Array of Management Methods Needed to Curb the Pesky Squash Vine Borer
The larva of the squash vine borer burrows into the stems and crowns of squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plants, causing wilting damage. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines a variety of management methods to combat the squash vine borer.
Could Insecticide Netting Help Manage Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Infestations in Homes?
New research on brown marmorated stink bug behavior indicates they prefer darker surfaces, doorways, and the north and east sides of homes—and that insecticide-treated netting offers potential as a means of nuisance control.
Busy Bees: An Up-Close Look at One Bee Species’ Scramble to Mate
With high-speed, high-definition cameras, researchers at the University of Arizona got an unprecedented look at the mating habits of the solitary bee species Diadasia rinconis and gained new insights into their courtship behaviors and the selective pressures those behaviors produce.
Why Smoking Soothes the Stressed-Out Bee Hive
A new study that explores the effect of smoke on honey bee (Apis mellifera) behavior finds that it reduces the instance of bees releasing a venom droplet in their signaling of danger to other bees, which researchers speculate may thereby reduce the amount of alarm pheromone released.
Butterfly Pupae Make Sounds In Never-Before-Known Ways
New research explores how pupae of certain butterfly species make a "twittering" noise—via a wiggling movement that triggers sound from tiny structures in the membranes between their abdominal segments.
Tick-Repellent Clothing: How Laundry Suds Affect Your Permethrin-Treated Duds
A study on the durability of permethrin-treated clothing found that, after 16 cycles of wearing and washing the clothes, their repellent effect on ticks was indeed reduced, but it was still better than untreated clothing.
Cattle Call: Tick Surveillance Project Offers Model for Monitoring Livestock
A study in Tennessee found ticks on about one in six cattle and at livestock monitoring locations in all regions of the state, highlighting a "hidden health threat" to the cattle industry.
Study Explores How Flower-Eating Katydids Pick Their Meals
Research in Singapore on katydid florivory could have applications in agriculture or even weed control.
Meddling in the Mutualism: Fly Larva Uses Nectar to Lure Ants for Lunch
In the Brazilian savanna, the larvae of a fruit-fly species exploits an ant-plant mutualism by trapping and preying on ants atop the plant's nectar deposits.
Fluid Termite Bait Aims to Combine Best of Both Management Methods
A new termite-control method currently in development looks to combine the advantages of a liquid insecticide application with the comprehensive impact of existing solid termite bait systems.
Swim Lessons: How Two Land-Dwelling Ant Species Paddle Through Water
A new study in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America examines how two ant species swim and concludes that bigger is indeed better when it comes to which of them swims fastest.
The Case for Greater Focus on Mosquitoes and Other Arthropod Vectors in Epidemiology
The textbook approach to managing disease outbreaks focuses on pathogen, host, and environment but leaves out insect or arthropod vectors. For afflictions such as Zika, malaria, and Lyme, a report in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America proposes a new version of the classic 'epidemiologic triad' that better reflects the complexities of managing vector-borne diseases.
Funny Honey at the Zoo Reveals Bees’ Foraging on Sugar Baits
In the course of a study on mosquito movement, researchers discovered that local colonies of honey bees had foraged on a nontoxic sugar bait meant for the mosquitoes. The bait was dyed red to track mosquitoes that fed on it, but the dye also showed up in much of the bees' honey.
Water Mites Discovered Parasitizing Two Mosquito Species in Pennsylvania
A survey of mosquitoes in Pennsylvania discovered 12 mosquitoes parasitized by larval mites. Water mites can reduce the survival and reproductive success of mosquitoes, and entomologists are investigating such parasitism to evaluate its potential as a method for biological control efforts.
New Research Collection Targets Insect Pests of Pulse Crops
A new collection in the July 2018 issue of the Annals of the Entomological Society of America offers growers a treasure trove of knowledge on pulse crop insect pests and management strategies.
Harlequin Bug Coloration Influenced by Temperature During Nymphal Stages
A new study shows that harlequin bugs can adapt their pigmentation (or melanin levels) during their developmental stages based on outside temperatures. Such thermal melanism enhances the pest species' potential to invade new regions and environments.