Grasses such as sorghum, (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), are rarely considered as an important food resource for pollinators. Here, we report insects collecting or consuming pollen of sorghum over the 8-wk flowering period of a mapping population in Tifton, GA. We also examine the response of insects to plant morphological traits and disease damage and the ability of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) to cross-pollinate sorghum. The most numerous insect observed collecting/consuming sorghum pollen was the hover fly Toxomerus politus Say (i.e., the maize calligrapher) followed by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), lined earwigs (Doru taeniatum Dorhn), lovebugs (Plecia nearctica Hardy), southern carpenter bees (Xylocopa micans Lepeletier), common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens Cresson), exotic stripetails (Allograpta exotica Wiedemann), margined soldier beetles (Chauliognathus marginatus F.), a signal fly (Rivellia sp. Robineau-Desvoidy), and a dusky-winged hover fly (Ocyptamus fuscipennis Say). Maximum flowering occurred at Week 3, which coincided with the maximum number of maize calligraphers, bumble bees, and honey bees observed. A positive linear relationship was seen between the number of flowering plots and the number of maize calligraphers and honey bees. The probability of observing a bee on a panicle increased as plant height increased, whereas the probability of observing a bee or hover fly decreased as plant disease percentage increased. These results suggest that inflorescence abundance, plant height, and plant disease impact bee visitation in sorghum. Furthermore, field-captured bumble bees successfully fertilized sorghum in a greenhouse study, suggesting that bumblebees can pollinate sorghum flowers in field conditions.

Entomopathogenic fungi in the clade Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (s.l.) parasitize formicine ants (more commonly known as carpenter ants), resulting in fungal fruiting bodies that emerge from the head of the infected ant. This phenomenon is better known as the “zombie-ant fungus.” In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 191 infected ant specimens found on deciduous understory shrubs and saplings were collected from May to December 2022 and from March to May 2023. The diameter of stems on which these infected ants were attached was measured, host plant species were determined, and various morphologic characteristics (e.g., stroma length and perithecial plate diameter) of this fungus were documented. Deoxyribonucleic acid extractions and polymerase chain reaction analysis were conducted to confirm the identity of the fungus. Our results confirmed the presence of a fungal species within the Ophiocordyceps clade. Ophiocordyceps kimflemingiae was found infecting Camponotus americanus Mayr attached to stems of several understory shrubs and saplings, such as Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume (spicebush), Ulmus spp. (elm), Acer spp. (maple), Betula spp. (birch), and others. The size of fungal morphologic characteristics varied widely. For example, fungal stroma length ranged from <1 to >30 mm and perithecial plate diameter ranged from as small as 0.1 to >1.5 mm. This research has expanded the known geographic distribution of this fungus, demonstrated fungal morphologic variation, contributed to ecologic knowledge on stem diameter and mandibular death grip of infected ants on deciduous host plants, and expanded the listing of known plant species inhabited by infected ants.

Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is the primary pest of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica von Plenck), and it holds the distinction of having the highest number of documented cases of insecticide resistance among insect pests, which complicates its management. The utilization of plant extracts is considered an alternative approach. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the efficacy of commercial plant extracts for the control of P. xylostella. Nine commercial extract products were evaluated, and their effects were compared with Inex-A^® + distilled water (control group) and Exalt^® (commercial control). Toxicity assays were conducted using third-instar larvae by topical application bioassay. Oviposition inhibition was assessed along with adult female repellency by exposing females to treated surfaces. To determine the residual effect on feeding and oviposition inhibition, third-instar larvae and 3- to 6-d-old adult females were used, respectively, with residual effects measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 d postapplication. Nimicide 80 (Ultraquimia, Morelos, Mexico) exhibited a mortality rate of 35% of third-instar larvae. Garlimax (Plant Health Care, Azcapotzalco, Mexico) inhibited oviposition by 80%, and demonstrated 85% repellency. The residual effect of Garlimax persisted for 4 d, resulting in a reduced percentage of the consumed area and egg oviposition. The findings of this research highlight the effectiveness of these two products, Nimicide 80 and Garlimax; however, field evaluations are recommended to verify the consistency of their biological effects.

Licorice of the taxonomic genus Glycyrrhiza is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Its large-scale cultivation is threatened by insect pests, including the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Our study (1) examined the preference of B. tabaci for G. uralensis Fischer ex de Candolle, G. glabra L., and G. inflata Batalin through caged trials; (2) identified the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by the three Glycyrrhiza species using headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS); and (3) screened the olfactory behavior responses of B. tabaci to the key VOCs identified. The caged host preference trial showed that B. tabaci had a clear preference for G. uralensis over G. inflata and G. glabra. Through HS-GC-MS analysis, we identified 26, 33, and 31 VOCs from G. uralensis, G. glabra, and G. inflata, respectively. (3Z)-Hexen-3-ene-1-yl acetate, trans-3-hexen-1-ol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, 3-carene, and β-pinene were selected for further olfactory response assays on the basis of variable importance projection values and quantity differences. From these, we learned that cis-3-hexene-1-ol and trans-3-hexene-1-ol, abundant in G. uralensis, attract B. tabaci, whereas 3-carene and β-pinene, abundant in G. inflata, repel B. tabaci. The different VOCs from these three species of licorice may be primary factors affecting the preference for and feeding on cultivated licorice by B. tabaci. Our results will facilitate studies on the potential of using selected VOCs for managing B. tabaci, perhaps in push–pull strategies of their use against the pest.

Since invading Xinjiang, China in 2017, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), commonly known as the tomato leafminer or the South American tomato pinworm moth, has continuously expanded its scope of devastation. Because flight is a major means by which insects disperse, an insect flight mill was employed to elucidate the physiological boundaries and basic parameters of T. absoluta flight biology. The system was used to measure the average flight distance, flight time, and flight speed of adult male and female T. absoluta of different ages, including 5-d-old (post emergence) adults in different mating states that had received supplementary nutrition (5% honey water). Tests of 12 h of continuous suspension in a flight mill showed that 4 through 7-d-old adults had strong flying ability, but 5-d-old adults were the strongest flyers. The mean (±SEM) flight distance, flight time, and flight speed of 5-d-old females were 1.805 ± 0.040 km, 1.467 ± 0.036 h, and 1.231 ± 0.226 km/h, respectively. The mean (±SEM) flight distance, time, and speed of 5-d-old males were 1.627 ± 0.363 km, 1.950 ± 0.056 h, and 0.834 ± 0.202 km/h, indicating significant differences in flight ability between male and female adults. After feeding on 5% honey water, the flight ability of 5-d-old T. absoluta improved significantly compared with the control. The distance, time, and flight speed of honey-water fed 5-d-old virgin females increased by 16.73%, 8.32%, and 8.37%, compared with the control (fed honey-free water). The flight distance, time, and speed of 5-d-old males increased by 7.87%, 0.56%, and 7.07% respectively, compared with the control. After mating, the distance, time, and flight speed of 5-d-old female adults increased by 11.91%, 0.48%, and 11.29% compared with virgin female adults. However, after 5-d-old males mated, their corresponding flight ability decreased by 11.13%, 3.34%, and 7.34%, compared with virgin male adults. In summary, sex, supplementary nutrition, and mating status all have a significant impact on the flight ability of T. absoluta.

A survey was conducted between 2019 and 2022 to identify natural enemies of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in the provinces of Şırnak, Siirt, Batman, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, and Kilis in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Sampling using several different techniques was conducted in agricultural, nonagricultural, and forested areas throughout the duration of the study. We identified natural enemies of B. tabaci, which causes significant crop losses in Turkey and worldwide, with the objective of reducing chemical control in favor of promoting biological control of the pest in the coming years. In our survey, we collected and identified 37 species of predators and 2 species of parasitoids as natural enemies. Of those, the greatest number of species were from the family Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Coccinella septempunctata (L.), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), and Orius laevigatus (Fieber) were found in all provinces surveyed.

Jasmonic acid (JA) plays an important role in the indirect plant-mediated interactions between rose powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa [Wallr.: Fr.] de Bary) and Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on their shared host Rosa chinensis Jacquin. Bioassays showed that the total number of eggs laid by S. exigua on rose twigs decreased significantly after the twigs were treated with exogenous JA. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from roses, including alkanes, terpenes, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and esters, were significantly changed following treatment with JA. Based on gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and GC-MS analysis, the electrophysiological responses of S. exigua moths could be elicited by 8 compounds from the JA-induced roses, including 3-carene, 1-dodecanol, methyl stearate, 1-tetradecanol, hexadecane, eucalyptol, β-myrcene, and 1-iodododecane. Among these chemicals, the first 6 exhibited significant repellent activity to ovipositional behaviors of the gravid moths, while the latter 2 were attractive. The inhibition index of methyl stearate at a concentration of 15 mg/ml reached 65.12%. On the other hand, the quantity of the first 6 chemicals increased significantly and the latter two decreased due to the JA induction. These results reveal a new mechanism for resistance in rose plants against S. exigua. After JA induction, the rose plants appear to up-regulate the biosynthesis of the chemicals with repellent activities against S. exigua and, in the meantime, down-regulate the attractant chemicals.

Mosquitoes transmit numerous diseases, including malaria and dengue fever, making mosquito control crucial for managing the spread of these and other illnesses. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) holds promise for the biological control of mosquito vectors but faces challenges such as low pathogenicity, lengthy infection periods, reduced longevity, and a dependence on specific environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity) for spore germination, thus impacting its efficacy. To address this, a strain of B. bassiana was engineered to carry the SPHvt/GNA fusion pathogenicity protein-encoding gene. A plasmid containing the gpdA promoter, GFP gene, and SPHvt/GNA gene was constructed using molecular cloning techniques, including digestion and ligation, based on the base plasmids pBarGPE1 and pBarGFP. The engineered vector plasmid pBarGFPSPHvt/GNA was integrated into the genome of B. bassiana Bb252 through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated fungal genetic transformation, resulting in B. bassiana strains with the SPHvt/GNA fusion pathogenicity protein-encoding gene. These transgenic strains were identified through fluorescence screening and confirmed at the genomic, transcriptional, and protein levels. A spore suspension of Bb252::BarGFPSPHvt/GNA was applied to Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae. The effect of pathogenicity on larval survival was assessed, and the infection process was monitored. The results indicated that the construction of a transgenic B. bassiana strain for potential management of mosquito larvae.

This study investigated the effect of soy-based diets supplemented with porcine blood (PB) on the diet's external morphology, nutritional efficacy, and health impacts on honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the control diet (maize bee bread) displayed ruptured granules with small particles, whereas the soy-based diets showed varying degrees of protein gelatinization and aggregation depending on the presence of PB. Nutritional analysis indicated that maize bee bread was used as a positive control contained 12.2% protein and provided 312.89 kcal/100 g, whereas the formulated soy-based diets with skim milk or PB showed 13–15% protein, meeting the required needs for optimal honey bee health and development. Survival and longevity assessments showed no significant difference in lifespan between honey bees fed with artificial diets and the control, but all treatment groups outlived the negative control, which fed only on syrup. Moreover, the diameter of the hypopharyngeal gland acini, a key indicator of the nutritional state and health in honey bees, was significantly larger in honey bees fed protein-enriched diets compared with those receiving only syrup. These findings underscore the potential of soy-based artificial protein diets, especially when enhanced with PB, to support honey bee health and longevity, comparable with natural pollen sources.

A fossil thrips is described using a single compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous deposit, the Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. It is the first record of a Cretaceous thrips from Africa. It is diagnosed by the following characteristics: general habitus; narrow, straplike forewing and hindwing with fringe cilia; with forewing becoming progressively larger in distal third; and abdomen with dense transversal rows of microtrichia and terminal setae. The specimen is complete, except that the antennae are absent. At Orapa, the fossil thrips would have been possibly found feeding on leaves, stem or flower tissues of both gymnosperms and angiosperms in and around the crater lake. The fossil thrips adds to the taxonomic diversity of the Orapa fauna. Moreover, it broadens the knowledge of the diversity, geography and evolution of Mesozoic Thysanoptera.

Rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most significant pests of corn (Zea mays L.) and other stored grains. Historically, synthetic insecticides have been widely used to control pest populations due to their effectiveness, convenience of storage and application, and persistent activity. This study aimed to assess the toxicity profiles of four commonly used insecticides, including pirimiphos-methyl, deltamethrin, deltamethrin plus (S)-methoprene, and malathion, to rice weevil adults. The weevils were exposed to a range of concentrations of each insecticide to generate concentration–mortality response curves and median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) of each insecticide. Pirimiphos-methyl exhibited the highest toxicity to the adult weevils, with an LC₅₀ of 0.74 ppm (95% confidence limit [CL], 0.57–0.92). Based on nonoverlapping 95% CLs, we determined that the LC₅₀ of pirimiphos-methyl was significantly lower than the LC₅₀ of malathion (7.08 ppm [95% CL, 5.44–9.01]), deltamethrin (9.11 ppm [95% CL, 6.89–12.6]), and deltamethrin plus (S)-methoprene (13.94 ppm [95% CL, 9.71–18.60]). Thus, the relative toxicity of these four insecticides to adult rice weevils was pirimiphos-methyl > malathion > deltamethrin > deltamethrin plus (S)-methoprene. We subsequently compared the LC₅₀ value of each insecticide with that of the label-recommended application rate and found that only malathion aligned with the recommended label rate. These findings could prove useful in refining application rates for the effective control of rice weevils infesting stored grains.

Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidae) is a typical scale insect that can secrete a waxy covering over its body to protect itself from adverse factors. This insect significantly damages glossy privets and ash trees in most regions of China. The fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) gene is a crucial enzyme in the cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis pathways in these insects and also in fatty acid metabolism. Herein, a synthesized double-stranded RNA of the FAR gene in E. pela (dsEpFAR) was used to explore the effects of dsEpFAR on the expression of EpFAR and secretion of wax and development of E. pela. The results showed that a high concentration of dsEpFAR could cause mortality of male nymphs. After a male nymph was treated with a low dose of dsEpFAR, the transcription level of EpFAR was significantly downregulated, the expression level of EpFAR protein was reduced, and the quantity of wax was markedly decreased, suggesting that EpFAR is a key gene in the biosynthesis of wax and that dsEpFAR can interfere with the gene EpFAR and disrupt the process of wax secretion. The growth and development of male nymphs were also significantly influenced by dsEpFAR treatment, leading to a significantly decreased weight and earlier nymph-to-pupae transition. The findings enhance the molecular understanding of male E. pela wax secretion and facilitate the development of EpFAR-based interference with wax secretion for the integrated management of male E. pela.

Pollination by bees plays a critical role in the viability of life on this planet from food crop productivity to biodiversity of ecosystems; however, their populations, globally, are in decline. Contributing factors include pesticides, climate change, diseases, and invasives, but most notable, are habitat degradation and fragmentation due to agricultural intensification and urbanization. Research has shown that conservation and restoration of land can help to restore bee abundance and diversity. One opportunity to establish habitat which will attract and provide resources for bees is eroded lands. Recommendation for restoration of eroded land usually includes planting with a number of quick growing native and nonnative grasses, which do little for bee conservation. In our study, we incorporated floral resources into an erosion mitigation seed mix specifically selected for their ability to attract bees and thrive in the Piedmont region of Georgia. Plots that incorporated these flowering plants had a greater abundance, richness, and diversity of bees compared with those plots that only contained grass. Bees were 30 times more abundant in wildflower-enhanced plots. Of the flowering plants selected, the ones that survived and bloomed well were Rudbeckia hirta L. (Black-eyed Susan), Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michaux) Greene (partridge pea), Eryngium yuccifolium Michaux (rattlesnake master), Pycnanthemum muticum (Michaux) Persoon (mountain mint), and Coreopsis lanceolata (L.) R. Brown (Lanceleaf coreopsis). The most numerous bees collected by direct observation capture “bee to flower” or cross plot sweep netting “sweeps” were in the genera Lasioglossum, Halictus, and Bombus.