Trichogramma fuentesi Torre was identified attacking Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg), a serious pest of Opuntia spp. in North America, raising the possibility of using this egg parasitoid as an inundative biological control agent. Studies were conducted to assess the biological parameters of this parasitoid under laboratory conditions. Nutritive quality influence of the rearing supplement on the parasitoid's longevity, mating, and age was evaluated based on the level of parasitism. The presence and type of food source had a positive impact on female longevity, and female parasitoids given a diet composed of pure honey lived the longest; an average of 11 d. Mated females parasitized a greater number of C. cactorum host eggs than did unmated females. Percent parasitism significantly decreased with female age. Two- to 3-day old female parasitoids had the highest level of parasitism. Two-day old host eggs were the optimal host egg age for parasitization by T. fuentesi. In the context of implementing an inundative biological control program against C. cactorum, two-day old mated and honey fed Trichogramma females should be released to increase level of control.

Antennal sensilla were compared in parthenogenetic females and bisexual adults of rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), using scanning electron micrographs. The antenna of parthenogenetic females and of both sexes of bisexual reproductive weevils consisted of the scape, pedicel, and 6 flagellar segments. Females, regardless of mode of reproduction, had longer antennal segments than males. The 3 adult forms/genders can be correctly classified into their respective groups with a set of discriminant mathematical functions based on 4 morphological measurements of length or maximum width of segments of the antennae. For both sexes, 6 morphological sensilla types were found on the antennae, including hydrofuge scales I (hsI), trichoid sensilla (ts), 2 types of squamiform sensilla (ssI, ssII), tuft hairs (th), and Böhm bristles (Bb). No remarkable sexual differences in the types or distribution of sensilla were found on the antennae among parthenogenetic and both sexes of bisexual reproductive weevils, except for hsI. Both the length and basal diameter of hsI of females were significantly greater than those of the males. The hsI of the parthenogenetic females were significantly longer than those of the bisexual females. The numbers of branches of hsI on the sixth flagellum of the parthenogenetic females were significantly more than on both sexes of bisexual adults. The numbers of branches of hsI of the females were significantly more than those of the males. From the information gained from this scanning electronic microscope study of antennae, we can separate rice water weevils by gender and reproductive mode.

This study tested the sensitivity of the tupelo leafminer, Antispila nysaefoliella, to vibrational cues and whether their unique behaviors, first reported by Low (2008), may be elicited by the frequencies matching those of parasitic wasps. In the tick behavior, a larva ticks its abdomen back and forth rhythmically, and in the rattle behavior, the larva rattles its abdomen in short rapid pulses. To test the specificity of these behaviors to vibrational cues, computer-generated signals of pure tone frequencies ranging from 1–6 kHz were played to the entire leaf of solitary larvae through airborne signal transmission. The experiment demonstrated that the larvae of A. nysaefoliella responded to all frequencies with wriggling movements, but ticked only in response to the frequencies that matched those generated by parasitoid probing activity. Rattling behavior was rarely elicited.

A 10-port manifold was developed for the injection of insecticides into a drip irrigation system for small plot bell pepper research trials. A 179.1 metric ft lb/s positive displacement Aquaflow^® electric chemical metering pump was used to transfer liquid chemical treatments from an 18.9 liter polyethylene bottle through a 10-valve manifold that allowed both water and up to 10 separate chemical treatments to mix and flow into the drip irrigation line of each treatment plot. Because very small amounts of insecticides are injected for small-plot trials, a valve and discharge pipe were built into the manifold to allow for the complete rinse of the system between treatments. This system would be suitable for chemigation research trials in most row crop trials using drip irrigation with or without plastic mulch.

A new species, Lymantria (Nyctria) furvinis H. Wang, Kishida and M. Wang sp. nov., is described from Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve, South China. The new species can be distinguished from all previously described species by the basal area on the forewing yellow with black spots, valve with a transverse sclerite connecting a long digitate process medially. Illustrations of the adults, wing venation and genitalia are provided.

Efforts to monitor and detect tephritid fruit flies in the genus Anastrepha currently involve MultiLure traps baited with two food-based synthetic attractants, ammonia (typically formulated as ammonium acetate or ammonium bicarbonate) and putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane). These baits are used in Central America, Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean to target/capture economically important Anastrepha spp. within each region. The efficacy of these baits varies by region and by species. Antennal responses to these compounds have been quantified for A. suspensa populations in Florida, but not elsewhere. This is the first report of antennal responses of Puerto Rican populations of A. obliqua and A. suspensa to the bait odors emitted from ammonium bicarbonate and putrescine lures. Responses to lure volatiles (tested separately and in combination), as measured by electroantennography (EAG), were dose dependant for both species and both sexes. Although the average response to ammonium bicarbonate in combination with putrescine was always numerically higher than responses to ammonium bicarbonate alone within a species and a sex, this result was never statistically significant. Males of A. obliqua were less sensitive than females, while males of A. suspensa were more sensitive than females to all volatiles and volatile mixtures, but these differences were not statistically significant at any dose. Female A. obliqua were more sensitive than A. suspensa females at all doses for all volatiles and all volatile mixtures, and these differences were statistically significant at the two highest doses of ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate plus putrescine. Our results are broadly similar with the electrophysiological studies conducted on Florida populations of A. suspensa, but there are important differences, most notably that the Florida study detected significantly lower responses by males than females to putrescine and ammonium bicarbonate plus putrescine. The implications of our results are discussed with respect to monitoring practices in different regions.

We examined plant used versus plant availability by a thysanopteran community on 13 woody and perennial native plants in the Chihuahua Desert. Individual plants were sampled with sticky-traps on 8 dates from May 1997 to August 1998. We sampled 5,040 adult thrips from 26 species in 19 genera, of which 16 could be identified to species. Four families were represented, Thripidae (17 species comprised 98.2 % of the collected specimens), Phlaeothripidae (5 species comprised 1.6%), Aeolothripidae (2 species comprised 0.1%) and Heterothripidae (1 species comprised 0.1%). A total of 16 species (84.2%) were phytophagous on flowers and leaves, 2 (10.5%) were predators, one (5.2%) was mycophagous. Feeding habits for 7 species are unknown. Thrips abundance was positively correlated with plant volume, but not with insect richness. Strikingly for a natural area, Frankliniella occidentalis accounted for 73.6% of the total collection of the sampled thrips, which together with Chirothrips falsus, Microcephalothrips abdominalis, Frankliniella gossypiana, and Neohydatothrips signifier, comprised 94.0% of the total number of collected thrips. Main abundances, considering all thrips species, occurred in fall and spring; no thrips were collected during winter. This seasonal pattern of occurrence was observed for the most abundant thrips species. In summary, the results of this study were: 1) few thrips species were found to be specialists; only 2 thrips species out of 12 studied, showed strong preference for host plants, 2) presence of a high percentage of positive associations, and a low percentage of negative associations, 3) the role of plant volume explained more than 80% of variance of thrips abundance. These results suggest that the studied thrips community has low plant specificity and the pattern of plant use observed could be the consequence of generalist feeding diets.

The parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea acoustically stalks signaling male field crickets and lays live larvae on and around them. Ormia ochracea have been observed to acoustically stalk various cricket species. In Texas the natural host of this fly is Gryllus texensis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). Two larger potential gryllid hosts, Gryllus assimilis and the undescribed G. sp. #45, have been found in the same mating territories as G. texensis and therefore have the potential to be parasitized as well. It is unknown, however, whether O. ochracea can successfully survive in G. assimilis and G. sp. #45 hosts. We manually parasitized G. texensis, G. assimilis, and G. sp. #45 to compare parasitoid survival rates at different stages of parasitoid development. Ormia ochracea had the highest survival rate in males and females of its natural host, G. texensis, survived at about half the rate in female G. sp. #45, and survived at about one quarter the rate in male G. assimilis. No parasitoid flies survived through eclosion in male G. sp. #45 or in female G. assimilis. Our results indicate that larvae from this population of O. ochracea show highest survival in the natural host and show limited survival in other potential host species.

In the framework of a biological control program with hymenopteran parasitoids to reduce the population densities of the bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), and the Mexican bean weevil, Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman), that attack bean seeds in storage facilities in central Mexico, the parasitoid, Uscana espinae Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was collected. This program developed new records on the distribution, hosts, and host-plants associated with U. espinae. No evidence was found of cryptic species among 6 U. espinae populations from central Mexico by use of morphological characters, mitochondrial gene analysis (cytochrome oxidase I), and intra- and inter-population reproductive crosses. The original geographic distribution of U. espinae in Chile and Uruguay has been expanded to include the states of Morelos, Puebla, and Veracruz in Mexico.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) parasitism and the toxicity of neem seed cake (NSC) on survival of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly). Groups of 1600 – 1700 third instar C. capitata larvae were each wrapped in organdy cloth (“unit of parasitism”) and exposed to approximately 500 couples of sexually mature D. longicaudata parasitoids (5-d old) for one hour. C. capitata larvae exposed or not to parasitism were transferred to plastic cups containing vermiculite with different proportions of neem seed cake (NSC): 0% NSC (control), 5% NSC, 10% NSC, 15% NSC, 20% NSC, 25% NSC, 30% NSC. Both NSC and the parasitism caused larval/pupal mortality and reduced the emergence of C. capitata flies. NSC affected parasitoid emergence negatively. The effect of parasitism coupled to NSC did not provide greater reduction in the medfly emergence than when parasitism was used alone. However, each of these 2 methods affect a different life stage of medfly, larvae and pupae, respectively, and their joint use may increase the probability of controlling medfly populations in field.

Mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) are among the most economically important turf-grass insect pests in the southeastern United States. The tawny mole cricket Scapteriscus vicinus (Scudder) causes damage by feeding on the roots and shoots of turfgrass and by creating surface tunnels. Previous research on mole cricket control showed behavior modification, including reduced surface tunneling and avoidance of the treated soil, when a control agent was applied. The objectives of these studies were: a) to determine the mortality of 3 synthetic insecticides and their residues against small and large mole cricket nymphs in 2 bioassays and b) to monitor mole cricket behavioral responses to these insecticides. We used 3 synthetic insecticides (bifenthrin, chlorantraniliprole, and fipronil) to conduct 2 mortality bioassays and 2 behavioral studies, where we quantified surface tunneling, to determine the scope of this modified behavior. We found that, in general, the greater the efficacy of the product to mole crickets, the greater the likelihood of reduced surface tunneling and avoidance of the treated area. These studies confirm that mole crickets avoid an area treated with insecticide and emphasize the importance of appropriate timing of insecticides to achieve effective control of mole crickets.

The western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor (Hagen) and the light southern drywood termite I. snyderi (Light) are common drywood termites in southwestern and the southern United States, respectively. Despite the economic importance of these 2 species, no information exists on the mitochondrial genetic diversity of I. minor and I. snyderi. A molecular genetics study involving DNA sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA gene was undertaken to determine the extent of genetic variation in I. minor and I. snyderi. A total of 12 haplotypes were observed for I. minor collected from Florida, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Utah, and California. For I. snyderi, a total of 10 haplotypes were observed from the Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Genetic variation among I. minor haplotypes ranged from 0.7 to 3.7% and variation for I. snyderi ranged from 0.7 to 2.4%. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis revealed 3 distinct clades for I. snyderi, whereas, I. minor had 2 distinct clades. This is the first study on mitochondrial genetic variation of the drywood termites I. minor and I. snyderi. There appears to be enough genetic variation within these 2 species for a molecular phylogeographic study, which may provide insight into dispersal and introductions of these species.

The objective of this research was to describe the anal plates of the larval stages of the ephydrid fly, Hydrellia pakistanae Deonier, a biological control agent of hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle). This was accomplished using light microscopy coupled with a specialized staining technique; and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). AU 3 instars of H. pakistanae were collected from hydrilla cultured in outdoor concrete-lined ponds. To ascribe a function to the anal plates, a modified staining technique was employed that uses a 5% silver nitrate solution, which, upon ionization, binds with chloride ions suggesting an osmoregulatory function. Under light microscopy the two anal plates appeared smooth, flat crescent moon-shaped structures that encircled the anus of the larva. SEM revealed the anal plates to be relatively smooth with an undulating surface pattern possibly an artifact of the high vacuum conditions associated with the SEM. This may therefore indicate a difference in cuticle thickness for the anal plates since the overall body cuticle did not exhibit the same surface changes. A distinct delineation in the form of a thin raised line of cuticle between the anal plates and the outer body cuticle could be discerned from both light microscopy and SEM. The anal plates vary in size from 200 µm to 750 µm in perimeter and 1800 µm² to 14000 µm² in area depending on instar. A highly positive correlation in anal plate size in relation to larval instar was also detected; i.e., larger anal plates were associated with later instars. The anal plates darkened rapidly after immersion in a weak silver nitrate solution with subsequent exposure to light indicating that they may play an important role in maintaining internal ionic equilibrium.

The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green, is a widespread invasive pest of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Florida and elsewhere. We evaluated 3 cultivars of H. rosa-sinensis expected to have high (‘President’), low (‘Double Red’), and intermediate (‘Joanne’) levels of susceptibility to this pest. We found little evidence that M. hirsutus responded differently among the 3 cultivars in terms of survival, development rate, size, or oviposition period in laboratory tests at a permissive temperature. However, higher average fecundity (377 eggs per female) was observed on “President” compared with the other 2 cultivars (≈ 300 eggs/female). The Fl generation developed on all varieties, with similar cumulative survival rates of 71, 74, and 76% on “Double Red”, “Joanne” and “President” cultivars, respectively. In greenhouse tests over 9 wk, feeding symptoms of stunted and deformed plant terminals (“bunchy top”) were observed in all cultivars but increased more rapidly in “President”, especially after the 4th wk post infestation. Significantly higher mealybug populations were also observed on “President” compared with the other 2 cultivars, reaching an average of ≈ 50 and 1,400 insect per terminal after the first and second generations, 30 and 60 d post infestation, respectively, on this variety. Although none of the hibiscus varieties tested were resistant to M. hirsutus in our studies, selection (or breeding) of additional cultivars tolerant to feeding symptoms may be useful in low management input landscapes for M. hirsutus infested areas, especially in conjunction with biocontrol programs.

Biotype B of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is a worldwide pest of many agronomic and horticultural crops, including tomato. Extensive pesticide use targeting this pest has led to the development of resistance to every major class of insecticides. The baseline toxicity of spiromesifen was established for laboratory susceptible and field collected B tabaci biotype B, populations in Florida in 2005 and 2006, respectively, using a leaf dip bioassay method for 2nd instar. LC₅₀ values for field populations of B. tabaci ranged from 0.63 mg[AI]l^-1 to 0.86 mg[AI]l^-1 in 2005 and from 0.46 mg[AI]l^-1 to 2.08 mg[AI]l^-1 in 2006. No population had a RR₅₀ value over 3.5 in either year and the fiducial limits of the LC₅₀ values for the laboratory and field populations overlapped, indicating no differences among them. The laboratory and field baseline toxicity data generated in this study confirmed the susceptibility of field populations of B. tabaci to spiromesifen and will be useful in documenting any future changes in the susceptibility of the whitefly to the insecticide.

Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) is a larval-prepupal endoparasitoid of tephritid fruit fly pests in tropical and subtropical countries. Because citrus-growing areas of northern Argentina are the most affected by Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), D. longicaudata presents as a potential candidate for augmentative releases against it. Within this context, parasitoid rearing must be focused on offspring yield optimization in order to sustain a successful massrearing process. Hence, the best ratio of A. fraterculus larva to female parasitoids and the best exposure time for achieving the greatest parasitoid yield with the highest proportion of female progeny were determined under laboratory conditions in the present study. The effect of superparasitism on the percentage of D. longicaudata emergence was also assessed. Third-instars of A. fraterculus were exposed for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min to 30 mated, 5–7 d-old parasitoid females at host/parasitoid ratios of 2:1, 4:1, 6:1, 8:1, and 10:1. Results showed that a low ratio of hosts exposed to parasitoids for a short time was essential to achieve parasitoid emergence rates exceeding 70%, and to achieve a ♀:♂ sex ratio of at least 61:39. Increasing both the ratio of host larvae to parasitoid further than 4:1 and the exposure time of D. longicaudata to hosts beyond 30 min did not significantly enhance overall parasitoid progeny yield. There was a significant negative correlation between the number of parasitoid 1st instars recorded per dissected host pupa and the percentage of parasitoid emergence. Conversely, a significant positive correlation was found between superparsitism and additional host mortality. Although a female-biased sex ratio resulted in all treatments, the greater parasitoid female progeny proportions were found in association with the higher levels of superparasitism.

The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott), is one of the most important pests of maize in Latin America because of its efficiency as a vector of 3 species of plant pathogens. In spite of its significance, however, little is known about its egg parasitoids. In this study, we present new data on D. maidis egg parasitoids in Mexico and Argentina. We surveyed the egg parasitoids in 2 locations: Mexico and Argentina, representing the farthest expansion of the D. maidis populations from Mexico. Using maize plants with sentinel eggs, parasitoids were surveyed in central Mexico and northwestern Argentina, at both low (<1,000) and high (>1,000) elevation sites, during 2 maize-growing wet seasons. Parasitoids of the families Mymaridae and Trichogrammatidae were found in both countries. Argentinean sites showed the highest richness, with 10 species, whereas in Mexico we found 6 species. Also, the Shannon diversity index was 1.6 times greater in Argentina than in Mexico. Higher percentages of parasitized eggs were recorded at the low elevation sites in both Mexico and Argentina. Anagrus breviphragma Soyka, a generalist parasitoid, was the only species found attacking eggs of D. maidis in both Mexico and Argentina at both high and low elevations.

Since it was first formally recorded there in 2005, the Nearctic pine tortoise scale Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) has caused severe decline of the Caribbean pine, Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis (Grisebach) W. H. Barrett & Golfari, in the pine forests on the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). The scale infestations reduce host vigor, cause dieback and high levels of mortality. Honeydew excreted by the insects enables the growth of associated sooty molds to smother the under-storey plants inhibiting their growth. Surveys carried out on the islands suggest that the entire Caribbean pine population in the TCI is under immediate threat from this invasive pest, with potentially devastating effects on the pineyard ecosystem. The biology, distribution, impact and economic importance of the pine tortoise scale are reviewed.

Infective juveniles (IJs) of an entomopathogenic nematode strain native to southern Mexico transported an associated bacterium that turned the infected Galleria mellonella (L) larvae reddish. The nematode isolate (LBIN-1) was identified as Steinernema carpocapsae (Filipjev) by ITS sequence, and its associated bacterium (LBSe-17) as Serratia marcescens Bizio by 16S rDNA sequencing. Infectivity of S. marcescens LBSe-17 was confirmed by following Koch's postulates on G. mellonella larvae. Phoresis of the associated S. marcescens bacterium by the nematode into the G. mellonella larvae was corroborated by exposing G. mellonella larvae to S. marcescens either alone or mixed with the nematode. No larval mortality was observed in the first treatment, while 100% mortality was observed in the second treatment. S. marcescens was superficially carried by the IJs, as confirmed by surface sterilization of IJs, which caused total larval mortality but no growth of S. marcescens. Artificial induction of a similar association was achieved by mixing the S. marcescens strain with another Steinernema sp. strain (LBIN-2), showing total larval mortality of G. mellonella larvae and proliferation of S. marcescens in the cadavers. However, 5 consecutive cycles of larval infections showed that colony forming unit (CFU) counts from the larval cadavers declined sharply in the artificially induced association, while the natural association LBIN-1/ LBSe-17 declined, but then tended to stabilize.

Seasonal population densities of Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and its parasitoid Opius dissitus (Muesebeck) were studied at 3 snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) sites in south Florida from 2010 to 2011. L. trifolii population density presented a seasonal preference, and was significantly abundant during Dec 2010 (17.9 ± 1.5 adults per 5 leaves) and Jan 2011 (30.3 ± 2.7 adults per 5 leaves) when the temperature was relatively low (∼ 3 °C). Its parasitoid, O. dissitus showed a pattern of population density similar to L. trifolii, and was abundant during December 2010 (4.5 ± 0.45 adults per 5 leaves) and January 2011 (5.4 ± 0.73 adults per 5 leaves). A direct density dependent relationship was found between O. dissitus parasitism and L. trifolii. Spatial distribution patterns of L. trifolii and O. dissitus were evaluated at these 3 bean sites. Both L. trifolii and O. dissitus showed an aggregated (clumped) distribution pattern when their densities were high during Dec 2010 to Jan 2011, but a regular (uniform) distribution pattern when their densities were low during Sep 2010 and Feb 2011.

A 2-yr study of the impacts of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, on the success of Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder & Sands as a biological control agent of common salvinia, Salvinia minima Baker, was undertaken in southern Louisiana. Floating moats were constructed around 8 release sites where C. salviniae was introduced as a biological control agent. These moats were used to restrict access to the release site by red imported fire ants in half the quadrats. Moating was successful in limiting the number of red imported fire ants in the release sites over the course of the study (P < 0.0001). In 2010, locations where access by red imported fire ants was limited by the presence of a moat had lower biomass (P = 0.04) and higher populations of C. salviniae (P < 0.0001). Our study suggests that the presence of red imported fire ants negatively impacts the success of C. salviniae as a biological control agent.

Blackbirds are important agricultural pests that can cause major economic losses in a variety of crops. Although birds in other agro-ecosystems may perform biological control services by controlling insect pests, the potential of blackbirds to provide these services in rice had not been evaluated. We used bird exclosures to evaluate the effects of blackbirds on stink bugs in rice and on crop damage and yields in the Everglades Agricultural Area in southern Florida. Experiments were conducted in both the main rice crop and the ratoon crop. We found no difference in the abundance of rice stink bugs (Oebalus spp.) in exclosures vs. controls, indicating that predation by birds did not reduce stink bug populations. Damage to rice by stink bugs (pecky rice) was similar between exclosures and controls, as well. However, bird damage, quantified as the percentage of panicles damaged, differed by as much as an order of magnitude in exclosures vs. controls. Mean damage estimates were 3.5% in the bird exclosures vs. 35.3% in the control for the main crop and 4.5% and 20.5%, respectively, in the exclosures and controls for the ratoon crop. Nonetheless, mean yields did not differ between exclosures and controls. Our results suggest that despite their conspicuous presence, blackbirds have little effect on stink bug populations or rice yield in Florida rice fields.

The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Delong & Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) originated in Mexico, but is found from southeastern and southwestern USA to Argentina. Differences in reproductive and phenotypic traits between Mexican (native) and Argentinian (adventive) populations have been previously reported, but information on their genetic variation is currently unavailable. The objective was to investigate possible genetic variability among D. maidis populations collected in Mexico on maize and maize relatives (annual and perennial teosintes) and on maize in Argentina. A region of the mitochondrial gene coding for the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) were sequenced and analyzed. We developed the forward and reverse primers for the DNA amplification of COI in D. maidis (dalCOI). Twenty two and 17 sequences for dalCOI and ITS2, respectively, were generated and analyzed. No genetic variation among Mexican and Argentinian populations was found in the ribosomal region and low genetic variation was found in the mitochondrial region. These results could be explained by the short evolutionary time scale, since both maize and the corn leafhopper moved throughout the Americas only in the most recent millenia, or in part to the limited host range, and thus a limited change in the corn leafhopper associated bacteria.

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a global pest of onion, Allium cepa L., and the principal vector of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) that can cause 100% crop losses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate onion cultivars resistant to T. tabaci feeding damage for their reaction to IYSV following exposure to viruliferous T. tabaci in both laboratory and field experiments. In the laboratory experiment, virus-free onion cultivars grown in pots were infested with 32 T. tabaci second instars collected from onions in an IYSV-infected field. In the complementary field experiment, virus-free onion plants in pots were moved to an onion field where IYSV was present. In both laboratory and field trials, plants were tested for IYSV by DAS-ELISA after 2 and 3 wk, respectively. Although plants were exposed to T. tabaci for a short period, IYSV was detected in all onion cultivars with the percentage of infected plants varying from 3 to 25% and 37 to 70% in the laboratory and field experiments, respectively. IYSV infection levels did not differ statistically between thrips-susceptible and thrips-resistant onion cultivars in laboratory and field experiments.

Palpita unionalis (Hübner), the olive leaf moth, is one of the most important pests of olive nurseries and olive orchards in Turkey and also in the Mediterrean Basin generally. In this study, P. unionalis was reared at 24 ± 1 °C, 65% RH and 16:8 h L:D in the laboratory on leaves of its natural olive host plant, Oleae europeae cv. ‘Ayvalık’. Eggs were laid individually or in clusters on the underside of the olive leaves, but at random in the adult cages. There were 6 instars based on molts and head capsule measurements. Larval development was completed in an average of 23.35 ± 2.13 d and the survival rate was 60%. Adult longevity averaged 16.0 ± 1.57 d for females and 16.3 ± 1.21 d for males. The mean fecundity was 352 ± 42.9. Developmental period of immature stages, adults' life span, fecundity and sex ratios were determined in the laboratory.

‘Ataulfo’ mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the most popular cultivar of mango to have originated in Mexico. Because of its relatively recent discovery, few studies have been carried out on the best agricultural practices for production of this cultivar, and there is wide variation in methods among growers. Among other aspects, the insect fauna associated with this cultivar has not been formally studied. However, numerous growers spray synthetic insecticides on a regular basis against thrips to reduce populations. The present study was conducted with the main objective of determining the diversity of thrips in Ataulfo mango flowers in Chiapas, Mexico. Two representative orchards were selected: the orchard “Tres-A” characterized by an intensive use of agrochemicals, especially broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides directed against thrips, and the orchard “Rancho La Escondida” that does not spray insecticides. Inflorescences were sampled every five days, from Nov 2008 to Feb 2009. The results confirm the presence of 15 species of thrips in 7 genera and 3 families. Species composition was consistent in both orchards. This included phytophagous species in the genera Frankliniella, Arorathrips, Haplothrips and Scirtothrips, and the predatory thrips Aeolothrips microstriatus Hood, Franklinothrips orizabensis Johansen, Karnyothrips texensis (Hood) and K. flavipes (Jones). Frankliniella was the dominant genus: F. borinquen Hood, the F. gossypiana Hood/ F. williamsi Hood complex, F. cephalica (Crawford), F. gardeniae Moulton, F. invasor Sakimura and F. parvula Hood. A new species of Frankliniella was collected as well. Frankliniella invasor was the most abundant species throughout the flowering cycle in both orchards with a mean of 613 individuals per inflorescence. Both mango orchards had statistically similar numbers (P > 0.05) of thrips over time. This suggests that the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides is not effective for thrips control and the use of other methods is necessary.

The avocado lace bug (ALB), Pseudacysta perseae (Heidemann) (Heteroptera:Tingidae), is a pest of avocado, Persea americana, in Florida, the Caribbean Basin, California and northern South America. Different biotic mortality factors, i.e., the egg parasitoids Erythmelus (Erythmelus) klopomor, a new species of Trichogrammatidae, and the predators, Chrysoperla rufilabris, Paracarniella cubana, Stethoconus vitripennis, and Tingidoletes praelonga, have been reported as natural enemies of P. perseae in Florida. We determined the effect of these biotic factors during 3 seasons, by exposing P. perseae cohorts to known biotic factors, and compared their survival to cohorts protected from these factors. The total percent mortality caused by biotic factors was 16 to 90% above the mortality caused by abiotic factors during 3 seasons.

The pink pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a widespread plant-sucking insect of considerable concern because it transmits the pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus. The purpose of this study was to use molecular methods to clarify the relationship among pink pineapple mealybugs from China, Philippines, Thailand and Hawaii, in an effort to determine the geographic origin of the introduction to China. Pink pineapple mealybug samples were collected from 10 counties of 5 provinces in China, and samples from Hawaii were obtained. Parts of the mitochondrial genes for cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were sequenced for each sample, homologous DNA sequences of samples from the Philippines and Thailand were downloaded from GenBank. Three haplotypes were found in China, 1 from populations of mainland China, and 2 from Hainan island. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that most pink pineapple mealybugs on mainland China probably were closely related to populations in the Republic of the Philippines. However mealybugs from Wanning, Hainan, China, represented a different lineage that clearly diverged from other populations, and which may be of a cryptic lineage or species in the pink pineapple mealybug complex. The probable geographic origin of pink pineapple mealybugs in China is discussed.