A new species, Galendromus (Mugidromus) sulamericanus, is described from northwestern São Paulo state, Brazil, and it is included in the carinulatus species group Chant and Yoshida-Shaul, which is herein redefined to accommodate this new species. A variation in the insertion of ZV2 seta in the ventral shield was observed in individuals from the same population. A key is provided for all known species of the subgenus Mugidromus Tuttle and Muma.

Diagnoses and distributional notes are provided for four of the 10 recorded species of Neotropical alderflies (genus Protosialis Weele). Protosialis bifasciata (Hagen), P. chilensis (McLachlan), P. flammata Penny, and P. mexicana (Banks) are discussed and illustrated.

Two morphologically cryptic species have until now been treated under the name Tibicen dorsatus (Say). T. dorsatus is redescribed, and a neotype is designated from topotypic material collected from Atchison County, KS. Tibicen tremulus sp. n. is described and diagnosed from T. dorsatus and from similar species by using the shape of the male claspers and color pattern. Calling songs of the males are distinct, as evidenced by field recordings of multiple individuals of both species. Males of T. dorsatus produce a rattling song, during which syllables are repeated at a rate of 38.9 ± 1.7 s⁻¹ and are broadcast over a constant carrier frequency band of 2.6–12.7 kHz, 4.0 ± 0.3 kHz at maximum amplitude. The main portion of the song of T. tremulus consists of amplitude and frequency modulated syllables repeated at a rate of 16.2 ± 0.6 s⁻¹, frequency 5.4 ± 0.3 kHz at maximum amplitude. During these modulations, amplitude increases and a base frequency range of 3.9–5.8 kHz broadens to 3.6–7.7 kHz for a duration of 19.7 ± 2.7 ms. Dorsoventral movements of the male abdomen accompany the amplitude and frequency modulations in T. tremulus, a behavior not observed in singing males of T. dorsatus. Museum records show T. dorsatus to be widespread in the prairie biome of the central United States. T. tremulus occurs west of −97° longitude, where it seems to be widely if not entirely sympatric with T. dorsatus.

This study investigated the genetic diversity among plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), populations from 11 different geographic locations by using partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were 863 bp. In total, 23 unique haplotypes were identified from 50 tested samples. Haplotypes G (n = 5), L (n = 12), and T (n = 13) made up 60% of the 50 samples. Two distinct major clades were found in the phylogenetic analyses. Northern and southern clades were strongly supported (100/83 (MP/ML) and 100/62, respectively) by bootstraps. The mid-southern subclade within the southern clade was also moderately supported by bootstraps (73/57, MP/ML). The results of analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) are consistent with phylogenetic analysis. The results suggested that the northern and the southern clades correspond with northern strain and southern strain of plum curculio. The three-group model of AMOVA test may suggest that there is a transitional group existing between northern and southern groups. In this study, the mtCOI sequence was highly informative as a molecular marker in that it could distinguish C. nenuphar from northern and southern geographic locations in the eastern United States.

A pestiferous species of Mindarus (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Mindarinae) presents challenges for the cultivation and conservation of the endangered Guatemalan fir, Abies guatemalensis Rehder. The aphid, Mindarus guatemalensis n. sp., is described.

Podisma sapporensis Shiraki, 1910 (Orthoptera: Acrididae) is distributed on the islands of northern Japan and Far East Russia (Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and Kunashiri), and it exhibits a unique diversity of chromosomal races (X0 and neo-XY) on the island of Hokkaido. To infer the history of geographical isolation and chromosome rearrangements (main races and subraces), we used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation in two regions, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) and cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII), among 55 individuals representing eight X0/XX and three neo-XY/XX populations. The molecular phylogenetic tree revealed a high level of overall mitochondrial diversity, but the clustering of the examined population is in most cases closely related to their geographic distribution and associated with chromosomal races and subraces. Together with cytogenetic observations, we discuss the origin of the polymorphism within the X0 and XY races as well as differences between both northern and eastern races.

Coneworms of the genus Dioryctria Zeller include several serious pests of conifer seeds that are notoriously difficult to distinguish as species. We surveyed mitochondrial DNA variation within the abietella species group by sequencing 451 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 572 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit 2 (COII) genes from 64 individuals of six major species in the group. In addition to examining phylogenetic relationships within European members of the group, the study focused on the two most damaging species, D. abietivorella Grote from North America and D. abietella Denis & Schiffermüller from Europe and Asia, which have been considered taxonomically synonymous in the past. To detect different levels of divergence, we extensively sampled in seed orchards and natural forests for D. abietella on different hosts. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses confirmed the monophyly of the abietella species group and its separation into three clades. The grouping of North American species (clade A) received strong support in both analyses, whereas relationships between clade A and the two European clades were weakly supported. Dioryctria simplicella Heinemann could not be unambiguously separated from D. abietella populations. The diverse haplotypes observed in the network analysis conducted with eight populations of polyphagous D. abietella suggested the presence of two distinct lineages in France.

Successful overwintering of a coccinellid species is partially dependent on quality of hibernacula, for surviving cold temperatures, for drowning risk, and for avoiding parasitism or infection by pathogens. The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), an introduced species that has spread throughout North America since 1988, overwinters outside and inside houses or artificial structures. Five experiments were conducted during winter 2003–2004 to evaluate winter survival of the invasive H. axyridis compared with the indigenous Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake outside and inside human houses, to assess its contribution to the invasive success of the multicolored Asian lady beetle. We formulated the hypothesis that H. axyridis will survive during winter inside human houses and that no survival would be observed outside in Quebec, Canada. Survival of H. axyridis ranged from 25 to 53% in different experiments inside houses, whereas no survival was recorded outside. C. maculata did not survive inside houses, but 12.5% of the individuals survived outside. The indigenous species C. maculata had higher proportion of lipids than the invasive species H. axyridis, suggesting that H. axyridis is not physiologically adapted to overwinter in Canada. Selection of human houses as overwintering sites by the multicolored Asian lady beetle may constitute a “cold-free space,” which could explain its great invasive success in northern regions.

The impact of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) on colonies of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in southern Louisiana was evaluated by analyzing changes in swarming and longevity of colonies for 17 yr. Swarming rates were calculated from yearly captures of swarms in bait hives placed in five areas of Louisiana from 1991 to 2006. Colony longevity was monitored in 104 swarms established from 1990 to 2000 and followed until 2004. In the first years, before V. destructor, average swarm capture rates ranged from 0.85 to 0.95 swarms per bait hive-year, and survival of colonies established from swarms averaged 14 mo. In years immediately after the arrival of V. destructor (1993–1996), swarming rates and colony longevity decreased to 0.36–0.60 swarms per bait hive-year and 10 mo, respectively. After ≈5 yr in the presence of V. destructor, both rates recovered to levels at least as high as those seen before varroa arrived; swarm capture rates were 0.75–1.04 swarms per bait hive-year and average longevity was 26 mo. Analysis of varroa infestations in three colonies established from swarms in 1997 showed the presence of varroa at oscillating densities for 5 to 8 yr. Possible causes for this apparent recovery are natural selection for resistance in honey bees, introgression of selected resistant genetic material or reduced virulence of the mites.

Spatiotemporal elements related to the population dynamics of bagworms, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), on white pine, Pinus strobus (L.), were investigated by sampling populations of bagworms repeatedly at 12 sites within a 50-km radius in central Indiana. The number of live bagworms declined over time by up to 95% in some sites, and the rate of population decline increased with the initial density of larvae. A comparison of population density of bagworms in past generations with that of the current-year generation revealed that sites heavily infested with bagworms from previous years carried a high number of live larvae early but not late in the season. The positive relationship between densities of bagworms in past and current generations observed at five of 12 sites suggests that larvae commonly do not disperse when they emerge on a suitable host. However, there was considerable variation relative to this pattern, suggesting that dispersal is common as well. Pupation and emergence of adults occurred in late summer and early fall, with some level of phenological asynchrony observed at different sites. Dates corresponding to 50% pupation or adult emergence varied by up to 12 d at different sites. Males suffered higher mortality than females during the pupal stage. The positive correlation between the mortality level of female pupae and previous years’ population density may be related to a buildup of populations of natural enemies in sites that were previously heavily infested with bagworms.

The moth Streblote panda Hübner (1820) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is an ornamental and fruit plant pest in southwestern Andalusia. Analysis of head capsule width of 387 larvae reared on different host plants (Pistacea lentisco L., Arbutus unedo L., Citrus reticulata Blanco, Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boiss, Spartium junceum L., Tamarix gallica L., and Vaccinium spp.) indicates that growth rate between instars does not fit well to Dyar’s rule. The number of instars varied from 5 to 8. Head capsule width could be used directly to determine developmental stage of individual in almost all host plants used. Only for larvae fed on S. junceum, R. sphaerocarpa, Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Sharpblue’, and Vaccinium ashei Reade ‘Bonita’, beyond third instar, did the range of measurements overlap. These data were analyzed using a combination of statistical methods. A nonlinear least-squares approach was used to determine width means and ranges for each instar, and misclassification probabilities were calculated for each overlapping instar using Z statistics for all head capsule widths. Various factors are discussed to explain the results.

The pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), and related psyllids are important pests of pear (Pyrus spp.) worldwide. Many of these pests are thought to be partially controlled by predatory insects. To improve our understanding of the predator species that attack pear psylla, we developed monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against this pest for predator gut content studies. Mice were immunized with homogenates of nymphal, adult, and egg stages of pear psylla. A mouse immunized with nymph homogenate showed high activity against all three antigen types and was used for MAb development. From 952 hybridomas screened, 35 showed good activity to pear psylla and low activity against nontarget arthropods. Four MAbs were retained: two from immunoglobulin M (IgM)-secreting hybridomas, both with high activity against all stages of psylla except young eggs, and two immunoglobin G-secreting hybridomas, both with high activity against psylla eggs and gravid adult females. Using one of the IgM-MAbs, pear psylla remains were detected in the predatory bugs Anthocoris tomentosus Péricart (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) and Deraeocoris brevis (Uhler) (Heteroptera: Miridae) in laboratory feeding trials. Digestion half lives typically exceeded 24 h and were dependent on meal size and predator life stage. Gut content analysis of 970 field-collected D. brevis and Anthocoris spp. showed that the proportion which fed on psylla averaged 59% and that percentage closely tracked the density of pear psylla nymphs during three seasons. The utility of these antibodies for the study of trophic interactions and habitat management in relation to biological control of pear psylla is discussed.

The adventive cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a widely used biological control agent for Opuntia Mill. cacti, was detected in Florida in 1989. Since then, it has spread along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of southeastern United States, threatening native Opuntia populations. We examined the phylogeography of 20 C. cactorum populations from Australia, South Africa, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the southeastern United States based on 769 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1. Five distinct haplotypes were discovered, three of which occur in the United States. Cactoblastis cactorum in the United States falls into two distinct lineages: a western haplotype along the Gulf Coast and an eastern lineage with two haplotypes along the Atlantic Coast, with one of the eastern haplotypes identified as occurring at a single locality on the Gulf Coast. The two lineages have nontrivial genetic divergence (0.5%), and both are more closely related to populations outside the United States than they are to each other. This leads us to conclude that C. cactorum has been introduced to the United States at least twice. The isolated eastern haplotype on the Gulf Coast may indicate that C. cactorum has been introduced a third time, either from the Atlantic Coast or from outside the United States. Evidence from analysis of haplotypes and other information indicates that dispersal by commercial import action and human transport may be more important than flight ranges of ovipositing females for determining long range expansion of the species. Interestingly, the east-west pattern mirrors other coastal species distributions that have been interpreted as being due to Pleistocene vicariance.

Aspects of the natural history and early stage morphology of the nonmyrmecophilous butterfly Caria plutargus (F.) (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) are described. Immature stages were observed through scanning electron microscopy, emphasizing larval structures that may be related to myrmecophily or not. The larvae have several types of setae (balloon, echinoid, dendritic, plumose) and perforated cupola organs. The presence of balloon setae in C. plutargus is the first record for Riodinini. These structures have been described for some Riodinidae tribes, such as Nymphidiini and Helicopini, and also for some taxa in the incertae sedis section. The literature has proposed that balloon setae play a role in the symbiosis between larvae and ants in myrmecophilous riodinids. However, the discovery of balloon setae in nonmyrmecophilous riodinids spurs a new debate concerning the function and evolution of these specialized setae (Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 97: 310–321, 2004). The morphological and behavioral traits here described are discussed in the context of defense against predators.

The anterior midgut region of stingless bees is anatomically and histologically modified, but its function is uncertain. Here, we describe the ultrastructure of the anterior midgut region of corbiculate bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to help understand the structure and function of this section of the digestive tract. The species studied were Apis mellifera L. (Apini), Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Leptelier (Meliponini), Bombus morio (Swederus) (Bombini), and Euglossa townsendi Cockrell (Euglossini). The anterior midgut region has a specialized structure only in Meliponini with tall and narrowed cells. However, in M. quadrifasciata anthidioides, as well as in the others species studied, the cells of this midgut region have ultrastrucutural features of digestive cells. The basal plasma membrane infoldings have many openings to the hemocoel, suggesting an absorptive role in this midgut region. The cells of the anterior midgut region of Meliponini, despite having an anatomically and histologically differentiated section, consist of cells with ultrastructural features similar to those of the other corbiculate bees. These cells may play a role in water absorption.

The grasshopper Dichroplus elongatus Giglio Toss is an example of a species with widespread B-chromosome polymorphism. We detected in males considerable variation in adult size, and part of this variation is associated with the polymorphism for B-chromosomes that has a negative effect on male body size. The analysis of fitness components revealed that B-carriers are negatively selected during mating, whereas B-carrier females exhibited higher fecundity than standard females. We recorded adult survival in relation to karyotype and body size, as measured by total, third tibia, third femur, thorax, and tegmen lengths. Our data showed directional phenotypic selection favoring large males and, as expected from the relationship between karyotype and phenotype, chromosome directional selection was detected favoring males with standard karyotype. In females, the effects of phenotype on survival showed an opposite tendency to that detected in males, i.e., small females outlive large females. Phenotypic selection in females may be explained by a trade-off between early and late fitness components. Our results suggest that B-chromosomes cause detrimental effects on body-size related traits that are selected for adult male survival. All available information on B-chromosomes in D. elongatus supports the hypothesis that their persistence in Argentinean populations depends on trade-offs between opposite selective effects.

Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is a devastating pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae), in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Malay Archipelago. We surveyed genetic variation at two unlinked loci, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and nuclear elongation factor-1α (EF-1α), in C. cramerella from throughout most of their known geographic range. Given the enormous area sampled, COI variation is extremely low; EF-1α variation may be low as well, but this is more difficult to assess due to the lack of appropriate data sets for comparison. Our results strongly suggest that sampled C. cramerella populations have experienced at least one bottleneck in their recent past, although the possibility that COI variation has been reduced by a selective sweep cannot be excluded based on available data. We suggest that one or more bottlenecks likely occurred when C. cramerella from an as yet unknown source population, either within or outside the Malay Archipelago, became established on cacao, which is not endemic to this region (Conopomorpha is an Old World genus and cacao originated in the New World). Identification of the source of this pest could be important in efforts to identify natural enemies for biological control.

The heavily impacted coastal dunes of California are home to numerous invertebrates, but very few studies have examined their phylogeographic patterns. Here, we examine the phylogeography of the flightless fossorial darkling beetle Coelus ciliatus Eschscholtz and the extent to which previously identified phylogeographic barriers for terrestrial and marine taxa can explain its haplotype distribution. We compared 16 localities and 128 specimens along the coast of California by using 826 bp of the COI mitochondrial gene. We used Bayesian and parsimony-based phylogenetic analyses and haplotype network analyses to study the phylogeographic structure of the populations, as well as analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), isolation by distance and FLUCTUATE to examine the population structure. Our analyses identified 42 haplotypes and significant geographic and genetic structure among populations. Gene flow was limited between populations, and phylogenetic, nested clade, and AMOVA analyses indicate a deep break of the populations into two clades, north and south of Big Sur, near Monterey Bay. Populations between Pt. Conception and Big Sur follow a serial founder event pattern, as indicated by isolation by distance analysis. We did not identify a phylogeographic break at Pt. Conception or the Los Angeles area, but we recovered a deep phylogeographic break at Big Sur that contrasts with a break at Monterey Bay identified in other coastal terrestrial animals.

Herbivorous and parasitic females often show adaptive behavioral plasticity in response to their resources for oviposition. However, the phenomenon of individuals continuing oviposition on unsuitable places if hosts are unavailable also occurs, which is referred to as egg-dumping behavior. In previous studies, this egg-dumping behavior was considered to be a maladaptive behavior because some physiological constraints. In the current study, by clearly designating individuals as a dumper or nondumper in a population within 24 h, the life-history traits of female weevils, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.), with different oviposition characters were compared, and no significant differences were observed. In addition, this study provides two lines of evidence: 1) the egg-dumping rate was influenced by host experience; and 2) different host acceptance to novel beans between dumper and nondumper females. The inferences are that egg-dumping behavior may be a strategy for host range expansion by cowpea weevils if preferred hosts are not available.

Acceptance of a potential host for oviposition by gravid female moths is believed to be predominantly determined by the physical and chemical cues on the substrate surface. We evaluated the effects of substrate physical and chemical stimuli on oviposition by the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in a series of laboratory experiments. The experimental arenas were 5.7-liter plastic boxes that contained a single, uncovered 5-cm-diameter glass petri dish with either artificial substrates alone or artificial substrates applied with 0.1 g-equivalent of a hexane extract of wheat, Triticum aestivum L., or 10 g of wheat kernels. Presence of the chemical extract of wheat significantly increased P. interpunctella oviposition compared with physical stimuli without extract. A dish surface with spherical glass beads elicited significantly enhanced oviposition compared with surfaces with cheesecloth, filter paper, or sandpaper. Increasing the numbers of similar-sized extract-treated glass beads increased oviposition until a certain number of beads was reached, after which the oviposition remained constant. The diameter of the spherical glass beads, rather than the total surface area of beads presented, significantly influenced oviposition, with the 5-mm-diameter glass beads receiving the most eggs. P. interpunctella oviposition was also affected by the geometric shape of substrates, with ovoid shapes preferred over cuboid. These studies clearly show that semiochemical and physical cues are required to elicit maximum oviposition by P. interpunctella, and they suggest that ovipositing females prefer substrates with smooth, round or curved contours.

Bubbling behavior or regurgitation is defined as the production of a droplet on the tip of the proboscis. No behavioral differences were observed in the components of the bubbling behavior between the two sexes of adult Phormia regina Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae). One of the most interesting behaviors, from a functional standpoint, is the proboscis shaking and proboscis pumping that is always associated with droplet extrusion. Droplets were usually reingested and not dropped on the substrate as reported in some fly species. On a sucrose meal, the average total time the fly spent on bubbling, regardless of sex, was 9.4 min, whereas the average time the droplet was present on the proboscis was 7 min. The number of droplets produced per fly for both sexes was 19.8 for sucrose and 24.6 for liver. The average time to initiate droplet extrusion after a meal by both sexes was 69 min for sucrose and 102 min for the liver meal. Bubbling flies had a statistically significant greater crop volume (7.9 μl on liver and 6.2 μl on sucrose) than nonbubbling flies (4.1 μl on liver and 2.3 μl on sucrose). The latter results place the important functional significance of bubbling or regurgitation on crop volume and the need of flies to eliminate crop water load, thus concentrating crop solute.