How Milkweed Location Influences Monarch Egg-Laying and Survival
A study examining monarch butterflies' preferences for laying eggs on milkweed in cropland, open ground, or prairie—as well as predation rates on eggs in those settings—offers some mixed signals for monarch-conservation efforts.
Forest Service Crews Double as Tick-Surveillance Teams in Collaborative Study
A partnership between the University of Tennessee and the USDA Forest Service is a proof-of-concept for collaborative tick-surveillance programs.
Survey Shines Light on Beekeepers’ Efforts to Manage Varroa Mites
Nonchemical Varroa-management methods are more common among small-scale beekeepers, but chemical varroacides show wide use among all types.
Why IPM Adoption is Lower in Developing Countries
Integrated pest management comes with a variety of benefits, but its mix of methods can present complicated choices to growers low on resources and agricultural advice. A new report in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines some potential solutions.
Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Release Shows Encouraging Results
A pilot program in a 150-acre zone in Miami in 2018 released as many as 375,000 Wolbachia-infected male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes per week for six months and succeeded in reducing the female Ae. aegypti population by more than 75 percent.
Psyllid Movements Revealed Via Gut Content Analysis
Tracking the movements of the diminutive pests is a challenge, but a new study shows that DNA analysis of psyllid gut contents can reveal what plants psyllids have fed on, thereby pinpointing the non-crop "whistle stops" psyllids make before infesting crop fields.
New Guide Offers IPM Tips for Japanese Beetles in Soy and Corn
An invasive species established in the eastern United States for more than a century, the Japanese beetle is making its way into Midwestern soybean and corn fields. A new review in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management offers a guide to the pest's biology and behavior and methods to fend it off.
New Study Highlights Ups and Downs in Tick Management
A new study examines two host-targeted tick-control methods, and one shows a distinct advantage, but it's likely not cost-effective for the typical homeowner.
Mixing Lawn Grass Varieties Could Trim Fall Armyworm Infestations
A simple change in the choice of grass varieties for lawns of St. Augustinegrass could be a key tool for fending off fall armyworm infestations, according to new research. While no single St. Augustinegrass cultivar rises above the rest in resisting infestation, mixing varieties may confer some benefits, as fall armyworms clearly preferred single-cultivar plantings in a series of lab tests.
New Guide Offers Latest in Carrot Weevil Management
Carrot weevil (Listronotus oregonensis) is a pest of carrots as well as parsley and celery. A new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management gathers a variety of IPM methods for fending off carrot weevil and highlights where research is needed to better understand its biology and behavior.
Edible Plant Oils Show Potential for Management of Aedes aegypti
A new study finds several edible plant oils—such as hempseed, sesame, and pumpkinseed oils—have potential utility as eco-friendly larvicides or egg-laying deterrents against the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Mosquito Management is Key in Creating Popular Urban Wetlands
A study that shows mosquitoes might benefit from wetland-management tactics aimed at protecting frogs illustrates the complicated ecological dynamics present in urban wetlands. Understanding the habitat requirements and ecological interactions of local mosquito species is critical to balancing such wetlands' risks and benefits.
Mesh to Reduce Bycatch: A Simple Solution to a Sticky Problem
Sticky traps used to monitor orchards for the Asian citrus psyllid often catch an array of larger non-target organisms. But a thin layer of mesh fabric—the same kind used in bridal veils and ballet tutus—makes an effective screen to eliminate most bycatch while still catching the target pests.
Trap Modifications Collect Mosquito Waste for Virus Detection
Public health officials could soon be able to detect viruses in mosquitoes in the wild much more quickly and easily—thanks to the insect equivalent of a urine test. A new study in Australia shows that two kinds of commonly used mosquito traps can be readily modified to collect mosquito excreta, or liquid waste droplets, to be tested for signs of viruses.
Assay Array: Entomologists’ Lab Tests Expose Insect Secrets
Entomologists can find out a lot about an insect through some simple chemical reactions in a lab. A new review offers a guide to the wide variety of tests, or assays, that can be conducted to measure the fats, sugars, and other compounds in an insect's body—thereby revealing useful clues about how it stores and uses energy.
Climate Change Could Open Doors, Closes Others for Spread of Japanese Beetle
A new study modeling potential future climate-change scenarios finds the potential for the invasive Japanese beetle to expand its range northward into new regions in North America, though some parts of it southern range could become too warm for it.