Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is considered a polyphagous pest distributed worldwide with a wide range of hosts, and is also considered a serious plague for vegetables and ornamentals. The objective of this study was to explore the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in agricultural soils from Mexico and to evaluate its virulence and effect on the life cycle of S. exigua. Selected isolates (HEB1 and γ01) were used to perform toxicity bioassays on neonatal larvae of S. exigua; additionally, the GHA (Beauveria bassiana), Pfr-612 (Cordyceps fumosorosea), Ma, and 2 isolates HIB-11 and HIB-12 (Metarhizium anisopliae) were included to obtain the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) and the median lethal time (LT₅₀). Also, the life cycle of the surviving individuals was followed up after treatment to document the effects of the entomopathogenic fungi application. The isolates belong to 2 different species, which are Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Cordyceps fumosorosea (Wize) Kepler, B. Shrestha & Spatafora (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) (formerly Isaria fumosorosea). In toxicity tests, the isolate HIB-12 of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) showed better mortality results against S. exigua than the other fungi evaluated with LC₅₀ of 3.17 × 10⁶ conidia per mL. The lethal time of LT₅₀ oscillated between 3 to 5 d and the HIB-12 isolate had the lowest lethal time (3.15 d). During the monitoring of the biological cycle after treatment, the greatest interruption of the metamorphosis was caused by the GHA strain, while the Ma strain was the one that induced the slightest interruption of the biological cycle. These results show the feasibility of using strains of M. anisopliae for control of larval stages of S. exigua and their possible formulation for agricultural use, as well as opening a way for the exploration and research of mechanisms or metabolites involved in the interruption of metamorphosis due to the application of entomopathogenic fungi, specifically B. bassiana.

The spider fauna of the Everglades National Park in southern Florida was surveyed over 2 widely separated time periods: 1966 to 1967 and 2008 to 2009. Samples were made in 4 of the typical Everglades habitats: sawgrass prairie, willowhead marsh, pineland, and tropical hardwood hammock, as well as several “disturbed” areas. A total of 201 spider species was identified. Twenty-three additional taxa were identified only to genus and included for general Everglades information. One species was documented as new and undescribed, and several others possibly may be new. The Everglades National Park is located at the northern border of the Neotropical ecozone and the southern border of the Nearctic ecozone. Forty-seven percent of the species were Nearctic, 37% Nearctic/Neotropical, 12% Cosmopolitan, and 3% Neotropical. The greatest number of species was collected in the hardwood hammock habitat. Life cycles of 10 common species are provided.

Olives, Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae), are an emerging commercial crop in Florida; however, potential arthropod threats during olive tree establishment and fruit development remain uncharacterized. Two potential pests that may threaten olive fruit production directly are native and invasive pentatomid stink bugs, which are important pest species of many crops in the southeast, and the invasive olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae),which is not known to be established in Florida. Monitoring for stink bugs during fruit maturation was done using dual funnel tube traps baited with stink bug lures. Yellow sticky card traps baited with food and pheromone lures were used to monitor for the olive fruit fly. Both trap types were placed in tree canopies in 4 North Central Florida olive groves during the anticipated fruit development period for 2 growing seasons. Whereas neither of the invasive species targeted (Halyomorpha halys Stål [Hemiptera: Pentatomidae] or B. oleae) were detected, several other potential pests were identified including brown stink bugs (Euschistus spp.; Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), glassy winged sharpshooters, Homalodisca vitripennis Germar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), and grasshoppers. No fruit damage attributable to arthropod pests was detected although fruit production was very low with limited samples. These results contribute to awareness of potential pests that may jeopardize olive fruit production and aid in the future studies to develop effective monitoring activities for Florida growers.

Rice is one of the most important crops in Louisiana and Texas, USA. It is subjected to various insect pests throughout the growing season. Lepidopteran stem-boring pests including the Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), are increasing in economic importance as insect pests in rice production, particularly in southwest Louisiana, USA. Field trials were conducted in Louisiana and Texas to examine the efficacy of foliar-applied insecticides (chlorantraniliprole and the pyrethroids ζ-cypermethrin and λ-cyhalothrin) and chlorantraniliprole seed treatment for control of rice stemborers during 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, a diet incorporation assay assessed the toxicity of chlorantraniliprole to laboratory-reared E. loftini. Results of field experiments in Louisiana showed foliar applications of chlorantraniliprole, at 22 to 35 d after permanent flood was established, reduced stemborer injury to rice by 57.9 to 96.5% in 2018 and 73.9 to 87.5% in 2019 compared to nontreated or pyrethroid-treated field plots. However, rice yields in 2019 did not vary among insecticide-treated and nontreated plots. In the Texas field experiments, chlorantraniliprole applied as seed treatment reduced stemborer injury, but was not effective in reducing injury when sprayed directly to soil after planting or when applied at permanent flood. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ (lethal concentration that produced 50% and 90% mortality, respectively) of chlorantraniliprole on third-instar E. loftini were 0.09 ± 0.03 and 0.53 ± 0.17 µg a.i. mL^-1, respectively, at 6 d after exposure. At 10 d after exposure, LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ were 0.04 ± 0.02 and 0.16 ± 0.04 µg a.i. mL^-1, respectively. In addition to chlorantraniliprole seed treatment, foliar application of chlorantraniliprole in rice could provide a new tool for management of damaging stemborer infestations.

Palpita forficifera Munroe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is the principal pest in olive groves in Brazil and Uruguay, damaging buds and fruits. Therefore, this work was undertaken to understand the biology of P. forficifera at different temperatures, to determine thermal requirements, and to estimate the number of annual generations in different olive groves located in Brazil and Uruguay. The study was performed at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C, 60 ± 10% RH, and a 14:10 h (L:D) photoperiod. The duration and survival stages of development, sex ratio, fecundity, and fertility were determined, and we elaborated the fertility life table at different temperatures. We also determined the thermal requirements, and the number of annual generations in olive producing areas were estimated. All immature stages of P. forficifera were affected negatively by the temperature at 10 and 35 °C, whereas 25 and 30 °C provided the shortest egg-to-adult periods. However, larval viability was affected at 30 °C (48.7%). Highest fecundity (325.5 eggs) was found for P. forficifera females kept at 25 °C. Additionally, the highest net reproduction rates (R_o) and intrinsic population growth rates (R_m) were verified at 25 and 30 °C. Lower thermal threshold (Tb) and thermal constant (K) for the egg-to-adult period were 10.7 °C and 549.45 degree-d, respectively. Based on the thermal requirements, P. forficifera can produce 4.0 to 6.3 generations per yr in the olive producing regions of Brazil and Uruguay. Results of the present study are important for understanding the occurrence of P. forficifera under field conditions and to aid strategic management designs.

The primary function of cuticular hydrocarbons is to keep insects from losing water. However, cuticular hydrocarbons also may mediate chemical communication in a number of species. In this study, we investigated the effect of the extraction method, natal host, and age (maturation) on the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of the West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Cuticular hydrocarbons from female and male adults of different natal hosts (Mangifera indica L. or Spondias mombin L. [both Anacardiaceae]) and age were extracted by solvent extraction and direct contact solid-phase microextraction. Cuticular hydrocarbons were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. In total, we recorded 12 compounds, but only 9 of them were identified. The identified cuticular hydrocarbons were linear alkanes (n-heneicosane, n-nonacosane, and n-hentriacontane), alkenes (n-heneicosene, n-tricosene, n-nonacosene, and n-hentriacontene), and branched alkanes (2-methyl-octacosane and 2-methyl-triacontane). There were no qualitative differences between sampling techniques. The solvent extraction method extracted more cuticular hydrocarbons from flies reared on mango compared to those extracted from flies reared on hog plum. In contrast, solid-phase microextraction extracted a higher concentration of cuticular hydrocarbons from flies reared on hog plum than to those extracted from flies reared on mango. Higher levels of 2-methyl-octacosane and 2-methyl-triacontane were detected with solvent extraction than with solid-phase microextraction; the opposite occurred with hentriacontane and unknown compound 2. The compounds n-heneicosene, n-heneicosane, and n-tricosene were present in mature males but not in mature females; n-nonacosene was found only in the mature flies of both sexes.

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (both Diptera: Tephritidae) cause severe economic losses to fruit production; thus, it is important to know the population fluctuations of these pests that share the same habitat and compete for similar niches, as well as to know their relationship with fruit infestation, all of which are fundamental components for understanding how to manage the risks of infestation in farms with a diversity of susceptible hosts. In the present research, the spatio-temporal distribution of C. capitata and A. fraterculus in 3 fruit farms was analyzed together with the incidence of fruit damage in different host species and cultivars. Seventy-nine Jackson traps baited with trimedlure and 88 McPhail traps baited with Torula yeast were monitored from Sep 2014 to Jun 2016, and a total of 5,700 fruits were sampled during the 2 seasons. The Spearman correlation coefficient between captures and fruit infestation was calculated, and maps of accumulated captures and fruit infestation distribution were built by site and season. Population fluctuation and fruit infestation were plotted for both fruit fly species, whereas population fluctuation discriminated by sex was analyzed for C. capitata. The Spearman correlation coefficient between C. capitata captures in McPhail traps during the 2 wk prior to harvest and the percentage of infested fruits was 0.62 (P = 0.0001), whereas for Jackson traps it was 0.34 (P = 0.02). The correlation between A. fraterculus captures in McPhail traps and fruit infestation was 0.59 (P = 0.0001). The variation observed in the number of adults and fruit infestation of both pest species between sites and host species groups is discussed.

The Everglades is a large subtropical wetland that has been modified heavily by humans and now is undergoing restoration. Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Hemiptera) in the infraorders Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha were collected in the Florida Everglades using standardized 1-m² throw-traps. Sampling efforts were conducted in marshes distributed from southern Everglades National Park, north throughout the Water Conservation Areas to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. In total, 12,833 individuals were identified representing 17 species in 13 genera and 8 families (Belostomatidae, Corixidae, Gerridae, Mesoveliidae, Naucoridae, Nepidae, Veliidae). The naucorid Pelocoris femoratus (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Naucoridae) was by far the most abundant species, whereas 2 other species, Belostoma lutarium (Stål) (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) and Neogerris hesione Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Gerridae), were widespread but less abundant. Two species, Abedus immaculatus (Say) (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) and Pelocoris balius La Rivers (Hemiptera: Naucoridae) had localized distributions, whereas all other species were collected rarely. We discuss the abundance and distribution of species recorded, along with unique traits and the biology of the aquatic Heteroptera in the Everglades and implications for the restoration of the Everglades.

Pagiocerus frontalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is known to feed on stored grains, especially corn Zea mays L. (Poaceae). No reports are available of this borer feeding on avocado seeds (Persea americana Mill.; Lauraceae), which is one of the most economically important crops exported by Mexico. In 2019, this coleopteran was extraordinarily abundant (about 30 adults per avocado seed) in an avocado orchard located in Nayarit, Mexico. We found that this insect feeds on mature fallen avocados. Biological and behavioral aspects of P. frontalis still are largely unknown on avocado fruits. This study documented the natural occurrence of this species on avocado seeds in Nayarit, Mexico.

Efficacy of predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) as a biological control agent of chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, was compared to a Capsicum oleoresin extract-based biopesticide,and a conventional insecticide, spinetoram, on entire strawberry (var. ‘Radiance’) plants with 5 expanded trifoliates under greenhouse conditions. Results indicate that A. swirskii and the biopesticide can be included as effective tools for integrated pest management of S. dorsalis in strawberries.