This study provides empirical evidence that disturbing mound immediately before application, as opposed to label recommendation, did not reduce foraging activity of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, except for about 10-min delay in foraging. Despite the delayed foraging, there was no significant difference in the amount of baits foraged between disturbed and undisturbed colonies. Eventually, >96% of the baits were foraged, with the maximum removal occurred by 2 and 3 h, respectively, in summer and spring trial. The fastest and great amount of bait removal 1 h post-treatment occurred to baits placed on mound, followed by 0.18–0.3-m from mound base, and the slowest 1.08–1.2-m from mound base. All treatment gave 100% control 1 mo later, regardless of the season, without colony relocation or new colony invasion in the test plots.

Three species of Mexican soft scales, Neolecanium leucaenae Cockerell, Toumeyella cerifera Ferris and T. sonorensis Cockerell and Parrott, are redescribed based on the adult females and are transferred to Neotoumeyella gen. nov. as N. leucaenae (Cockerell) comb. nov., N. cerifera (Ferris) comb. nov. and N. sonorensis (Cockerell and Parrott) comb. nov. Two new species, N. caliensis Kondo and Williams sp. nov. from Colombia and N. cephalanthi Kondo and Williams sp. nov. from the U.S.A, are described and illustrated based on the adult female. A key to the genera of New World Myzolecaniinae based on the adult female is provided. We designate lectotypes for N. leucaenae, T. cerifera and T. sonorensis.

Scirpophaga incertulas Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralideae), commonly known as yellow stem borer, is a predominant monophagous pest of rice, which causes 5% to 30% loss of the rice crop. We report for the first time, the cloning and sequence analysis of the amylase gene of this pest. The cloned gene translates into a protein of 487 amino acids having a predicted molecular weight of 54,955 daltons and a theoretical pI of 5.9. The 3D structure of the amylase is predicted from its amino acid sequence by homology modeling using the structure of the amylase from Tenebrio molitor L (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). We also report the purification of a dimeric α-amylase inhibitor from a local variety of wheat MP Sehore that is specific for the amylase of this pest and does not inhibit human salivary amylase or porcine pancreatic amylase. The gene encoding this inhibitor has been cloned and its sequence has been analysed to find a possible explanation for this specificity.