Insect-microbe interactions and their influence on organisms and ecosystems.

Microorganisms are important associates of insect and arthropod species. Insect-associated microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, can drastically impact host physiology, ecology, and fitness, while many microbes still have no known role. Over the past decade, we have increased our knowledge of the taxonomic composition and functional roles of insect-associated microbiomes and viromes.

Quantifying the impacts of symbiotic interactions between two invasive species: the tawny crazy ant () tending the sorghum aphid ().

The establishment of new symbiotic interactions between introduced species may facilitate invasion success. For instance, tawny crazy ant ( Mayr) is known to be an opportunistic tender of honeydew producing insects and this ants' symbiotic interactions have exacerbated agricultural damage in some invaded regions of the world. The invasive sorghum aphid ( Theobald) was first reported as a pest in the continental United States-in Texas and Louisiana-as recent as 2013, and tawny crazy ant (TCA) was reported in Texas in the early 2000s.

Morphometric and molecular discrimination of the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, (Zehntner, 1897) and the sorghum aphid Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald, 1904).

Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner, 1897) and Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald, 1904) are major worldwide crop pests causing direct feeding damage on sorghum and transmitting viruses to sugarcane. It is common in the scientific literature to consider these two species as synonyms, referred to as the 'sugarcane aphid', although no formal study has validated this synonymy. In this study, based on the comparison of samples collected from their whole distribution area, we use both morphometric and molecular data to better characterize the discrimination between M.

Synergisms in Science: Climate Change and Integrated Pest Management Through the Lens of Communication-2019 Student Debates.

Every year, the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for the annual Entomological Society of America (ESA) meeting organizes the Student Debates. This year, the SAC selected topics based on their synergistic effect or ability to ignite exponential positive change when addressed as a whole. For the 2019 Student Debates, the SAC SDS identified these topic areas for teams to debate and unbiased introduction speakers to address: 1) how to better communicate science to engage the public, particularly in the area of integrated pest management (IPM), 2) the influential impacts of climate change on agriculturally and medically relevant insect pests, and 3) sustainable agriculture techniques that promote the use of IPM to promote food security.

Suppressing tawny crazy ant (Nylanderia fulva) by RNAi technology.

The tawny crazy ant (Nylanderia fulva) is a new invasive pest in the United States. At present, its management mainly relies on the use of synthetic insecticides, which are generally ineffective at producing lasting control of the pest, necessitating alternative environmentally friendly measures. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of gene silencing to control this ant species.

Invasion of sorghum in the Americas by a new sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) superclone.

In the United States (US), the sugarcane aphid (SCA) Melanaphis sacchari (Zehnter) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) was introduced in the 1970s, however at that time it was only considered a pest of sugarcane. In 2013, a massive outbreak of M. sacchari occured on sorghum, resulting in significant economic damage to sorghum grown in North America including the US, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.