Biomonitoring seasonal changes in the environmental impact of atmospheric pollution around junction 16 of the M25 London Orbital Motorway (a high traffic area), United Kingdom.

Larvae of a lichenophagous bagworm moth, Luffia ferchaultella [Stephens 1850], were used to monitor the potential environmental impact of pollutants from a diffuse emission source, exhaust emission products, around Junction 16 of the M25 London Orbital motorway where it interchanges with the M40 motorway. Larvae were fed terrestrial epiphytic algae, collected on four occasions over a 3.5-year period, from 17 sites located within a 16 km(2) survey area.

Biomonitoring the environmental impact of atmospheric emissions from the Avonmouth zinc smelter, United Kingdom.

This paper examines the impact of an industrial point-source atmospheric emission on the feeding of early life stages of a terrestrial invertebrate. Larvae of a bagworm moth, Luffia ferchaultella [Stephens], were fed terrestrial epiphytic algae (Desmococcus viridis [Menegh]) collected from five sites located along a 16 km transect around the Avonmouth zinc smelter. After 10 days of exposure symptoms of lethal and sublethal toxicity (mortality and paralysis) were observed.

The role of temperature and larval crowding in morph determination in a tropical beetle, Callosobruchus subinnotatus.

Many insect species can produce individuals of more than one form or morph. Different morphs of the same species may differ in their physiology, morphology and in behaviour. Understanding the factors and mechanisms involved in determining the production of different morphs of insect species is of major importance in understanding the evolution of specific life-history strategies.

Variation in responses to susceptible and resistant cowpeas among West African populations of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae).

The cowpea seed beetle, sometimes also known as the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.), is a major pest of stored cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata Walpers) in West Africa. Control methods have included development of 'resistant' varieties as an environmentally benign alternative to insecticides, but there is concern over their effectiveness because of population variation among the insects and the possibility of adaptation overcoming seed resistance.

Bionomics and polymorphism in Callosobruchus subinnotatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae).

Callosobruchus subinnotatus (Pic) is the major insect pest of stored bambara groundnuts, Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdcourt, in sub-Saharan West Africa, but little is currently known about its biology or how it may be controlled. A series of laboratory studies was performed to investigate the bionomics of and differences between two apparently different morphs of adult of each sex of this species, here termed 'active' and 'normal'.