Why Flight Testing is an Important Step in Sterile Insect Technique
Releasing millions of sterile insects to interfere with a wild pest population won't work if irradiating the insects also hinders their flight capacity. A new study shows this may be the case with navel orangeworm moths (Amyelois transitella), and further fine-tuning will be necessary to build a successful sterile insect technique operation to manage the pest.
Superworms: The Bigger, Brawnier, Hungrier Cousins of Yellow Mealworms
Larvae of the darkling beetle species Zophobas morio have earned the nickname "superworms" for their larger size and increased nutritional potential as food and feed compared to yellow mealworms. And yet less research and regulatory consideration has focused on Z. morio, something a pair of researchers in Greece hope to change.
In Search for Effective Cockroach Lures, Apple and Blueberry Come Out on Top
Monitoring for cockroach infestations in homes and buildings is hindered by a lack of effective and practical attractants, but researchers at Rutgers University say a mix of extracts from apple and blueberry has proven highly effective in lab and field settings and could lead to more successful cockroach integrated pest management programs.
When Mosquitoes Go to Bed for Winter, and How It Can Inform Management
A look at the body of research on how and when day lengths trigger mosquitoes to enter winter diapause suggests more data on mosquito species' critical photoperiods and their relation to latitude and altitude could better align surveillance and management efforts with mosquitoes' seasonally active periods.