Behavioral and reproductive effects of ultrasound on the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella

The daily activity patterns of adult movement, female calling, and mating of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), were examined both in the absence and presence of ultrasound. Moths were exposed to ultrasound from a commercial ultrasonic device (Cix 0600) that produces constant sound patterns, and from a device developed at Kansas State University (KSU device) that produces random sound patterns. Daily activity patterns of adult movement, female calling, and mating followed a similar trend in the absence or presence of ultrasound. Female calling and mating, both in the absence and presence of ultrasound, primarily occurred during scotophase (21.00–07.00 hours). Ultrasound from the two devices significantly reduced the frequency of female calling and mating relative to unexposed moths. Consequently, the number of spermatophores transferred by males to females and egg production were lower in females exposed to ultrasound compared with unexposed females. In the absence of ultrasound, female P. interpunctella mated 2.9 times, resulting in 2.8 spermatophores/female. In the presence of ultrasound from the Cix 0600 device, a female mated 2.1 times and had 1.7 spermatophores. Corresponding values for the KSU device were 1.9 and 1.4, respectively. In the absence of ultrasound, 78% of the matings lasted 30–90 min, whereas in the presence of ultrasound 45–58% of the matings lasted either less than 30 min or more than 90 min. Moths exposed to ultrasound laid 96–130 eggs female^?1 compared with 229 eggs female^?1 for unexposed moths. Ultrasound did not affect the pre‐oviposition period and adult longevity of P. interpunctella.     

拟峰斑螟属一新种记述(鳞翅目,螟蛾科,斑螟亚科)

记述采自云南的拟峰斑螟属Anabasis Heinrich1新种,即郑氏拟峰斑螟Anabasis zhengi sp.nov.。文中附有成虫和外生殖器特征图,提供了拟峰斑螟属包括新种在内的分种检索表。     

Performance of Sclerodermus brevicornis,a parasitoid of invasive longhorn beetles,when reared on rice moth larvae

Biological control efficiency can be improved by developing effective mass‐rearing systems to produce large numbers of high‐quality parasitoids. This study explored an alternative host for rearing Sclerodermus brevicornis (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a potential biocontrol agent for the suppression of exotic and invasive wood‐boring longhorn beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) populations in the European agroforestry ecosystems. We tested larvae of the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), as host for the parasitoid. We quantified the probability and timing of host attack and parasitism as well as reproductive success, offspring production, and the characteristics of adult offspring. As S. brevicornis is a quasi‐social species (multiple females, communally produced offspring broods), we also explored the effects of varying the number of females to which individual hosts were presented, with the aim of determining the optimal female‐to‐host ratio. As time to host attack can be a limiting factor in S. brevicornis rearing protocols, we tested the use of adult females of another bethylid species, Goniozus legneri Gordh, to paralyse C. cephalonica larvae prior to presentation. We identified the conditions within our experiment that maximized offspring production per host and offspring production per adult female parasitoid. We found that C. cephalonica is suitable as a factitious host and, as it is considerably more straightforward for laboratory rearing than cerambycid species, it is a good candidate for adoption by future S. brevicornis mass‐rearing and release programmes.     

New North American Chrysauginae (Pyralidae) described by E.D. Cashatt

A Ph.D. dissertation completed by E.D. Cashatt in 1968 entitled “Revision of the Chrysauginae of North America” does not meet the criteria of publication so the new taxa described therein are not available per the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. In order to validate the taxa proposed in that document we formally describe and illustrate the following: Arta brevivalvalis Cashatt, sp. n., Heliades lindae Cashatt, sp. n., Paragalasa Cashatt, gen. n., Paragalasa exospinalis Cashatt, sp. n., and Penthesilea sacculalis baboquivariensis Cashatt, subsp. n. We summarize other taxonomic actions proposed in the dissertation and those proposed by subsequent authors. We provide the current nomenclatural status with the literature citation of the paper in which the current status was proposed. A lectotype is designated for Clydonopteran tecomae. Adult holotypes and associated labels, and genitalia of paratypes are newly illustrated.     

水生鳞翅类——螟蛾科水螟亚科

从成虫、卵、幼虫、蛹及生物学等方面介绍了鳞翅目的主要水生类群———螟蛾科水螟亚科Nymphulinae的主要特征及其幼虫的主要生活类型。水螟幼虫的生活型可分为Nymphula型、Parapoynx型、Potamomusa型、Eoophyla型和Nymphicula型。各生活型的主要类群及生活特征也予以说明。目的是为了使读者对该类群有正确的认识,以引起人们的重视。     

Overwintering strategy of endoparasitoids in Chilo suppressalis: a perspective from the cold hardiness of a host

Although parasitoids ultimately kill their host, koinobiont parasitoids must protect not only themselves but also their hosts against extreme environments. In this study, the parasitism rate of Chilo suppressalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) was investigated, and the average body weights, supercooling points, and concentrations of glycerol (acting as a cryoprotectant) in the hemolymph were compared between parasitized and non‐parasitized larvae. Five species of koinobiont endoparasitoids parasitized the overwintering C. suppressalis larvae and the total parasitism rate was 47.6% (n = 1 537). Average body weight of parasitized larvae was significantly lower than that of non‐parasitized larvae, and the parasitism rate of the lighter group (20–30 mg) was highest. The supercooling point of parasitized C. suppressalis larvae (?15.7 ± 0.3 °C) was significantly lower than that of the non‐parasitized larvae (?14.3 ± 0.2 °C). In addition, supercooling points were not correlated with body weights between parasitized and non‐parasitized larvae, indicating that cold hardiness of parasitized larvae was enhanced by endoparasitoids. Furthermore, the concentration of glycerol in the hemolymph was significantly higher in parasitized larvae (205.0 ± 7.1 μmol ml^?1) than in non‐parasitized larvae (169.8 ± 14.4 μmol ml^?1), which suggests that the mechanism that decreases the supercooling point of parasitized larvae was associated with glycerol. All these results indicated that the cold hardiness of parasitized C. suppressalis larvae was enhanced by their endoparasitoids, which benefitted overwintering endoparasitoids.     

中国螟蛾科一新纪录属及一新种记述(鳞翅目,螟蛾科,斑螟亚科)

首次报道桂斑螟属Gunungia在中国的分布,首次报道该属的雌性个体,并据此对属征进行了补充描述。桂斑螟属目前只包括模式种Gunungia rimba Roesler ＆ Küppers,分布于印度尼西亚苏门答腊岛。本文记述了采自我国广西、贵州和云南的1新种——凹头桂斑螟Gunungia capitirecava sp.nov.,编制了已知种的检索表,提供了新种的特征图。模式标本均保存在南开大学生命科学学院昆虫标本室。 凹头桂斑螟,新种Gunungia capitirecavasp.nov.（图1 -7） 翅展16.0 -24.5mm。新种与G.rimbaRoesler ＆ K櫣ppers近似,但新种雄性头顶被白色V型鳞毛簇;抱器背在端部1/6处具一齿状突起,阳茎基环两侧臂粗壮,末端圆钝。 正模♂,广西防城港峒中林场, 640m, 2002-04-08 ,郝淑莲、薛怀军采（玻片号RYD04343）。副模： 7 ♂♂,1♀,贵州赤水桫椤, 240m, 2000-09-21 -23 ,于海丽; 1 ♀,云南瑞丽珍稀植物园, 1 000m, 2005-08-05 ,任应党采; 1 ♂,1♀,云南西双版纳自然保护区补蚌管理站,650m,2005—08—25,任应党采。     

中国草螟属一新种(鳞翅目,螟蛾科,草螟亚科)

描述了中国草螟属1新种--新牧草螟Crambus neopascuellus sp.nov.,给出了新种与该属模式种牧草螟Crambus pascuellus(Linnaeus,1758)的比较.模式标本保存在中国科学院动物研究所标本馆.     

The role of glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products in oviposition and host-plant finding by cabbage webworm, Hellula undalis

The cabbage webworm, Hellula undalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a tropical pest on crucifers (Brassicaceae), differentiated among host‐plant species for oviposition in laboratory and field tests. White mustard, Sinapis alba (L.) var. Selinda, was the preferred host‐plant, followed by Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. et. Coss var. Canadian brown mustard, and pak‐choi, Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. Joi Choi, Black Behi and Bai Tsai. Glucosinolates (GS), secondary plant compounds characteristic to the Cruciferae plant family, and their breakdown products were analyzed by using HPLC and GC‐MS‐techniques. Species differed in GS composition and concentration. Content of GS was highest in S. alba with progressively lower contents detected in B. juncea and B. chinensis. The aromatic GS, 4‐hydroxybenzyl‐GS and benzyl‐GS, were detected in S. alba. In B. juncea the alkenyl GS, allyl‐GS, dominated, whereas in varieties of B. chinensis indolyl and alkenyl GS predominated. Oviposition of H. undalis females on the non‐host‐plant Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis (L.) Fruwirth was stimulated by application of GS extracts from the crucifer species; the extract from S. alba was preferred, followed by extracts from B. juncea and B. chinensis. Hydrolysis of GS in the plant extract from B. chinensis causes loss of the oviposition stimulatory effect of the extract. Application of the GS, allyl‐GS, and benzyl‐GS also stimulated oviposition by H. undalis. Significantly more eggs were laid on leaves treated with the aromatic GS, benzyl‐GS, than with the alkenyl GS, allyl‐GS. Host‐plant odor attracted H. undalis females but not males, in behavioral assays conducted in a Y‐tube olfactometer. Low concentrations of the GS hydrolysis product, allyl‐isothiocyanate, induced anemotaxis of females, but a high concentration of allyl‐isothiocyanate was repellent. Oviposition by H. undalis females was not stimulated by host‐plant volatiles. Females laid eggs on inserted traps and the walls of the Y‐tube regardless of presence or absence of host‐plant odor. The relevance of these results in the context of crucifer‐insect interactions is discussed.