This is the first of a two-part series, which is intended as an introduction to a future revision of the Aleiodes pilosus (Cresson) species-group. Here the type species of Tetrasphaeropyx Ashmead, Aleiodes pilosus (=Tetrasphaeropyx) is redescribed, and 12 new species placed in the Aleiodes pilosus species-group are described. New species herein described are as follows: A. aquaedulcensis, A. areolatus, A. brevicellula, A. carlsbadensis, A. catherinensis, A. citriscutum, A. cochisensis, A. dorsofoveolatus, A. fernaldellavorax, A. flavinotaulus, A. oaxacensis, and A. tulensis. These species, including the type species, are all known A. pilosus-group species with punctate or foveolate metasomal dorsal sculpturing. Host information is included.

A new species, Dicranocentrus chenae, from Guangxi, South China is described. The new species is most similar in the arrangement of dental spines to D. cubensis Mari Mutt, 1979 from Cuba and D. gapudi Mari Mutt, 1985 from the Philippines, but differs from them in the number of internal teeth in the ungues. A table of the main characteristics of Asian species is provided.

Weekly and biweekly sweep net collections were made near Blairstown, New Jersey, and Newark, Delaware (both in the U.S.A.), for 12 and 6 consecutive years, respectively. At Blairstown, only one non-native coccinellid [Coccinella septempunctata (L.)] was common when this research was started in 1993, one [Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.)] had recently appeared, and two others [Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze)] were detected later during the 12-year study. All of these four species were adventive, having established themselves through commerce, three species at inland ports, and one near a coastal seaport. The most numerous adult lady beetles at both locations were two native species, Coleomegilla maculata (F.) and Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), and three adventive species, P. quatuordecimpunctata, C. septempunctata, and H. axyridis. Six species were occasionally swept at Blairstown - one adventive species (H. variegata) and five native species [Cycloneda munda (Say), Coccinella transversoguttata Mulsant, C. trifasciata Mulsant, Hippodamia convergens Guerin, and Brachiacantha ursina (F.)]. All but the last species were also found at Newark. Lady beetle numbers varied considerably from year to year at both locations, demonstrating that long-term (10 years or more) research is required to correctly identify population trends. No coccinellid species decreased during the 12-year study at Blairstown—indicating that the once-common H. convergens and several species of Coccinella had become rare before the study started in 1993, and before three of the four adventive lady beetles had become numerous. The previous establishment of exotic parasites, previously reported to have reduced pea aphid numbers, was likely indirectly responsible for decreasing coccinellid diversity in alfalfa. Competition by the adventive C. septempunctata may also have reduced some coccinellid species prior to 1993, but such data for the northeastern U.S.A. have not been published, to our knowledge.

Six new species are added to the genus Gypona from Colombia: G. bidentata, G. bicornis, G. biura, G. onca, G. mecona, and G. aglata. All are assigned to the subgenus Gypona.

Two new species of Tomocerus (sensu stricto) Nicolet (Collembola: Tomoceridae), T. (s. str.) nigromaculatus sp. nov. and T. (s. str.) conagensis sp. nov., are described from Tibet, China. T. (s. str.) cuspidatus Börner, 1909, is recorded from Tibet for the first time. A key to the species of Tomocerus (s. str.) Nicolet from Tibet and adjacent regions is provided.

The morphology of eggs and first instar larvae of Dielocroce baudii (Griffini 1895) are described and illustrated for the first time using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The eggs are elongate and cylindrical with rounded ends and bear a small terminal micropylar knob. The chorion has two types of small protrusions. Newly emerged larva of D. baudii are characterized by an elongated tapering head, long pale prothorax, and prominent pale dark orange marks on the metatergites. The body is covered with short setae and dolichasters.

The Asian corixid Micronecta ludibunda Breddin was taken at light from two localities in south Florida in May and June 2001. Several more collections since suggest that it is established there. Its presence in Florida may be the result of commercial trade in aquarium plants.

The genus Montetinea Petersen is recorded for the first time from China. Montetinea efflexa sp. nov. is described on the basis of the specimens collected from Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces. A key for identification of the known species in Montetinea is given. The generic diagnosis is amended.

In this study, six species of Ichneumonidae were recorded for the first time in Turkey: Acrodactyla quadrisculpta (Gravenhorst, 1820), Zabrachypus tenuiabdominalis (Uchida 1941) (second record for the fauna of Western Palaearctic region), Zatypota percontatoria (Müller, 1776) (Pimplinae), Poemenia hectica (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Poemeniinae), Erromenus brunnicans (Gravenhorst, 1829) and Exenterus ictericus (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Tryphoninae). Notes on faunistic and distributional data of each species were also given.

We studied the prey preference and feeding behaviour of adult males of Ocypus olens (Müller) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), an active predator of many insects, under laboratory conditions. Tests were carried out individually on eight types of carabid beetles: three species with chemical defences and aposematic colours, Brachinus sclopeta (Fabricius, 1792), Anchomenus dorsalis (Pontoppidan, 1763) and Chlaenius velutinus (Duftschmid, 1812), and five species without these characteristics, Pseudophonus rufipes (De Geer, 1774), Steropus melas italicus (Dejean, 1828), Amara anthobia Villa & Villa, 1833, Poecilus cupreus (Linné, 1758) and Calathus fuscipes (Goeze, 1777). Ocypus olens preferred to attack prey without chemical defences and aposematic colour patterns, possibly stimulated by the prey's type of movement.

A new Chinese species, Folsomia hubeiensis sp. nov., was described from Hubei province. It is similar to members of spinosa-group in reference to the ventral sensilla on Ant I and the presence of many chaetae on anterior side of manubrium, distal ones of which are arranged as 3 3 in a transversal row. However, it is distinctly distinguished from the members of the group in the long body sensilla, the absence of corner sensilla on Th II, and in the number of laterodistal chaetae on the ventral tube, lateral chaetae of manubrium and posterior chaetae of dentes, and other features. Therefore, a special new group, named hubeiensis-group, is set up for the new species.