Plum cultivation in Brazil is of great economic importance, especially in the state of Rio Grande do Sul; however, orchards of this fruit have suffered great losses in productivity due to the Plum Leaf Scald disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., 1987, transmitted by sharpshooter vectors (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae). The aim of this study was to understand the population fluctuation and faunistic analysis of Cicadellinae. Sampling was conducted in two areas of Prunus salicina Lindl., New Orchard and Old Orchard, from May 2011 to May 2013. Sharpshooters were collected using 40 yellow sticky traps in 20 collecting points. At each point, two traps were installed (high and low). Twenty-one species were identified, including eight potencial vector species (*): Cicadellini - Bucephalogonia xanthophis*, Caragonalia carminata, Diedrocephala bimaculata, Dilobopterus dispar, Erythrogonia dorsalis, Erythrogonia separata, Hortensia similis*, Macugonalia cavifrons*, Macugonalia geographica, Pawiloma victima, Sibovia sagata* and Sonesimia grossa*; Proconiini - Aulacizes obsoleta, Homalodisca ignorata*, Molomea confluens, Molomea consolida*, Molomea lineiceps, Molomea personata, Oncometopia facialis*, Oncometopia fusca and Tapajosa rubromarginata. Cicadellini was mainly captured in low traps (222 captures) and Proconiini in high traps (59 captures). Seven taxa were classified as dominant and frequent: B. xanthophis, D. dispar, E. dorsalis, M. cavifrons, S. sagata, O. facialis and O. fusca. The population fluctuation peak for 2011 was May (62 specimens); for 2012, June (42); and for 2013, April (13). The population of sharpshooters in the orchard is directly influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, decreasing drastically during hotter and drier months, during extreme meteorological fluctuation and on periods of increased human activity. The difference in trap height is important since each tribe displays different feeding behaviors in relation to the strata, thereby providing a broad sampling of species to better understand the role of vectors in transmitting the bacteria.

Until recently only few caddisfly records have been reported from Sharr, a mountainous area recognized as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Balkan Peninsula. In this paper we report 27 species collected from May to November 2013 at seven sampling stations in a territory which is a recent addition to the existing Sharr National Park, and adjacent to it. Three species are first records for the caddisflies of the Republic of Kosovo: Limnephilus hirsutus (Pictet, 1834)¸ Potamophylax latipennis (Curtis, 1834) and Oecismus mucidus McLachlan, 1876. This investigation also contributes to the range extensions of several rare and endemic species of the Balkan Peninsula and Europe, such as: Rhyacophila fischeri Botosaneanu, 1957, Rhyacophila palmeni McLachlan, 1879, Allogamus auricollis braueri Kolenati, 1859, Annitella triloba Marinković Gospodnetić, 1957, Chaetopteryx stankovici Marinković Gospodnetić, 1966 and Notidobia melanoptera Stein, 1863, amongst others.

Two new species of the genus Ammophila Kirby (Sphecidae: Ammophilinae) from China are described and illustrated: Ammophila globiverticalis Wang and Ma, n. sp., from Xinjiang, and Ammophila laminituberalis Wang and Ma, n. sp., from Zhejiang. The previously unknown male of Ammophila clypeola Li and Yang is described and a key to the Chinese species of Ammophila is provided.

Previous studies on the effects of leaf galls on leaf physiology have reported positive and negative effects. Thus, the effects of insect galls on leaf photosynthesis were investigated in hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), a tree found throughout central U.S.A. that is particularly susceptible to infestation by several gall-inducing arthropod species. These galls have different morphologies and locations on the leaves of hackberry. Effects of four types of galls on leaf function were examined. Only two types of galls, petiole galls and leaf-lamina spine galls, resulted in decreased leaf photosynthesis. These decreases were most likely the result of disturbance to the photosynthetic apparatus, not declines in stomatal conductance. Evidence is presented that petiole galls may disrupt the water supply to the leaf lamina. The results of this investigation indicate that different types and locations of arthropod galls result in no or negative effects on the physiology of infested leaves of this highly gall-bearing tree in the central U.S.A.

We tested the selectivity of the adult female two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae, for kidney beans subjected to various treatments, which were infested by 2^nd instar larvae of western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis, at different densities (5, 10, or 15 WFT/plant) and time (2, 4, or 6 days). The volatiles released from beans subjected to various treatments were evaluated by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. We found that TSSM was more likely to select bean plants infested for 2 days when the density was 5 WFT/plant. TSSM preferred bean plants infested for 4 days when the density was 10 or 15 WFT/plant. Irrespective of the WFT density, TSSM had the lowest preference for healthy beans and beans infested for 6 days. When the WFT infestation duration was the same, the percentage of TSSM was greatest on beans infested with 10 WFT, and there were no significant differences among the other three bean plant treatments. The results indicated that TSSM tended to prefer bean plants infested with WFT at a medium density. The volatiles release from bean plants under different treatments varied in terms of some compounds, where some were only found in healthy beans and new compounds were induced in WFT-infested plants. We propose that (E)-2-hexenal is attractive to TSSM, whereas (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate and (Z)-3-hexenyl propionate could be repellents. The results also indicated that WFT damage could induce changes of volatiles in compounds and contents which were associated with WFT density and damage time. This study provides a valuable insight for the effect of pre-infested insect pest species on the preference and behavior of subsequent species, and for further studying herbivore interactions.

The ecotoxicity of the neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid and thiacloprid to the soil-dwelling arthropod Folsomia candida was assessed under laboratory conditions. The tests were focused on the survival and reproduction of F. candida in OECD artificial soil (5% organic matter) after 28 days of treatment in the soil. Imidacloprid was found to be more toxic than thiacloprid. Median lethal doses (LC50s) for effects on survival were 0.84 and 3.5 mgkg⁻¹ dry soil for imidacloprid and thiacloprid, respectively, while half maximal effective concentration (EC50s) for effects on the reproduction were 0.82 and 0.55 mgkg⁻¹ dry soil, respectively. No observed effective concentration (NOEC) for effects on reproduction was <0.01 and <0.31 mgkg⁻¹ dry soil for imidacloprid and thiacloprid, respectively. Both neonicotinoids showed an adverse effect on F. candida, with severe effects on their survival (for imidacloprid), and reproduction (for thiacloprid), which can lead to population collapse with time. This study shows that both, imidacloprid and thiacloprid, can affect the survival and reproduction of F. candida at concentrations below their respective NOECs in the soil. Further studies under more realistic conditions are needed.

The genus Harnischia Kieffer, 1921 is recorded for the first time from Mongolia and Harnischia disseta sp. nov. is described and illustrated as male imagines based on specimens collected from Khyargas Nuur. A key to known male species of the genus is presented.

Conservation biological control manipulates habitat characteristics to enhance natural enemy populations and ultimately reduce pest density. These practices can be most effective early in the growing season when pest populations are low. Early season predator impacts on these pests can include both direct consumption of herbivores and non-consumptive effects such as superfluous killing, both of which provide pest suppression. We combined laboratory feeding trials, and a field cage experiment with molecular gut-content analysis to explore the effects of striped lynx spiders (Oxyopes salticus Hentz) on brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys (Stål)). The laboratory feeding trials revealed that lynx spiders did attack stink bugs but that stink bug DNA had a short DNA detectability half-life within lynx spider guts. To simulate field conditions where these two species could interact in both early and late season, we manipulated the density and relative abundance of stink bug nymphs and adults in the presence and absence of lynx spiders. There was no effect of treatment on recovery of either adult stink bugs or nymphs. Although dead stink bugs were recovered, we found no evidence of consumption through molecular gut-content analysis. Contrary to expectations that generalist predators would have the greatest impact on pests early in the growing season, our results suggest that lynx spiders are unlikely to exert substantial early season control. Biological control might be most effective when utilizing multiple predator species as part of a complex of natural enemies, so spiders acting in concert with other generalist predators could be capable of suppressing pest populations.

Nestmate discrimination in the paper wasp, Polistes metricus Say (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) was examined during each stage (nesting and non-nesting phases) of the colony cycle. Resident wasps of each caste were paired with nestmates or non-nestmates of the same caste in a clear plastic box near the nest in the field and all aggressive and non-aggressive behavioral interactions initiated by the resident wasps were noted. Each wasp caste, particularly the resident foundress, workers, and males exhibited a significantly high proportion of aggressive behaviors towards non-nestmates than towards nestmates, thus demonstrating nestmate discrimination. However, the response of resident fall gynes towards nestmates and non-nestmates was not significantly different. During winter, gynes of P. metricus and P. fuscatus Fabricius were found to overwinter together in the same clusters. The overwintering gynes of P. metricus showed complete tolerance towards conspecifics (non-nestmates) and allospecifics (P. fuscatus). These findings suggest that the acceptance threshold of P. metricus shifts from being restrictive towards the beginning of the nesting phase to being permissive towards the end, which differs from previous studies on P. fuscatus, whose acceptance threshold was more restrictive during the reproductive phase than during the worker phase. However, during the non-nesting (overwintering) phase of the colony cycle, the acceptance threshold likely becomes even more permissive to an “accept-all” level in both species. These shifts in acceptance threshold follow the predictions of Reeve's (1989) conspecific acceptance threshold model, and most likely reflect the cost-benefit ratio assessment of wasps to minimize negative inclusive fitness consequences at each stage of the colony cycle.