The recent introduction and spread of the nonnative woodwasp Sirex noctilio F. in North America has generated interest in the ecology of resident Siricidae. In 2 trapping experiments we compared 8 treatments for attractiveness to siricids. Four treatments consisted of traps baited with one of the following lure combinations: 70:30 α-β-pinene alone (Sirex lure); Sirex lure 95% ethanol; Sirex lure ipsenol ipsdienol; Sirex lure 95% ethanol ipsenol ipsdienol. The remaining treatments consisted of blank traps adjacent to standing, chemically debilitated Pinus taeda L. trap trees, created with either sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate (Woodfume^®) and dimethyl sulfoxide, or Vanquish^® herbicide (dicamba), on 2 separate dates. In a third experiment we compared trap catches among these 2 trap tree treatments and an ethanol lure using traps placed at 2 heights. We collected Sirex nigricornis F. in the fall months, with a peak in midNovember, and Eriotremex formosanus Matsumura in the spring, summer and fall, with a peak in midOctober. We collected no S. noctilio, nor males of any siricid species. The addition of ethanol and/or Ips sp. pheromones to the Sirex lure did not significantly improve collection of any siricids, and all semiochemical treatments were more effective for detecting S. nigricornis than trap trees. Traps positioned low upon dicamba-created P. taeda trap trees were most effective for detecting E. formosanus; however, no progeny emerged from trap trees. We provide detailed phenology and baseline data not previously reported on 2 species of Siricidae in central Louisiana.

Injury to peach, Prunus persicae (L.) Batsch, roots is common by several plant pathogen species and by larvae of the peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa Say (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). External feeding injury to peach roots was observed that was not consistent with S. exitiosa injury but was suspected to be caused by the larvae of root-feeding weevil species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Thus, we used conical emergence traps for 3 yr to sample in unsprayed peach orchards (within the dripline of trees and at missing tree sites) to monitor for root-feeding weevils. Fuller rose beetle, Naupactus cervinus (Boheman), whitefringed beetles, Naupactus spp., and the twobanded Japanese weevil, Callirhopalus bifasciatus (Roelofs), (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were captured at significantly higher numbers within the dripline of the tree than at missing tree sites. Adult N. cervinus emerged from soil year around; whereas, the other 2 species had seasonal emergence. In commercial peach orchards comprised of cultivars with early, mid, and late-season fruit ripening dates, N. cervinus was more abundant than other species. The later a cultivar ripens, the higher the number of insecticide applications it receives; however, we did not detect a difference in N. cervinus emergence between the cultivars. In another sprayed orchard, N. cervinus was again more common than other curculionid species captured. Damage ratings (0 - 5; none to heavy, respectively) on roots revealed a mean rating of 2.79 ± 0.12. Year-long emergence of N. cervinus is likely why it persisted in sprayed orchards. Modification of existing pest management programs will be needed to manage N. cervinus attacking peach roots.

Management of the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight, in cotton usually relies on population estimates obtained using the sweepnet. Recent studies indicated adult L. hesperus gender and physiological age influence feeding behavior, within-plant distribution, and injury to cotton. Whether these differences in behavior also influence capture by the sweepnet is not known. We evaluated the sweepnet for sampling L. hesperus adults of known gender and age class in Pima and Acala Upland cotton. Adults of 4 classes (females, prereproductive or reproductive; males, prereproductive or reproductive) marked with fingernail polish to prevent flight were released into assigned sample rows. Captures of marked adults declined seasonally in all experiments. In Pima cotton, the sweepnet was least effective for sampling prereproductive female L. hesperus, and most effective for collecting reproductive males. Captures of reproductive females and prereproductive males were intermediate. We suggest the influence of adult gender and age class on sweepnet captures in Pima cotton corresponds to a propensity for prereproductive adults to reside within plant terminals substantially shielded by foliage. Similar differences in Upland cotton were not observed, probably because the comparatively open structure of the Upland terminal minimized the effects of gender and age class on collection efficiency. Finally, dissection of native L. hesperus indicated an age structure dominated by reproductive maturity. Therefore, future mark-release-recapture studies of factors influencing sweepnet sampling for L. hesperus adults in cotton may maximize relevance by focusing on reproductively mature adults.

A new method to refine existing dietary supplements for improving production of the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), was tested. Self-selected ratios of 6 dietary ingredients by T. molitor larvae were used to produce a dietary supplement. This supplement was compared with existing supplement formulations mixed with wheat bran at 1:4 ratio and a control consisting of wheat bran alone for food utilization efficiency, larval growth, development time, immature survival, and fecundity. Ingredients of dietary supplements included dry potato as a source of carbohydrate; dry egg white and soy protein as a source of protein and; peanut, canola, and salmon oil as a source of lipid. A supplement consisting of dry potato alone significantly improved food utilization, growth, development time, survival, and fecundity compared with the wheat bran-only control group. The addition of protein to the supplement significantly shortened development time and improved food conversion efficiency and fecundity compared with the supplement with potato alone. The addition of lipid did not provide any significant improvements. The supplement derived from self-selected ratios of the basic ingredients provided a significant increase in fecundity compared with previously developed supplements and the control. Self-selected ratios of the basic ingredients by T. molitor larvae had an effect on the adult stage that resulted in significantly higher progeny production.

Genetic markers are a powerful tool to investigate the breeding structure and population genetics of subterranean termites. In this study, 10 - 20 subterranean termite workers, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) were collected from colonies at 8 sites, separated by at least 200 m. Ten workers from each site were genotyped at 7 microsatellite loci. The data revealed that all 7 microsatellites were polymorphic with up to 6 alleles per locus. The frequency of most the common allele ranged from 0.11 - 0.60. Observed patterns of genetic variation within colonies revealed that most were the result of fusions of multiple colonies. Few colonies exhibited genetic variation consistent with a simple family headed by a single pair of reproductives. The analyses of F-statistics and relatedness coefficients indicated that the colonies were often inbred, suggesting they contained neotenic reproductives.

The thief ant, Solenopsis molesta (Say), a common nuisance species found throughout the United States is genetically related to red imported fire ants, S. invicta Buren. Therefore, its identification at the molecular level is very important. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) barcoding, a recent technique was used to identify thief ant complex at species and subspecies levels using a short DNA sequence from the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) mitochondrial region. The DNA from thief ants collected from 9 states was extracted using Qiagen's Gentra PUREGENE® DNA Isolation Kit. The polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were run on the extracted DNA to amplify partial sequence of COI using primers Lep-F1 (forward) and Lep-R1 (reverse). The resulting DNA products were concentrated, purified and sequenced. The 600 bp sequences of the COI generated were submitted to GenBank that issued accessions numbers from HM179641 to HM179653. The sequences associated with these accession numbers were used as DNA barcodes for distinguishing species and subspecies. Based on this molecular analysis, thief ants collected from New York, Indiana and 1 location in Nebraska were separated in 1 group as S. molesta validiuscula (Emery) and another with ants from Louisiana identified as S. carolinensis (Forel). The third group was comprised of ants from South Dakota, Washington, New Jersey, Tennessee, Kansas and 2 other locations in Nebraska was identified as S. molesta molesta (Say).

Ten releases of Pseudacteon decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae), a classical biological control agent of imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the southern United States, were made at 8 different sites in Georgia (USA) over a period spanning 2000 - 2012. Intensive monitoring and survey activities were initiated in 2008 to delineate the dispersal and occurrence of the Pseudacteon spp. in the state. Results show that all 159 counties in Georgia have at least 1 species of Pseudacteon; P. curvatus Borgmeier is established 129 of those counties, P. tricuspis Borgmeier is established in 70 counties, and P. obtusus Borgmeier is established in the county in which it was released. Both P. curvatus and P. tricuspis occur together in 39 counties, and all 3 of the Pseudacteon species occur in the 1 county in which all 3 species were released. These results help target supplemental or additional releases of P. tricuspis, P. curvatus, and P. obtusus as well as releases of other candidate Pseudacteon species.