The analysis of cumulative, time-independent survivorship data for insect populations as obtained by using trace methods and their use in constructing retrospective life tables are reviewed. The reliability of the estimates obtained by such methods is examined by placing empirical data in the broader context of a model of the spatiotemporal dynamics of age-structured populations in heterogeneous environments. For the case of stable, average populations, the information contained can be displayed as a cyclic budget quantifying the mortality during development, the sex ratio and the fecundity as key (k) factors. Because of the time-independent nature of the display, prereproductive losses of adult females, typically those due to migration and failure to find reproductive resources, can be interpolated. The whole, therefore, can be viewed as a numerical description of a life-history strategy. The mathematical relationship between the “true” mortality function, which in general depends on age, time, population density, and location, and the age-dependent “apparent” mortality as determined from trace methods for a particular sampling area is established. These apparent death rates are then correlated with the k-factors appearing in the budget.

Cytochromes P450, a gene family generally associated with detoxification, was analyzed by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) in Micromelalopha troglodyta (Graeser) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae). Our studies showed that the nine p450 genes had different levels of response to tannic acid, and the mRNA expression of six p450s reached the maximum level at the concentration of 1 mg/ml in the midgut of M. troglodyta. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of Unigene27074_All was 370 times higher than that observed in the controls. Also, the mRNA expressions of CL3273.Contig4_All and Unigene27074_All were induced by 10 mg/ml tannic acid. These findings indicate that p450s have an effect on the metabolism of plant secondary substances by M. troglodyta.

Aphid species and their natural enemies were identified in a citrus orchard in the Cap Bon region of Tunisia in 2014–2016. Aphids within the same orchard had previously been studied in 1991–1992, allowing a comparison of the populations over the 20+ yr. Ten aphid species were identified in 1991–1992, while only four were observed in 2014–2016. This reduction in aphid diversity could be linked to observed temperature and rainfall changes attributed to climate change, interspecific competition, increased occurrence of hyperparasitoïds, or any combination of these and other factors. Aphis spiraecola Patch and Aphis gossypii Glover increased in abundance and occurrence, which is of special concern because they are known as vectors of Citrus tristeza virus. Four species of parasitoids and two of predators were identified in 2014 samples, while an increase of hyperparasitism occurred.

Bait particle size preferences of six ant species among four particle sizes (2.36, 2.0, 1.44, and 0.85 mm) were determined in laboratory assays. Based on weight of bait particles removed over a 3-h observation period, Solenopsis invicta Buren Aphaenogaster fulva Roger and Aphaenogaster lamellidens Mayr preferred the 2.36 mm bait particles. Formica pallidefulva Latreille workers equally preferred the 2.36 and the 2.0 mm particles. Linepithema humile (Mayr) equally preferred the 2.0 and 1.44 mm particles while Pheidole dentata Mayr preferred the 0.85 mm particles. Particle size preference in these assays was positively correlated with mean width of the head capsules of the worker ants. These results suggest that particle size of formulated baits might be matched with ant species to improve efficacy against targeted pest ant species while minimizing impact to nontarget native species. Competitive interactions of the invasive S. invicta with the four native ant species (A. fulva, A. lamellidens, F. pallidefulva, P. dentata) in this study showed that S. invicta workers rapidly dominated foraging areas and subsequently raided nests of the native ants.

Antennal morphology and type and distribution of antennal sensilla of Holotrichia parallela (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were determined using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Holotrichia parallela antennae were a typical lamellate type, including a basal scape, a pedicel, a flagellum, and a lamellar club composed of the three terminal flagellomeres. The antennae of males were slightly longer than those of females. Twenty-two subtypes of sensilla were identified on the outer and inner surfaces of the lamellae in both sexes: three sensilla trichodea (TRS), three sensilla chaetica (CHS), four sensilla placodea (PLAS), two sensilla coeloconica (COS), six sensilla auricilica (AUS), one Böhm's bristle (BB), and three sensilla basiconica (BAS). TRS, CHS, and BB were distributed primarily on the outer surfaces of the antennae as mechanoreceptor sensilla, while PLAS, COS, AUS, and BAS were concentrated on the inner surfaces of the lamellae as chemoreceptors. PLAS and BAS were more abundant in males than in females, but females had more COS and AUS. PLAS were distributed along the lamellar periphery, while COS, BAS, and AUS were distributed in the center of the lamellae.

The biological activity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against the larvae and adults of the economically important Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chysomelidae) was assessed under laboratory conditions. The EPNs assessed were five native isolates of the species Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) and Heterorhabditis megidis (Poinar, Jackson, and Klein). Steinernema feltiae (isolate ZAG15) demonstrated the highest biological activity, causing 100% of mortality of larvae and beetles. The lowest activity occurred with H. megidis (isolate Wipsowo), with mortality that did not exceed 58%. At a concentration of 100 infective juveniles/adult, greatest mortality of beetles was observed at 25°C as opposed to lower temperatures for all EPN isolates except the Wipsowo isolate, which showed no statistical significance of mortality among the temperatures tested. At 15°C, adult beetle mortality was concentration-dependent with the S. feltiae isolates ZWO4 and ZAG15. However, neither concentration nor temperature had statistically significant effects on larval mortality.

The brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is a serious pest of many horticultural crops in the United States, and organic growers, in particular, have very few effective control options. We evaluated the efficacy of two commercially available natural products, kaolin and essential oils (rosemary oil and peppermint oil), to reduce H. halys feeding on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and pepper (Capsicum anuum L.). Laboratory choice tests were conducted assessing stink bug occurrence on a cherry tomato fruit placed atop a freshly picked Paulownia tomentosa (Thunberg) Steudel leaf that was treated with either kaolin or essential oils compared to an untreated control of the same food within the same cage. Significantly fewer H. halys nymphs and adults occurred on kaolin-treated fruit and leaves than an untreated control, whereas there was no significant difference between the essential oils and the control. In a field experiment, kaolin applications to peppers resulted in significantly less stink bug-injured fruit than the untreated control in all harvests. In one of two harvests in 2014 and in one of the three harvests in 2015, the essential oil treatment reduced the percentage of stink bug-injured fruit versus the untreated control. Natural repellents or deterrents such as kaolin have a great potential for reducing H. halys feeding in horticultural crops and may provide a management option in organic production systems.

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), including Euschistus spp., Chinavia hilaris (Say), and Nezara viridula (L.), are economic pests in most fruit, grain, vegetable, and row crops in the United States. An insect-collecting device made from a 2.8-L clear plastic PET^® jar loaded with a pheromone lure attractive to Euschistus spp. and seated atop a 1.22-m-tall yellow pyramid base has been used to effectively capture Euschistus spp., C. hilaris, and N. viridula in orchards and field crops. The 2.8-L clear plastic PET jar is no longer commercially available, but a 3.8-L clear plastic PET jar can be purchased. This study was conducted to compare stink bug capture of a pyramid trap with the 2.8-L insect-collecting device to that of a trap with a 3.8-L one. Euschistus servus (Say) was the predominant stink bug species captured (92.9%) in pheromone-baited yellow pyramid traps in peanuts, followed by Euschistus tristigmus (Say) (4.5%), Euschistus quadrator (Rolston) (2.3%), Euschistus ictericus (L.) (1%), C. hilaris (1%), and N. viridula (1%). Total trap capture for E. servus and E. tristigmus in pyramid traps in peanut was similar regardless of the size of the insect-collecting device on the traps. So, the new 3.8-L top can be substituted for the old 2.8-L top on pyramid traps to capture these stink bugs.

Seaports act as a critical interface between land and sea for the international transportation of goods and have played an important role in the introduction of exotic ant species worldwide. The objective of our survey was to catalog the ant species residing on and immediately adjacent to the Port of Savannah in Garden City, Georgia, USA. We assessed the ant fauna with pitfall traps, baits, active searching on trees, extraction from leaf litter, and destruction of coarse woody debris (rotting logs) along nine transects in wooded areas. We also collected ants along roadside habitat on and adjacent to Port of Savannah property. In total, we collected 1,300 samples in 2015 and 2016. Forty-five ant species representing 20 genera were cataloged, including 13 exotic species from 10 genera; 65,424 ants were collected during the study. The most diverse genera were Strumigenys (six species); Crematogaster and Pheidole (five species each); and Camponotus and Solenopsis (four species each). The tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva Mayr, which was the most common ant collected (76% of all ants collected along nine transects in wooded areas), is reported here for the first time in Chatham County, Georgia and is the northernmost location from which it has been reported. Owing to the ubiquitous nature of the Formicidae, one or more ant species were present in 97.7% of the study's 1,300 samples.

The species Prosopocoilus reni Huang and Chen was discovered endemic to Hainan Island, the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China. The species is very similar to the widely distributed Prosopocoilus blanchardi (Parry) in China. In this study, we used the integrated approach to analyze the phylogenetic, genetic, geographic, and morphological data among Prosopocoilus reni, P. blanchardi, and some allied taxa from 43 specimens. The phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that P. blanchardi had divided into the eastern and western clades in China and P. reni was embedded in the two clades. The genetic distance implied that P. reni should not be a full species but an island population of P. blanchardi with deeply genetic isolation. The divergent time estimation further supported that P. reni was divergent from the eastern clade from Continental China, similar to another island population from Taiwan Island. The morphological comparisons among P. reni, P. blanchardi, and other allied species showed that the key diagnosed character of P. reni should be phenotypic variation as a tropical island population. Therefore, the species P. reni was proposed as a new junior synonym of P. blanchardi based on the integrated taxonomy analysis.