The complex of aphelinids and encyrtids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) parasitizing armored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on hemlock in Japan (Tsuga diversifolia Masters and Tsuga sieboldii Carrière) and in the eastern United States (Tsuga canadensis [L.] Carrière) was surveyed. Eight new species were discovered and are described here: Five species of Encarsia and one species each of Pteroptrix (Aphelinidae), Coccidencyrtus, and Thomsonisca (Encyrtidae). Two previously known species, Aphytis moldavicus Yasnosh and Encarsia brimblecombei Girault, are recorded for the first time from Japan. New host-parasitoid associations were found for five diaspidids: Fiorinia externa Ferris, Dynaspidiotus tsugae Marlatt, Pseudaulacaspis momi Kuwana, Lepidosaphes japonica Kuwana, and Lepidosaphes pseudotsugae Takahashi.

Thaumaglossa beali Kadej and Háva, and Thaumaglossa parahilleri Kadej and Háva, two new species, are described from NE Laos. The habitus, antennae, and genitalia are illustrated and compared with related species. A key to the Laosan species of Thaumaglossa. Redtenbacher is presented.

Five new species of the genus Paederus presumably forming a monophyletic group that cannot be assigned to any of the hitherto known subgenera are described from mainland China: Paederus biacutus sp. nov. from Fujian, Paederus parvidenticulatus sp. nov. from Guizhou, Paederus sinisterobliquus sp. nov. from Hubei, Paederus symmetricus sp. nov. from Guangxi and Guizhou, and Paederus volutobliquus sp. nov. from Guangdong. Given the problems of the higher-level classification of the subtribe Paederina, that is the taxon equivalent to Paederus sensu lato according to some authors, the entire group is reviewed for the territory of China. A regional list of species is updated, and identification keys to genera of the subtribe Paederina, subgenera of the genus Paederus, and five new species of the P. biacutus species-group fauna of China are given.

Narnia femorata Stål (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) is a leaffooted bug commonly found on Opuntia and Ferocactus cacti (Cactaceae) in southern New Mexico. Although general information has been published on the biology of this species, detailed studies are limited, particularly in America north of Mexico. Therefore, we conducted a study of this bug's life history in southern New Mexico from August 2010 to May 2012, reared the bug in the laboratory, and described the immature stages. Six prickly pear cactus plants, Opuntia phaeacantha Engelmann, and four barrel cactus plants, Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelmann) Britton & Rose, were examined weekly to record numbers of the various life stages, adult sex ratios, and behavioral activities. Adults of this apparently bivoltine species overwintered in plant debris at the bases of their host plants. They emerged in late February to deposit eggs in rows along the underside of cactus spines. Nymphs were found from late February through late December. Nymphs of the first generation were most abundant April through June on and around developing flowers of O. phaeacantha. Those of the second generation were most abundant during August and September on maturing fruit of O. phaeacantha and developing flowers and maturing fruit of F. wislizeni. The bug also was reared from egg to adult under controlled laboratory conditions on fruit and pads of O. phaeacantha at 25 ± 0.01 °C under a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. The incubation period averaged 12.70 d. The five stadia averaged 3.84, 11.00, 12.12, 17.06, and 22.94 d, respectively. Instars can be distinguished readily by differences in several morphological features in addition to body size and coloration.

The purpose of this study was to examine the population structure of Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in relation to host plant association and ecological Holdridge zones. Adult collections were made in cultivated and wild Solanaceae species in 13 departments of Colombia. Sequencing of 658 bp of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase 1 on 103 individuals produced 25 haplotypes. Haplotypes Hl, H2, H4, and H7 were the most frequent and were geographically separated by the Andean mountains. We obtained an F_ST = 0.57 (P < 0.0001), where most of the genetic differentiation (42.64%) was between individuals within each department. Pairwise F_ST analysis produced higher genetic values between geographically separated departments than between closely related sites. H2 and H7 apparently behave as generalist populations, as they were found in different habitats and different hosts. The most divergent populations of N. elegantalis were found in southern Colombia, at a location were Solanun quitoense might have originated. Host plant association and environmental factors such as Holdridge life zones are playing an important role in the differentiation of N. elegantalis. Population structuring in N. elegantalis indicates that integrated pest management strategies used to control this species should consider the genetic differentiation of the species at different locations in Colombia.

The North American cicada Okanagana viridis Davis has been little reported in the literature for nearly 80 yr. We provide the first notes on the song and ecology of this elusive species, and we update its known range. O. viridis is unusual in a large genus of 60 otherwise arid- or cold-adapted, mostly western U.S. species, in that it is found in the temperate deciduous southern forests of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. It is the only almost solid bright green Okanagana Distant, and it calls from high in trees during daylight hours and occasionally at dusk, during the summer months. The song is a thin, dull, steady whine ≈30 s in duration; it is composed of irregular doublet or triplet pulses given at a mean rate of 127/s, with a mean peak sound frequency of 9.27 kHz. O. viridis is uncommon in collections, and it appears restricted to remaining small forest patches near lowland river deltas.

Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell, 1893) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is one of the most frequent and abundant mealybugs in Brazilian vineyards, where it causes direct and indirect damage to the vines. In this study, we investigated the effect of plant structures, cultivars, and vine rootstocks on the development, survival, and reproduction of D. brevipes under laboratory conditions. Leaves of the tablegrape cultivar’ ‘Itália’ (Vitis vinifera) and ‘Niágara Rosada’ (Vitis labrusca) and the vine roots of the rootstocks Paulsen 1103 (Vitis berlandieri × V. rupestris) and IAC 572 (Vitis caribaea × 101-14 Mgt) were used as host plants. D. brevipes developed on different vegetative structures, cultivars, and vine rootstocks. D. brevipes showed the shortest developmental period and highest survival and fecundity rates on leaves of cultivar Itália. Survival on leaves was significantly higher than on roots. Roots of IAC 572 were unsuitable for D. brevipes development, resulting in nonreproductive females. The mealybugs’ longevity on leaves and vine roots was similar. Higher intrinsic and finite rates of increase and net reproductive rate were observed when mealybugs developed on Itália leaves. We concluded that the host plant affects the development and survival of D. brevipes and that the choice of the most appropriate cultivar or vine rootstock can help to reduce pest infestation, and is therefore an additional component to be included in the integrated pest management of grapes.

Xylem colonization by Xylello fastidiosa promotes physiological, biochemical, and morphological alterations in citrus plants causing citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) disease, which might influence the feeding behavior of vectors of this bacterial pathogen and its spread in citrus groves. By using the electrical penetration graph technique, we compared the numbers and durations of stylet penetration activities by adults of the sharpshooter vector Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) on healthy and X. fastidiosa-infected sweet orange seedlings (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, cv. Pera). Infected plants were either symptomatic, exhibiting the typical CVC, symptoms or totally asymptomatic. The mean time needed to contact xylem and start xylem sap ingestion after the onset of the first probe was similar among treatments. However, the average time elapsed between the onset of the first probe and the beginning of sustained xylem ingestion (>5 min) was longer on plants with CVC symptoms than on infected asymptomatic or healthy plants. In addition, the length of time spent in ingestion activities was much shorter on symptomatic plants. Our results showed that CVC symptomatic citrus plants were a less acceptable host than uninfected or asymptomatic X. fastidiosa-infected plants. Furthermore, our results support the hypothesis that symptomless infected citrus trees may be more important as sources for CVC spread than severely diseased ones.

This study describes the behavioral and histological changes that take place during ecdysis in the Formosan subterranean termite. The molting process was described in four distinct phases, starting with the peristaltic contraction of the abdomen to the complete shedding of the exuvium. Although individual termites still managed to go through the molting process when isolated from their nestmates, it required more time for the molting individual to complete the process than when aided by its nestmates. Histological observations were made on termites during the intermolt period, the premolting or fasting period, the pre-ecdysis and the ecdysis periods, and on newly molted individuals. Symbiotic protozoans were voided at the beginning of the premolting/fasting period. The detachment and reattachment of the muscles of the abdominal segments occurred during pre-ecdysis, and the leg muscle detachment and reattachment occurred during ecdysis. During pre-ecdysis, the abdominal cuticle had a wrinkled texture and two layers of cuticles were observed, one of which was the newly formed cuticle underneath the old one. Finally, the old tracheae were shed from the tracheal system and were pulled out from the spiracular openings of the mesothorax with the help of the nestmates. We concluded that, as social insects, the presence of nestmates during the molting of individual termites reduced the time necessary to complete the ecdysis, and the histological description of the molting process provides a template for further studies on the effect of chitin synthesis inhibitors on ecdysis in termites.

The immature development of the antennal sensilla borne by the first—fifth instar nymphal Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Sensillar types of nymphs did not vary, but the distribution pattern of sensilla gradually changed during the postembryonic development. Seven types of antennal sensilla were found on the antennae of each of the first—fifth instars. One Böhm bristle and one sensillum campaniformium I on the scape, one Böhm bristle and one sensillum campaniformium II on the pedicel, and one sensillum coeloconicum and three sensilla basiconica on the swollen flagellar base (main body) remain constant during development. The numbers of sensilla chaetica on the scape and pedicel and the numbers of sensilla trichodea, sensilla placodea, and sensilla basiconica on the pedicel gradually increased from the youngest to the oldest instars. In contrast, sensilla trichodea, which occurred on the swollen flagellar base of the first instar nymph, disappeared after the first molt, and one sensillum placodeum on the swollen flagellar base of the first instar nymph gradually degraded during development and finally disappeared after the third molt. The length and width of antennae increased during the development, except for the flagellar main body, which presented negative growth in its width after the first molt. The development of antennae seems according with the need for bearing sensilla.

In the longhorn beetle subfamily, Cerambycinae, the presence of pore fields on the prothorax of males has been shown to be associated with the production of sex or aggregation pheromones in several species. Adult specimens of nine Cerambycine species in the Tribe Clytini native to the Jilin province (Chlorophorus sexmaculatus (Kraatz), Chlorophorus sulcaticeps Pic, Chlorophorus motschulskyi (Gangl), Cyrtoclytus capra Germar, Plagionotus pulcher Blessig, Rhaphuma acutivittis (Kraatz), Xylotrechus clarinus Bates, Xylotrechus rusticus L., and Xylotrechus cuneipennis (Kraatz)) were examined for the presence and distribution of prothoracic pore fields, by using scanning electron microscopy. For all nine species examined, porous indentations were present on the pleura or both pleura and tergum of males and were absent on females. Porous indentations on the prothorax of males varied significantly among species in both mean density (1.4–7.8 pores per 10,000 µm²) and diameter (2.0–16.5 µm). These results led us to hypothesize that males of these species emit sex or aggregation pheromones and that additional research to test this hypothesis and develop pheromone-based tools for their survey and monitoring is warranted.

The most important species of Lepidoptera that attack soybean, in descending order of importance, are Chrysodeixis includens (Walker), Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker), Spodoptera eridania (Stoll), and Spodoptera albula (Walker). In addition, Rachiplusia nu ( Guenée ) is one of the most common Plusiinae in the southern region of Brazil, encompassing the states of Paraná, Santa Catalina, and Rio Grande do Sul. The correct identification of these species is essential for choosing the appropriate control measures, as they differ in their susceptibility to insecticides and biological control agents. To distinguish Lepidoptera species commonly found in Brazil, the eggshells of all these species were morphologically characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Diagnostic characters for differentiating species include shape of rosette petals, number of primary cells, number of secondary cells, number of ribs, and rosette diameter. Also, a molecular diagnostic method using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was developed to distinguish noctuid species commonly found in Brazil. A 658-bp region of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene was amplified using PCR and then sequenced. The five Lepidoptera species were distinguished by restriction enzymes Bpm I and Mbol. RFLPs produced by Bpm I endonuclease were useful to discriminate species from within Spodoptera (S. cosmioides, S. eridania, and S. albula) and R. nu from C. includens. However, Bpm I did not digest the amplicons from S. eridania and C. includens, which were discriminated by RFLP patterns produced by the restriction enzyme MboI. PCR-RFLP can be performed in a short period, and it is useful to distinguish the most important Brazilian Lepidoptera soybean pests.

The wasps Acrotaphus tibialis (Cameron), Eruga ca. gutfreundi Gauld, and Hymenoepimecis tedfordi Gauld induce their host spiders to spin modified “cocoon” webs just before they kill them and pupate. The cocoon webs induced by all three wasp species appear better designed to support and protect the wasps' pupal cocoons than are the normal orbs of their hosts. The typical cocoon webs induced by A. tibialis were similar to the protected resting webs built by their host spiders Argiope trifasciata (Forskäl) but had more elaborate protective barrier tangles. The other two species of wasp induced the same host spider, Leucauge mariana (Keyserling) to build quite different cocoon webs. The cocoon webs of H. tedfordi varied somewhat, but usually included radial lines and a tangle below. They resembled the resting webs of the host in having a planar radial organization and (often) a tangle below, but lacked a hub and had their lines that were apparently composed of high numbers of individual strands. The three dimensional, radially arranged cocoon web of E. ca. gutfreundi had no clear counterpart in the webs of unparasitized L. mariana. The substantial intraspecific variation in the cocoon webs, especially those of A. tibialis, emphasizes the apparent difficulty of precise host manipulation by these wasps.

Insects make use of sound in a variety of behavioral and reproductive contexts. Acoustic signals are known to serve in defense, sexual advertisement, prey location, and in cooperative activities such as offspring care and group foraging. In airborne signals produced by insects, information associated with species identification is often related to the temporal structure of the sound, while spectral quality is more closely associated with intraspecific variation. The Nicrophorine burying beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Silphidae) are a group known to produce sound through dorso-ventro stridulation, but the bioacoustics of this group remains understudied. Here, we examine the stridulatory sound produced by eight North American species of Nicrophorus burying beetles, testing the hypothesis that interspecific differences will be encoded in temporal characteristics of the sound, and that signal divergence will be explained by one of three mechanisms: selection as an intraspecific signal, selection for interspecific aposematism, or random divergence through drift. We digitally recorded stridulation in each species, and analyzed recordings to describe each in respect to four spectral and eight temporal acoustic characters. All species produced a low amplitude biphastic sound pulse consisting of from 58 to 126 syllables, and exhibiting weak dominant frequencies (5.8–12.7 kHz). Collapsing the 12 variables into three rotated factors using principal component analysis, we found no sex-related differences in sound, but significant interspecies divergence in respect to all three factors. We constructed a phylogeny for the group based on the morphology of the stridulatory structures and the acoustic characters, and found weak support for an intraspecific signal divergence model.