Scent training and field detection trials were conducted to determine if honey bee (Apis mellifera) foraging behavior could be employed as a practical application in the location of vertebrate carrion. Resource recognition and querying trials consisted of two components. Honey bees were trained to associate chemical compounds found in decaying tissues with a high-quality food source via introduction of the compounds into a sugar solution. Randomized scented and non-scented sugar solution choices were subsequently provided to hived bees at varying distances within a rural outdoor study area. Following initial forager recruitment by scouts, twice the number of bees were observed feeding at carrion-scented stations. Additional field trials performed using wildlife carrion reinforced experimental results. Scent trained scout bees showed a marked interest in decomposing wildlife remains by aerially investigating and landing on the carrion. These findings demonstrate honey bee retention of carrion sensory recognition capabilities and support the crabronid wasp hypothesis of honey bee evolutionary origins. Applications for forensic remains detection, wildlife trafficking interdiction, and endangered species conservation are indicated.

The German cockroach, Blatella germanica, is a pest of human habitats distributed throughout the world. Boric acid (BA; H₃BO₃), in the form of powder, pellets, or blocks, has been used to control German cockroaches. Gel baits are also considered highly effective for controlling German cockroach populations. However, BA is not currently available as a gel bait. Thus, the present study was carried out to determine the best concentration of BA to formulate as a gel bait, and measure its direct effectiveness and the horizontal transfer of the active ingredient (AI) through cannibalism in adult German cockroaches (domino effect). Effectiveness of laboratory-prepared BA gel baits (lab baits) was analysed, and the efficacy and horizontal transfer of the most effective lab bait was compared to four commercial baits. Among three tested lab baits, the bait prepared with 40% BA (lab bait A) resulted in significantly greater cockroach mortality and a lower lethal time (LT₅₀) value than other lab baits. When compared with commercial baits, there was no significant difference between lab bait A and BA baits in the amount of bait consumed and the detection time. Similarly, mortality of cockroaches caused by lab bait A was equal to mortality caused by the commercial BA bait. Percentage of bait unfed adult cockroaches killed by transferred BA from lab bait A fed and dead adult cockroaches (secondary mortality) was significantly greater than that caused by both commercial BA bait and fipronil bait.

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) play an important role in the sense of smell in parasitoid wasps, especially for locating hosts and mates. Clarifying the role of OBPs in information exchanges between parasitoid wasps and their environment is beneficial for understanding the sense of smell in parasitoid wasps. To this end, we cloned the OBPs, SsicOBP1 and SsicOBP2 (GenBank accession numbers: AKP80533.1 and AKP80534.1), of Scleroderma sichuanensis Xiao and then proceeded to conduct prokaryotic expression and qPCR analysis, and determine the binding capacity of SsicOBP1 and SsicOBP2 with 18 types of volatiles from Pinus massoniana Lambert using competitive binding (with 1-NPN as fluorescent probes). We found that SsicOBP1 and SsicOBP2 are expressed at high levels in the antennae of Scleroderma sichuanensis Xiao. Of the 18 types of P. massoniana volatiles, SsicOBP1 could bind effectively with ocimene (binding constant of 12.82 µM) and β-pinene (binding constant of 15.57 µM). SsicOBP2 could bind effectively with α-pinene (with a binding constant of 13.52 µM), ocimene (binding constant of 14.38 µM) and β-pinene (binding constant of 14.51 µM). From this, we could infer that SsicOBP1 and SsicOBP2 are general odorant-binding proteins, which play an important role in sensing plant volatiles.

Land conversion for human use poses one of the greatest threats to terrestrial ecosystems and causes habitat loss for a myriad of species. The development of large solar energy facilities and urban sprawl are converting wild lands in the Southwest deserts of the USA for human use and resulting in habitat loss for desert species. This is in part due to the Southwest deserts being identified as having high renewable energy potential while urban areas expand into areas supporting high biodiversity. Previous studies have quantified development within some of these biodiversity hotspots, but none have investigated direct species-specific habitat loss for different species of pollinators. Native bees are poorly studied, and therefore it is difficult to know how much habitat has been lost. We quantified the amount of land conversion occurring between 2010 and 2015 in Clark County, NV, Mojave County, AZ, and San Bernardino County, CA to assess direct loss of potential-habitat for species in the Southwest deserts. Using Satellite images, we quantified the direct habitat loss to solar facilities and estimated other land conversion due to urban sprawl using USDA land cover data. We created eco-niche models in MaxENT for ten Ashmeadiella bees, to estimate the amount of direct, potential-habitat loss caused by solar development and urban expansion. Our data suggest species are not equally affected by land conversion in the Southwest deserts and direct, potential-habitat loss to urban sprawl is much greater than the loss due to solar facilities. Furthermore, our data show each species incurs different amounts of habitat loss to both solar development and urban expansion as well as between counties. These results should assist in pollinator conservation program development by illustrating land conversion can vary between local governments and pollinator species.

The halictid bee fauna of the West Indies is poorly documented, especially for species of LasioglossumCurtis, 1833. More information regarding the ranges and distributions of these species among the islands is needed for understanding historical biogeography and for bee conservation efforts. Here we report new distributional records in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands for three species of Lasioglossum: L. dispersumGibbs, 2018, L. enatumGibbs, 2018, and L. rufopanticis (Engel, 2001). We also provide information on new host-plant associations and describe specimens with atypical wing venation and unusual facial markings, which add to our understanding of basic biology and variation within species.

New geographical records of zoological species are often discovered through processing undetermined specimens. Here, new records of five native species of lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are reported for the central United States based on processing previously undetermined material from entomological collections: Cephaloscymnus laevis Gordon, Hyperaspidius insignis Casey, Hyperaspis punctata LeConte, Hippodamia apicalis Casey, and Anatis lecontei Casey. The new record for C. laevis represents a considerable range extension northward, whereas records for the other four species denote relatively minor geographic range extensions. These findings support the notion that systematic processing of undetermined collection material will yield new insights into the geographic ranges of various zoological species and improve understanding of biodiversity.

An agricultural field in southeastern Colorado grown under drip irrigation in 2014 allowed for observations related to the life history of immature stages of the asilid Diogmites angustipennis Loew. A survey of holes in the soil surface made during recent pupal eclosion provided an estimate that approximately 6,670 D. angustipennis/hectare had recently emerged at the site. The field had been in furrow irrigated field corn the previous three seasons indicating that larval stages of this species can develop sizable populations within cultivated fields. Larval prey were not observed, but the most abundant potential prey in this site would have been immature stages of diabroticine beetles.