The false chinch bug, Nysius raphanus Howard (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), is a pest of a wide range of plant species. The efficacies of d-limonene (applied at 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g a.i./L), mineral oil (applied at 5, 8, 10, 20, and 24 g a.i./L), and potassium salts of fatty acid (applied at 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 g a.i./L) against adults and nymphs (10-d-old) were evaluated in laboratory bioassays and under field conditions. Phytotoxicity of the same insecticides and doses to Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) was also documented in the laboratory. In the laboratory topical contact toxicity bioassays, d-limonene at 1 and 1.5 g a.i./L, and mineral oil at 20 and 24 g a.i./L were the most effective treatments, causing 97% to 100% mortality at 48 h after application. In residual toxicity bioassays, d-limonene at 1 and 1.5 g a.i./L, and mineral oil at 20 and 24 g a.i./L caused 92% to 100% mortality among nymphs and adults exposed to the treated P. oleracea at 48 h after introduction. In the field experiment, d-limonene at 1.5 g a.i./L and mineral oil at 24 g a.i./L were effective in reducing 98% to 100% of adult and nymphal populations at 6–12 d after treatment. Results of this study suggested that d-limonene at 1.5 g a.i./L and mineral oil at 24 g a.i./L could be used to manage infestation by N. raphanus.

With recent publicized pollinator declines, citizens are becoming motivated to design gardens that support pollinators. As a result, garden centers have become a venue for advancing pollinator conservation, especially in urbanised areas. However, there is a paucity of evidence-based guidelines on what plant species or plant characteristics attract pollinators, especially native bees. Systematic surveys were conducted to identify what plants are most attractive to pollinating insects at a garden nursery (Zanthorrea Nursery) located in Western Australia. In the austral spring and summer of 2020/2021, each blooming plant species for sale was observed and all insect visitors were recorded over a 200-sec observation period. A diversity of native bees was recorded, however, the introduced Apis mellifera L. dominated. Of the 181 plant species present, less than half received visitors, and plant species varied greatly in their attractiveness to different insect taxa. Greater abundance of a plant species positively influenced visitation. Native bees preferred native flora, whereas honeybees preferred both native and horticultural varieties. The ten most visited plants by all insects were identified; three of these (Melaleuca lanceolata, Boronia crenulata, and Babingtonia virgata) were also most visited by native bees. Bipartite plant-pollinator networks revealed that resource overlapped and potential for competition varied among insect taxa and months. This study indicated clear preferences by insects among garden plant species offered at nurseries, and visited plants, especially those by native bees, should be promoted, and planted in larger abundances. Similar surveys can be used to identify “pollinator friendly” flora for the public.

Dundubia nagarasingna (Distant) is a cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) that has recently adapted to the tropical urban environments of Bangkok. There is little information on its phenology in the tropics and how its life-history traits have changed (or not) when the species adapts to urban environment. Synchronized emergence ensures mating success in cicadas. Short-term meteorological factors in the urban habitat may alter synchronized emergence patterns. This study investigated the intra-annual seasonal changes and longer inter-annual variations in the emergence pattern of a subpopulation of D. nagarasingna in an urban garden at the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, over 4 yr (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018). The findings revealed that (1) the synchronized emergence of D. nagarasingna in the urban garden occurred annually from March to July with one clear peak in all 4 yr, (2) the seasonal activity pattern of adults in the urban environment has become longer than in the natural habitat, and (3) in certain years, air temperature and relative humidity could be used as predictors for cicada abundance. Our results emphasize that knowing the seasonal phenology of this tropical cicada species is important for planning efficient observation, which could reduce the cost of monitoring up to 72% and is essential for potential future understanding of responses to climate changes.