Insecticidal activity of some reducing sugars against the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, Biotype B.

The effects of 16 sugars (arabinose, cellobiose, fructose, galactose, gentiobiose, glucose, inositol, lactose, maltose, mannitol (a sugar alcohol), mannose, melibiose, ribose, sorbitol, trehalose, and xylose) on sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) survival were determined using in vitro bioassays. Of these sugars, arabinose, mannose, ribose, and xylose were strongly inhibitory to both nymphal and adult survival. When 10% mannose was added to the nymphal diet, 10.

Mode of action of methoprene in affecting female reproduction in the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.

Background: One of the most studied actions of juvenile hormone (JH) is its ability to modulate ecdysteroid signaling during insect development and metamorphosis. Previous studies in mosquitoes showed that 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulates vitellogenin synthesis. However, the action of JH and its mimics, e.

Ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones of whiteflies, important insect vectors for plant viruses.

Ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JHs) regulate many physiological events throughout the insect life cycle, including molting, metamorphosis, ecdysis, diapause, reproduction, and behavior. Fluctuation of whitefly ecdysteroid levels and the identity of the whitefly molting hormone (20-hydroxyecdysone) have only been reported within the last few years. An ecdysteroid commitment peak that is associated with the reprogramming of tissues for a metamorphic molt in many holometabolous and some hemimetabolous insect species was not observed in last nymphal instars of either the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Biotype B), or the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum.

Critical feeding periods for last instar nymphal and pharate adults of the whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci.

A critical feeding period is the time after which 50% of a given species of insect can be removed from its food source and complete development by undergoing adult eclosion. The critical feeding period was determined for the greenhouse white fly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, and the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Biotype B) (Homptera/Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Fourth (last) instar and pharate adult whiteflies were removed from green bean leaves, staged, placed on filter paper in small Petri dishes containing drops of water, and observed daily for eclosion.

Host-parasitoid interactions relating to penetration of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, by the parasitoid wasp, Eretmocerus mundus.

It has been reported that the aphelinid wasp Eertmocerus mundus parasitizes all four nymphal instars of the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Biotype B), with 3rd instars being the preferred hosts. The parasitoid lays its egg on the leaf underneath the host nymph. First instars hatch and later penetrate the whitefly.

The broadly insecticidal Photorhabdus luminescens toxin complex a (Tca): activity against the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci.

Toxin complex a (Tca), a high molecular weight insecticidal protein complex produced by the entomopathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, has been found to be orally toxic to both the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci biotype B. The 48 hour LC50 for Tca against neonate L. decemlineata was found to be 2.

Ecdysteroid titers and developmental expression of ecdysteroid-regulated genes during metamorphosis of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

Ecdysteroid titers and expression profiles of ecdysone-regulated genes were determined during the last instar larval and during the pupal stages of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Three peaks of ecdysteroids occurring at approximately 24, 30-33 and 45-48h after ecdysis to the fourth instar larval stage were detected. In the pupa, a large peak of ecdysteroids occurred between 6 and 12h after ecdysis to the pupal stage.

Host-parasite interactions between whiteflies and their parasitoids.

There is relatively little information available concerning the physiological and biochemical interactions between whiteflies and their parasitoids. In this report, we describe interactions between aphelinid parasitoids and their aleyrodid hosts that we have observed in four host-parasite systems: Bemisia tabaci/Encarsia formosa, Trialeurodes vaporariorum/E. formosa, B.

Age-specific interaction between the parasitoid, Encarsia formosa and its host, the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Strain B).

The effect of hostage, the instar of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) parasitized, on the growth and development of Encarsia formosa (Gahan) was studied. E. formosa was able to parasitize and complete its life cycle no matter which instar of B.

Host plant pubescence: effect on silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, fourth instar and pharate adult dimensions and ecdysteroid titer fluctuations.

The ability to generate physiologically synchronous groups of insects is vital to the performance of investigations designed to test insect responses to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. During a given instar, the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, increase in depth but not in length or width. A staging system to identify physiologically synchronous 4th instar and pharate adult silverleaf whiteflies based on increasing body depth and the development of the adult eye has been described previously.

Identification of the molting hormone of the sweet potato (Bemisia tabaci) and greenhouse (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) whitefly.

In order to identify the whitefly molting hormone, whole body extracts of mature 4th instar and newly formed pharate adult Bemisia tabaci (Biotype B) and Trialeurodes vaporariorum were prepared and subjected to reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC). Ecdysteroid content of fractions was determined by enzymeimmunoassay (EIA). The only detectable ecdysteroids that were present in significant amounts in whitefly extracts were ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone.

Chilling stress effects on corpus allatum proliferation in the Hawaiian cockroach, Diploptera punctata: a role for ecdysteroids.

Endocrine regulation of corpus allatum (CA) cell proliferation in response to chilling was studied in mated females of the Hawaiian cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Chilling alone, when applied 24 h post-mating, suppressed CA cell division, and elevated ecdysteroid levels in Diploptera's haemolymph. Application of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) at 24 h post-mating similarly suppressed CA cell division, but had no effects at 48 h or 72 h post-mating.

Wasp parasitoid disruption of host development: implications for new biologically based strategies for insect control.

Wasp parasitoids use a variety of methods to commandeer their insect hosts in order to create an environment that will support and promote their own development, usually to the detriment of the host insect. Parasitized insects typically undergo developmental arrest and die sometime after the parasitoid has become independent of its host. Parasitoids can deactivate their host's immune system and effect changes in host hormone titers and behavior.

Effects of a fat body extract on larval midgut cells and growth of lepidoptera.

Treatment with fat body extract (FBX) from pupae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, caused mortality in larvae of two pest lepidopterans, the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, and the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis. In FBX-treated larvae, the feeding rate was depressed, causing reduced weight gain and then larval death. Their midgut showed formation of multicellular layers of midgut epidermis, indicating stem-cell hyperplasia.

The nymphal-adult molt of the silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii): Timing, regulation, and progress.

The developmental progress of silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii) 3rd instars and 4th instar/pharate adults was monitored using a tracking system that had been designed to identify synchronous individuals in another species of whitefly, the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum. When reared on greenbean under conditions of LD 16:8 and a temperature of 26 +/- 2 degrees C, the body depth of 3rd instar SLWFs increased from approximately 0.04 mm (Stage 2) to 0.

Co-development of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): a histological examination.

Using histological techniques, we have simultaneously examined the co-development of the Aphelinid parasitoid Encarsia formosa and its host the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum. Previously we have determined that regardless of the whitefly instar parasitized, parasitoid larvae would not molt to their final instar until the whitefly reaches its maximum dimensions. In unparasitized T.

Growth and development of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): effect of host age.

The tiny parasitoid wasp, Encarsia formosa, has been used successfully to control greenhouse whiteflies (GHWFs) in greenhouses in many countries throughout the world. Therefore, there has been considerable interest in developing methods for artificially rearing this wasp. However, little information is available concerning the regulation of its development including the host-parasitoid interactions that are required for the parasitoid to complete its life cycle.