Lignocellulase activity and distribution within the alimentary canal were compared among 4 termite (Isoptera) genera representing 2 taxonomic families: Coptotermes and Reticulitermes in Rhinotermitidae; Macrotermes and Odontotermes in Termitidae. Activity of (β-glucosidase and xylanase was higher in Macrotermes barneyi Light than observed in 5 other termite species examined; thus, indicating that M. barney might be a prospective organism for discovery of novel lignocellulases. Xylanase activity was primarily restricted to the hindgut of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, Reticulitermes guangzhouensis Ping, and R. dichrous Ping (Family Rhinotermitidae); whereas, xylanase activity occurred in both the midgut and hindgut of M. barneyi, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki), and O. hainanensis (Light) (Family Termitidae). β-glucosidase activity was primarily detected in the salivary gland and foregut of O. formosanus and O. hainensis, but β-glucosidase activity was equally distributed in salivary glands, foregut, and midgut of M. barneyi.

Carabid beetles play an important role as consumers of pest organisms in forestry and agriculture. Application of pesticides may negatively affect abundance and activity of carabid beetles, thus reducing their potential beneficial effect. We investigated how abundance and diversity of pitfall trapped carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) varied between conventionally and organically managed Caucasian Fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.)) plantations, in northern Zealand, Denmark. We recorded significantly higher numbers of carabid beetle specimens and species at conventionally than at organically managed sites. Carabid beetle abundance and richness did not decline more between two sampling periods at sites with pesticide application than at unamended sites. Apparently, the amount of bare ground, which dominated in the conventionally managed, herbicide treated sites, correlated closely with the number of recorded carabid beetle specimens. Thus we attribute the higher catch at the conventionally managed sites to a higher activity at bare ground due to lack of food and a larger potential for invasion at the bare ground sites of opportunistic species from surrounding arable areas.

The abundance and activity of brown marmorated stink bugs, Halyomorpha halys Stål, over-wintering inside a Maryland home were documented. Brown marmorated stink bugs, an invasive species, were collected daily, and their collection rate assessed with respect to outside temperature, location within the structure, and date. During the 181-day study period 26,205 adult brown marmorated stink bugs were collected inside the home. The exiting of stink bugs from hiding in the walls and other suitable areas into indoor living space was positively correlated with outside daily high temperature variation from the long-term daily high. Control measures to block exit from walls into living space reduced collection rate, but failed to halt it. This heavy infestation in a single home demonstrates the potential nuisance to millions of homes across the country if the range and population of the brown marmorated stink bug continues to expand.

The lace bug, Leptodictya plana Heidemann, was sampled in the field on Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. from May through late October during 2008 and 2009. Highest population levels occurred in late August, which corresponded to the warmest temperatures of the season. Adults overwintered in ground litter/mulch and contributed eggs to as many as 4 overlapping generations in central Georgia, USA. Damage ratings on P. purpureum ornamental grasses averaged 20% for the entire 2008 and 2009 summer seasons, although individual plants expressed injury as high as 90% during midseason. When 2 ornamental grass standards were compared with each other, ‘Princess’ was more heavily damaged than ‘Prince’ during both sampling years. Decreased abundance observed in 2009 may have resulted from an increase in the amount of precipitation at the site. Mean duration of development ranged from 23.3 days at 30°C to 40.5 days at 25°C. Eggs hatched at 20, 25, 30 and 35°C, but not at 10 or 15°C. Complete development (egg to adult) was only successful at 25 and 30°C. The studies in this paper improve our understanding of this previously rare lace bug and suggest its potential as an emerging landscape and nursery pest.

Crowding of termites may influence observed recipient mortality in donor-recipient toxicant transfer studies. It was hypothesized that if crowding were important, any termiticide (particularly repellent termiticides, which were not thought to transfer) could be transferred by contact among termites when the donor complement was sufficient. Termiticide transfer donor-recipient studies were performed with 5 ppm permethrin (a repellent termiticide; 30 min exposure time) in donor: recipient ratios of 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, and 50:50 using 4 colonies of Reticulitermes virginicus Banks. Recipient mortality at 14 d was significantly different between treatments and controls in the 30:70 ratio for 3 colonies. Treatments and controls were significantly different for recipient mortality of one colony each in the 40:60 and 50:50 donor: recipient ratios. These results demonstrated that a repellent termiticide could be transferred by contact among termites with high donor percentages; they suggest that the phenomenon of toxicant transfer by contact may be influenced by crowding in these studies.

Laboratory bioassays were performed to test the repellent properties of 5 plant-extracted essential oils against the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr). Three concentrations (0.10%, 1%, and 10% in n-hexane) of peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, cinnamon and clove oils, as well as a negative control [n-hexane] and positive control [Cinnamite^™] were evaluated in choice tests to evaluate repellency against Argentine ant workers by counting the number of ants entering a preferred harborage that was treated and then aged for 2 h (fresh) or 7 d (one-wk-old). When deposits were fresh, all oils at all concentrations were repellent, with repellency defined as statistically fewer ants in harborages compared with harborages treated with only solvent (hexane). After the deposits were aged for 7 d, 4 of the 5 oils formulated at the 0.10% concentration were no longer repellent, whereas only spearmint had retained its repellent property. At 1% and 10% oil concentrations all 5 oils were repellent, whereas only 1% winter-green was slightly less repellent.

We examined how diverse communities of carabid beetles and crickets in a perennial hayfield respond to seed availability numerically and in their feeding behavior. Although there were 3 distinct insect communities identified over the diel cycle, these communities were similar in plots supplemented with Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. seeds and untreated plots. Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burmeister consumed plant material more frequently and ate more food in the fields with greater seed availability. However, they consumed prey with equal frequency in the 2 treatments. Allonemobius sp. consumed food less frequently than G. pennsylvanicus, and their diet was unaffected by seed availability. Availability of nonprey food resources may not affect soil insect communities in the short term, but some omnivores are quick to alter their diet to exploit nonprey resources.

The effect of hybrid and planting date on yield losses by the corn ear insects Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) was determined in northeastern México, from 2006 - 2009. Eight corn hybrids (white and yellow) were planted each year during early January, February and March. Regardless of year, hybrid, or planting date, the most abundant ear insect was H. zea (61 - 99%). Yield losses varied greatly according to year, hybrid and planting date, with a maximum of 596 kg/ha, equivalent to 10.6% of total yield. Regarding planting dates, yield losses were lower in February, greater in March, and intermediate in January, probably attributed to host plant availability for ear insects in the region. An average of 74% greater yield loss was observed in yellow hybrids as compared with white hybrids for all planting dates, probably because of a differential grain hardness and husk wrap. According to current local value of corn grain and cost of insecticide and aerial application, insecticide treatment of lepidopterans attacking corn ears would have not been justified during this study.