This study documents new distribution records of Sternorrhyncha (Hemiptera) in Mali and Senegal. The mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) found were Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (striped mealybug), Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero (cassava mealybug), and Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (solenopsis mealybug). Also recorded was a giant mealybug, Icerya sp. (Monophlebidae), that was not identified to species. The soft scales (Coccidae) collected were Ceroplastes rusci (L.) (fig wax scale), Coccus hesperidum L. (brown soft scale), and Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner) (nigra scale). The armored scales (Diaspididae) collected were Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead) (oriental scale), Lepidosaphes tapleyi Williams (guava long scale), and Parlatoria crypta McKenzie (mango white scale). The whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) found were Aleurolobus marlatti (Quaintance) (Marlatt whitefly), Aleurotrachelus atratus Hempel (palm-infesting whitefly), and Trialeurodes ricini (Misra) (castor bean whitefly).

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to influence numerous ecological interactions among plants, insects, and natural enemies. There is little information on the direct or indirect effects of insecticide application on the production and emission of VOCs from plants. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of two pyrethroid formulations on the emission of VOCs from cotton (Gossypium hirisutum L.). Emissions were sampled from cotton leaves treated with either a capsule suspension (CS) or an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) of lambda-cyhalothrin, or untreated controls 24 and 96 h after application of insecticides and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results indicated that application of either formulation of pyrethroid had no significant effect on the total emission of volatiles during any sampling period. Interestingly, untreated plants did exhibit significantly greater emissions of (E)-2-hexenal, β-farnesene, and (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetrae compared with plants treated with CS or EC formulations, seemingly due to significantly greater herbivore feeding activity on control plants compared with insecticide treated plants. The results of this study provide no indication that insecticide treatment influences VOC emission from plants; however, more controlled laboratory studies would likely provide more conclusive evidence.

Bed bug infestations have been recorded in all 50 states of the United States and they were listed as the number one urban pest problem in 2010 by urban pest management professionals. The objective of this research was to survey urban pest management professionals of South Carolina about the importance and prevalence of bed bugs, types of infested dwellings, most common treatment strategies, and most common problems encountered when treating for bed bugs. Survey forms were distributed at the South Carolina Pest Control Association's annual meeting in 2011. Data were separated according to regions of South Carolina (upstate, midlands, and low country) for analysis. Ants and cockroaches ranked as the two most important pests in all regions, while bed bugs consistently ranked fifth in importance. Houses and apartments were reported to have the most infestations, and insecticides and mechanical removal were the most common treatment strategies. This information is beneficial to state agencies, pest control companies, and extension specialists in South Carolina who are repeatedly called for advice about bed bugs and their infestations.

The almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major pest of stored fruit of date palm trees, Phoenix dactylifera L. The biological performance of adult almond moths at different sex ratios (female∶male) and pairing durations (time that a male and a female were confined together) were investigated under constant conditions. The sex-ratio experiment was performed for six treatments: normal sex ratio (1F∶1M), two male-bias sex ratios (1F∶2M and 1F∶3M), two female-bias sex ratios (2F∶1M and 3F∶1M), and virgin females alone (1F∶0M). The pairing-durations experiment was performed for treatments of 1, 3, 5, 7 days, and the entire lifespan (until either the male or female died). A strong female-bias sex ratio (3F∶1M) caused a delay in the maximum number of eggs deposited from the second to the fourth day, reduced the number of laid eggs, and significantly reduced egg hatchability to 77%. A strong male-bias sex ratio (1F∶3M) significantly reduced female longevity. A pairing duration over the entire lifespan of the mating pairs significantly reduced male longevity. However, there was no significant effect on number and hatchability of eggs among different pairing duration treatments, which indicates that one day of male confinement with a female is sufficient to have optimum mating and fertilize all the E. cautella potential eggs.

Noctuid moths with tympanal organs perform a series of evasive maneuvers when exposed to bat-like ultrasounds. In this paper, we tested the hypothesis that certain ultrasound frequencies are environmental stress factors that have physiological effects on noctuid moths. The effects of ultrasound produced from a commercial device on the antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POX), were investigated in the adults, pupae, and larvae of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Our results showed that the effects of ultrasound-stress on antioxidant enzymes depended on the developmental stages of H. armigera and the duration of exposure. A significant (P < 0.01) increase in POX activity in adult and larval H. armigera was observed 40 minutes after ultrasound exposure. The results indicated that ultrasound stress has the potential to alter the antioxidant enzyme system in H. armigera.

Oriental spruce, Picea orientalis (L.) Link. (Pinaceae), is one of the main tree species that naturally grows in the Caucasus Mountains and the northeastern part of Turkey, known as the Black Sea Region. This tree species reaches optimal growth in the mountainous areas of heavy precipitation in Ordu, Giresun, Rize, Trabzon, and Artvin Provinces of the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey, but it can tolerate a wide range of climatic zones. The bark beetle species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) that attack oriental spruce, and their predators and parasitoids, were studied in Turkey in 2005–2006. Twenty-three species of bark beetles belonging to six subtribes and two tribes of Scolytinae were identified. In addition, 84 predatory species from 21 families and 23 parasitoid species from five families were detected. Identification of these predatory and parasitic species is an important starting point for the biological control of bark beetles attacking oriental spruce in Turkey.

The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), is an important structural pest in southeast Asia, and it has invaded many regions of the world. Based on the combination of partial mitochondrial sequences of COII and 16S rRNA, phylogenetic analysis and genetic variation of C. gestroi populations from Hainan Island, Taiwan, and its native range were analyzed. The results showed that C. gestroi population from Hainan Island were closely related to those from Taiwan and the Philippines in southeast Asia. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the genetic variation resided among geographical populations (82.8%), and Hainan, Taiwan, and the Philippines populations may form a single geographical group. The results suggested that C. gestroi has successfully on Hainan Island, and the Hainan population was likely introduced from the Philippines by humans.