that both C. capitata and A. fraterculus are appropriate host for rearing D. longicaudata, but also provided evidence that female parasitoid progeny yield can be substantially improved by using A. fraterculus larvae as the host instead of C. capitata larvae.

We describe a method to quantify color in complex patterns on insects, using a combination of standardized illumination and image analysis techniques. Two color comparisons were investigated: (1) the percentage of blue in the submarginal band of the hindwing in yellow and dark morph females of Papilio glaucus L., and (2) the percentage of orange hues in the wings of 2 putative subspecies of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, P. g. glaucus L. and P. g. maynardi Gauthier. Live specimens were photographed in a light-box with standardized lighting and a color standard. Digital images were processed in LensEye® software to determine the percentage of selected colors. No significant differences were found in the percentage of blue between yellow and dark morph females, but the percentage of orange hues between P. g. glaucus and P. g. maynardi differed significantly. Color quantification can be a useful tool in studies that require color analysis.

The large fire ant decapitating fly, Pseudacteon litoralis Borgmeier, from northeastern Argentina was successfully released as a self-sustaining biocontrol agent of imported fire ants in south central Alabama in 2005. Five years later, this fly is firmly established at the original release site and has expanded outward at least 18 km. Nevertheless, populations remain very low considering P. litoralis is one of the most abundant fire ant decapitating flies in large areas of its range in South America. The reasons for low densities and why we were only able to establish this fly at 1 of 9 release sites in 4 states (2003–2006) are unknown, but problems with host-matching, release procedures, weather conditions, and competition with previously released decapitating flies are discussed as possible factors.

Multiple-choice and no-choice tests were conducted at the Florida Department of Agriculture quarantine facility to determine the host specificity of the South American flower bud weevil, Anthonomus tenebrosus Boheman, intended for biological control of the exotic weed tropical soda apple (TSA), Solanum viarum Dunal in Florida, USA. Ninety-one plant species in 21 families were included in multiple-choice feeding and oviposition experiments, including the target weed and the 6 major cultivated Solanaceae: bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), chili pepper (C. frutescens L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Plant bouquets with flower-buds of 8 to 10 randomly selected plant species, always including TSA (S. viarum) were exposed to 10–20 A. tenebrosus adults for 1 to 2 weeks. Oviposition and feeding were observed twice a week. No-choice host-specificity tests were also conducted with A. tenebrosus adults using potted flowering plants. Ten adults were exposed to 29 plant species individually tested for 1 to 2 weeks. Plant species in each test were replicated 3 or 4 times. All tests showed that A. tenebrosus fed and laid eggs only on the target weed. No eggs were deposited on any of the other of the 91 plant species tested. Host-specificity tests indicated that a host range expansion of A. tenebrosus to include any of the crops, and native Solanaceae, and non-solanaceous plants tested is highly unlikely. A petition for field release in the USA was submitted to the Technical Advisory Group for Biological Control Agents of Weeds (TAG) in Oct 2007.

Four different types of organic mulches were evaluated for their effects on soil surface insects and related arthropods. Field experiments were conducted in fall 2007 and 2008 near Citra, Florida. In both the years, five treatments were compared: cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) mulch, sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) mulch, sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor Moench × S. sudanense ((Piper)] Stapf) mulch, pine bark nuggets, and unmulched control. Data were collected on insects and other arthropods using pitfall traps. Results indicate that organic mulches can affect a wide range of different insects. Diptera, dominated by Asyndetus spp. (Dolichopodidae), were most dense in pine bark plots in both years. Populations of small plant-feeding insects such as Aphididae, Thripidae, and Aleyrodidae were most dense in cowpea and unmulched control plots in one season. It is possible that these insects were affected by weed growth in cowpea and control plots. Ants, which tend or feed on small plant feeders, were fairly abundant in these plots as well, as were predatory beetles. Some groups, such as Collembola (mainly Isotomidae), spiders, and Orthoptera (Acrididae and Gryllidae) were unaffected by mulches.

Anteon nanlingense sp. nov. and Anteon longum sp. nov. are described from Nanling National Nature Reserve (Guangdong, P.R. China). A check-list of Dryinidae from Nanling National Nature Reserve is presented.

Microencapsulation as a delivery mechanism of SINV-1 and other molecules such as dsRNA, offers an approach to Solenopsis invicta Buren management that is target specific and fits current approaches to baiting ants with toxins and/or RNA-interference. The delivery method presented here targets ground dwelling, foraging ants with an ant-infecting virus which is specific to the genus, Solenopsis. Endemic ant-infecting viruses, like S. invicta viruses (SINV-1, SINV-2, and SINV-3) are being evaluated for efficacy in S. invicta population suppression. In this study, SINV-1 (TX5 strain) was extracted from S. invicta colonies and microencapsulated in sodium alginate pellets. Pellets containing extracted whole virions were offered to confirmed non-infected S. invicta colonies. Colonies were sampled every 5 d and tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for presence of viral RNA. The longevity of control and viral pellets were also evaluated. Within 30 d, post-feeding of virus, 35% of S. invicta colonies acquired SINV-1 infection (P = 0.03). Thus, microencapsulation as a delivery mechanism was successful to deliver SINV-1 to S. invicta colonies. Future incorporation of this economically affordable method can be implemented to deliver biological agents for specific ant species and to augment current approaches that bait ants. While a virus was used to demonstrate delivery, an adequate and affordable virus production system still needs to be developed before a viral strategy can be adopted as a tool for biological control of fire ants.

In a two-year field study, sugarcane was planted on 4 dates ranging from the first week of Aug to the third week of Nov, reproducing sugarcane phenologies associated with planting and harvesting operations in Louisiana. Sugarcane planted in early Aug offered an extended period of plant availability for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), infestations during the fall. Periodic sampling throughout the fall showed that early Aug plantings had higher (P < 0.05) D. saccharalis-caused deadheart densities than later planted sugarcane. Destructive sampling conducted in early Oct showed that Aug plantings harbored greater deadheart densities (P < 0.05 in fall 2007) and D. saccharalis infestations (P < 0.05 in fall 2006 and 2007) than Sep plantings. Data from this study suggest a potential for increased D. saccharalis overwintering populations in early plantings associated with greater infestations during the fall. However, differences in deadhearts and D. saccharalis infestations in deadhearts were not detected (P > 0.05) during the spring. Three commercial sugarcane cultivare (‘L 99-226’, ‘L 97-128’, ‘HoCP 95-988’) were studied. Differences in D. saccharalis injury or infestations as affected by cultivar were detected (P < 0.05) only in early Oct 2007 when ‘HoCP 95-988” harbored 2.3-fold greater infestations than ‘L 99-226’.

The differential grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis (Thomas) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), frequently migrates from highway rights-of-way, pastures, and harvested fields to feed in urban/suburban landscapes and retail/wholesale nurseries across the southern and southwestern U.S.A., as these areas dry down during hot dry summers. Nine selected turfgrasses and 15 species of landscape plants were evaluated for their susceptibility or resistance to this grasshopper. Grasshoppers were collected from stands of Johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense, which was used as a standard host for comparison in both experiments. Based on feeding damage, number of grasshopper fecal pellets produced, and their dry weight, Zoysia matrella cv. ‘Cavalier’ was the least preferred grass followed by Buchloe dactyloides cv. ‘Prairie’ and Z. japonica cv. ‘Meyer’. Festuca arundinacea was significantly the most preferred host and sustained the most feeding damage, followed by Poa pratensis × P. arachnifera cv. ‘Reveille’ and 2 Cynodon spp. cultivars, ‘Tifway’ and ‘Common’. Among the landscape plants, Hibiscus moscheutos cv. ‘Flare’, Petunia violacea cv. ‘VIP’, Phlox paniculata cv. ‘John Fanick’, Tecoma stans cv. ‘Gold Star’, and Campsis grandiflora were the least damaged or most resistant. Plumbago auriculata cv. ‘Hullabaloo’, Glandularia hybrid cv. ‘Blue Princess’, Canna × generalis, Johnsongrass, and Cortaderia selloana cv. ‘Pumila’ sustained the most damage. Based on the number of fecal pellets produced and their weights, Canna × generalis and Glandularia hybrid cv. ‘Blue Princess’ were the most preferred landscape plants tested.

We evaluated mortality and developmental parameters of fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), to the single Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton trait, Bollgard® and dual Bt cotton traits (Bollgard II® and WideStrike™) by using a cotton leaf-tissue assay and by incorporating lyophilized cotton tissue into a meridic diet. Bioassays were conducted for both neonate and 3rd instars. Leaf tissue bioassays indicated that Bollgard II® and WideStrike™ are highly effective against fall armyworm neonates by causing mortality and by retarding development parameters such as larval weight, pupal duration, and time to adulthood. Bollgard® was not significantly different from non-transgenic cotton in terms of mortality or feeding, with the exception of the non—Bt (PhytoGen 425RF), which had an inherent form of resistance that is not associated with a transgenic event. Third instars evaluated with lyophilized diet bioassays were not as affected by the Bt traits to the same degree as neonates; however, larval weights were lower, and developmental parameters such as time to pupation and time to adulthood were longer. The duration of pupal development was significantly longer for 3rd instars that survived the highest dose of 5,000 µg of WideStrike™ cotton tissue. Sublethal doses for Bollgard II® and WideStrike™ were generally observed at 500 to 5,000 µg of lyophilized cotton tissue per mg of meridic diet, depending upon the variable (time to pupation, pupal duration, time to adult emergence) measured.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is an occasional but often serious pest of several row crops in the southern U.S., including cotton, field corn, and grain sorghum. The objective of these studies was to generate baseline dose-mortality responses for fall armyworm larvae in laboratory bioassays, to confirm field efficacy against natural infestations, and to determine residual efficacy of selected insecticides. These studies evaluated 4 recently developed insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, flubendiamide, and spinetoram) and 5 commercial standards (indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, methoxyfenozide, novaluron, and spinosad). In diet-incorporated assays, the LC₅₀ values of chlorantranilprole and spinetoram were significantly lower than the LC₅₀'s of all other insecticides. The results of a field trial against a native fall armyworm infestation in grain sorghum indicated that chlorantraniliprole reduced the number of infested whorls below that in the non-treated control and the lambda-cyhalothrin- and methoxyfenozide-treated plots at 3 d after treatment (DAT). At 7 DAT, no insecticides significantly reduced the number of infested whorls below that in the non-treated plots. In residual efficacy studies, exposure of fall armyworm larvae to chlorantraniliprole- and cyantraniliprole-treated tissue resulted in significantly greater mortality compared to those exposed to non-treated tissue and lambda-cyhalothrin-, flubendiamide-, novaluron-, and methoxyfenozide-treated tissues at 7 DAT. In addition, chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole were the only compounds that resulted in >40% mortality at 28 DAT. These results indicate that newer insecticides are equal to or more efficacious against fall armyworm than traditional insecticides.

Effects of flooding and herbivory by Diaprepes abbreviatus L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae on leaf gas exchange [net CO₂ assimilation (A), transpiration (E), and stomatal conductance (g_s)] and growth of green buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus L.) and Swingle citrumelo [Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. × Citrus paradisi Macf.] trees were tested. Growth and survival of the larvae were also examined. For each plant species, there were 2 larval infestation treatments (infested and non-infested) and 2 flooding treatments (flooded and nonflooded). Beginning 6 d after larval infestation, plants were flooded in three 1-wk cycles each with 2 d of flooding followed by 5 d of non-flooding. For green buttonwood, E was higher for non-flooded than flooded plants on the third of 5 measurement dates and A and g_s were higher for non-flooded than flooded plants on the fifth (final) measurement date. For Swingle citrumelo, E and g_s were higher for non-infested than infested plants on the fifth (final) measurement date. Root dry weight of Swingle citrumelo was higher for flooded, infested than for non-flooded, infested plants and for non-flooded, non-infested than for non-flooded, infested plants. Larval survival rate, head capsule width, and root damage rating of Swingle citrumelo were lower for flooded than for non-flooded plants, whereas flooding did not affect larval survival or growth on green buttonwood. Thus, short-term cyclical flooding of three 2d cycles may control D. abbreviatus larvae on Swingle citrumelo but did not control larval populations or reduce damage on green buttonwood.

Nursery growers and extension personnel have to rely on efficacy data from forest and landscape systems to manage hemlock woolly adelgid in nurseries. Considerable differences in tree size and culture and application logistics could make such data unsuitable. We evaluated 12 different insecticide formulations for short and long-term control of hemlock woolly adelgid in container grown Eastern hemlocks, Tsuga canadensis. All products provided control of first generation hemlock woolly adelgids, though efficacy of foliar applications of neonicotinoids dinotefuran, imidacloprid (Marathon® II), and acetamiprid and foliar or drench applications of spirotetramat acted the most quickly. Foliar and soil applications of neonicotinoids and spirotetramat also prevented reinfestation of second generation crawlers. In contrast, second generation hemlock woolly adelgids successfully colonized trees treated with the contact insecticides, horticultural oil and bifenthrin. Systemic insecticides provided season-long control of hemlock woolly adelgid when applied to foliage, which is the preferred method of application of nursery growers.

The grape root borer, Vitacea polistiformis Harris, is the principal pest of grapes (Vitis spp. L.) in Florida where chlorpyrifos is 1 of the few chemicals registered for its control. However, chlorpyrifos is not an ideal treatment because it is highly toxic to birds, fish, aquatic invertebrates, and honeybees. Also, the recommended timing of application conflicts with harvest dates. There is an effective cultural control method, known as mounding, but this method is currently cost prohibitive for commercial production and is not widely used. If mounding could be applied only to infested plants, the cost of this method would be reduced considerably. This study evaluated the potential of acoustics for detecting the larvae in-situ. Human listeners assessed likelihood of arthropod infestation for each site based on live acoustic samples as they were being recorded. Computer software later constructed acoustic indicators from these recordings that were used for computer assessment of infestation likelihood. After recording, the roots of sampled vines were excavated to determine infestation levels. Infestation likelihood predictions of both human listeners and computer software largely reflected infestation condition of tested sites. Consequently, acoustic methods could be developed as tools for growers to employ mounding only at sites most likely to be infested, and thus enable more cost-effective use of this cultural control tactic.

As the third part of a serial study on the family Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea) of New Guinea, a new genus, Scolizona gen. nov. is described, with the type species, S. rhinoceros (Diakonoff 1954) comb. nov. and two additional new species: S. ulnaformis sp. nov. and S. palinoides sp. nov. Adults, wing venations, the male genitalia of these three species, and the female genitailia of S. ulnaformis sp. nov. are illustrated, and a key to the species of the new genus is given.

Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan) is the key pest of southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. × V. darrowi Camp) in Florida. Thrips feeding and oviposition injury to developing flowers can result in fruit scarring that renders the fruit unmarketable. Previous studies have shown that flower thrips can disperse into cultivated crops from surrounding host plants. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to identify alternate hosts of F. bispinosa adjacent to blueberry plantings and to determine if F. bispinosa emigrates into blueberry plantings from these hosts. Plant surveys conducted in Apr of 2007 and from Nov 2007 until Mar 2008 revealed several reproductive hosts of F. bispinosa, including: Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistum L.). In a subsequent study, we monitored thrips population development in a blueberry planting and in an adjacent white clover field during early spring in 2009 and 2010. Flower thrips populations in the white clover and blueberry planting developed at the same time with the highest numbers of thrips recorded from the center of the blueberry field in both years. Although white clover grows abundantly adjacent to blueberry plantings in the spring our findings indicate that clover does not appear to be a significant source for thrips inoculation of southern highbush blueberry plantings in Northern Florida.

Nine field collected populations of Panonychus citri from Chinese citrus orchards were assayed for susceptibility to pyridaben and the alternative acaricide azocyclotin and activity of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). The results showed that populations from Pujiang, Wanzhou, and Pengshan exhibited a low level of sensitivity to pyridaben, but demonstrated a high level of sensitivity to azocyclotin. The correlation coefficient between GSTs activities and the LC50 of pyridaben was r = 0.93 while the correlation coefficient between GSTs activities and the LC₅₀ of azocyclotin was r = 0.03. The V_max value of CDNB (1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene) in populations from Beibei, Jintang, Pengshan, Wanzhou, and Zhongxian exhibited a: 2.5-, 11.6-, 7.0-, 5.1-, and 6.4-fold increase in resistance, respectively, relative to the pyridaben susceptible population. In addition, azocyclotin was the most sensitive inhibitor of the GSTs compared with the EA (ethacrynic acid) and pyridaben, based on the values for I₅₀. The current study suggested that GSTs might be involved in resistance of P. citri to pyridaben and but not azocyclotin in the field.

Thrips are small, cosmopolitan insects directly or indirectly associated with plants. Records of these associations in the neotropics add greatly to better understanding of Thysanoptera, not the least because some thrips species are economically important in agriculture and amenity plantings. In this paper we report new plant associations of Franklinothrips vespiformis (Crawford), Gastrothrips sp. Hood, Haplothrips gowdeyi Franklin, Leptothrips astutus Johansen, Leptothrips obesus Johansen, Liothrips spp. Uzel, Torvothrips martinezi Johansen, Arorathrips mexicanus Crawford, Caliothrips fasciapennis (Hinds), Caliothrips nanus (Hood), Caliothrips punctipennis (Hood), Echinothrips caribbeanus Hood, Echinothrips selaginellae Mound, Frankliniella cephalica Crawford, Frankliniella standleyana Hood, Hoodothripiella ignacio Retana-Salazar, Microcephalothrips abdominalis (Crawford) and Retanathrips silvestris (Hood). Some records of the presence of thrips species are new for Costa Rica and Central America.