Plantings of perennial grasses have been shown to be an effective means to enhance soil qualities for organic production. Similarly, tillage methods can significantly impact production in organic crop production systems. We have previously examined direct effects of these practices on crop yields, profitability, and soil quality for rotations of organic vegetables in a 4-yr study in northern Florida, but less is known about the effects of these treatments on arthropods. We report here on experiments that used large fields of Argentine bahiagrass, Paspalum notatum Flügge (Poaceae) ‘Tifton 9,’ converted to seasonal vegetable rotations of oat/rye, bush beans, soybeans, and broccoli in a nested design using 4 levels (yr) of continuous bahiagrass production prior to vegetable rotations and 2 tillage methods (conventional and strip tillage). During the fourth yr of the study, we conducted pitfall trapping on a subset of plots involving all 8 treatments (4 bahiagrass treatments and 2 tillage treatments) to examine effects on epigeal arthropods. Over 10,000 organisms and 48 species were identified with 36 arthropod species comprising greater than 97% of the collected specimens. Fields with increasing yr in bahiagrass significantly increased the number of carabid beetles, whereas there was a decline in total herbivores. Tillage treatments impacted arthropod abundance with a noted decline in total carabids collected in strip tilled plots. Pest management implications of these treatments are discussed.

Generalist arthropod predators often exhibit a range of intraguild interactions reducing their potential efficacy as biological control agents. These interactions may include consumptive or nonconsumptive effects that mediate the impacts of herbivores. We examined interactions among 2 generalist predators, the striped lynx spider (Oxyopes salticus Hentz; Araneae: Oxyopidae) and an ant (Lasius neoniger Emery; Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and a herbivore, the green cloverworm (Hypena scabra F.; Lepidoptera: Erebidae), all prevalent in central Kentucky soybean agroecosystems. We hypothesized that individual predator treatments would reduce green cloverworm survival and resultant leaf damage, but that predators would interfere with each other when both were present. To study these interactions, field cages containing potted soybeans were used to examine 8 treatment combinations (control, cloverworm, spider, ant, spider + cloverworm, ant + cloverworm, ant + spider, and ant + spider + cloverworm). When proportional leaf damage was compared, spider, ant + spider, and spider + cloverworm treatments had significantly less damage than the ant, ant + cloverworm, and ant + spider + cloverworm treatments. Spider presence tended to decrease plant damage while ant presence significantly increased damage. No differences among treatments were found for either spider or cloverworm recovery, indicating potential nonconsumptive effects of ants that may include compensatory feeding. We found that generalist predators, such as L. neoniger, can inhibit biological control due to nonconsumptive interactions even when the same species in a different system provides substantial levels of pest suppression.

Forest plantations, especially eucalyptus, increase wood supply, avoid deforestation of native plants, and preserve local biodiversity. Defoliating caterpillars often reduce the productivity of these plantations. Rearing and releasing pentatomid predators is a strategy to manage these pests biologically. In this study, the predators Brontocoris tabidus (Signoret) and Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (both Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) were evaluated in a clonal eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla Blake × Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden) (both Myrtaceae) plantation. Brontocoris tabidus dispersed further than P. nigrispinus over the 7-d trial. Males of both species dispersed more than females, and most P. nigrispinus were found within 10 m from the release point, whereas the majority of B. tabidus were observed between 15 and 30 m from their initial position of release.

The larval stages of cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), attack the roots of cruciferous crops and often cause severe economic damage. Although lethal insecticides are available to control D. radicum, efficacy can be improved by the placement of residues near the roots where the pest is actively feeding and causing injury. One such method is drenching seedlings with insecticide before transplanting, referred to as “tray drench.” The efficacy of insecticides, when applied as tray drench, is not thoroughly understood for transplants of broccoli and cauliflower. Thus, a series of seedling tray drench trials were conducted on transplants of these 2 vegetables using cyantraniliprole, chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, bifenthrin, flupyradifurone, chlorpyrifos, and spinetoram in greenhouse and field settings. In the greenhouse trials, the severity of D. radicum feeding injury was significantly lower on broccoli and cauliflower transplants when drenched with clothianidin, bifenthrin, and cyantraniliprole compared with untreated controls. In broccoli field trials, incidence and severity of feeding injury was lower in seedlings drenched with cyantraniliprole and clothianidin, as well as a clothianidin spray at the base of seedlings, than the use of spinetoram, chlorpyrifos, flupyradifurone, and chlorantraniliprole. In a cauliflower field trial, tray drench application of cyantraniliprole significantly reduced the severity of D. radicum feeding injury in seedlings than untreated controls. Also, the fresh weight of plant shoots was significantly greater in cyantraniliprole tray drenched plants than untreated controls. In a different tray drench trial with cauliflower, the severity of cabbage maggot injury was significantly lower on plants that received cyantraniliprole at wide plant spacing of 30.5 cm (high dose) than narrow spacing of 17.8 cm (low dose) compared with untreated controls. The implications of these results on D. radicum management for transplanted cruciferous crops and impact on the environment are discussed.

Exotic invasive species are one of the most widespread and common agents of change in ecosystems worldwide. Here, we are focused on community-level changes associated with the appearance and persistence of exotic species in an ecosystem over more than 2 decades. We combined datasets of Florida's ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) community from Wekiwa Springs State Park, Florida, USA, spanning 25 yr, which included 3 sampling events in several distinct upland ecosystems. Species accumulation curves, non-parametric species estimators, community similarity indices, and ratios of exotic to native ants were used to assess sampling effort, including patterns of diversity, and changes in community composition. Our data showed that the ant community of Wekiwa Springs has at least 4 exotic species present in all of the ecosystems sampled within the park. These upland ecosystems are accumulating exotics slowly and, with one exception, there is no clear signal that the exotic species are displacing native species. The likely exception is the invasive fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), causing local extinction of the native fire ant Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Continued long-term monitoring efforts are necessary to understand how these exotics may impact native communities in the future.

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), continues to be the most economically important arthropod pest of soybean in the Midwest. Currently, management tactics for A. glycines rely on scouting and application of broad-spectrum insecticides. However, broad-spectrum insecticides are toxic to most natural enemies of this aphid. Selective insecticides may provide an alternative strategy for suppressing A. glycines populations while conserving populations of its natural enemies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential lethal and sublethal effects of sulfoxaflor (a relatively new selective insecticide), to 2 of this pest's natural enemies, Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Laboratory bioassays were performed on first instars of both predators with residual toxicity evaluated over time until adult emergence. Parameters evaluated were mortality and developmental time for larvae and pupae, and adult body size. Fecundity also was determined for C. rufilabris. We found that sulfoxaflor was not toxic to first instar C. rufilabris. However, developmental time to adult was significantly delayed after exposure to this insecticide, but fecundity and body size were not negatively affected. For H. convergens, sulfoxaflor at 25% of the field rate was toxic to first instars. No significant differences were found with regard to developmental time and body size. It is important to note that sulfoxaflor, though relatively less toxic than some insecticides, is not entirely without consequence if natural enemies are exposed. The present study emphasizes the importance of examining earlier life stages and potential sublethal effects when evaluating the toxicity of insecticides in the presence of natural enemies.

Adults of the fly family Dolichopodidae (Diptera) are general predators on small soft-bodied invertebrates, and often are abundant in agroecosystems. However, information about their diversity and spatial distribution in agricultural landscapes are scarce. Using structured sampling, we identified the species of Dolichopodidae associated with organic vegetable crops, fallow, agroforestry, and native vegetation in the Federal District of Brazil, and evaluate their richness and abundance. We collected 70 species Dolichopodidae distributed in 17 genera and 9 subfamilies. Of these, some 80% of the specimens belong to the following 5 taxa: Chrysotus spectabilis (Loew), Thrypticus violaceous Van Duzee, Condylostylus depressus (Aldrich), Condylostylus “caudatus group” females, and Condylostylus erectus Becker (all Diptera: Dolichopodidae). Habitats with vegetable crops harbored a higher abundance and number of species (diversity α), with a gradual reduction towards more forested environments of native vegetation. This is an inverse gradient with the general patterns of community studies with other taxa. We also verified the importance of less disturbed habitats over time in the agricultural landscape, such as agroforestry and native vegetation, as complementary habitats for the maintenance and conservation of dolichopodid species in particular, a scenario to be tested for other insect groups.

In the social wasps, meconium is the fecal waste of the last larval instar before pupation. Meconium is ejected from fifth (last) instar larvae after their last feeding period as a fecal mass in Polistes species. The ejection of the meconium is important for the completion of metamorphosis. The aim of this study was to determine the elemental composition of meconium from Polistes dominulus (Christ) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Meconia were analyzed with an energy dispersive x-ray scanning electron microscope where the average atomic percentage of C, N, O, P, K, Si, Fe, Mg, S, Al, Ca, Na, and Cl were determined. We also found that the percentage of elements in the meconia in our study were variable and probably attributable to larval diet.

Little is known about the effect of adult leafhopper age and its oviposition period on the emergence of egg parasitoids. The objective of this study was to determine the emergence rate of egg parasitoids that attack eggs of the corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), when the adult corn leafhopper differs in age and is subject to different lengths of time for the oviposition process. A total of 4 treatments compared adult females of D. maidis of 2 different ages, young (2-wk-old) and mature (8-wk-old), as well as 2 periods of oviposition of different lengths (3 and 6 d). The adult parasitoids emerging from the eggs of D. maidis were Anagrus virlai Triapitsyn and Anagrus columbi Perkins (both Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). When analyzing the interactions of leafhopper age at oviposition, it was found that the age of the leafhopper females (2-wk-old vs 8-wk-old) had a different effect on the number of oviposited eggs for the 2 oviposition periods. On the other hand, in the emergence of parasitoids, there were no significant differences between age and oviposition period, but the emergence of parasitoids was related to the number of eggs oviposited by D. maidis.

Bean weevils (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) are responsible for large quantity losses of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.; Fabaceae) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.; Fabaceae). The magnitude of damage is related to the grains' varietal susceptibility. The objective of this study was to determine the population development rates of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in 4 landrace varieties of cowpea (var. ‘UFAC-B01,' ‘UFAC-MV01,' ‘UFAC-MG01,' and ‘UFAC-Q01'), as well as the population development rates of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in 4 landrace varieties of common bean (var. ‘UFAC-G01,' ‘UFAC-M01,' ‘UFAC-P01,’ and ‘UFAC-R01'). We determined the population development rates of the weevils in each variety. The weight of 100 grains (g) and the percentage of grain weight loss were measured, and correlations between these variables were analyzed. The statistical design was completely randomized, with 4 replications. Varieties UFAC-Q01 (cowpea) and UFAC-R01 (common bean) showed lower insect population development rates than other varieties. Although variations were found in the weight of 100 grains and grain weight loss, no significant correlations with bean weevil population development were observed. The cowpea and common bean landrace varieties from the southwestern Amazon region are important sources of resistance to bean weevils. The UFAC-Q01 cowpea variety and the UFAC-R01 common bean variety showed lower susceptibility to C. maculatus and Z. subfasciatus, respectively.

The invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was reported for the first time causing severe damage on maize in Karnataka, India, during May 2018. Thereafter, the pest has spread to most states of India and then spread to other Asian countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and China. Being a new invasive, there is no information on its susceptibility to insecticides. Hence, insecticides having different modes of action were evaluated for control of second instar larvae by the leaf-dip bioassay method, as well as under field conditions both in Jun and Sep. Emamectin benzoate 5 SG showed the highest acute toxicity, followed by chlorantraniliprole18.5 SC, and spinetoram 11.7 SC, whereas toxicities of flubendiamide 480 SC, indoxacarb 14.5 SC, lambda-cyhalothrin5 EC, and novaluron10 EC were at par by the leaf-dip bioassay. The results of field efficacy for 2 planting dates (Jun sown crop, and Sep sown crop 2018) revealed that the effective insecticides were chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC, followed by emamectin benzoate 5 SG, spinetoram 11.7 SC, flubendiamide 480 SC, indoxacarb 14.5 SC, lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC, and novaluron 10 EC. Higher efficacy also was correlated with higher grain yield in comparison with the control. Chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, and spinetoram are suitable as one of the components of Integrated Pest Management of fall armyworm in India.

Maternal effects can result in adaptive phenotypic responses of offspring that increase their fitness. Several recent studies report a positive relationship between maternal choices and offspring fitness. However, few studies have assessed the associations between aphidophagous lady beetle oviposition site selection, the adequacy of food resources for their offspring, and offspring performance. To clarify these issues, we explored whether aphidophagous lady beetle oviposition site selection can influence offspring performance, thereby reflecting adaptive maternal behavior. To assess the effect of food resources on offspring performance, we fed the larvae of 3 lady beetle species: Cycloneda sanguinea (L.), Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), and Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville) (all Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with different types of aphids (Uroleucon and Brevicoryne) (both Hemiptera: Aphididae) then measured development time, survival, adult body mass, brightness, and chromatic coloration of the adult beetles. We found that Ha. axyridis larvae fed Brevicoryne exhibited a higher survival rate than those fed Uroleucon. Also more adults emerged from C. sanguinea larvae fed Uroleucon aphids, and these adults were heavier, shinier, with more chroma, and developed faster than those fed on Brevicoryne. Overall, lady beetles performed better when fed aphids commonly found near their respective oviposition sites. We conclude that aphidophagous lady beetle oviposition site selection reflects adaptive maternal choices associated with an adequate food resource positively affecting offspring fitness. Elucidating the links between lady beetle oviposition site choice and optimal resource for their offspring enhances our understanding of habitat use and co-existence of aphidophagous lady beetle communities in Brazilian agroecosystems.

Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a common pest in soybeans in China. Though the pest has been studied extensively for many yr, there is little information regarding life history traits of A. glycines autumnal morphs on buckthorn in autumn. Life tables were constructed of A. glycines gynoparae, males, and oviparae reared at 13, 18, 23, 28, and 33 °C with a photoperiod of 12:12 h (L:D). Our results showed that gynoparae nymphs of A. glycines could survive well at temperatures from 13 to 33 °C, but male and oviparae nymphs could not develop into adults at 33 °C. Development time of nymphal gynoparae, males, and oviparae all gradually decreased when temperatures increased from 13 to 28 °C. Adult longevity of gynoparae and virgin males also decreased gradually when temperatures increased from 13 to 28 °C. Fecundity of A. glycines gynoparae was the greatest at 23 °C, with a value of 15.87 ± 0.33 oviparae per gynoparae. Males and oviparae of A. glycines mated only at 13 and 18 °C in the laboratory. Oviparae fecundity at 18 °C was greater than at 13 °C. This study provides important information on survival, development, and reproduction of A. glycines autumnal morphs, which is useful for understanding the population dynamics and life cycle of A. glycines in autumn, and to study the ecological adaptability of A. glycines in autumn.

The presence of the carrier and vector of Pectobacterium carotovorum (Jones) (Enterobacteriaceae) was found in Agave potatorum Zucc. (Asparagaceae) (larvae and adults of Scyphopphorus acupunctatus Gyllenhaal [Coleoptera: Curculionidae], larvae of Drosophila melanogaster Macquart [Diptera: Drosophilidae] and Hermetia illucens [L.] [Diptera: Stratiomyidae], and adults of Hololepta sp. [Coleoptera: Histeridae]) in Oaxaca, Mexico. Entomopathogenic fungi have been used as control methods to prevent the development of bacteria under laboratory conditions. After 5 d of inoculation, all the existing insects in the agave plants exhibited 98% of the countable growth of the bacterium, which led to the determination that the 4 species of insects are carriers and vectors of P. carotovorum. According to the final growth of the bacterium and the entomopathogenic fungi, the Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (Cordycipitaceae) (E) strain at a concentration of 1.0 × 10⁴ spores per mL showed a difference of 57.2 mm. For this reason, it was considered the best strain to disable the growth of P. carotovorum.

Tawny crazy ants, Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), are an invasive species found in states along the Gulf Coast of the USA. Their large populations are aggressive and can displace ant species already present in the area. Because tawny crazy ants are not territorial toward their own species within a locality, it was hypothesized that they may exhibit unicoloniality in their invasive range. To test this hypothesis, tawny crazy ants from separate locations in Florida were confined in small, enclosed arenas, and their interactions were observed and documented using a rating scale of aggression behaviors. Carbohydrate consumption also can affect aggression in ants, so starved and non-starved ants were tested separately. For non-starved ants, the level of aggression between worker ants increased if they were from different locations, but this interaction rarely escalated to fighting. When starved ants from different locations were given access to sucrose solution, the ants would exhibit trophallaxis rather than fighting over the food source. Queens from different colonies would quickly nest together. Thus, intraspecific aggression was not evident among tawny crazy ants collected from widely separated locations in Florida.

The Sterile Insect Technique is an important component of area-wide programs to control invading or established populations of pestiferous tephritids. The sterile insect technique involves the release of large numbers of mass-reared, sterilized males to achieve sterile male × wild female matings, which yield infertile eggs and thus suppress the pest population. The development of male-only strains (also termed genetic sexing strains) has resulted in more effective control of wild populations than standard bisexual releases. A genetic sexing strain based on sex-linked pupal color exists for Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), an important agricultural pest worldwide, but how this strain might perform in a sterile insect technique program has not been thoroughly investigated. As documented for several tephritid species, artificial selection imposed via mass-rearing, particularly over long periods, may have negative effects on various biological parameters of the released flies, including flight ability and dispersion, life span, and mating competitiveness. The goal of the present study was to compare lure responsiveness, dispersal, and survival between males from genetic sexing strains and wild strains of Z. cucurbitae. Our results indicate that males of the 2 strains differed significantly in dispersal ability, but not in lure attraction or survival ability. The potential usefulness of the genetic sexing strains in sterile insect technique programs for control of Z. cucurbitae is assessed based on these findings.

Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the most severe pests for sweet and hot varieties of pepper (Capsicum spp.; Solanaceae). The species is distributed widely, principally in Central America, but in 2013 it was detected for the first time in the Lazio region of Italy. Modelling plays a key role in reducing chemical treatments used on Capsicum spp., but reliable predictions of pest populations require adjusted tools, as well as intense knowledge of the insect's biology and its typical environment. The main goal of this work is to describe the life cycle of A. eugenii with a physiologically based model, which links the population dynamics with the environmental parameters. More specifically, this analysis focuses on the different response of the age-structured model in relation to the development rate function in input. Two methodologies to determine the best representative development rate function suitable for simulations are proposed; the first is “a priori analysis,” whereas the second is the “a posteriori analysis.” Simulations were compared with semi-field data, collected in a controlled experimental greenhouse where A. eugenii developed in varying temperature conditions. Results showed that the model used is adequate to describe A. eugenii population dynamics and highlighted how the a posteriori analysis can be essential to (i) analyze the simulation outputs, and (ii) determine the best representing development rate function, if the a priori analysis does not provide this information sufficiently clearly.

Olives are a potential emerging crop for the state of Florida, USA, and the pest arthropods in commercial groves in the state are under-studied. Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are an almost ubiquitous concern among specialty crop growers in Florida. Yellow and blue sticky card traps were used to survey the canopies of trees in 4 North Central Florida olive groves to determine thrips abundance and distribution over 2 growing seasons. Of the 16 species of thrips identified, most were Frankliniella spp., with Florida flower thrips, Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), being the most abundant species for both yr. Yellow traps were more effective for most species of thrips, although several species were more abundant on blue traps. No consistent differences between yr existed. Although overall abundance of flower feeding thrips species coincided with flowering events in the olive orchards, there was insufficient flowering to make statistical correlations between the peak of thrips abundance and flowering events in the olive groves. The results of this study will be useful in informing future economic threshold analyses of Thysanoptera in Florida olive groves.

A new species, Aleuropleurocelus sampsoni Sánchez-Flores & Carapia-Ruiz sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), from the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, is described. It was collected on the underside of Karwinskia humboldtiana (Roemer & Schultes) Zucc. (Rhamnaceae) leaves, a common plant known as “tullidora” because it is toxic and can induce severe neurological damage in humans and animals that consume fruits, in Ciudad Victoria and Llera, Tamaulipas, Mexico. A key to species of the ceanothi group of the genus Aleuropleurocelus is proposed. Microphotographs of morphological structures of pupariae are provided; differences with Aleuropleurocelus granulata (Sampson & Drews) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and other related species is discussed.

Two new species of Onthophagus from Oaxaca, Mexico, are described and illustrated: Onthophagus istmenusnew species, and Onthophagus santamariensisnew species. Keys for separating major males of the new and allied species are presented. Taxonomic remarks are commented for the new and closely related species.

The persistence and high dispersal of weeds during the off-season can favor the survival of pests and diseases that threaten cultivated crops in Brazil. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the principal polyphagous pests that takes advantage of the no-tillage system. Despite its pest status, little is known about S. frugiperda survival and development in alternative hosts, including those resistant to glyphosate. The purpose of this study was to investigate, in laboratory and greenhouse conditions, the adaptive capacity of S. frugiperda in volunteer maize and 6 weeds commonly found in Brazilian agroecosystems, including species with biotypes known for glyphosate resistance, such as fleabane, sourgrass, and goosegrass. We found that S. frugiperda survival and biomass were significantly higher in goosegrass, maize, and johnsongrass in both laboratory and greenhouse conditions. In contrast, fleabane, benghal dayflower, sourgrass, and smooth pigweed caused a decrease in S. frugiperda fitness. Along with S. frugiperda adaptive capacity, our results suggest that its persistence in the field can be directly related to weed control inefficiency during the off-season, increasing the demand for integrated pest and weed management.

During our study on egg parasitoids of the kudzu bug in Florida, we collected egg masses of Megacopta cribraria on kudzu and catnip for laboratory rearing. We found a new egg parasitoid, Ooencyrtus nezarae on M. cribraria, which represents the first Florida record of this parasitoid species. The wasp is widely distributed in Asia, and it will strengthen biological control of the kudzu bug in Florida. Future studies will assess comparative parasitism levels of Paratelenomus saccharalis and O. nezarae, as well as the dynamics of populations of these biological control agents.

Frankliniella invasor is an important pest of mango in Central America; however, information is limited concerning the activity of insecticides with different modes of action. Eight insecticides representing 5 different chemical classes were assayed for control of F. invasor in Costa Rica. The spinosyns, spinetoram, and spinosad were highly active, whereas malathion and α-cypermethrin were the least active. The neonicotinoids imidacloprid and thiamethoxam resulted in intermediate toxicity to this thrips pest.

The lychee erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), is an important pest of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.; Sapindaceae). Its recent interception in Lee County, Florida, USA, resulted in a quarantine whereby no lychee material, including fruit, can be transferred outside the county. Therefore, there is an urgent need for post-harvest treatments that can disinfest the fruit of the pest. Results of this study indicate that post-harvest dips in paraffinic oil solutions, 3 and 5%, for 60 s can achieve complete disinfestation of lychee fruit of A. litchii motile stages as well as other arthropods. In both ‘Mauritius' and ‘Brewster’ cultivars the treatments had a beneficial effect on fruit quality for the first 10 d after treatment. Post-harvest dips in paraffinic oil showed effective control of A. litchii without a noticeable reduction in fruit quality. Hence, this treatment might allow growers in Lee County to transport lychee fruit outside the quarantine zone.

There is growing evidence that nocturnal moths are important pollinators of agricultural crops. However, the contribution of these pollinators to the production of crops remains largely unknown. We explored the pollination input nocturnal insects provide to self-fertile varieties of peaches and muscadine grapes. Our goal was to determine if these fruit varieties need little or no input from insect pollinators, as previously believed, or if pollination is provided by the oft-ignored nocturnal-insect pollinators. Moths were anecdotally observed to be the dominant floral visitor in peaches, diurnal or nocturnal. No floral visitors were recorded in muscadine grapes. We found that the fruit set of self-fertile varieties of both fruits was not significantly increased by any pollinator group, suggesting that pollination contribution provided by insects was unnecessary. Interestingly, we observed both common moth visitors to consistently vibrate their wings during floral visits. This behavior is known to increase body temperature in moths for flight, but this is the first time the vibration behavior has been associated with floral visitation. While the examined fruit varieties received no benefit from insect pollination, important observations highlight our lack of understanding concerning nocturnal pollination and require focused research to elucidate.