Two species of the Mecyclothorax argutor (Sharp, 1903) species-group, M. neonomas sp. nov. and M. brunneonubiger sp. nov., are newly described from Mauna Loa volcano on the Island of Hawai‵i. Mecyclothorax neonomas is most similar morphologically to M. swezeyi Liebherr, 2008 of Mauna Kea and is therefore proposed as its adelphotaxon. Conversely, the adelphotaxon proposed for M. brunneonubiger is M. blackburnianus Liebherr, 2008, precinctive to Kohala volcano, Island of Hawai‵i. Based on the younger geological age of origin of Mauna Loa relative to Mauna Kea and Kohala, it is hypothesized these two newly described, sympatric species arose via progressive colonization of Mauna Loa during development of the geologically dynamic Island of Hawai‵i. A revised key to all Mecyclothorax species known from Hawai‵i Island is provided.

Plant volatiles are important to herbivorous insects for foraging and determining host location. Considering the damage caused by the moth species, Trabala vishnou gigantina Yang, 1978 (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), to sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Elaeagnaceae), plantations, this study examined the antennal and behavioral responses of T. vishnou gigantina to the volatiles produced by H. rhamnoides. Electroantennographs revealed large differences between males and females concerning active odor profiles. Subtractive bioassays conducted in a flight tunnel showed that the 14-component mixture (BLE) and a subtracted five-component mixture of 2-ethylhexyl acetate, longifolene, 3-heptanone, α-ocimene, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (treatment T-13) elicited equivalent responses in females. The BLE and a four-component mixture of 1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-ethylhexyl acetate, and longifolene (treatment T-n) elicited equivalent responses in males. These findings indicate the potential for developing specific synthetic host plant lures and traps for T. vishnou gigantina. The attractive volatiles will also be helpful in future studies to gain further insights into the olfactory information processing in these insects.

We present a field study aimed at better understanding how different types of human-assisted restoration of farmland may affect insect diversity and abundance in a dry tropical forest. We report on the first survey measuring insect diversity and abundance in restored forest plots in Gede National Monument, Kenya, conducted 20 years after plantings were done across a gradient of human-assistance (natural regeneration, seed scattering, and high-density tree planting). We found that insect diversity and abundance within restored areas with different initial planting strategies and differing local ground vegetation characteristics varied highly among different insect taxa. For instance, seed scattered plots had a significantly greater leaf litter depth than natural regeneration plots; and we found that leaf litter depth had a negative effect on hymenopteran diversity. We also found negative relationships between dead ground cover and overall insect abundance, and bare ground cover and coleopteran diversity. Overall, we found that farmland restored to forest harbored similar levels of insect diversity as that of a nearby reference forest. Our preliminary survey reveals that taxon-specific habitat requirements of different insect groups needs to be carefully considered in order to understand the effects of human-assisted restoration on insect biodiversity.

New state records are provided for ten species of Carabidae and one species of Trachypachidae from the western United States. New state listings for thirteen species of Carabidae in a 2012 catalogue for North American Geadephaga are supported with catalogue vouchering data. Records and habitat data for two rarely collected western Carabidae are also provided.