Both behavioral and chemical analyses demonstrated that in the ant Camponotus vagus the colony recognition signal is strongly correlated with the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons. Variation of relative proportions of dimethylalkanes characterize the chemical signatures in different colonies.

The feeding site acceptance and adult survival of 2 leafhoppers, Homalodisca coagulata (Say) and H insolita (Walker), the vectors of phony peach disease (PPD), were determined on branches of uninfected and infected peach, Prunus persica L. Batsch ‘Flordaking’. The seasonal use pattern of H. coagulata on 19 species of plants was also observed in the field during 1983 – 1985.

Although all sections of branches were used, both species of leafhopper accepted the terminal growth for feeding more frequently than older tissue on both infected and uninfected trees. Survival of field collected adults of the H. insolita was not different on infected or uninfected branches. However, percent survival of H. coagulata was significantly higher on uninfected peach branches.

Japanese plum, P. salicina, ‘Santa Rosa’; citrus, Citrus sp. × Poncirus sp. hybrid; sumac, Rhus sp.; eastern baccharis, Baccharis halimifolia L., and crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica L. were food plants used most frequently by H. coagulata in the field. Fifteen other food plants were used to a lesser degree. Peach was only an occasional host. Vector abundance on particular food plants varied with species and time of year. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Cages were designed for isolating single aphids and for collecting honeydew excreted by aphids. The cages were easy to construct and use and protected the aphids and honeydew from rainfall and predators. The cages did not cause condensation of leaf transpiration within. Glucose-equivalents in honeydew excreted by each instar of Monellia caryella (Fitch), Monelliopsis pecanis Bissell, and Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis) were measured. Honeydew of M. caryella contained 9 and 13 times more glucose-equivalents than M. pecanis and M. caryaefoliae, respectively. All instars of each aphid species produced similar levels of sugar; however, successive instars tended to produce slightly more honeydew. Monellia caryella was found to be the most detrimental to the energy reserve of pecan trees, assuming equal numbers of each species.

A high level (37 – 98%) of secondary transmission of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus from primary infected larvae (PIL) of the loblolly pine sawfly, Neodiprion taedae linearis Ross (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), to other members of the same colony occurred on loblolly pine, Pine taeda L., in Arkansas. Intra-colony transmission was significantly (P < 0.05) related to PIL density (No. of PIL/colony) but not to PIL instar at death. Inter-colony secondary transmission from PIL-infected colonies was lower (2 – 50%) than intra-colony transmission. Inter-colony transmission was greater when the PIL colony was placed in the lower canopy than in the upper canopy. Regardless of placement of the PIL colony (upper or lower canopy), mortality in other non-PIL colonies, was highest in the upper canopy. Migration of infected larvae is discussed relative to these findings.

The detection of the honey bee trachael mite in the U. S. in 1984 caused the Georgia Department of Agriculture to adopt a regulatory program to deal with the possible invasion of the mite into Georgia. A mite infestation in Georgia first was discovered in April 1985 during a routine bee inspection by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Quarantine and destruction of the infested apiary and a quarantine of all yards within a 2-mile radius was imposed.

A home in Clemson, South Carolina, known to be infested with Periplaneta americana (L.) and Periplaneta fuliginosa (Serville), was partially dismantled and the harborage sites were identified. Periplaneta americana harborages centered around the basement furnace room and first floor bathroom. Periplaneta fuliginosa harborages were distributed more widely throughout the structure. Both species tended to center around moist areas of the house where the relative humidity and water availability were stable.

Feeding, development, and duration of life stages of Nabis roseipennis Reuter, on different size (2, 3, 4, or 5 mm) early instar Heliothis virescens (F.) larvae were studied in the laboratory. Three or 4-mm larvae were optimum for feeding, consumption, and development of nymphs and adults. Nabis roseipennis fed 3 or 4 mm larvae consumed more and survived longer than those fed 2 or 5 mm larvae. Prey size significantly affected the duration of the individual 5 nymphal stages. Nymphs fed 3 or 4 mm larvae developed faster than those fed 2 or 5 mm larvae. Nymphs feeding on 2 mm larvae did not develop to adults. Nymphs and adults can survive and mature satisfactorily for extended periods on small prey, but need larger prey to accelerate development and maintain a high growth potential.

Hessian fly infestation on triticale (X triticosecale Wittmack) has not been previously reported. Severe infestations on wheat in Georgia prompted the evaluation of triticale germplasm in the greenhouse to known biotypes of Hessian fly and in the field to natural populations. Susceptible triticale plants showed the same characteristics as susceptible wheat plants. ‘Beagle 82’, ‘Wytch’, and ‘Marta’, as well as several experimental lines, were highly resistant to biotype D Hessian fly. ‘M2A-Beagle’ and ‘Great Northern’ were the only entries highly resistant to biotype E, the predominant biotype population in the Southeast. The total number of flies per 30-cm row averaged 58 and 283 at Experiment and Plains, respectively. Morrison had the lowest percentage of infested tillers. ‘Jenkins’ and ‘Council’ were the most severely infested cultivars. Crosses have been made to determine the genetics of Hessian fly resistance identified in these studies.

Photomorphus (Photomorphina) archboldi, a new species of mutillid wasp, is described, illustrated, and compared with other species of the genus Photomorphus. Males were collected in malaise traps and, based upon collection records, distribution appears to be restricted to central Florida. It is most easily distinguished by the conspicuous white legs. The female is unknown.

Thirty-two different mineral salts were added individually to a diet of whole wheat flour to investigate their effects on population numbers, times of development and longevity of the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller). The effect upon the time of development varied from inhibitory to no effect to very stimulatory. All tested salts inhibited the egg-laying in P and F₁ generations but egg laying completely stopped only with all the concentrations of sodium nitrate, NaNO₃ in the diet of the P generation. No single anion or cation was found which would strongly affect this stored-product insect. The effect of each salt at each concentration was found to be different.

Dill seed extract has strong and persistent repellency to confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. Laboratory evaluation of repellency by the treated paper method at concentrations of 680 to 85 μg/cm² was continued for two years. The repellency decreased at a faster rate up to 5 mo, then slowed down gradually. After two years, still over 50% of the original repellency remained at treating concentrations of 680, 340, and 170 μg/cm², and about 35% for the 85 μg/cm² concentration.

Behavioral observations of Larra bicolor F., a sphecid parasitoid of Scapteriscus mole crickets, made in Puerto Rico differed significantly from records made in Brazil. Foraging and host-searching occurred over a greater daily period and were less severely affected by climatic conditions. Foraging adults, previously recorded only on Spermacoce verticillata L. and species of Hyptis, were also frequently found on Euphorbia heterophylla L. and Croton glandulosus L. Mate-searching is described and appears to be based on the attraction of males to a female-produced pheromone.

Field experiments were conducted in 1982, 1983, and 1984 to evaluate the efficacy of several insecticides for controlling white grubs infesting Fraser fir, Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir., Christmas trees and pastureland scheduled for fir plantings, and to evaluate insecticide phytotoxicity. The white grub complex consisted primarily of three species: Pyllophaga anxia (LeConte) Glasgow, P. fusca (Froelich) Glasgow, and Polyphylla comes Casey. Mean pretreatment white grub population densities ranged from 20.8 to 77.8 grubs per m². Isazophos, diazinon, carbofuran, carbaryl, trichlorfon, chlorpyrifos, and isofenphos demonstrated a wide range of effectiveness in reducing populations while showing no phytotoxicity to grass sod or fir. Isazophos and diazinon applications provided the highest levels of control.

Huber oil traps baited with gossyplure were used to compare early season pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), moth catches in beets and nearby cotton, and catches throughout the growing season in alfalfa and cotton. Differences between trap catches in sugar beets and cotton were generally not significant at the 0.05 level. Traps in cotton caught significantly more moths than those in alfalfa during most of the season. Late in the season there were no significant differences between the two groups. Traps placed in nearby non-crop and fallow areas generally caught fewer moths than those in cotton, alfalfa or sugar beets.