Publications by authors named "Myron P Zalucki"

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.

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Article Synopsis
  • Effective conservation of migratory species requires protecting their habitats throughout the entire year, but assessments of current protected areas (PAs) have been limited.
  • A study on 418 migratory butterfly species found that 84% lacked adequate PA coverage in at least one season, with only 17% being adequately protected in one season and 45% inadequately protected year-round.
  • Geographic differences highlight that while 77% of species met conservation goals in Sri Lanka, only 32% did so in Italy, indicating a need for coordinated international efforts to create comprehensive PA networks for migratory insects.
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Helicoverpa 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.

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The 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.

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Sustainable 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).

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Despite 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.

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During 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).

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As 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.

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Ochrogaster 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.

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The '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.

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L. (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.

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When 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.

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Background: 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.

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Anthropogenic 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.

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The 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.

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Range 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.

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Dolichogenidea 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.

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The 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.

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Developmental 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.

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The 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.

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How 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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