As two major pests of cowpea in South China, bean flower thrips [ (Bagnall)] and flower thrips [ (Trybom)] always occur on the same plant. In this study, the two-sex life table parameters of these two species were investigated on three bean pods: cowpea ( L. var.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHelicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae; Hübner) is the major insect pest of pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan; Fabales: Fabaceae; (L.) Millspaugh] worldwide. Research to develop pest management strategies for H.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Fall Armyworm, (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a serious migratory pest. After invading China in 2019, the species was established as a year-round breeding population in most of the southern provinces. The area of winter maize in this region has been increasing due to the huge demand of fresh maize consumption, which is potentially at risk from this invasive pest, although the growth and development of in the region's changing climate is unclear, particularly with rising temperatures at night.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSustainable agriculture relies on implementing effective, eco-friendly crop protection strategies. However, the adoption of these green tactics by growers is limited by their high costs resulting from the insufficient integration of various components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In response, we propose a framework within IPM termed Multi-Dimensional Management of Multiple Pests (3MP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite substantial research examining caterpillar-plant interactions, changes in the feeding behaviour of lepidopteran larvae as they develop are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated ontogenetic changes in the behaviour of larvae feeding on reproductive structures of pigeonpea (). Specifically, we examined the preference for and avoidance of pigeonpea flowers and pods of first, second, third, and fourth instar larvae.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring preliminary mosquito surveys at Cowley Beach Training Area in north Queensland, Australia, it was found that the utility of the standard encephalitis virus surveillance (EVS) trap for collecting the malaria vector Anopheles farauti (Laveran) adults was compromised by the harsh tropical conditions. With the aim of increasing the survival rate of mosquitoes, we designed a downdraft fan box trap (FBT) that incorporated a screened fan at the bottom of the trap, so mosquitoes did not have to pass through a fan. The FBT was tested against the EVS and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light traps, where mosquitoes do pass through a fan, and a nonpowered passive box trap (PBT).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs a social organism, living in a communal structure is one of the most important physical barriers against environmental elements and natural enemies. (Notodontidae, Thaumetopoeinae) caterpillars are conifer pests that spend most of their larval stage in winter. Although holds economic and medical significance, the tent construction and foraging behaviour are poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOchrogaster lunifer (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is an Australian processionary caterpillar with detachable urticating setae that have a defensive function. These true setae induce inflammation when they contact human skin, and equine foetal loss syndrome if they are accidentally ingested by gravid horses. We used transcriptomics and proteomics to identify proteins and peptides present in and on urticating setae, which may include toxins that contribute to inflammation and/or foetal loss syndromes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 'mother knows best' hypothesis is tested in a species of processionary moth feeding on acacias and eucalypts in Australia. The processionary moth (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae; Thaumetopoeinae) is a social caterpillar living in large colonies on a number of tree and shrub species. Five nesting types-canopy, trunk, tree-hugger, hanging, and ground-have been described, and this study deals with canopy nesters on various species of acacias ( spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFL. (Asteraceae), commonly known as parthenium weed, is a highly invasive weed spreading rapidly from northern to southern parts of Pakistan. The persistence of parthenium weed in the hot and dry southern districts suggests that the weed can survive under more extreme conditions than previously thought.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe fall armyworm, (J.E. Smith), is a voracious insect pest that is difficult to control due to resistance to insecticides and Bt proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhen an invasive species first breaches quarantine and establishes in yet another country, it invariably causes consternation for growers, in part because of incomplete understanding of the plants that are at risk. The Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Efforts to develop pigeonpea varieties resistant to H. armigera attack have been met with limited success, despite reports of high levels of resistance to H.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnthropogenic pressures are driving insect declines across the world. Although protected areas (PAs) play a prominent role in safeguarding many vertebrate species from human-induced threats, insects are not widely considered when designing PA systems or building strategies for PA management. We review the effectiveness of PAs for insect conservation and find substantial taxonomic and geographic gaps in knowledge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe generalist predatory mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is known as one of the most effective natural enemies on many pests. This economically important biocontrol agent was reared for 20 generations on date palm and castor bean pollen as well as a mixture of pollen types, including date palm, castor bean, and almond. The performance of this predator was evaluated by comparing its life table parameters after different generations (G1-G20) fed on each diet in a laboratory at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRange expansions-whether permanent or transient-strongly influence the distribution of genetic variation in space. Monarch butterflies are best known for long-distance seasonal migration within North America but are also established as nonmigratory populations around the world, including on Pacific Islands. Previous research has highlighted stepwise expansion across the Pacific, though questions remain about expansion timing and the population genetic consequences of migration loss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh) (Syn. Apanteles gelechiidivoris) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a konoibiont larval endoparasitoid of the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), was imported into Kenya in 2017 for the first classical biological control of T. absoluta in Africa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe apple buprestid, Matsumura, that was widespread in north-eastern China, was accidently introduced to the wild apple forest ecosystem in mountainous areas of Xinjiang, China. This invasive beetle feeds on domesticated apples and many species of and presents a serious threat to ancestral apple germplasm sources and apple production worldwide. Estimating the potential area at risk of colonization by is crucial for instigating appropriate preventative management strategies, especially under global warming.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDevelopmental time of the predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) fed on cattail and almond pollen was determined under laboratory conditions at nine constant temperatures: 10, 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 32, 35 and 38°C. No development was observed at 10°C. The lower temperature threshold (T0) was estimated to be 10.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe koinobiont solitary larval endoparasitoid (Marsh) (Syn.: ) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and the predatory bug (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) are important natural enemies of (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a serious pest of tomato. Although preferentially feeds on eggs, it is also recorded as a predator of first and second instar larval stages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHow herbivorous insects adapt to host plants is a key question in ecological and evolutionary biology. The fall armyworm, (FAW) (J.E.
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