Abstract

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is a major agricultural pest throughout most of the fruit growing regions of the United States, with high reproductive rates and short generation times resulting in exponential population growth in berry crops across the country. Fruit suitability research has been conducted for some small fruit species such as raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and blackberries; however, there is a paucity of data regarding the role of previous injury on host susceptibility and suitability for D. suzukii. This study examined the role of previous fruit injury on adult D. suzukii survival, adult production, and host susceptibility, with injury referring to physiological splitting, disease, and vertebrate feeding. Results indicate that intact raspberries, blueberries, and table grapes are susceptible to oviposition by D. suzukii and the presence of injury increases survival of both male and female flies. When fruit was injured, berry infestation levels increases, but this did not always translate into increased adult populations. We found that the proportions of D. suzukii–infested fruit were significantly higher for injured versus intact fruit. When comparing adult emergence for intact and injured fruit, only table grape and cherry tomato had significantly higher adult counts for injured berries. Overall, adult emergence per injured fruit for raspberries of 19.77 was significantly higher than all other fruit types tested, with 2.87, 3.57, and 3.43 adults for cherry tomatoes, grapes, and blueberries, respectively. Results suggest reducing previous injury in ripe fruit may facilitate more effective management of D. suzukii populations.

Abstract

Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a serious pest of cruciferous crops, including leafy crucifers grown in enclosed greenhouses in the Central Coast of California. These enclosed greenhouses face season-long risk of feeding injury to plantings of cruciferous crops. Understanding the survival ability of B. hilaris would help develop crop-free periods as a cultural tactic for B. hilaris control. A series of trials was conducted with 2nd–3rd and 4th–5th instar nymphs and male and female adults to determine how well they survive when they had full, partial, or no access to food and water sources. The treatments for the experiment were: (a) soil plus food (a piece of broccoli crown); (b) soil plus water; (c) soil-only; and (d) empty (no soil, water, and food). Bagrada hilaris were individually released into 20-ml ventilated scintillation vials that were deployed outside by burying them in the ground with only the ventilated top exposed for multiple days. Results show that B. hilaris survived between 3 and 6 d after deployment without access to food and water. In all experiments, survival of B. hilaris in the food or water treatments was significantly greater than in the soil-only and empty treatments on final day of the trial. Bagrada hilaris in the soil-only treatment had significantly lower number of live B. hilaris than in the empty treatment on the days before the final day of the experiment. The survival of B. hilaris that had access to food was not significantly different from those that had access to water.

Abstract

Previous studies show that pupating in soil is essential for Heortia vitessoides Moore (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to complete its life cycle. However, little is known of the process. In the present study, we observed soil-burrowing and pupal-chamber construction by prepupae of H. vitessoides in 0.5-cm-wide acrylic plate interlayers. In bioassays, we also investigated pupation behaviors and pupal physiology and morphology in response to soil moistures of 5%, 25%, 45%, and 65% water saturation. Prepupae burrowed significantly deeper in soils with higher levels of soil moisture and constructed larger pupal chambers at 65% water saturation. H. vitessoides pupae also had significantly greater percentage biomass loss and lower body water content when the soil moistures were lower. Interestingly, pupae in 5% saturated soil were smaller and showed a significantly higher surface-to-volume ratio than at other soil moisture levels, which might pose challenges in water conservation.

Web-decorating behavior is typical of many orb-weaving spiders worldwide. The decoration consists of a visible structure added to the web, made of materials such as prey remains, plant material, egg sacs, or silk (Herberstein et al. 2000, Biol. Rev. 75: 649–669). However, it is not clear why spiders increase the conspicuousness of their webs. The fact that decorations are typical only to diurnal species suggests a visual function (Scharff and Coddington 1997, Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 120: 355–424). Thus, three hypotheses have been proposed and investigated: (a) increasing prey attraction, (b) protecting against predators, and (c) advertising the presence of

Influence of Previous Fruit Injury on Susceptibility to Spotted Wing Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Infestation in the Midwestern United States

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Effects of Induced Starvation on Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Survival

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Soil Moisture Effects on Pupation Behavior, Physiology, and Morphology of Heortia vitessoides (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

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In Vitro Inhibition of Polyphenol Oxidase Activity by Insecticides and Allelochemicals in Clostera anastomosis (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) Larvae and Poplar Trees

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Butterfly Species Richness and Diversity on Tourism Trails of Northeast Portugal

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A Review of Insect Cell Culture: Establishment, Maintenance and Applications in Entomological Research

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Insecticides and Their Combinations Evaluated as Regulatory Immersion Treatments for Third-Instar Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Field-Grown and Containerized Nursery Plants

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Macroinvertebrate Occurrence in Chlidonias niger (Charadriiformes: Laridae) Nests in East-Central Poland

Recent Range Expansion into Connecticut by Orocharis saltator (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

First Detections of Swede Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Minnesota

Argiope submaronica (Araneidae) Silk Decoration Does Not Reduce Web Damage by Birds

A Crack-and-Crevice Application Assay for Selected Insecticides to Control the Ham Mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)

Thigmotactic Behavior of Limothrips cerealium (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Leads to Laboratory Equipment Damage in the Czech Republic

Identification and Application of Antonospora locustae (Protozoa: Microsporida) Separated by Sucrose Density Gradient Centrifugation¹

Chemical Composition and Insecticidal Activity of Essential Oil from Leaves of Houttuynia cordata Against Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)¹

A Preliminary Paleoecological Analysis of Fossil Insects from a Cretaceous Crater Lake at Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana¹

Toxicity and Lethal Effects of Selected Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) on Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)¹

Potential Predation by the Edaphic Genus Psilogamasus (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae), a Natural Inhabitant Predator Mite in the Rhizosphere in Avocado Crops¹

Foliar- and Seed-Applied Insecticides for Management of Melanaphis sorghi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Alabama¹

Cloning and Expression Analysis of AzanOBP7, a Minus-C Odorant-Binding Protein Gene, from Agrilus zanthoxylumi (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)¹

Effect of Time and Testing Method in Determining St. Augustinegrass Resistance to Southern Chinch Bugs (Hemiptera: Blissidae)

Occurrence of Phorid Fly (Diptera: Phoridae) Parasitoids of Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Georgia

Antibiosis Among Selected Paspalum Taxa to the Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)