Search results for "Insect Science"
showing 10 items of 1011 documents
Key carabid species drive spring weed seed predation of Viola arvensis
2020
An Insight in the Reproductive Biology of Therophilus javanus (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, and Agathidinae), a Potential Biological Control Agent agains…
2017
Therophilus javanus is a koinobiont, solitary larval endoparasitoid currently being considered as a biological control agent against the pod borer Maruca vitrata, a devastating cowpea pest causing 20–80% crop losses in West Africa. We investigated ovary morphology and anatomy, oogenesis, potential fecundity, and egg load in T. javanus, as well as the effect of factors such as age of the female and parasitoid/host size at oviposition on egg load. The number of ovarioles was found to be variable and significantly influenced by the age/size of the M. vitrata caterpillar when parasitized. Egg load also was strongly influenced by both the instar of M. vitrata caterpillar at the moment of parasit…
Spatio-temporal pattern of Pentastiridius leporinus migration in an ephemeral cropping system
2010
International audience; * 1 Cixiid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) are considered to be important economic pests because of their ability to transmit phloem-restricted prokaryotes causing emerging plant diseases worldwide. However, little information is available on the biology and ecology of such species. This is the case for Pentastiridius leporinus (Linnaeus), a cixiid planthopper reported to live on common reed across Countries of Central and Northern Europe. However, in the east of France, the same planthopper species appears to complete its life cycle in the sugar beet-wheat cropping system and has been repeatedly shown to transmit prokaryotic plant pathogens that ar…
Lures for red palm weevil trapping systems: aggregation pheromone and synthetic kairomone
2016
Background The optimisation of the lure is essential for the implementation of trapping systems to control insect pests. In this work, the response of the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, to increasing emission rates of its aggregation pheromone (ferrugineol) and the efficacy of a convenient synthetic kairomone based on fermentation odours (ethyl acetate and ethanol) have been evaluated in different years and locations along the Mediterranean basin. Results In general, although capture data and emission had noticeable variability among locations, significantly fewer RPW were captured in pyramidal Picusan® traps with the lowest ferrugineol emission rates tested (0.6-…
<i>Pseudonapomyza benifassae</i> sp. n. (Diptera: Agromyzidae), a new species from Eastern Spain
2012
Systematic and ecological aspects of a new species Pseudonapomyza benifassae Gil-Ortiz sp. n. (Diptera: Agromyzidae) from Spain, are given. A study of faunistic data of European Pseudonapomyza is made. P. palliditarsis Černý is recorded for the first time in Spain.
Morphology of spermatheca in Scutelleridae (Hemiptera: Pentatomoidea) and its taxonomic significance
2016
AbstractStructures of spermatheca in 63 species of Scutelleridae (Hemiptera) representing 46 genera and all subfamilies currently recognised in the family were examined and compared. The morphology of three main parts of the spermatheca (receptacle, intermediate part, and spermathecal duct) was described and three main types of spermatheca in Scutelleridae were identified. The taxonomic importance of spermathecal features for the higher classification of scutellerids is discussed.
The invasive stink bug Halyomorpha halys affects the reproductive success and the experience-mediated behavioural responses of the egg parasitoid Tri…
2021
Invasive species, because of their lack of co-evolutionary history with recipient communities, can act as “evolutionary traps” causing disconnects between natural enemy behavioural responses and the suitability of the invasive species as a prey/host resource. Invasion of exotic species in non-native environments may have several ecological effects, including consequences for the experience-mediated behavioural responses of indigenous foragers. Experience is usually thought to help resident species to buffer against negative impacts of new invasive species, including escaping from evolutionary traps. Here we hypothesized that the impact of foraging experience depends on whether an indigenous…
Influence of Distance from the Host on Parasitisation by Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
2019
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, is considered the main olive pest worldwide, and has been the target of biological control programmes through the release of the braconid parasitoid Psyttalia concolor. Laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the influence of distance from the host on parasitisation, placing larvae of the substitute host Ceratitis capitata at seven distances (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 mm) and four different time periods (7, 15, 30, 60 min). Moreover, field collected olives of Ogliarola Barese cultivar infested by B. oleae were exposed to P. concolor females to confirm its ability to parasitise B. oleae in small olives. Psyttalia concolor oviposition was inhibited a…
The probable function of abdominal contractions and liquid drops during the emergence of Zygoptera and Anisoptera (Odonata)
2016
The transition between larval and adult stage in amphibious insects is called emergence. During emergence abdominal contractions and excretion of liquid drops can be observed in several insect orders. Since the function of these processes is not yet known in odonates, this study examines the probable function of abdominal contractions and excretion of liquid drops in Zygoptera and Anisoptera. By subdividing the emergence into 12 successive stages and counting abdominal contractions as well as the excreted liquid drops during these stages we set up a systematic data collection. In all investigated individuals, both processes began in the middle of the entire emergence. We found that abdomina…
Differences in Cellular Encapsulation of Six Termite (Isoptera) Species Against Infection by the Entomopathogenic FungusMetarhizium anisopliae
2011
Termites (Isoptera) are eusocial insects, which live in an environment that can favor the spread of pathogens. To reduce the chance of an epizootic within a colony, termites have evolved many defense mechanisms. Most studies have focused on the social aspect of disease resistance, while the individual capacity of a termite to survive an infection remains poorly documented. We previously showed that when the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), was exposed to the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch.) Sorokin, cellular encapsulation of the penetrating fungus was one of the last lines of defense for individual termites to prevent internal mycosis. …