Predation by ants controls swallow bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae: Oeciacus vicarius) infestations

The swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) is the only known vector for Buggy Creek virus (BCRV), an alphavirus that circulates in cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in North America. We discovered ants (Crematogaster lineolata and Formica spp.) preying on swallow bugs at cliff swallow colonies in western Nebraska, U.S.A. Ants reduced the numbers of visible bugs on active swallow nests by 74‐90%, relative to nests in the same colony without ants. Ant predation on bugs had no effect on the reproductive success of cliff swallows inhabiting the nests where ants foraged. Ants represent an effective and presumably benign way of controlling swallow bugs at nests in some colonies. They may constitute an alternative to insecticide use at sites where ecologists wish to remove the effects of swallow bugs on cliff swallows or house sparrows. By reducing bug numbers, ant presence may also lessen BCRV transmission at the spatial foci (bird colony sites) where epizootics occur. The effect of ants on swallow bugs should be accounted for in studying variation among sites in vector abundance.     

Olfactory response of Stenotus rubrovittatus to rice and paddy weed,Scirpus juncoides

The olfactory response of the sorghum plant bug, Stenotus rubrovittatus (Matsumura) (Het., Miridae), to rice, Oryza sativa L., and paddy weed, Scirpus juncoides Roxb. var. ohwianus T. Koyama, was investigated with an olfactometer to clarify the mechanism of the invasion of the bugs in paddy fields. Both adult females and males were significantly attracted to panicles of rice in the flowering and full‐ripe stages. Whole plants (aboveground parts) of rice in the panicle‐formation stage, and stems and leaves of rice in the flowering stage significantly attracted only adult females. Other rice structures tested did not attract males or females. Both males and females were attracted to the flowering spikelets of S. juncoides. Although females showed no olfactory response to stems of S. juncoides in the flowering stage, males were repelled by them. Only females were attracted to whole plants of flowering S. juncoides. Whole plants of S. juncoides in the spikelet‐formation stage significantly attracted only females. The findings suggest that the invasions of S. rubrovittatus into paddy fields are caused by their olfactory responses to the volatiles emitted from rice and some paddy weeds such as S. juncoides.     

Off-host aggregation behavior and sensory basis of arrestment by Cimex lectularius (Heteroptera: Cimicidae)

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, aggregates under filter paper disks previously stained by adults. A multiple-choice assay was used to determine differences in aggregation behavior among two strains, multiple lifestages, and levels of starvation. There were no differences in level of aggregation between established and recently derived strains, or among adults and nymphs of different instars. Propensity to aggregate decreased with time since feeding, but preference for stained disks remained high. We also examined which sensory structures mediate aggregation, and whether antennectomy affected movement, orientation, and arrestment under stained disks. Bed bugs that were left intact, blinded, or surgically altered by the removal of probosci or the distal antennal segments exhibited high levels of aggregation under stained disks. However, the removal of the pedicel significantly reduced aggregation compared to intact bugs. Video recordings of movement and orientation by bugs with intact, partial and complete antennectomies demonstrated that neither partial nor complete antennectomies affected walking speed, path straightness, direction of movement or frequency of encounters with either stained or clean disks. However, complete removal of both antennae significantly reduced the percentage of encounters with stained disks that resulted in arrestment. These findings suggest aggregation by bed bugs is a result of arrestment mediated by direct, close-range contact between sensilla on the pedicel and stained disks.     

Niches and interspecific competitions of wolf spiders and mirid bug, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis under three pest management strategies in paddy fields

The duck-rice and fish-rice were two important strategies of pest management in the process of organic rice. The niches and interspecific competitions of wolf spiders and mirid bug, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis under three strategies of pest management in paddy fields were studied in order to understand the influences of different pest control methods on ecological relationships between the two main types of predators. The results of our study suggested that ducks might prey upon wolf spiders resting on the base of rice plants, thus the populations of wolf spiders decreased in duck-rice treatment. The impact of ducks on mirid bug was not significant because it preferred to congregate on the mid-part of rice plants. The temporal selectivity of wolf spiders was smaller than that of mirid bug, which meant occurrence frequency of wolf spiders was higher compared with mirid bug. In addition, competition between wolf spiders and mirid bug was significantly more intense in duck-rice or fish-rice treatment than in natural control treatment at different stages. Probably, ducks and fishes drove wolf spiders away from their original spatial niche, the base to the mid-part in rice plants, enhancing competition between wolf spiders and mirid bug in duck-rice or fish-rice treatment. Based on the results of this study, duck-rice or fish-rice, as a control pest method in the process of organic rice, should be prudentially treated.     

悬铃木方翅网蝽发生为害调查与防治

悬铃木方翅网蝽是一种外来入侵害虫,该虫近几年在石家庄发生普遍,为害严重.调查了悬铃木方翅网蝽在石家地区的寄主植物、为害特点和发生规律,观察描述了其形态特征、生活史和生活习性,测试分析了树冠喷施不同药剂对悬铃木方翅网蝽的防效.     

雄性稻绿蝽对雌性鸣唱反应的物种特异性

雌性稻绿蝽的鸣唱开始了在基质中产生的通讯并引起雄性不同的特定反应。在两种自然情况下 ,我们检验了雄性稻绿蝽对N viridula ,Thyantapallidovirens和Thyantacustatoraccerra个体鸣唱刺激反应的物种特异性水平 ,并对反应强度和同种及异种刺激性鸣唱的时间特性进行了相关分析 ,证明雄性求偶鸣唱的发送和震动源的定位是最具物种特异性的反应。然而 ,即便是在这个水平上 ,雄性稻绿蝽不能将同种雌性个体的鸣唱与T .custatoraccera的第二个雄性个体的鸣唱区分开来 ,后者与前者有相似的脉冲持续时间和重复时间值。本文也讨论了涉及交配行为鸣唱期的有关信号的物种特定性的概念     

Climate-mediated population dynamics enhance distribution range expansion in a rice pest insect

Environmental fluctuations can influence invertebrate population dynamics over large spatial scales, and effects of climate change are of particular importance in understanding phenology. In this study, we tested whether changing climate patterns could increase voltinism and emergence synchrony in Stenotus rubrovittatus and drive the mirid bug’s expansion into currently uninhabited areas of Japan. This expansion could have potentially serious economic consequences for the rice industry. We modelled development of S. rubrovittatus in the field applying the effective accumulated temperature model to calculate the theoretical number of generations and the egg hatching dates from 2003 to 2012 based on a high-resolution, daily weather database. We then performed a regional analysis to assess the relationship between population dynamics and range expansion across the study region and also included a local analysis to evaluate how population parameters affect the presence of S. rubrovittatus at local sites in each year. Results showed that distribution expanded with a relative increase in voltinism and with synchrony of egg hatching date. Moreover, we showed that increased voltinism in the previous year positively influenced local population occurrence. This positive effect suggests that the species’ distribution range expands through increased reproduction at both the regional and local scale. Climate-mediated population dynamics play a significant role in range expansion of the mirid bug.     

Lethal and sublethal effects of synthetic insecticides on the locomotory and feeding behavior of Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) under laboratory conditions

The bean bug, Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a polyphagous insect pest and has a wide range of hosts including leguminous plants and tree fruits. Currently, the management of R. pedestris mainly relies on the use of insecticides, and most studies have focused on the lethal effects of insecticides. However, insecticides can not only kill insects directly, but can also affect behavioral changes of survivors when exposed to sub-lethal doses. In this study, we investigated locomotory behaviors (vertical movement, horizontal movement, and flight ability) and feeding behaviors (frequency of insects approaching dried soybean seeds and number of stylet sheaths left on the dried soybean seeds by insects) of surviving R. pedestris pre-exposed to five insecticide residues for 4 h. None of the three insecticides (bifenthrin, etofenprox, and acetamiprid) tested had significant effects on the locomotory behaviors of R. pedestris adults compared to the water-treated control group. Fenitrothion- and dinotefuran-treated groups showed a significant decrease in the vertical movement compared to the water-treated control, but the insects recovered mobility 24 h after the initial exposure. The frequency of R. pedestris approaching to dried soybean seeds was affected by four insecticides (fenitrothion, etofenprox, bifenthrin, and dinotefuran), but the actual feeding activity of R. pedestris determined by the stylet sheaths remaining on the dried soybean seed was only affected by fenitrothion treatment. Given the relatively low toxic effects of five insecticides tested, a better understanding of the impact of insecticides on the behavior of target species is needed for a more robust pest control strategy and a more effective use of insecticides in IPM programs.     

Biological and molecular characteristics of Beauveria bassiana isolates from California Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) populations

Lygus hesperus is an important pest of many crops grown in the Western US. In addition, other species of Lygus cause damage in other parts of the world. To date, no selective pesticide exists for the control of Lygus spp. and broad spectrum pesticides that also kill natural enemies may lead to secondary pests. Entomopathogenic fungi may offer an alternative to chemical pesticides. Isolates of Beauveria bassiana collected from San Joaquin Valley of California (SJV) L. hesperus populations were screened for their ability to grow at high temperatures and for their ability to infect and kill L. hesperus adults and nymphs under laboratory conditions. No isolate grew at 37 or 35 °C but most isolates were able to grow at 32 °C. In addition, one L. hesperus isolate was more efficacious at higher doses than the commercial isolate. Microsatellite markers were used to determine that selected isolates could be distinguished from other isolates. Preliminary information suggested 82 SJV isolates of B. bassiana were closely related to each other but distantly related to the commercial isolate.