How a PCR Test (and Some Mouthwash) Could Nab an Invasive Fruit Fly
Detecting the presence of the invasive spotted-wing drosophila could soon get easier with a new molecular test for analyzing DNA in bulk trapping samples—sensitive enough to sniff out just one target fruit fly in a sample of 2,000. And the best liquid for preserving trapped flies' DNA comes from the dental-care shelf.
New Container Aids in Biocontrol of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Researchers deploying predator insects to attack an invasive forest pest need to monitor how well those predators' populations are growing. A new specially designed container speeds up that work by collecting and separating two different predator species at the same time.
Researchers Use Simulation Model to Optimize Delimitation Trapping Surveys
When an invasive insect appears, responders must quickly set monitoring traps in the area to determine the extent of the pest outbreak. A collaboration between USDA-APHIS and USDA-ARS is working to improve such delimitation trapping survey designs and will publish new guidelines after field experiments are completed later this year.
Why Genes That Make Mosquitoes Glow Can Help Reduce Vector-Borne Disease
Genes that make mosquitoes glow under UV light help scientists measure the spread of transgenic mosquitoes after they've been released to suppress wild populations of vector mosquito species. A recent study identifies a new promoter gene for turning on fluorescent protein production in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.