Toxicity of Fipronil to the Predatory Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

All the developmental stages of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) were treated with fipronil using different modes of exposure under laboratory conditions. Eggs were dipped in an aqueous range of concentrations and no effects were recorded, except at the highest concentration. Pupae treated topically on the silk cocoon moulted to healthy adults, without any deleterious effects on their reproduction. In contrast, larvae and adults were killed by the compound, irrespective of the mode of treatment, even at rates below the maximum field recommended rate in Spain (30 g c.p./ha). Sublethal concentrations of fipronil did not affect the fecundity or fertility of survivors. We conclude that fipronil is very toxic under laboratory conditions to this predatory lacewing.     

Effect of temperature on the duration of larval and pupal stages of two species of sciomyzid flies, predators of the snail Lymnaea truncatula

The duration of larval and pupal stages of two species of predatory flies was investigated at five constant temperatures. Ilione albiseta (Scopoli): Mean duration of first and second instars was shortest at 23°C and there was 100% survival of first instar larvae at all temperatures. Mean third instar larval duration decreased from 104 days at 17°C to 27.5 days at 26°C. Total percentage larval survival was greatest at 17°C and least at 26°C. Mean pupal duration decreased as temperature increased and this occurred also under outdoor conditions. Pherbellia cinerella (Fallén): As temperature increased mean larval duration decreased but the percentage of larvae pupating also decreased (100% at 14°C, 33.3% at 26°C). There was a trend for shorter mean pupal durations at higher temperatures.

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Résumé L'action de la température a été examinée à 14, 17, 20, 23 et 26°C. Les 2 espèces sont prédatrices de L. truncatula, vecteur de la douve du foie en Irlande, où elle provoque à l'àgriculture une perte évaluée à 10 millions de livres par an. Les données recuellies en conditions contrôlées du laboratoire doivent permettre de définir les conditions optimales pour l'élevage continu de ces espèces. Ceci est indispensable pour évaluer, dans la nature leurs potentialités pour la lutte biologique. Ilione albiseta: C'est à 23°C que le développement des larves de premier et second stades sont les plus brefs; la survie du premier stade est totale à toutes les températures constantes examinées. La durée moyenne du 3ème stade décroît de 104 jours à 17°C jusqu'à 27,5 jours à 26°C. Le taux de survie total est plus élevé à 17°C qu'à 26°C. La durée moyenne de la nymphose diminue quand la température croît, et ceci se produit aussi à la température ambiante extérieure. On réduit de moitié la durée du développement de l'éclosion de l'oeuf à l'apparition de l'adulte, entre la nature et le laboratoire, en utilisant respectivement: 23°, 17° et 26°C pour les premier et second stades, le troisième stade, la nymphé. Cela devrait aider à multiplier la souche pour la lutte biologique. Pherbellia cinerella: Avec élévation de la température la durée du développement larvaire diminue, mais aussi le nombre de larves parvenant à la pupaison (100% à 14° et 33,3% à 26°C). La nymphose tendait à être plus brève aux températures les plus élevées.

     

红颈常室茧蜂蛹发育的形态特征

红颈常室茧蜂Peristenus spretus Chen et van Achterberg是一种绿盲蝽若虫的优势内寄生蜂,本研究利用超景深三维显微系统、显微镜观察了红颈常室茧蜂老熟幼虫发育特征、蛹形态特征及蛹发育后期卵巢的超微结构。结果表明:红颈常室茧蜂蛹期为12～15 d,其中雌蛹期比雄蛹期长2～3 d。根据其形态特征,可将蛹划分为预蛹期、第一蛹阶段、第二蛹阶段、第三蛹阶段。蛹期发育前9 d,蛹期组织结构开始分化形成,成蜂的外部形态基本显现,但性别难以区分;蛹期发育至10～14 d,可通过幼蜂体表颜色的变化或腹部末端的形状区分性别,在相同的适宜温度条件下,雌蜂比雄蜂颜色深,雌蜂腹部末端比较尖,有突出的产卵瓣,雄峰腹部末端钝圆,无凸起;雌蜂卵巢在化蛹后的第11天开始形成,卵巢初期的形状如细丝,此时卵巢管已开始初步分化,但卵室尚未分化;蛹发育至第12天时,卵巢管逐渐加粗,卵室开始分化;第13天时,卵巢管、卵室数量逐渐增多;第14天卵巢基部开始有少量成熟卵子产生,呈乳白色。10～12 d,雄蜂腹部末端绒毛逐渐增多,体壁变硬,逐渐角质化,虫体可活动,雄蜂胸部略带黑色,翅逐渐伸展开,整个虫体呈浅红棕色。本研究结果明确了红颈常室茧蜂蛹发育的形态变化过程,提出了蛹期雌雄区分的方法,叙述了蛹后期卵巢发育特征,为研究该蜂繁殖机理奠定了形态学基础。     

The morphology of the preimaginal stages of Squamapion elongatum (Germar, 1817) (Coleoptera,Curculionoidea, Apionidae) and notes on its biology

Data on the morphology of the egg, mature larva (L₃) and pupa of Squamapion elongatum (Germar, 1817) are presented. The development cycle of this species lasts 51–54 days: a 12-day egg period, a 30-day larval period, and a 12-day pupal period, on average. The larvae are attacked by parasitic hymenopterans of the superfamily Chalcidoidea.     

The genus Gymnetron from China with description of pre-imaginal stages of G. miyoshii,G. auliense and G. vittipenne (Coleoptera,Curculionidae)

There are four species of Gymnetron in China recorded to date including Gymnetron miyoshii Miyoshi, 1922, Gymnetron villosipenne Roelofs, 1875, Gymnetron auliense Reitter, 1907 and Gymnetron vittipenne Marseul, 1876, of which the last two are new country records. The pre-imaginal stages including eggs, mature larvae and pupae of Gymnetron miyoshii, Gymnetron auliense and Gymnetron vittipenne are described and illustrated. In addition, their diagnostic characters (larvae and pupae) are discussed and differentiated, and notes on some of their biological parameters are provided. Potential ecological impacts between Gymnetron weevils and their host Veronica spp. also are provided.     

中国亚洲玉米螟发育历期的地理变异

广布种昆虫可调节其生活史以适应栖息地的条件变化,如可以通过调节自身的生长发育和繁殖期,使其发生与栖息地的物候(如食料、气温和降雨等)同步,这对昆虫在栖息地的繁衍具有十分重要的意义。亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis为玉米主要害虫,在中国从南到北都有分布,栖息地气候也不同,不同地理种群生活史发生了分化,如化性、临界光周期、滞育后羽化时间、体重和体型、繁殖力和抗寒力等均不同。然而该虫发育历期的地理变异尚未见系统报道。为此,详细比较了来自5个亚洲玉米螟不同地理种群即广西阳朔(YS)、江西南昌(NC)、山东泰安(TA)、河北廊坊(LF)和黑龙江哈尔滨(HEB)在20—31℃下卵、幼虫、蛹发育历期及其与栖息地纬度的关系。结果表明:不同温度下的不同地理种群的卵期不存在显著差异,在20、22和25℃下,卵期从南到北稍有延长,卵期与其栖息地纬度呈正相关;但在28℃下,不同地理种群的卵期基本相等,与纬度相关性不显著。在31℃下,不同地理种群的幼虫期不存在显著差异,而在其他温度下,不同地理种群的幼虫期存在显著差异;在22、25和28℃下,幼虫期与其栖息地纬度呈正相关,而在20和31℃下,幼虫期与其栖息地纬度呈负相关,在20、22和25℃下,最北的哈尔滨种群的幼虫期变幅不大,而其他4个种群的幼虫期随着温度的升高明显缩短。各地理种群20℃下的雌蛹、28℃下的雄蛹和31℃下的雌雄蛹期差异均不显著,其他雌或雄蛹期差异显著;各温度下的雌雄蛹期与其栖息地纬度存在正相关关系。这些研究结果揭示了广布种昆虫可以调节其自身发育历期以适应栖息地环境条件。     

灰翅麦茎蜂蛹的发育分级研究

室内饲养了灰翅麦茎蜂Cephus fumipennis Eyersmann,对该种蛹的发育进行了研究.结果表明,灰翅麦茎蜂蛹期(30±2.08)d,根据蛹体色的显著变化分为5级(Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ),其历期依次为:(6.5±0.55)d、(3.9±0.48)d、(4.4±0.5)d、(4.6±0.49)d和(10.5±...     

Live-cell Imaging of Sensory Organ Precursor Cells in Intact Drosophila Pupae

Since the discovery of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), there has been a revolutionary change in the use of live-cell imaging as a tool for understanding fundamental biological mechanisms. Striking progress has been particularly evident in Drosophila, whose extensive toolkit of mutants and transgenic lines provides a convenient model to study evolutionarily-conserved developmental and cell biological mechanisms. We are interested in understanding the mechanisms that control cell fate specification in the adult peripheral nervous system (PNS) in Drosophila. Bristles that cover the head, thorax, abdomen, legs and wings of the adult fly are individual mechanosensory organs, and have been studied as a model system for understanding mechanisms of Notch-dependent cell fate decisions. Sensory organ precursor (SOP) cells of the microchaetes (or small bristles), are distributed throughout the epithelium of the pupal thorax, and are specified during the first 12 hours after the onset of pupariation. After specification, the SOP cells begin to divide, segregating the cell fate determinant Numb to one daughter cell during mitosis. Numb functions as a cell-autonomous inhibitor of the Notch signaling pathway.Here, we show a method to follow protein dynamics in SOP cell and its progeny within the intact pupal thorax using a combination of tissue-specific Gal4 drivers and GFP-tagged fusion proteins ^1,2.This technique has the advantage over fixed tissue or cultured explants because it allows us to follow the entire development of an organ from specification of the neural precursor to growth and terminal differentiation of the organ. We can therefore directly correlate changes in cell behavior to changes in terminal differentiation. Moreover, we can combine the live imaging technique with mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker (MARCM) system to assess the dynamics of tagged proteins in mitotic SOPs under mutant or wildtype conditions. Using this technique, we and others have revealed novel insights into regulation of asymmetric cell division and the control of Notch signaling activation in SOP cells (examples include references ^{1-6,7 ,8}).     

Larval rearing of fringe-lipped carp,Labeo fimbriatus (Bloch) with low cost diets including green bottle fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) larvae meal incorporated diet

A study was conducted with non-conventional ingredients to test their efficacy as fishmeal (FM) replacers in the diet of fringe- lipped carp. Labeo fimbriatus first feeding larvae and fry were reared for 30 and 60 days in indoor, 50 L, aerated, circular plastic tanks at 100 and 30 numbers tank⁻¹, respectively. In the first feeding larvae to fry rearing experiment (Exp. 1), the fish were fed with either of the following isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets – live plankton, FM diet, green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae meal (GBFLM) diet and silkworm pupa (SWP) diet. The fry to fingerling rearing (Exp. 2), was also conducted using the same diets described above except live plankton. All compounded diets were formulated to contain 40% crude protein for the experiment 1 and 35% for experiment 2 and were fed ad libitum. Triplicate tanks were maintained for each treatment in both the experiments. In Exp. 1, the mean final weight of fry was higher with plankton and FM diets, while no difference (p > .05) was observed between FM and GBFLM diets. Weight of fish fed SWP diets was not statistically different from those fed GBFLM diet. No difference (p > .05) in final length, survival and condition factor was recorded. Analysis of digestive enzyme activity of whole fish revealed lower (p < .05) activity of amylase in fish fed plankton. In Exp. 2, no difference (p > .05) was observed between the different diet groups in terms of mean final weight, length, survival and condition factor. Analysis of digestive enzyme activity of whole fish revealed no difference (p > .05) in the activity of digestive enzymes between the treatments except a lower (p < .05) activity of trypsin in FM diet and lipase in FM and GBFLM diets. Since the survival and condition factors of animals is the most important aspect during nursery rearing, similar (p > .05) values recorded in different treatments indicate the possibility of incorporation of these non-conventional protein sources in the diet of L. fimbriatus during first feeding larvae to fry and fry to fingerling rearing.     

Effects of oral recombinant VP28 expressed in silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupa on immune response and disease resistance of Procambarus clarkii

The envelope protein VP28 of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was overexpressed in the silkworm Bombyx mori, which was achieved by using a baculovirus (HyNPV) expression system and by making silkworm pupa as an alternative host, and then it was directly supplemented in diet at a dose of 20 g kg⁻¹ without purification. During a 30 day feeding period, the levels of phenoloxidase (PO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the haemolymph of the tested Procambarus clarkii increased greatly (P < 0.05) when compared to the control crayfish fed with wild-type HyNPV baculovirus-infected silkworms or normal silkworms. Compared with two controls, the crayfish which had been infected for 20 days showed a significantly lower (P < 0.05) mean cumulative mortality (15.6%), which respectively, resulted in relative percent survivals (RPS) of 83.7 and 84.4%. The efficacy to inhibition of viral infection was further studied by in situ hybridization with a WSSV-specific DNA probe. The high levels of PO and SOD might be important for developing resistance against WSSV in these crayfish.