The large ribosomal RNA subunit (16S rRNA) and cytochrome C subunit 3 (CO3) genes have been partially amplified and sequenced for the species of Chrysoperla Steinmann, 1964 (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) inhabiting the western part of Saudi Arabia to examine their molecular variability. Insect samples were collected from three distant localities, which were Tabouk in the north, Jeddah in the middle and Jazan in the south of the country. The concatenated sequences (904 bp) have been manipulated by three analytical methods (maximum-parsimony, neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood) producing one fixed tree. The tree topology divided, with strong statistical supports, Saudi Arabian Chrysoperla into two clusters. Jeddah and Tabouk samples clustered (BP = 100%) with both Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836) and Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto, 1914), while Jazan samples grouped (BP = 100%) with Dichochrysa tacta (Navás, 1921). Both pairwise genetic distances obtained from the concatenated data and amino acid substitution in CO3 gene supported this division. It could be concluded that Saudi Arabian Chrysoperla constitutes a species complex and requires further molecular investigation.

The genus Parastethorus Pang & Mao, 1975 in China is reviewed. Ten species of the genus Parastethorus are documented from China, including four new species: P. grandoaperturus Li & Ren, sp. nov., P. platyphyllus Li & Ren, sp. nov., P. biconvexus Li & Ren, sp. nov., P. miniaperturus Li & Ren, sp. nov.; and six new combinations: P. truncatus (Kapur, 1948) comb. nov., P. baiyunshanensis (Ren & Pang, 1996) comb. nov., P. dichiapiculus (Xiao, 1992) comb. nov., P. indira (Kapur, 1950) comb. nov., P. malaicus (Xiao, 1992) comb. nov., P. yunnanensis (Pang & Mao, 1975) comb. nov. Diagnoses, detailed descriptions, illustrations and distributions are provided for all species, and a key to Chinese species is given. A world checklist of species in this genus is also provided, including two new combinations for extralimital species: P. gutierrezi (Chazeau, 1979) comb. nov., P. hanoiensis (Hoàng, 1982) comb. nov.

A new species of nomioidine Halictidae in the genus Ceylalictus Strand, 1913, is described and illustrated from Thailand as Ceylalictus (Atronomioides) bantoonei Warrit & Michener. The species is distinguished by the combination of the following features: black integument (faintly greenish on the scutum of the female), head longer than broad, inner margin of the eyes with strong emargination, and glossa including basal part as long as head.

New distribution records from Mexico are presented for 66 species of Cerambycidae. Choriolaus fulveolus (Bates, 1885), Strangalia melampus (Bates, 1885), Plinthocoelium schwarzi (Fisher, 1914) and Neoclytus torquatus LeConte, 1873 are recorded for the first time in Mexico. Precise Mexican localities for Amphionthe brevicollis Bates, 1885, Arhopalus rusticus montanus (LeConte, 1873), Neospondylis upiformis (Mannerheim, 1843) and Megacyllene angulata (Fabricius, 1775) are provided for the first time.

The reliance of insects on ultraviolet (UV) light in nature is not well known, despite a general understanding of how insects detect UV. Chamaesyce albomarginata (Torr. & A. Gray) Small is a mat-forming euphorb common in southwestern deserts that produces small, flower-like cyathia. The plant's small size, flatness, and abundant insect visitors enabled experimentally testing the dependence of flies, bees, and wasps flying to the plant on UV light. Most insects landing on plants were minute bombyliid flies in Mythicomyia Coquillet, 1893 and Nexus Hall & Evenhuis, 1987, andrenid bees in Perdita Smith, 1853, and sphecid wasps in Solierella Spinola, 1851. Ultraviolet light is absorbed by leaves on C. albomarginata, reflected slightly more by cyathia, and moderately reflected by surrounding substrate. Decreasing UV contrast between plants and surrounding substrate by covering substrate with clear UV-absorbing film, compared with clear UV-transmitting vinyl, did not affect numbers of insects landing on plants. Placing the same film approximately 20 cm above plants and surrounding substrate decreased numbers of insects landing by 68% compared with the vinyl. Diptera and Hymenoptera responded similarly by flying beneath the UV-absorbing film and approaching plants less frequently. Absorbing UV from incident light illuminating plants appeared to eliminate a visual cue used by insects for locating flowering plants. The most likely visual cue eliminated was the pattern of polarized UV in skylight.

This paper provides distributional and biological notes for 43 species and subspecies of North American Meloidae in the genera Epicauta Dejean, 1834, Eupompha LeConte, 1858, Gnathium Kirby, 1818, Linsleya MacSwain, 1951, Lytta Fabricius, 1775, Meloe Linnaeus, 1758, Nemognatha Illiger, 1807, Pleuropasta Wellman, 1909, Pseudozonitis Dillon, 1952, Pyrota Dejean, 1834, Rhyphonemognatha Enns, 1956, Spastonyx Selander, 1954, and Zonitis Fabricius, 1775. These include 22 new state records, 19 new hosts, and numerous range extensions.

The biology and morphology of life stages of the whiteflies Aleyrodes sp. on Oxalis corniculata Linnaeus (Oxalidaceae), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) on Solanum melongena Linnaeus (Solanaceae), and Dialeurodes delhiensis David & Sundararaj, 1992 on Ficus virens Ait. (Moraceae) were studied, the latter species known only from India and its biology studied for the first time. Duration from egg to adult emergence for males and females of the three species was 24.2 and 28.4, 18.6 and 21.8 and 97.5 and 100.6 days, respectively. Duration, with morphometrics and illustrations for each developmental stage are also provided. Males developed more quickly than and were outnumbered by females of the three species by a ratio of 3.5:1, 4:1 and 3:1, respectively. Nymphal developmental period was positively correlated with length and width and negatively correlated with length:width ratio. Considerable sexual variation was revealed by adult morphometrics.

We describe and figure the previously unknown male of Hypanthidioides (Ctenanthidium) bifasciata (Urban, 1993) based on specimens reared from a trap nest along with a female. This species, originally known only from the type specimen collected in Colonia, Uruguay, is also newly recorded from Buenos Aires, Argentina. We provide for the first time information on the nest structure and, based on the analysis of pollen grains from brood cells, record five host plant species belonging to the families Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, and Fabaceae. Most pollen grains belong to an undetermined species of the genus Melilotus L. (Fabaceae).