Several males of Heliothis belladonna (Henry and Edwards) were initially captured in traps baited with commercial pheromone lures for the corn earworm moth, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). Significant numbers of H. belladonna moths were subsequently captured in traps baited with a 4-component blend of corn earworm pheromone composed of Z-11-hexadecenal, Z-9-hexadecenal, Z-7-hexadecenal, and hexadecenal, and with a 2-component blend composed of Z-9-hexadecenal and Z-11-hexadecenal. Males of H. belladonna were not captured in traps baited with Z-11-hexadecenal alone. Heliothis belladonna were captured in traps during March, April, and early May in eastern Washington, which is before monitoring of corn earworm by growers normally begins, and before the corn earworm flight is anticipated. Therefore, the capture of this non-target species is unlikely to be a problem for the monitoring of corn earworm moths.

Agricultural conversion is one of the most prevalent anthropogenic uses on the terrestrial earth. Persistence of organisms in such landscapes is thought to be related to species-specific characteristics such as life history traits and dispersal distance. In an agricultural landscape in California, we examined local (farm-level) and landscape variables associated with nesting preferences of native ground-nesting bees. Compared to the known ground-nesting visitors to crops, bee community nesting on farms was depauperate. Further, more abundant and diverse communities of bees were found nesting at farms with patches of natural habitat near by than farms that were far away from natural habitat. Species responded differently to soil conditions created by farming practices, but the variability in nesting bee abundance was lower in farms near natural habitat than farms far from natural habitat. These findings suggest that most bee species are affected adversely but to varying degrees by agricultural intensification, and that natural habitats may buffer against the bee population variability in agricultural landscape. We present source/sink dynamics and resource limitations as possible explanations for the observed patterns.

Insecticide treatments against the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, has been the most important control method for this pest. In this study, the efficacy of bifenthrin and endosulfan applied alone, alternatively or as a tank mixture was evaluated against the silverleaf whitefly. Adult populations were reduced from 27 to 60% following 10 sprays of bifenthrin alone or the bifenthrin endosulfan tank mixture. All insecticidal treatments resulted in lower numbers of 2nd and 3rd larval stages and were significantly different from the untreated control. Yield was the lowest in the control where the populations of whitefly adults, eggs, larval stages and pupae were consistently greater than in each insecticidal treatment. Applications of both bifenthrin and endosulfan, alternatively or as a tank mixture, did not increase control of whitefly over each insecticide applied alone. Bifenthrin alone was more effective than endosulfan alone.

A survey of Formicidae was conducted in the Tombigbee National Forest (Ackerman Unit) in Winston and Choctaw Counties, Mississippi. Collections were made with pitfall traps from 15 March 1999 to 6 March 2000 and with other collecting methods on various dates from the spring of 2002 through the fall of 2004. A total of 27 genera and 72 species representing 7 subfamilies are reported from the Tombigbee National Forest. Seven new state records are given, as well as records of several rare and uncommon species. Habitat and microhabitat information are given for each species.

From 1999–2002, the University of Nebraska Department of Entomology, Folsom's Children Zoo, and Lincoln Public Schools Science Focus High School initiated a program called Bumble Boosters. Forty schools participated to conduct a general survey of Nebraska bumble bees to: 1) determine whether the 20 species of bumble bees previously identified can still be found in Nebraska, 2) collect in areas that were not included in previous surveys, and 3) discover any additional species in the state. This study provides an update to previous surveys including; new distribution maps for species, and a discussion of findings.

We describe the immature larvae of Coelioxys (Liothyrapis) decipiens Spinola and compare them with those of Coelioxys (Boreocoelioxys) octodentata Say and C. (B.) sayi Robertson. All three species have five larval instars, and, in each case, the third instar is primarily responsible for assassinating the host immature. However, the anatomy of the third instar of C. decipiens appears to be plesiomorphic compared with highly modified features of the third instars of the other two species. This suggests that a study of the third instars of other taxa in this diverse genus might play a significant role in sorting out the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, which contains more than 320 species worldwide.

The first Mesozoic and currently oldest fossil of the wasp family Pompilidae (Aculeata: Euaculeata: Vespoidea) is described and figured from a female preserved in mid-Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Myanmar (Burma). Bryopompilus interfector, new genus and species, is distinguished from other fossil and living spider wasps and placed in the new tribe Bryopompilini. The sparse geological record of spider wasps is briefly reviewed and the current classification of the family outlined, with the spelling of three family-group names corrected—Cordyloscelidini, Eidopompilini, and Deuterageniini.

Five new species of Myrsidea are described from Babblers (Passeriformes: Timaliidae). The new species and their type hosts are: Myrsidea cheni ex Alcippe morrisonia from China; M. macronoi ex Macronous gularis from Sarawak and Thailand; M. argentauris ex Leiothrix argentauris from China and Thailand; M. dukguni ex Stachyris striolata from China; and M. falcatae ex Ptilocichla falcata from the Philippines.