Charles Valentine Riley, A Biography: ambition, genius, and the emergence of applied entomology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Charles Valentine Riley, 1843-1895, was a renowned entomologist and founder of the field of applied or economic entomology. This biography, supported by the scientific collaboration of Dr. Weber, is the first story of his fascinating life at the center of many of the foundational events of American...

Key Issues in Hymenoptera Venom Allergy: An Update.

PubMed

Alfaya Arias, T; Soriano Gómis, V; Soto Mera, T; Vega Castro, A; Vega Gutiérrez, J M; Alonso Llamazares, A; Antolín Amérigo, D; Carballada Gonzalez, F J; Dominguez Noche, C; Gutierrez Fernandez, D; Marques Amat, L; Martinez Arcediano, A; Martinez San Ireneo, M; Moreno Ancillo, A; Puente Crespo, Y; Ruiz Leon, B; Sánchez Morillas, L

In this review, the Hymenoptera Allergy Committee of the SEAIC analyzes the most recent scientific literature addressing problems related to the diagnosis of hymenoptera allergy and to management of venom immunotherapy. Molecular diagnosis and molecular risk profiles are the key areas addressed. The appearance of new species of hymenoptera that are potentially allergenic in Spain and the associated diagnostic and therapeutic problems are also described. Finally, we analyze the issue of mast cell activation syndrome closely related to hymenoptera allergy, which has become a new diagnostic challenge for allergists given its high prevalence in patients with venom anaphylaxis.

Review and comparison between the Wells-Riley and dose-response approaches to risk assessment of infectious respiratory diseases.

PubMed

Sze To, G N; Chao, C Y H

2010-02-01

Infection risk assessment is very useful in understanding the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and in predicting the risk of these diseases to the public. Quantitative infection risk assessment can provide quantitative analysis of disease transmission and the effectiveness of infection control measures. The Wells-Riley model has been extensively used for quantitative infection risk assessment of respiratory infectious diseases in indoor premises. Some newer studies have also proposed the use of dose-response models for such purpose. This study reviews and compares these two approaches to infection risk assessment of respiratory infectious diseases. The Wells-Riley model allows quick assessment and does not require interspecies extrapolation of infectivity. Dose-response models can consider other disease transmission routes in addition to airborne route and can calculate the infectious source strength of an outbreak in terms of the quantity of the pathogen rather than a hypothetical unit. Spatial distribution of airborne pathogens is one of the most important factors in infection risk assessment of respiratory disease. Respiratory deposition of aerosol induces heterogeneous infectivity of intake pathogens and randomness on the intake dose, which are not being well accounted for in current risk models. Some suggestions for further development of the risk assessment models are proposed. This review article summarizes the strengths and limitations of the Wells-Riley and the dose-response models for risk assessment of respiratory diseases. Even with many efforts by various investigators to develop and modify the risk assessment models, some limitations still persist. This review serves as a reference for further development of infection risk assessment models of respiratory diseases. The Wells-Riley model and dose-response model offer specific advantages. Risk assessors can select the approach that is suitable to their particular conditions to perform risk

Fort Riley Building Inventory and Evaluation, 1964-1974: Volume 1 of 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-07

Clubhouse Sports Pro Shop 5315 1965 Chapel Chapel 5320 1965 Exchange Service Station Exchange Auto Service 7305 1966 Special Weapons Training ...recognition as an important base of advanced military training . The schools offered theory and practical in- struction in drill and firing practice, stable...management, and horse train - ing. Entire units, not individual men, were sent to Fort Riley to take part in the instruction the schools offered

Comprehensive Inventory and Determinations of Eligibility for Fort Riley Buildings: 1857-1963

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

it was announced that, effective 20 July 1946, the Army Reception centers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Fort Snelling, Minne- sota, were being...transferred to Fort Riley.129 The new reception center was 126 “Recalls Days at Fort...Leavenworth and Fort Snelling Reception Centers To Be Moved Here,” Junc- tion City Union, 28 July 1946, 1. ERDC/CERL MP-09-1 57 able to handle 2,000–2,500

Scores on Riley's stuttering severity instrument versions three and four for samples of different length and for different types of speech material.

PubMed

Todd, Helena; Mirawdeli, Avin; Costelloe, Sarah; Cavenagh, Penny; Davis, Stephen; Howell, Peter

2014-12-01

Riley stated that the minimum speech sample length necessary to compute his stuttering severity estimates was 200 syllables. This was investigated. Procedures supplied for the assessment of readers and non-readers were examined to see whether they give equivalent scores. Recordings of spontaneous speech samples from 23 young children (aged between 2 years 8 months and 6 years 3 months) and 31 older children (aged between 10 years 0 months and 14 years 7 months) were made. Riley's severity estimates were scored on extracts of different lengths. The older children provided spontaneous and read samples, which were scored for severity according to reader and non-reader procedures. Analysis of variance supported the use of 200-syllable-long samples as the minimum necessary for obtaining severity scores. There was no significant difference in SSI-3 scores for the older children when the reader and non-reader procedures were used. Samples that are 200-syllables long are the minimum that is appropriate for obtaining stable Riley's severity scores. The procedural variants provide similar severity scores.

Seasonal abundance of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and its natural enemies Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in China

Treesearch

Houping Liu; Leah S. Bauer; Tonghai Zhao; Ruitong Gao; Liwen Song; Qingshu Luan; Ruozhong Jin; Changqi Gao

2007-01-01

The seasonal abundance and population dynamics of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and its natural enemies Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were studied on ash (Fraxinus spp.) in...

Clinical consequences of toxic envenomations by Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Schmidt, Justin O

2018-05-19

Many familiar Hymenoptera are brightly colored and can sting painfully-thus, their threat and clinical importance may be exaggerated. Most stinging insects only sting to defend themselves or their colonies from predators. The clinical nature of Hymenoptera envenomations contrasts that of other venomous animals, including other arthropods, primarily because allergic reaction, not direct intoxication, is the usual main concern. This review focuses mainly on the clinical features of direct toxicity to Hymenoptera envenomations, which can induce a high incidence of acute renal failure, liver failure, multiple organ failures, and death. Toxic mass envenomations by honeybees usually entail many hundreds or more stings per victim. In contrast to honeybee toxic envenomations, hornet sting envenomations can be clinically threatening with only 20-200 stings needed to cause kidney and other organ failures. Many lethal envenomations by honeybees occur in rural areas in the New World and Africa and are not recorded or documented. In contrast, deaths by hornets occur mainly to Asia. The most frequent and important envenomating taxa are honeybees, hornets, yellowjacket wasps, paper wasps, fire ants, and jack jumper ants. Occasional envenomating taxa include bumblebees, bullet ants, harvester ants, solitary wasps, solitary bees, and various ants of lesser clinical importance. Envenomations by Hymenoptera usually can be avoided if one considers that bees, wasps and ants "view" us as potential threats or predators, and that with information about the biology of stinging Hymenoptera, humans can minimize adverse incidents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diversity of peptidic and proteinaceous toxins from social Hymenoptera venoms.

PubMed

Dos Santos-Pinto, José Roberto Aparecido; Perez-Riverol, Amilcar; Lasa, Alexis Musacchio; Palma, Mario Sergio

2018-06-15

Among venomous animals, Hymenoptera have been suggested as a rich source of natural toxins. Due to their broad ecological diversity, venom from Hymenoptera insects (bees, wasps and ants) have evolved differentially thus widening the types and biological functions of their components. To date, insect toxinology analysis have scarcely uncovered the complex composition of bee, wasp and ant venoms which include low molecular weight compounds, highly abundant peptides and proteins, including several allergens. In Hymenoptera, these complex mixtures of toxins represent a potent arsenal of biological weapons that are used for self-defense, to repel intruders and to capture prey. Consequently, Hymenoptera venom components have a broad range of pharmacological targets and have been extensively studied, as promising sources of new drugs and biopesticides. In addition, the identification and molecular characterization of Hymenoptera venom allergens have allowed for the rational design of component-resolved diagnosis of allergy, finally improving the outcome of venom immunotherapy (VIT). Until recently, a limited number of Hymenoptera venoms had been unveiled due to the technical limitations of the approaches used to date. Nevertheless, the application of novel techniques with high dynamic range has significantly increased the number of identified peptidic and proteinaceous toxins. Considering this, the present review summarizes the current knowledge about the most representative Hymenoptera venom peptides and proteins which are under study for a better understanding of the insect-caused envenoming process and the development of new drugs and biopesticides. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mortality due to Hymenoptera stings in Costa Rica, 1985-2006.

PubMed

Prado, Mónica; Quirós, Damaris; Lomonte, Bruno

2009-05-01

To analyze mortality due to Hymenoptera stings in Costa Rica during 1985-2006. Records of deaths due to Hymenoptera stings in 1985-2006 were retrieved from Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (National Statistics and Census Institute). Mortality rates were calculated on the basis of national population reports, as of 1 July of each year. Information for each case included age, gender, and the province in which the death occurred. In addition, reports of Hymenoptera sting accidents received by the Centro Nacional de Intoxicaciones (National Poison Center, CNI) in 1995-2006 were obtained to assess exposure to these insects. Over the 22-year period analyzed, 52 fatalities due to Hymenoptera stings were recorded. Annual mortality rates varied from 0-1.73 per 1 million inhabitants, with a mean of 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.46-0.93). The majority of deaths occurred in males (88.5%), representing a male to female ratio of 7.7:1. A predominance of fatalities was observed in the elderly (50 years of age and older), as well as in children less than 10 years of age. The province with the highest mortality rate was Guanacaste. The CNI documented 1,591 reports of Hymenoptera stings (mostly by bees) in 1995-2006, resulting in an annual average of 133 cases, with only a slight predominance of males over females (1.4:1). Stings by Hymenoptera, mostly by bees, constitute a frequent occurrence in Costa Rica that can be life-threatening in a small proportion of cases, most often in males and the elderly. The annual number of fatalities fluctuated from 0-6, averaging 2.4 deaths per year. Awareness should be raised not only among the general population, but also among health care personnel that should consider this risk in the clinical management of patients stung by Hymenoptera.

Sampling of post-Riley visual artists surreptitiously probing perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, Scott J.

2003-06-01

Attending any conference on visual perception undoubtedly leaves one exposed to the work of Salvador Dali, whose extended phase of work exploring what he dubbed, "the paranoiac-critical method" is very popular as examples of multiple perceptions from conflicting input. While all visual art is intertwined with perceptual science, from convincing three-dimensional illusion during the Renaissance to the isolated visual illusions of Bridget Riley"s Op-Art, direct statements about perception are rarely uttered by the artists in recent times. However, there are still a number of artists working today whose work contains perceptual questions and exemplars that can be of interest to vision scientists and imaging engineers. This talk will start sampling from Op-Art, which is most directly related to psychophysical test stimuli and then will discuss "perceptual installations" from artists such as James Turrell"s, whose focus is often directly on natural light, with no distortions imposed by any capture or display apparatus. His work generally involves installations that use daylight and focus the viewer on its nuanced qualities, such as umbra, air particle interactions, and effects of light adaptation. He is one of the last artists to actively discuss perception. Next we discuss minimal art and electronic art, with video artist Nam June Paik discussing the "intentionally boring" art of minimalism. Another artist using installations is Sandy Skoglund, who creates environments of constant spectral albedo, with the exception of her human occupants. Tom Shannon also uses installations as his media to delve into 3D aspects of depth and perspective, but in an atomized fashion. Beginning with installation concepts, Calvin Collum then adds the restrictive viewpoint of photography to create initially confusing images where the pictorial content and depth features are independent (analogous to the work of Patrick Hughes). Andy Goldsworthy also combines photography with concepts of

Natural history of interaction between Meteorus sp. Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

PubMed

Sobczak, J F; Maia, D P; Moura, J C M S; Costa, V A; Vasconcellos-Neto, J

2012-02-01

Some parasitoids build a cocoon mass that hangs in the host body until the adults emergence, which is an advantage against attack by predators who troll the vegetation in search of prey. However, such behaviour is not effective against the hyperparasitoid attacks. This study reports the interaction between the caterpillar Manduca sexta Linnaeus, 1763 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) parasitised by Meteorus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) larvae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). This is the first description of the attack and oviposition of T. albipes.

Basophil-activation tests in Hymenoptera allergy.

PubMed

Dubois, Anthony E J; van der Heide, Sicco

2007-08-01

Despite recent advances in our understanding of basophil biology and discovery of new markers for basophil activation, tests measuring basophil activation are not widely utilized in Hymenoptera allergy. Studies of the basophil-activation test in Hymenoptera allergy were examined and the clinical utility of this test was assessed. It has been demonstrated that the results of basophil-activation tests correlate quite well with those of serum IgE testing or skin-prick tests. Many studies compare test outcomes with history in patients and nonallergic controls, so that specificity in sensitized but clinically nonreactive individuals remains unknown. Although one study showed that the basophil-activation test might predict immunotherapy side effects, this could not be confirmed in a second study, and no role has been established for the basophil-activation test in the monitoring of venom immunotherapy. The basophil-activation test has no extra value in assessing sting challenges, although experience is limited. The measurement of basophil-activation markers may be useful in detecting IgE-mediated sensitization but the relevance for application of the basophil-activation test in prediction of clinical reactivity in Hymenoptera allergy is very limited. For this reason, this test currently has no established role in the diagnosis and management of patients with insect sting allergy.

Reply to comments by Riley and Dunlop on He et al. (2015)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bence, James R.; Madenjian, Charles P.; He, Ji X.; Fielder, David G.; Pothoven, Steven A.; Dobiesz, Norine E.; Johnson, James E.; Ebener, Mark P.; Cottrill, R. Adam; Mohr, Lloyd C.; Koproski, Scott R.

2016-01-01

He et al. (2015) described piscivory patterns in the main basin of Lake Huron 1984-2010, during which there was also a pattern of stepwise declines in the abundance of dominant prey fish species. The approach of He et al. (2015) was to couple age-structured stock assessment and fish bioenergetics models to estimate prey fish consumption, and to compare these patterns with prey fish biomass from a bottom trawl survey. Riley and Dunlop (2015) were highly critical of the methods and conclusions reached by He et al. (2015). They claimed that we incorrectly interpreted the bottom trawl survey data, and did not account for uncertainty. We respond to these and other criticisms below, which we find do not undermine our findings.

The Community of Hymenoptera Parasitizing Necrophagous Diptera in an Urban Biotope

PubMed Central

Frederickx, Christine; Dekeirsschieter, Jessica; Verheggen, François J.; Haubruge, Eric

2013-01-01

Most reports published in the field of forensic entomology are focused on Diptera and neglect the Hymenoptera community. However, Hymenoptera are part of the entomofaunal colonization of a dead body. The use of Hymenoptera parasitoids in forensic entomology can be relevant to evaluate the time of death. Hymenoptera parasitoids of the larvae and pupae of flies may play an important role in the estimation of the post-mortem period because their time of attack is often restricted to a small, well-defined window of time in the development of the host insect. However, these parasitoids can interfere with the developmental times of colonizing Diptera, and therefore a better understanding of their ecology is needed. The work reported here monitored the presence of adult Hymenoptera parasitoids on decaying pig carcasses in an urban biotope during the summer season (from May to September). Six families and six species of parasitoids were recorded in the field: Aspilota fuscicornis Haliday (Braconidae), Alysia manducator Panzer, Nasonia vitripennis Walker (Pteromalidae), Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead (Encyrtidae), Trichopria sp. (Diapriidae), and Figites sp. (Figitidae). In the laboratory, five species emerged from pupae collected in the field: Trichopria sp., Figites sp., A. manducator, N. vitripennis, and T. zealandicus. These five species colonize a broad spectrum of Diptera hosts, including those species associated with decomposing carcasses, namely those from the families Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Fanniidae, and Sarcophagidae. PMID:23895458

A Study to Investigate the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Consolidated Troop Medical Clinic in the Custer Hill Area of Fort Riley, Kansas from the Viewpoint of Line Commanders and Selected Medical Personnel.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A CONSOLIDATED TROOP MEDICAL ’ _0 CLINIC IN THE CUSTER HILL AREA OF FORT RILEY, KANSAS FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF LINE...A STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A CONSOLIDATED TROOP MEDICAL CLINIC IN THE CUSTER HILL AREA OF FORT RILEY, KANSAS FROM THE...Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) -* This study analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of combining eight area Troop

Thelytokous parthenogenesis in eusocial Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Rabeling, Christian; Kronauer, Daniel J C

2013-01-01

Female parthenogenesis, or thelytoky, is particularly common in solitary Hymenoptera. Only more recently has it become clear that many eusocial species also regularly reproduce thelytokously, and here we provide a comprehensive overview. Especially in ants, thelytoky underlies a variety of idiosyncratic life histories with unique evolutionary and ecological consequences. In all eusocial species studied, thelytoky probably has a nuclear genetic basis and the underlying cytological mechanism retains high levels of heterozygosity. This is in striking contrast to many solitary wasps, in which thelytoky is often induced by cytoplasmic bacteria and results in an immediate loss of heterozygosity. These differences are likely related to differences in haplodiploid sex determination mechanisms, which in eusocial species usually require heterozygosity for female development. At the same time, haplodiploidy might account for important preadaptations that can help explain the apparent ease with which Hymenoptera transition between sexual and asexual reproduction.

ABO blood groups, Rhesus factor, and anaphylactic reactions due to Hymenoptera stings.

PubMed

Pałgan, Krzysztof; Bartuzi, Zbigniew; Chrzaniecka, Elżbieta

2017-09-21

Numerous publications indicate that the prevalence of some infectious, neoplastic and immunological diseases are associated with ABO blood groups. The aim of this study was to verify whether ABO and Rh blood groups are associated with severe anaphylactic reactions after Hymenoptera stings. A study was undertaken of 71,441 Caucasian subjects living in the same geographic area. The study group included 353 patients with diagnosed systemic anaphylaxis to Hymenoptera venom. Control group included 71,088 healthy blood donors. Frequencies of ABO and Rhesus groups in the study and control groups were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. No statistically significant interactions were observed between the ABO blood group and anaphylactic reactions to Hymenoptera.

Preparative isolation and purification of anti-tumor agent ansamitocin P-3 from fermentation broth of Actinosynnema pretiosum using high-performance counter-current chromatography.

PubMed

Yao, Yuqin; Cheng, Zhihui; Ye, Haoyu; Xie, Yongmei; He, Jing; Tang, Minghai; Shen, Tao; Wang, Jiangman; Zhou, Yan; Lu, Zejun; Luo, Feng; Chen, Lijuan; Yu, Luoting; Yang, Jin-Liang; Peng, Aihua; Wei, Yuquan

2010-05-01

Ansamitocin P-3 is a potent anti-tumor maytansinoid found in Actinosynnema pretiosum. However, due to the complexity of the fermentation broth of Actinomycete, how to effectively separate ansamitocin P-3 is still a challenge. In this study, both analytical and preparative high-performance counter-current chromatography were successfully used to separate and purify ansamitocin P-3 from fermentation broth. A total of 28.8 mg ansamitocin P-3 with purity of 98.4% was separated from 160 mg crude sample of fermentation broth in less than 80 min with the two-phase solvent system of hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (0.6:1:0.6:1, v/v/v/v). The purity and structural identification were determined by HPLC, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and mass spectroscopy.

A hymenopterist’s guide to the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology: utility, clarification, and future directions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hymenoptera exhibit an incredible diversity of phenotypes, the result of ~240 million years of evolution and the primary subject of more than 250 years of research. Here we describe the history, development, and utility of the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology (HAO) and its associated applications. These...

Taxonomic and Functional Responses to Fire and Post-Fire Management of a Mediterranean Hymenoptera Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mateos, Eduardo; Santos, Xavier; Pujade-Villar, Juli

2011-11-01

Fire is one of the commonest disturbances worldwide, transforming habitat structure and affecting ecosystem functioning. Understanding how species respond to such environmental disturbances is a major conservation goal that should be monitored using functionally and taxonomically diverse groups such as Hymenoptera. In this respect, we have analyzed the taxonomic and functional response to fire and post-fire management of a Hymenoptera community from a Mediterranean protected area. Thus, Hymenoptera were sampled at fifteen sites located in three burnt areas submitted to different post-fire practices, as well as at five sites located in peripheral unburnt pine forest. A total of 4882 specimens belonging to 33 families, which were classified into six feeding groups according to their dietary preferences, were collected. ANOVA and Redundancy Analyses showed a taxonomic and functional response to fire as all burnt areas had more Hymenoptera families, different community composition and higher numbers of parasitoids than the unburnt area. Taxonomic differences were also found between burnt areas in terms of the response of Hymenoptera to post-fire management. In general the number of parasitoids was positively correlated to the number of potential host arthropods. Parasitoids are recognized to be sensitive to habitat changes, thus highlighting their value for monitoring the functional responses of organisms to habitat disturbance. The taxonomic and functional responses of Hymenoptera suggest that some pine-forest fires can enhance habitat heterogeneity and arthropod diversity, hence increasing interspecific interactions such as those established by parasitoids and their hosts.

Taxonomic and functional responses to fire and post-fire management of a Mediterranean hymenoptera community.

PubMed

Mateos, Eduardo; Santos, Xavier; Pujade-Villar, Juli

2011-11-01

Fire is one of the commonest disturbances worldwide, transforming habitat structure and affecting ecosystem functioning. Understanding how species respond to such environmental disturbances is a major conservation goal that should be monitored using functionally and taxonomically diverse groups such as Hymenoptera. In this respect, we have analyzed the taxonomic and functional response to fire and post-fire management of a Hymenoptera community from a Mediterranean protected area. Thus, Hymenoptera were sampled at fifteen sites located in three burnt areas submitted to different post-fire practices, as well as at five sites located in peripheral unburnt pine forest. A total of 4882 specimens belonging to 33 families, which were classified into six feeding groups according to their dietary preferences, were collected. ANOVA and Redundancy Analyses showed a taxonomic and functional response to fire as all burnt areas had more Hymenoptera families, different community composition and higher numbers of parasitoids than the unburnt area. Taxonomic differences were also found between burnt areas in terms of the response of Hymenoptera to post-fire management. In general the number of parasitoids was positively correlated to the number of potential host arthropods. Parasitoids are recognized to be sensitive to habitat changes, thus highlighting their value for monitoring the functional responses of organisms to habitat disturbance. The taxonomic and functional responses of Hymenoptera suggest that some pine-forest fires can enhance habitat heterogeneity and arthropod diversity, hence increasing interspecific interactions such as those established by parasitoids and their hosts.

Cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants and hymenoptera venom allergy.

PubMed

Brehler, Randolf; Grundmann, Sonja; Stöcker, Benedikt

2013-08-01

Insect venom allergy is an important cause of anaphylaxis. Venom immunotherapy assume the clear identification of the culprit insect, but this is impeded by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to cross reactive carbohydrate determinant (CCD) epitopes of common glycoproteins. Here we give an overview about inducers, importance, and relevance of anti-N-Glycan CCD IgE antibodies. Pollen exposure and insect stings induce anti-CCD IgE antibodies interfering with in-vitro tests for allergy diagnosis due to extensive IgE cross-reactivity. Instead of being biologically active these antibodies are irrelevant for allergic reactions due to hymenoptera stings. The general response of the immune system to the ubiquitous exposure to N-glycan containing glycoproteins is still a matter of debate. CCD specific IgG antibodies in sera of bee keepers suggest tolerance induction due to high-dose exposure. Tolerance induction by pollen and food glycoproteins has not been proved. Hymenoptera stings and pollen exposure induce anti-CCD IgE. In regard to anaphylaxis due to Hymenoptera stings these antibodies are not clinically relevant, but they are important for the specificity of in-vitro tests proving insect venom allergy. The introduction of component based diagnostic IgE testing improves the specificity of in-vitro tests if proteins devoid of CCD epitopes are used.

Head capsule characters in the Hymenoptera and their phylogenetic implications

PubMed Central

Vilhelmsen, Lars

2011-01-01

Abstract The head capsule of a taxon sample of three outgroup and 86 ingroup taxa is examined for characters of possible phylogenetic significance within Hymenoptera. 21 morphological characters are illustrated and scored, and their character evolution explored by mapping them onto a phylogeny recently produced from a large morphological data set. Many of the characters are informative and display unambiguous changes. Most of the character support demonstrated is supportive at the superfamily or family level. In contrast, only few characters corroborate deeper nodes in the phylogeny of Hymenoptera. PMID:22259288

Early Childhood Summit (Washington, D.C., June 23, 2000). Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Richard W.

This paper comprises remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley at the Early Childhood Summit in Washington, D.C. on June 23, 2000. The paper notes the emergence of a national consensus about the value of early childhood education. The paper maintains that brain development research coupled with new research on how children learn to read…

Aphanogmus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae): a hyperparasitoid of the coffee berry borer parasitoid Prorops nasuta (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) in Kenya

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This is the first report of a hyperparasitod of the primary parasitoid of the coffee berry borer Prorops nasuta Waterston (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). Aphanogmus sp is a gregarious ectoparasitoid of larval and pupal stages of P. nasuta, which was found in coffee berry samples collected on the ground o...

CD30 serum levels and response to hymenoptera venom immunotherapy.

PubMed

Foschi, F G; Emiliani, F; Savini, S; Quercia, O; Stefanini, G F

2008-01-01

The glycoprotein CD30 is expressed and released by T lymphocytes that secrete type 2 helper cytokines of (T(H)2). These molecules play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Venom immunotherapy has proven to be very effective in hymenoptera venom allergy through a shift in cytokine production from T(H)2-type cytokines to T(H)1-type cytokines. To evaluate the relationship between the soluble form of CD30 (sCD30) and venom immunotherapy in patients with hymenoptera venom allergy. sCD30 levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the sera of 61 healthy controls and 14 patients with hymenoptera venom allergy who had undergone immunotherapy before treatment and 1,3, and 12 months after treatment started. Nine patients were allergic to Apis venom, 4 to Vespula venom, and 1 to Polistes venom. CD30 serum levels (median, interquartile range) were significantly higher in venom-allergic patients before treatment (33.6 U/mL; 14.8-61.6) than in controls (9.7 U/mL, 1.9-21.3) (P < .000). These levels decreased progressively during treatment in all patients except 2 (P < .000). At the third month of therapy, the levels reached statistical significance in comparison with baseline. This study shows that sCD30 levels are significantly higher in patients with hymenoptera venom allergy and indirectly confirms a preferential T(H)2-type cytokine production in these patients. sCD30 expression decreases during immunotherapy, thus confirming the immunomodulatory role of this treatment in promoting a shift to T(H)1-type cytokines.

Can the Understory Affect the Hymenoptera Parasitoids in a Eucalyptus Plantation?

PubMed Central

Dall’Oglio, Onice Teresinha; Ribeiro, Rafael Coelho; Ramalho, Francisco de Souza; Fernandes, Flávio Lemes; Wilcken, Carlos Frederico; de Assis Júnior, Sebastião Lourenço; Rueda, Rosa Angélica Plata; Serrão, José Eduardo; Zanuncio, José Cola

2016-01-01

The understory in forest plantations can increase richness and diversity of natural enemies due to greater plant species richness. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the presence of the understory and climatic season in the region (wet or dry) can increase the richness and abundance of Hymenoptera parasitoids in Eucalyptus plantations, in the municipality of Belo Oriente, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In each eucalyptus cultivation (five areas of cultivation) ten Malaise traps were installed, five with the understory and five without it. A total of 9,639 individuals from 30 families of the Hymenoptera parasitoids were collected, with Mymaridae, Scelionidae, Encyrtidae and Braconidae being the most collected ones with 4,934, 1,212, 619 and 612 individuals, respectively. The eucalyptus stands with and without the understory showed percentage of individuals 45.65% and 54.35% collected, respectively. The understory did not represent a positive effect on the overall abundance of the individuals Hymenoptera in the E. grandis stands, but rather exerted a positive effect on the specific families of the parasitoids of this order. PMID:26954578

Hymenoptera venom allergy in outdoor workers: Occupational exposure, clinical features and effects of allergen immunotherapy.

PubMed

Toletone, Alessandra; Voltolini, Susanna; Passalacqua, Giovanni; Dini, Guglielmo; Bignardi, Donatella; Minale, Paola; Massa, Emanuela; Signori, Alessio; Troise, Costantino; Durando, Paolo

2017-02-01

To describe (i) the clinical characteristics of workers, exposed to hymenoptera stings, with an ascertained diagnosis of Hymenoptera Venom Allergy (HVA), (ii) the specific role of occupational exposure, (iii) the effect of Venom Immunotherapy (VIT) in reducing the severity of allergic episodes in workers exposed to repeated stings of hymenoptera, and (iv) the management of the occupational consequences caused by allergic reactions due to hymenoptera stings. Between 2000 and 2013 an observational study, including patients referred to the regional reference hospital of Liguria, Italy, with an ascertained diagnosis of HVA and treated with VIT, was performed. A structured questionnaire was administered to all patients to investigate the occupational features of allergic reactions. These were graded according to standard systems in patients at the first episode, and after re-stings, during VIT. One-hundred and 8four out of the 202 patients referred had a complete data set. In 32 (17.4%) patients, the allergic reaction occurred during work activities performed outdoor. Of these, 31.2% previously stung by hymenoptera at work, and receiving VIT, were re-stung during occupational activity. The grades of reaction developed under VIT treatment resulted clinically less severe than of those occurred at the first sting (p-value = 0.031). Our findings confirmed the clinical relevance of HVA, and described its occupational features in outdoor workers with sensitization, stressing the importance of an early identification and proper management of the professional categories recognized at high risk of hymenoptera stings. The Occupational Physician should be supported by other specialists to recommend appropriate diagnostic procedures and the prescription of VIT, which resulted an effective treatment for the prevention of episodes of severe reactions in workers with a proven HVA.

Diagnostic value of the basophil activation test in evaluating Hymenoptera venom sensitization.

PubMed

Peternelj, Andreja; Silar, Mira; Bajrovic, Nissera; Adamic, Katja; Music, Ema; Kosnik, Mitja; Korosec, Peter

2009-01-01

Diagnosis of allergy to Hymenoptera venom is usually confirmed with skin testing and measurement of specific serum IgE antibody, tests which are sometimes inconclusive. In these cases, additional in vitro tests are necessary. The aim of this study was to show the applicability of the basophil activation test in detecting sensitization to Hymenoptera venom and to compare the test sensitivity and clinical positive-predictive value with skin prick tests and measurement of allergen-specific serum IgE. This prospective study was conducted between June 2004 and December 2007 and included a large group of 204 patients. All patients had a history of at least one systemic allergic reaction of Müller grades II-IV after a Hymenoptera sting. We compared results of the basophil activation test, specific serum IgE and skin prick tests with patients' clinical history and data on culprit insects. The overall clinical sensitivities of the basophil activation test, specific serum IgE and skin prick tests were 90%, 76% and 64%, respectively; the clinical positive-predictive values of the three tests were 79%, 73% and 78% for bee venom, 86%, 59% and 43% for wasp venom; and 84%, 77% and 22% for both venoms. Our results revealed a higher clinical sensitivity and comparable or better clinical positive-predictive value of basophil activation tests than skin prick tests and allergen-specific serum IgE in the detection of allergy to Hymenoptera venom.

Clonal mast cell disorders in patients with severe Hymenoptera venom allergy and normal serum tryptase levels.

PubMed

Zanotti, Roberta; Lombardo, Carla; Passalacqua, Giovanni; Caimmi, Cristian; Bonifacio, Massimiliano; De Matteis, Giovanna; Perbellini, Omar; Rossini, Maurizio; Schena, Donatella; Busa, Moira; Marcotulli, Maria Cinzia; Bilò, Maria Beatrice; Franchini, Maurizio; Marchi, Giovanni; Simioni, Livio; Bonadonna, Patrizia

2015-07-01

Systemic mastocytosis is a clonal mast cell (MC) disease that can lead to potentially fatal anaphylactic reactions caused by excessive MC mediator release. The prevalence of mastocytosis in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy is high, and thus the disease should be suspected in patients with severe reactions caused by Hymenoptera stings and increased serum basal tryptase (SBT) levels. We sought to evaluate the presence of clonal MC disorders in patients seen at our mastocytosis center with Hymenoptera sting-induced anaphylaxis, documented hypotension, absence of urticaria pigmentosa, and normal SBT levels. Twenty-two patients with Hymenoptera sting-induced anaphylaxis, without skin lesions, and with tryptase levels of less than 11.4 ng/mL underwent bone marrow evaluation. Bone mineral density was assessed in those patients with ascertained mastocytosis. In 16 of 22 patients, a diagnosis of indolent mastocytosis could be established, and 1 patient had a monoclonal MC activation syndrome. Patients with mastocytosis had higher SBT levels (P = .03) but only rarely had angioedema/urticaria associated with hypotension (P = .004). The absence of urticaria or angioedema in severe reactions to Hymenoptera stings with hypotension might represent the most relevant factor in identifying patients with mastocytosis, regardless of their serum tryptase levels. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) species new to the fauna of Norway

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Abstract The present paper contains new distributional records for 61 species of ichneumon wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) previously unknown for Norway, six of them are reported from Scandinavia for the first time. PMID:24855440

Specific Immunotherapy in Hymenoptera Venom Allergy and Concomitant Malignancy: A Retrospective Follow-up Focusing on Effectiveness and Safety.

PubMed

Aeberhard, J; Haeberli, G; Müller, U R; Helbling, A

2017-01-01

Malignancies are often considered a contraindication for allergen-specific immunotherapy. Consequently, patients with severe Hymenoptera venom allergy and cancer require specific care. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy and cancer undergoing venom immunotherapy (VIT). The study population comprised all patients referred for evaluation of Hymenoptera venom allergy or for a routine check-up during VIT from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2008. Of the patients assessed, 2% (51 of 2594) had a documented Hymenoptera venom allergy and cancer (25 female, 26 male; mean age 58 years). Of these, 42 patients received VIT (82%): 25 patients had a previously diagnosed malignancy, 16 were diagnosed with malignancy during VIT, and 1 patient was diagnosed with cancer after completion of VIT. The most frequent type of tumor was breast cancer in female patients (60%) and prostate cancer in male patients (39%). Systemic allergic reactions during VIT were recorded in 7% of patients. A total of 19 patients experienced a field sting or underwent a sting challenge test during VIT: 95% tolerated the sting well. VIT was halted definitively in 9 patients (new diagnosis of cancer in 7 patients, reactivation of cancer in 1, and progressive polyneuropathy in 1). The effectiveness and adverse effects of VIT in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy and cancer in remission are comparable to those of patients without malignancy. Our findings show that patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy and cancer are eligible for VIT.

Discovery of a Fanaroff-Riley type 0 radio galaxy emitting at γ-ray energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandi, Paola; Capetti, Alessandro; Baldi, Ranieri D.

2016-03-01

We present supporting evidence for the first association of a Fermi source, 3FGLJ1330.0-3818, Acero et al. (2015) with the Fanaroff-Riley type 0 (FR 0) radio galaxy Tol1326-379. FR 0s represent the majority of the local population of radio-loud active galactic nuclei but their nature is still unclear. They share the same nuclear and host properties as FR Is, but they show a large deficit of extended radio emission. Here we show that FR 0s can emit photons at very high energies. Tol1326-379 has a GeV luminosity of L>1 GeV ˜ 2 × 1042 erg s-1, typical of FR Is, but with a steeper γ-ray spectrum (Γ = 2.78 ± 0.14). This could be related to the intrinsic jet properties but also to a different viewing angle.

Are the TTAGG and TTAGGG telomeric repeats phylogenetically conserved in aculeate Hymenoptera?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menezes, Rodolpho S. T.; Bardella, Vanessa B.; Cabral-de-Mello, Diogo C.; Lucena, Daercio A. A.; Almeida, Eduardo A. B.

2017-10-01

Despite the (TTAGG)n telomeric repeat supposed being the ancestral DNA motif of telomeres in insects, it was repeatedly lost within some insect orders. Notably, parasitoid hymenopterans and the social wasp Metapolybia decorata (Gribodo) lack the (TTAGG)n sequence, but in other representatives of Hymenoptera, this motif was noticed, such as different ant species and the honeybee. These findings raise the question of whether the insect telomeric repeat is or not phylogenetically predominant in Hymenoptera. Thus, we evaluated the occurrence of both the (TTAGG)n sequence and the vertebrate telomere sequence (TTAGGG)n using dot-blotting hybridization in 25 aculeate species of Hymenoptera. Our results revealed the absence of (TTAGG)n sequence in all tested species, elevating the number of hymenopteran families lacking this telomeric sequence to 13 out of the 15 tested families so far. The (TTAGGG)n was not observed in any tested species. Based on our data and compiled information, we suggest that the (TTAGG)n sequence was putatively lost in the ancestor of Apocrita with at least two subsequent independent regains (in Formicidae and Apidae).

Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of Hymenoptera venom allergy in mastocytosis patients.

PubMed

Niedoszytko, Marek; Bonadonna, Patrizia; Oude Elberink, Joanne N G; Golden, David B K

2014-05-01

Hymenoptera venom allergy is a typical IgE-mediated reaction caused by sensitization to 1 or more allergens of the venom, and accounts for 1.5% to 34% of all cases of anaphylaxis. Patients suffering from mastocytosis are more susceptible to the anaphylactic reactions to an insect sting. This article aims to answer the most important clinical questions raised by the diagnosis and treatment of insect venom allergy in mastocytosis patients. Total avoidance of Hymenoptera is not feasible, and there is no preventive pharmacologic treatment available, although venom immunotherapy reduces the risk of subsequent systemic reactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geographic spread of Strumigenys silvestrii (Hymenoptera: formicidae: dacetine)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Strumigenys silvestrii is a tiny dacetine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dacetini), apparently from South America, that has spread to the southern US and the West Indies. Strumigenys silvestrii has recently been found for the first time in the Old World, from the island of Madeira, mainland Portugal,...

A phylogenetic analysis of the megadiverse Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are extremely diverse with an estimated 500,000 species. We present the first phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily based on a cladistic analysis of both morphological and molecular data. A total of 233 morphological characters were scored for 300 taxa and 265 genera, a...

A New Species of Vespula, and First Record of Vespa crabro L. (Hymenoptera:Vespidae) from Guatemala, Central America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vespula akrei Landolt sp. nov. (Hymenoptera:Vespidae; Vespinae) is described from Guatemala. The first record of Vespa crabro L. (Hymenoptera:Vespidae:Vespinae) in Guatemala is given, and Vespula Inexspectata Eck (1994) from Mexico is re-described. We place Vespula akrei sp. nov. in the Vespula vulg...

Utilizing Descriptive Statements from the Biodiversity Heritage Library to Expand the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology

PubMed Central

Seltmann, Katja C.; Pénzes, Zsolt; Yoder, Matthew J.; Bertone, Matthew A.; Deans, Andrew R.

2013-01-01

Hymenoptera, the insect order that includes sawflies, bees, wasps, and ants, exhibits an incredible diversity of phenotypes, with over 145,000 species described in a corpus of textual knowledge since Carolus Linnaeus. In the absence of specialized training, often spanning decades, however, these articles can be challenging to decipher. Much of the vocabulary is domain-specific (e.g., Hymenoptera biology), historically without a comprehensive glossary, and contains much homonymous and synonymous terminology. The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology was developed to surmount this challenge and to aid future communication related to hymenopteran anatomy, as well as provide support for domain experts so they may actively benefit from the anatomy ontology development. As part of HAO development, an active learning, dictionary-based, natural language recognition tool was implemented to facilitate Hymenoptera anatomy term discovery in literature. We present this tool, referred to as the ‘Proofer’, as part of an iterative approach to growing phenotype-relevant ontologies, regardless of domain. The process of ontology development results in a critical mass of terms that is applied as a filter to the source collection of articles in order to reveal term occurrence and biases in natural language species descriptions. Our results indicate that taxonomists use domain-specific terminology that follows taxonomic specialization, particularly at superfamily and family level groupings and that the developed Proofer tool is effective for term discovery, facilitating ontology construction. PMID:23441153

Utilizing descriptive statements from the biodiversity heritage library to expand the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology.

PubMed

Seltmann, Katja C; Pénzes, Zsolt; Yoder, Matthew J; Bertone, Matthew A; Deans, Andrew R

2013-01-01

Hymenoptera, the insect order that includes sawflies, bees, wasps, and ants, exhibits an incredible diversity of phenotypes, with over 145,000 species described in a corpus of textual knowledge since Carolus Linnaeus. In the absence of specialized training, often spanning decades, however, these articles can be challenging to decipher. Much of the vocabulary is domain-specific (e.g., Hymenoptera biology), historically without a comprehensive glossary, and contains much homonymous and synonymous terminology. The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology was developed to surmount this challenge and to aid future communication related to hymenopteran anatomy, as well as provide support for domain experts so they may actively benefit from the anatomy ontology development. As part of HAO development, an active learning, dictionary-based, natural language recognition tool was implemented to facilitate Hymenoptera anatomy term discovery in literature. We present this tool, referred to as the 'Proofer', as part of an iterative approach to growing phenotype-relevant ontologies, regardless of domain. The process of ontology development results in a critical mass of terms that is applied as a filter to the source collection of articles in order to reveal term occurrence and biases in natural language species descriptions. Our results indicate that taxonomists use domain-specific terminology that follows taxonomic specialization, particularly at superfamily and family level groupings and that the developed Proofer tool is effective for term discovery, facilitating ontology construction.

[Prevalence of hymenoptera sting allergy in veterinary medicine students from Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico].

PubMed

Arias Cruz, Alfredo; Monsiváis Toscano, Gina; Gallardo Martínez, Gabriela; González Díaz, Sandra Nora; Galindo Rodríguez, Gabriela

2007-01-01

The reported prevalence of allergic systemic reactions to hymenoptera venom occur in up to 3.3% and large local reactions occur in 17% in the general population. To investigate the prevalence of hymenoptera sting allergy in a group of veterinary medicine students from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A transverse and observational study was done with 64 students of veterinary medicine. We conducted a questionnaire about the students' history of insect allergy and atopy. Skin test with allergenic extracts of bee and ant were practiced to all subjects. We performed aeroallergen skin prick test to the subjets with suspected atopy. Students age ranged from 17 to 25 years (mean 20.2) and 37 were males. Twenty students (31.3%) had clinical history of atopy and positive skin tests to aeroallergens. On the other hand, 5 students (7.8%), including 2 atopic, had suffered large local reactions, but none of them had suffered systemic reactions. Bee and ant skin tests were positive in 15.6% and 31.3% of the students respectively. There was no difference in the prevalence of hymenoptera allergy between atopic and non atopic subjects (p < 0.05). Further, the frequency of atopy in subjects with positive skin tests for bee and ant was 50%. The prevalence of large local reactions and hymenoptera sensitization found in this group was similar to that found in other epidemiologic studies.

Serum tryptase concentrations in beekeepers with and without Hymenoptera venom allergy.

PubMed

Carballada, F; Alonso, M; Vizcaino, L; Coutinho, V; Núñez, R; Vidal, C; Boquete, M; González-Quintela, A

2013-01-01

Increased tryptase concentrations are a risk marker for the severity of reactions to Hymenoptera stings or venom immunotherapy To investigate serum tryptase concentrations in beekeepers with and without Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA). Serum tryptase concentrations were measured in adult patients with HVA (n = 91, 37 of whom were beekeepers), beekeepers without HVA (n = 152), and control individuals from the general adult population (n = 246). Multivariate analyses revealed that serum tryptase levels were positively associated with beekeeping activities (P < .001) and HVA (P < .001). Tryptase levels were also positively associated with age (P < .001) and male'sex (P = .02), and negatively associated with alcoho consumption (P = .002). Beekeeping and HVA are independently associated with increased concentrations of serum tryptase.

ERTS-1 data collection systems used to predict wheat disease severities. [Riley County, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanemasu, E. T.; Schimmelpfenning, H.; Choy, E. C.; Eversmeyer, M. G.; Lenhert, D.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The feasibility of using the data collection system on ERTS-1 to predict wheat leaf rust severity and resulting yield loss was tested. Ground-based data collection platforms (DCP'S), placed in two commercial wheat fields in Riley County, Kansas, transmitted to the satellite such meteorological information as maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and hours of free moisture. Meteorological data received from the two DCP'S from April 23 to 29 were used to estimate the disease progress curve. Values from the curve were used to predict the percentage decrease in wheat yields resulting from leaf rust. Actual decrease in yield was obtained by applying a zinc and maneb spray (5.6 kg/ha) to control leaf rust, then comparing yields of the controlled (healthy) and the noncontrolled (rusted) areas. In each field a 9% decrease in yield was predicted by the DCP-derived data; actual decreases were 12% and 9%.

Apomictic parthenogenesis in a parasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis, uncommon in the haplodiploid order Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Tsutsui, Y; Maeto, K; Hamaguchi, K; Isaki, Y; Takami, Y; Naito, T; Miura, K

2014-06-01

Although apomixis is the most common form of parthenogenesis in diplodiploid arthropods, it is uncommon in the haplodiploid insect order Hymenoptera. We found a new type of spontaneous apomixis in the Hymenoptera, completely lacking meiosis and the expulsion of polar bodies in egg maturation division, on the thelytokous strain of a parasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael) (Braconidae, Euphorinae) on pest lepidopteran larvae Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Noctuidae). The absence of the meiotic process was consistent with a non-segregation pattern in the offspring of heterozygous females, and no positive evidence was obtained for the induction of thelytoky by any bacterial symbionts. We discuss the conditions that enable the occurrence of such rare cases of apomictic thelytoky in the Hymenoptera, suggesting the significance of fixed heterosis caused by hybridization or polyploidization, symbiosis with bacterial agents, and occasional sex. Our finding will encourage further genetic studies on parasitoid wasps to use asexual lines more wisely for biological control.

Hymenoptera Venom Immunotherapy: Tolerance and Efficacy of an Ultrarush Protocol versus a Rush and a Slow Conventional Protocol

PubMed Central

Patella, Vincenzo; Florio, Giovanni; Giuliano, Ada; Oricchio, Carmine; Spadaro, Giuseppe; Marone, Gianni; Genovese, Arturo

2012-01-01

Background and Objective. Various venom immunotherapy (VIT) protocols are available for Hymenoptera allergy. Although adverse reactions (ADRs) to VIT are widely reported, controlled trials are still needed. We conducted a randomized prospective study to evaluate ADRs and the efficacy of three VIT regimens. Methods. 76 patients with Hymenoptera allergy, aged 16–76 years, were randomized to receive an ultrarush protocol (group A: 27 patients), a rush protocol (group B: 25), or a slow protocol (group C: 24). Aqueous venom extract was used in incremental phase and an adsorbed depot in maintenance phase. ADRs and accidental Hymenoptera stings during VIT were used to evaluate efficacy. Results. During incremental treatment, ADRs occurred in 1.99%, 3.7%, and 3.9% of patients in groups A, B, and C, and in 0.99%, 1.46%, and 2.7%, respectively, during maintenance. ADRs were significantly fewer in group A (incremental + maintenance phase) than in group C (1.29% versus 3.2%; P = 0.013). Reactions to accidental Hymenoptera stings did not differ among groups (1.1%, 1.2%, and 1.1%). Conclusion. Ultrarush was as effective as the rush and slow protocols and was associated with a low incidence of reactions to stings. This study indicates that ultrarush VIT is a valid therapeutic option for Hymenoptera allergy. PMID:22693521

Spatial and temporal assessment of cumulative disturbance impacts due to military training, burning, haying, and their interactions on land condition of Fort Riley.

PubMed

Wang, Guangxing; Murphy, Dana; Oller, Adam; Howard, Heidi R; Anderson, Alan B; Rijal, Santosh; Myers, Natalie R; Woodford, Philip

2014-07-01

The effects of military training activities on the land condition of Army installations vary spatially and temporally. Training activities observably degrade land condition while also increasing biodiversity and stabilizing ecosystems. Moreover, other anthropogenic activities regularly occur on military lands such as prescribed burns and agricultural haying-adding to the dynamics of land condition. Thus, spatially and temporally assessing the impacts of military training, prescribed burning, agricultural haying, and their interactions is critical to the management of military lands. In this study, the spatial distributions and patterns of military training-induced disturbance frequency were derived using plot observation and point observation-based method, at Fort Riley, Kansas from 1989 to 2001. Moreover, spatial and variance analysis of cumulative impacts due to military training, burning, haying, and their interactions on the land condition of Fort Riley were conducted. The results showed that: (1) low disturbance intensity dominated the majority of the study area with exception of concentrated training within centralized areas; (2) high and low values of disturbance frequency were spatially clustered and had spatial patterns that differed significantly from a random distribution; and (3) interactions between prescribed burning and agricultural haying were not significant in terms of either soil erosion or disturbance intensity although their means and variances differed significantly between the burned and non-burned areas and between the hayed and non-hayed areas.

Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (L-CHAD) deficiency in a patient with the Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome.

PubMed

Fryburg, J S; Pelegano, J P; Bennett, M J; Bebin, E M

1994-08-01

Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS) is an autosomal dominant condition of macrocephaly in combination with lipomas/hemangiomas, hypotonia, developmental delay, and a lipid myopathy. The etiology of the lipid storage myopathy has been unclear. We describe a black boy with findings of BRRS who also has a defect in long-chain fatty acid oxidation expressed in cultured skin fibroblasts as a deficiency of long-chain-L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (L-CHAD). He also has an abnormal brain MRI and increased size of both lower limbs. We present this child because of his unusual combination of findings, and postulate that L-CHAD deficiency may be the cause of the lipid myopathy in BRRS.

Evolution of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the Hymenoptera: a Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Kather, Ricarda; Martin, Stephen J

2015-10-01

Chemical communication is the oldest form of communication, spreading across all forms of life. In insects, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) function as chemical cues for the recognition of mates, species, and nest-mates in social insects. Although much is known about the function of individual hydrocarbons and their biosynthesis, a phylogenetic overview is lacking. Here, we review the CHC profiles of 241 species of Hymenoptera, one of the largest and most important insect orders, which includes the Symphyta (sawflies), the polyphyletic Parasitica (parasitoid wasps), and the Aculeata (wasps, bees, and ants). We investigated whether these taxonomic groups differed in the presence and absence of CHC classes and whether the sociality of a species (solitarily vs. social) had an effect on CHC profile complexity. We found that the main CHC classes (i.e., n-alkanes, alkenes, and methylalkanes) were all present early in the evolutionary history of the Hymenoptera, as evidenced by their presence in ancient Symphyta and primitive Parasitica wasps. Throughout all groups within the Hymenoptera, the more complex a CHC the fewer species that produce it, which may reflect the Occam's razor principle that insects' only biosynthesize the most simple compound that fulfil its needs. Surprisingly, there was no difference in the complexity of CHC profiles between social and solitary species, with some of the most complex CHC profiles belonging to the Parasitica. This profile complexity has been maintained in the ants, but some specialization in biosynthetic pathways has led to a simplification of profiles in the aculeate wasps and bees. The absence of CHC classes in some taxa or species may be due to gene silencing or down-regulation rather than gene loss, as demonstrated by sister species having highly divergent CHC profiles, and cannot be predicted by their phylogenetic history. The presence of highly complex CHC profiles prior to the vast radiation of the social Hymenoptera indicates a

Thermoperiodism synchronizes emergence in the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Alfalfa seed production in the northwestern United States and western Canada is heavily dependent upon the pollinating services of M. rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Megachile rotundata females nest in cavities either naturally occurring or in artificial nesting blocks. Because of the ph...

Revision of the Asychis species group of Aphelinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

APHELINUS (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is a genus of parasitoid wasps that has a long history of use in biological control programs against aphids. Past research shows that the classification of APHELINUS is greatly complicated by lack of comprehensive literature and the existence of cryptic species c...

Review of the Chinese Leucospidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea)

PubMed Central

Ye, Xin-hai; van Achterberg, Cornelis; Yue, Qi; Xu, Zai-fu

2017-01-01

Abstract The Chinese fauna of the family Leucospidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) is reviewed and illustrated for the first time. Twelve species of Leucospis Fabricius, 1775 are recorded; of which two species are new to science: Leucospis aequidentata sp. n. and Leucospis shaanxiensis sp. n. and one species is reported new for China: Leucospis intermedia Illiger, 1807. An identification key to Chinese species is included. A lectotype is designated for Leucospis aurantiaca Shestakov, 1923. PMID:28331388

Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera)

PubMed Central

van Noort, Simon; Buffington, Matthew L.; Forshage, Mattias

2015-01-01

Abstract The Afrotropical Cynipoidea are represented by 306 described species and 54 genera in four families: Cynipidae, Figitidae, Liopteridae and Ibaliidae, the latter represented by a single introduced species. Seven of these genera are only represented by undescribed species in the region. Seven new genus-level synonymies, one genus resurrected from synonymy, 54 new combinations, one combination reinstated, and one new replacement name are presented. We provide identification keys to the families, subfamilies and genera of cynipoid wasps occurring in the Afrotropical region (Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar and southern Arabian Peninsula). Online interactive Lucid Phoenix and Lucid matrix keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Keys/index.htm. An overview of the biology and checklists of species for each genus are provided. This paper constitutes the first contributory chapter to the book on Afrotropical Hymenoptera. PMID:25878545

Assessment of Energetic Compounds, Semi-volatile Organic Compounds, and Trace Elements in Streambed Sediment and Stream Water from Streams Draining Munitions Firing Points and Impact Areas, Fort Riley, Kansas, 2007-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coiner, R.L.; Pope, L.M.; Mehl, H.E.

2010-01-01

An assessment of energetic compounds (explosive and propellant residues) and associated semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and trace elements in streambed sediment and stream water from streams draining munitions firing points and impact areas at Fort Riley, northeast Kansas, was performed during 2007-08 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army. Streambed sediment from 16 sampling sites and stream-water samples from 5 sites were collected at or near Fort Riley and analyzed for as many as 17 energetic compounds, 65 SVOCs, and 27 trace elements. None of the energetic compounds or SVOCs were detected in streambed sediment collected from sites within the Fort Riley Military Reservation. This may indicate that these compounds either are not transported from dispersal areas or that analytical methods are not sensitive enough to detect the small concentrations that may be transported. Concentrations of munitions-associated trace elements did not exceed sediment-quality guidelines recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and are not indicative of contamination of streambed sediment at selected streambed sampling sites, at least in regards to movement from dispersal areas. Analytical results of stream-water samples provided little evidence of contamination by energetic compounds, SVOCs, or associated trace elements. Perchlorate was detected in 19 of 20 stream-water samples at concentrations ranging from an estimated 0.057 to an estimated 0.236 ug/L (micrograms per liter) with a median concentration of an estimated 0.114 ug/L, substantially less than the USEPA Interim Health Advisory criterion (15 ug/L), and is in the range of documented background concentrations. Because of these small concentrations and possible natural sources (precipitation and groundwater), it is likely that the occurrence of perchlorate in stream water is naturally occurring, although a definitive identification of the source of perchlorate in

New records of parasitoids of Aculeate Hymenoptera in Puerto Rico

Treesearch

J.A. Torres; R.R. Snelling; M. Canals

2000-01-01

There are few reports of parasitoids of Aculeate Hymenoptera for Puerto Rico (Wolcott, 1948). Parasitoids are potentially significant control agents of other insect species, and iti important to know their distribution and hosts . The parasitic species reported here have not previously been recorded from Puerto Rico. These parasitoids were collected or reared during...

Revision of the world species of Xeris Costa (Hymenoptera: Siricidae)

Treesearch

Henri Goulet; Caroline Boudreault; Nathan M. Schiff

2015-01-01

Xeris is one of ten extant genera of Siricidae known as as woodwasps or horntails. They are important wood-boring Hymenoptera from the Northern Hemisphere. Adults and larvae of Xeris are often intercepted at ports and are consequently of concern as potential alien invasive species. The genus consists of 16 species with eight in...

Stinging wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata), which species have the longest sting?

PubMed

Sadler, Emily A; Pitts, James P; Wilson, Joseph S

2018-01-01

The stings of bees, wasps, and ants are something that catches the attention of anyone that experiences them. While many recent studies have focused on the pain inflicted by the stings of various stinging wasps, bees, or ants (Hymenoptera: Aculeata), little is known about how the length of the sting itself varies between species. Here, we investigate the sting length of a variety of aculeate wasps, and compare that to reported pain and toxicity values. We find that velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) have the longest sting compared to their body size out of any bee, wasp, or ant species. We also find that there is no link between relative sting length and pain; however, we did find an inverse relationship between relative sting length and toxicity with taxa having shorter relative stings being more toxic. While we found a significant relationship between host use and relative sting length, we suggest that the long sting length of the velvet ants is also related to their suite of defenses to avoid predation.

Michanthidium almeidai, a new species from northeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera, Megachilinae)

PubMed Central

Urban, Danúncia; Parizotto, Daniele Regina

2011-01-01

Abstract A new species of Michanthidium Urban (Hymenoptera, Megachilinae)is described and figured from Sergipe and Bahia States, northeastern Brazil. An identification key, illustrations, and a distribution map for the three species of the genus are presented. The male genitalia of Michanthidium almeidai sp. n. and Michanthidium albitarse are illustrated and compared for the first time. PMID:22140334

Increasing trophic complexity influences aphid attendance by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and predation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Species that are involved in multitrophic interactions are affected by the trophic levels that are above and below them in both indirect and direct ways. In this experiment, interactions among ants (Formica montana Wheeler; Hymenoptera: Formicidae), aphids (Myzus persicae [Sulzer]; Hemiptera: Aphidi...

Stiff upper lip: Labrum deformity and functionality in bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In hyper-diverse groups such as Hymenoptera, a variety of structures with different, complementary functions are used for feeding. Although the function of the parts such as the mandibles is obvious, the use of others, like the labrum, is more difficult to discern. Here, we discuss the labrum’s func...

Safety profile of hymenoptera venom immunotherapy (VIT) in monosensitized patients: lack of new sensitization to nontreated insect venom.

PubMed

Spoerl, D; Bircher, A J; Scherer, K

2011-01-01

Venom immunotherapy (VIT) has proven to be efficacious in reducing the severity of anaphylactic reactions following field stings in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy. Due to sequence homologies in the allergens used in Hymenoptera vaccines, there is concern that immunotherapy could lead to sensitization to allergens to which patients were not previously sensitized. The relevance of such an undesired phenomenon is unclear. To investigate the incidence of sensitization to Hymenoptera venoms other than those to which the patients were already sensitized and to assess the overall safety profile of VIT in order to compare the risk-benefit ratio in a subpopulation of monosensitized individuals. We performed a retrospective analysis of specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels in patients with no prior detectable sIgE to Hymenoptera venom other than the one for which they received VIT. We assessed the safety profile of VIT using serological and clinical parameters. Of the 56 monosensitized patients who had VIT, 3 (5%) developed sIgE to the other insect with no history of field sting to explain it. This rate was similar to the rate of new sensitization due to field stings during VIT. VIT was well-tolerated and levels of serological markers improved. No patient had a systemic anaphylactic reaction after having been stung by an insect other than the one he/she was desensitized for during follow-up. VIT seems to be safe with respect to clinically significant new sensitizations.

First record of the tramp ant Cardiocondyla obscurior (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for Mississippi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) is an old world genus of omnivorous ants native to Africa and Asia. The genus Cardiocondyla includes several common tramp species that have spread globally with human commerce. A single alate female C. obscurior Wheeler was collected by J. M. Stro...

Tolerated sting challenge in patients on Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy improves health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Koschel, D S; Schmies, M; Weber, C Nink; Höffken, G; Balck, F

2014-01-01

Sting challenge with a live insect remains the best test for proving the efficacy of immunotherapy in Hymenoptera allergy. We studied the impact of tolerated sting challenge on quality of life. In this prospective study, data were collected via self-report questionnaires completed by consenting patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy on venom immunotherapy before and after a sting challenge. The study population comprised 100 adult patients (82 with yellow jacket allergy and 18 with honeybee allergy) who participated between September 2009 and November 2010. After the sting challenge, the score on the Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire revealed a statistically significant improvement (mean [SD] change, 0.73 [0.98]; P < .0001; 95% CI, 0.52-0.94). This improvement was independent of the patients' gender and age and the severity of the initial anaphylactic reaction. A statistically significant improvement was documented in 2 subgroups of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (physical functioning, mean change, -5.78 [25.23]; P = .038; 95% CI, -11.22 to -0.34; vitality, mean change -4.29 [12.49]; P =.002; 95% CI, -7.02 to -1.57). Sting challenge results in a significant improvement in disease-specific quality of life and subgroups of general quality of life in patients allergic to Hymenoptera venom receiving established venom immunotherapy.

DB Riley-low emission boiler system (LEBS): Superior power for the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beittel, R.; Ruth, L.A.

1997-12-31

In conjunction with the US Department of Energy, DB Riley, Inc., is developing a highly advanced coal-fired power-generation plant called the Low Emission Boiler Systems (LEBS). By the year 2000, LEBS will provide the US electric power industry with a reliable, efficient, cost-effective, environmentally superior alternative to current technologies. LEBS incorporates significant advances in coal combustion, supercritical steam boiler design, environmental control, and materials development. The system will include a state-of-the-art steam cycle operating at supercritical steam conditions; a slagging combustor that produces vitrified ash by-products; low nitrogen oxide (NOx) burners; a new, dry, regenerable flue gas cleanup system (coppermore » oxide process) for simultaneously capturing sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen oxides (NOx); a pulse-jet fabric filter for particulate capture; and a low-temperature heat-recovery system. The copper oxide flue gas cleanup system, which has been under development at DOE`s Pittsburgh field center, removes over 98% of SO{sub 2} and 95% of NOx from flue gas. A new moving-bed design provides efficient sorbent utilization that lowers the cleanup process cost. The captured SO{sub 2} can be converted to valuable by-products such as sulfuric acid and/or element sulfur, and the process generates no waste.« less

Genetic differentiation of Ganaspis brasiliensis (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) from East and Southeast Asia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aims to clarify genetic differentiation of the Drosophila parasitoid Ganaspis brasiliensis (Hymenoptera; Figitidae; Eucoilinae) based on the nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and three nuclear DNA regions, the inter-transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) ...

Competition between the filth fly parasitoids Muscidifurax raptor and M. raptorellus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Competition bioassays were conducted with the filth fly pupal parasitoids Muscidurax raptor (Girault & Sanders) and M. raptorellus (Kogan & Legner) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) with house fly Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) hosts at different host densities. Assays were conducted by varying e...

Cell position during larval development affects postdiapause development in Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is the primary pollinator of alfalfa in the northwestern United States and western Canada and provides pollination services for onion, carrot, hybrid canola, various legumes and other specialty crops. Female M. rotundata are gregarious, nest in ca...

An epidemiological survey of hymenoptera venom allergy in the Spanish paediatric population.

PubMed

Martínez-Cañavate, A; Tabar, A I; Eseverri, J L; Martín, F; Pedemonte-Marco, C

2010-01-01

Hypersensitivity reactions to hymenoptera venom are infrequent in paediatric patients. A study was made to determine the incidence of this pathology in children, based on an epidemiological survey targeted to all members of the SEICAP (Sociedad Española de Inmunología Clínica y Alergia Pediátrica/Spanish Society of Paediatric Clinical Immunology and Allergy), and designed to collect the data on patients under 17 years of age diagnosed with hymenoptera venom allergy. The data corresponding to 175 patients (135 males) were collected. The mean age was 9.9 ± 3.6 years. Seventeen percent (32 patients) were the offspring of beekeepers, and 68.9% had experienced previous stings. The causal insect was Apis melifera, implicated in 55 cases, followed by Polistes dominulus (33 cases). In 151 patients (83.9%) the condition consisted of a local reaction. The most frequent systemic response was urticaria and angio-oedema. Fourteen patients suffered anaphylactic shock. The diagnosis was based on skin test (intradermal and prick) and/or specific IgE testing. Three treatment categories were established: (a) prevention and educational measures; (b) symptomatic treatment with oral antihistamines as well as self-injectable adrenalin; and (c) immunotherapy. In this context, 135 patients underwent immunotherapy with a mean duration of 3.5 ± 1.7 years (range 2-5 years) - with excellent tolerance. The starting regimen was predominantly conventional (92 patients). The results of this survey show hypersensitivity reactions to hymenoptera venom to be infrequent in paediatrics, though with a strong impact upon patient quality of life. Copyright © 2009 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Risk of anaphylaxis in patients with large local reactions to hymenoptera stings: a retrospective and prospective study.

PubMed

Pucci, Stefano; D'Alò, Simona; De Pasquale, Tiziana; Illuminati, Ilenia; Makri, Elena; Incorvaia, Cristoforo

2015-01-01

In the few studies available, the risk of developing systemic reactions (SR) to hymenoptera stings in patients with previous large local reactions (LLRs) to stings ranges from 0 to 7 %. We evaluated both retrospectively and prospectively the risk of SRs in patients with LLRs to stings. An overall number of 477 patients, 396 with an SR as the first manifestation of allergy and 81 with a history of only LLRs after hymenoptera stings, were included in the study. All patients had clinical history and allergy testing (skin tests and/or specific IgE) indicative of allergy to venom of only one kind of Hymenoptera. Of the 81 patient with LLRs, 53 were followed-up for 3 years by annual control visits, while the 396 patients with SR were evaluated retrospectively. Among the 396 patients with an SR, only 17 (4.2 %) had had a previous LLR as debut of allergy, after an history of normal local reactions to Hymenoptera stings. All the 81 patients with a history of only LLRs had previously had at least two LLRs, with an overall number of 238 stings and no SR. Among the 53 patients who were prospectively evaluated we found that 31 of them (58.3 %) were restung by the same type of insect, with an overall number of 59 stings, presenting only LLRs and no SR. Our findings confirm that patients with repeated LLRs to stings had no risk of SR, while a single LLR does not exclude such risk. This has to be considered in the management of patients with LLRs.

Search for inverse Compton x-rays from the lobes of Fornax A x-rays from radio galaxies straddling the Fanaroff-Riley transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, Eric D.

1994-01-01

Two related studies of radio galaxies are covered in this report. The first is a search for inverse Compton x-rays from the lobes of Fornax A. In this study, a ROSAT position sensitive proportional counter image of Fornax A (NGC 1316) is presented, and after image processing, it was observed that the x-ray emission closely mimicked the radio emission. A second study involved x-rays from radio galaxies straddling the Fanaroff-Riley transition which divides radio galaxies into two broad morphological groups based on whether the lobe radio power is greater or less than a critical value. ROSAT HRI observations were obtained from four bright radio galaxies around the transition to search for x-ray indications of either nuclear engine or ambient medium differences.

First occurrence of the goldspotted oak borer parasitoid, Calosota elongata (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), in California

Treesearch

Laurel J. Haavik; Tom W. Coleman; Yigen Chen; Micheal I. Jones; Robert C. Venette; Mary L. Flint; Steven J. Seybold

2012-01-01

Calosota elongata Gibson (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a gregarious, ectoparasitic larval parasitoid that was described recently (Gibson 2010) in association with the goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus coxalis Waterhouse [now considered to be Agrilus auroguttatus Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)] in its native...

The species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae).

PubMed

Bordera, Santiago; González-Moreno, Alejandra

2011-01-19

In this paper, two new species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are described. A new diagnosis for the genus, a re-description of Fractipons cincticornis Townes, 1970 and a key to known species are provided. New distribution records for the genus now include Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama and Peru.

Release and establishment of Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) against Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laboratory tests documented that Diachasmimorpha kraussii Fullaway (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was a potentially effective biological control agent against Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Diachasmimorpha kraussii was approved for release in Hawa...

Release and establishment of Encarsia diaspidicola (Hymenoptera: Aphelididae) against white peach scale in papaya

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

White peach scale, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Hemiptera:Diaspididae) is a serious economic pest of papaya, Carica papaya L. The parasitic wasp Encarsia diaspidicola (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) was brought from Samoa into a quarantine containment facility in Hawaii for evaluation and potential release...

THE {gamma}-RAY EMISSION REGION IN THE FANAROFF-RILEY II RADIO GALAXY 3C 111

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grandi, P.; Torresi, E.; Stanghellini, C., E-mail: grandi@iasfbo.inaf.it, E-mail: torresi@iasfbo.inaf.it, E-mail: cstan@ira.inaf.it

The broad-line radio galaxy 3C 111, characterized by a Fanaroff-Riley II (FRII) radio morphology, is one of the sources of the misaligned active galactic nucleus sample, consisting of radio galaxies and steep spectrum radio quasars, recently detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). Our analysis of the 24 month {gamma}-ray light curve shows that 3C 111 was only occasionally detected at high energies. It was bright at the end of 2008 and faint, below the Fermi-LAT sensitivity threshold, for the rest of the time. A multifrequency campaign of 3C 111, ongoing in the same period, revealed an increase ofmore » the millimeter, optical, and X-ray fluxes in 2008 September-November, interpreted by Chatterjee et al. as due to the passage of a superluminal knot through the jet core. The temporal coincidence of the millimeter-optical-X-ray outburst with the GeV activity suggests a cospatiality of the events, allowing, for the first time, the localization of the {gamma}-ray dissipative zone in an FRII jet. We argue that the GeV photons of 3C 111 are produced in a compact region confined within 0.1 pc and at a distance of about 0.3 pc from the black hole.« less

A new cytogenetic mechanism for bacterial endosymbiont-induced parthenogenesis in Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

Adachi-Hagimori, Tetsuya; Miura, Kazuki; Stouthamer, Richard

2008-01-01

Vertically transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria, such as Wolbachia, Cardinium and Rickettsia, modify host reproduction in several ways to facilitate their own spread. One such modification results in parthenogenesis induction, where males, which are unable to transmit the bacteria, are not produced. In Hymenoptera, the mechanism of diploidization due to Wolbachia infection, known as gamete duplication, is a post-meiotic modification. During gamete duplication, the meiotic mechanism is normal, but in the first mitosis the anaphase is aborted. The two haploid sets of chromosomes do not separate and thus result in a single nucleus containing two identical sets of haploid chromosomes. Here, we outline an alternative cytogenetic mechanism for bacterial endosymbiont-induced parthenogenesis in Hymenoptera. During female gamete formation in Rickettsia-infected Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) parasitoids, meiotic cells undergo only a single equational division followed by the expulsion of a single polar body. This absence of meiotic recombination and reduction corresponds well with a non-segregation pattern in the offspring of heterozygous females. We conclude that diploidy in N. formosa is maintained through a functionally apomictic cloning mechanism that differs entirely from the mechanism induced by Wolbachia. PMID:18713719

A NEW SPECIES OF INVASIVE GALL WASP (HYMENOPTERA: EULOPHIDAE: TETRASTICHINAE) ON BLUE GUM (EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS) IN CALIFORNIA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The blue gum gall wasp, Selitrichodes globulus La Salle & Gates (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae), is described as an invasive gall inducer on blue gum, Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae), in California....

Comparative mitogenomics of Braconidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) and the phylogenetic utility of mitochondrial genomes with special reference to Holometabolous insects

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Animal mitochondrial genomes are potential models for molecular evolution and markers for phylogenetic and population studies. Previous research has shown interesting features in hymenopteran mitochondrial genomes. Here, we conducted a comparative study of mitochondrial genomes of the family Braconidae, one of the largest families of Hymenoptera, and assessed the utility of mitochondrial genomic data for phylogenetic inference at three different hierarchical levels, i.e., Braconidae, Hymenoptera, and Holometabola. Results Seven mitochondrial genomes from seven subfamilies of Braconidae were sequenced. Three of the four sequenced A+T-rich regions are shown to be inverted. Furthermore, all species showed reversal of strand asymmetry, suggesting that inversion of the A+T-rich region might be a synapomorphy of the Braconidae. Gene rearrangement events occurred in all braconid species, but gene rearrangement rates were not taxonomically correlated. Most rearranged genes were tRNAs, except those of Cotesia vestalis, in which 13 protein-coding genes and 14 tRNA genes changed positions or/and directions through three kinds of gene rearrangement events. Remote inversion is posited to be the result of two independent recombination events. Evolutionary rates were lower in species of the cyclostome group than those of noncyclostomes. Phylogenetic analyses based on complete mitochondrial genomes and secondary structure of rrnS supported a sister-group relationship between Aphidiinae and cyclostomes. Many well accepted relationships within Hymenoptera, such as paraphyly of Symphyta and Evaniomorpha, a sister-group relationship between Orussoidea and Apocrita, and monophyly of Proctotrupomorpha, Ichneumonoidea and Aculeata were robustly confirmed. New hypotheses, such as a sister-group relationship between Evanioidea and Aculeata, were generated. Among holometabolous insects, Hymenoptera was shown to be the sister to all other orders. Mecoptera was recovered as the

Comparative mitogenomics of Braconidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) and the phylogenetic utility of mitochondrial genomes with special reference to Holometabolous insects.

PubMed

Wei, Shu-jun; Shi, Min; Sharkey, Michael J; van Achterberg, Cornelis; Chen, Xue-xin

2010-06-11

Animal mitochondrial genomes are potential models for molecular evolution and markers for phylogenetic and population studies. Previous research has shown interesting features in hymenopteran mitochondrial genomes. Here, we conducted a comparative study of mitochondrial genomes of the family Braconidae, one of the largest families of Hymenoptera, and assessed the utility of mitochondrial genomic data for phylogenetic inference at three different hierarchical levels, i.e., Braconidae, Hymenoptera, and Holometabola. Seven mitochondrial genomes from seven subfamilies of Braconidae were sequenced. Three of the four sequenced A+T-rich regions are shown to be inverted. Furthermore, all species showed reversal of strand asymmetry, suggesting that inversion of the A+T-rich region might be a synapomorphy of the Braconidae. Gene rearrangement events occurred in all braconid species, but gene rearrangement rates were not taxonomically correlated. Most rearranged genes were tRNAs, except those of Cotesia vestalis, in which 13 protein-coding genes and 14 tRNA genes changed positions or/and directions through three kinds of gene rearrangement events. Remote inversion is posited to be the result of two independent recombination events. Evolutionary rates were lower in species of the cyclostome group than those of noncyclostomes. Phylogenetic analyses based on complete mitochondrial genomes and secondary structure of rrnS supported a sister-group relationship between Aphidiinae and cyclostomes. Many well accepted relationships within Hymenoptera, such as paraphyly of Symphyta and Evaniomorpha, a sister-group relationship between Orussoidea and Apocrita, and monophyly of Proctotrupomorpha, Ichneumonoidea and Aculeata were robustly confirmed. New hypotheses, such as a sister-group relationship between Evanioidea and Aculeata, were generated. Among holometabolous insects, Hymenoptera was shown to be the sister to all other orders. Mecoptera was recovered as the sister-group of

Two New Species of Egg Parasitoids (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae) of Wood-Boring Beetle Pests from China

Treesearch

Yanzhou Zhang; Dawei Huang; Tonghai Zhao; Houping Liu; Leah S. Bauer

2005-01-01

Oobius agrili sp.n. and Avetianella xystrocerae sp.n. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are described from China. Morphological characters of the new species are illustrated. O. agrili is an egg parasitoid of the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and A....

Context dependent stridulatory responses of Leptogenys kitteli (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to social, prey, and disturbance stimuli

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

By increasing the speed of stridulatory movements and the rates of stridulation pulses, individuals and groups of Leptogenys kitteli (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) produce graded stridulatory responses to increasingly excitatory stimuli ranging from social interactions within a nest to prey items placed ...

The world species of Balcha Walker (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), parasitoids of wood-boring beetles

Treesearch

Gary A. P. Gibson

2005-01-01

The world species of Balcha Walker (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) are revised, keyed and illustrated. Sixteen species are recognized, including two that are newly classified in the genus, B. reticulata (Nikol?skaya) n. comb. and B. splendida (Girault) n. comb., and eight that are described as new, B. \\i>...

Checklist of Iranian Encyrtids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) with Descriptions of New Species

PubMed Central

Fallahzadeh, Majid; Japoshvili, George

2010-01-01

A list of Iranian Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) is given for the first time. It includes 93 species representing 32 genera. Host information from Iran and distributional data are also provided. Three genera and 7 species are first recorded from Iran. New host records are provided for three species. Two new species, Gyranusoidea iranica sp. n. and Microterys iranicus sp. n., are described and diagnostic characters are provided for them. PMID:20672988

The CD63 basophil activation test in Hymenoptera venom allergy: a prospective study.

PubMed

Sturm, G J; Böhm, E; Trummer, M; Weiglhofer, I; Heinemann, A; Aberer, W

2004-10-01

The basophil activation test (BAT), which relies on flow cytometric quantitation of the allergen-induced up-regulation of the granule-associated marker CD63 in peripheral blood basophils, has been suggested to be a useful approach in detecting responsiveness to allergens. The purpose of this study was to establish the usefulness of the BAT with regard to the clinical history and current diagnostic tools in Hymenoptera venom allergy using a prospective study design. Fifty-seven consecutive patients allergic to Hymenoptera venom as defined by a systemic reaction after an insect sting, and 30 age- and sex-matched control subjects with a negative history were included. The degree and nature of sensitization was confirmed by skin testing, specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), serum tryptase levels and BAT. In the nonallergic control group only analysis of specific IgE and BAT were performed. Correlation of BAT, skin test and specific IgE, respectively, with the clinical history in the allergic group was termed as sensitivity and in the control group as specificity. Twenty one of 23 (91.3%) bee venom allergic patients and 29 of 34 (85.3%) patients allergic to wasp and hornet venom tested positive in BAT. The overall sensitivity of BAT, specific IgE and skin tests were 87.7, 91.2 and 93.0%, respectively. The overall specificities were 86.7% for BAT and 66.7% for specific IgE. No correlation between the severity of clinical symptoms and the magnitude of basophil activation was observed. The BAT seems to be an appropriate method to identify patients allergic to bee or wasp venom with a comparable sensitivity to standard diagnostic regimens. The higher specificity of BAT as compared with specific IgE makes this test a useful tool in the diagnosis of Hymenoptera venom allergy.

Suitability and accessibility of immature Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) stages to Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Jian J. Duan; Leah S. Bauer; Ivich. Fraser

2010-01-01

Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a gregarious larval endoparasitoid, is one of three biocontrol agents from Asia currently being released in the United States to combat the invasive emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The current protocol for rearing T....

The similarity and appropriate usage of three honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) datasets for longitudinal studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Honey bee (Apis mellifera, Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have experienced profound fluctuations, especially declines, in the past few decades. Long-term datasets on honey bees are needed to identify the most important environmental and cultural factors associated with these changes. While a few suc...

The relationship between epicuticular long-chained hydrocarbons and surface area - volume ratios in insects (Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera)

PubMed Central

Brückner, Adrian; Heethoff, Michael; Blüthgen, Nico

2017-01-01

Long-chain cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are common components of the epicuticle of terrestrial arthropods. CHC serve as a protective barrier against environmental influences but also act as semiochemicals in animal communication. Regarding the latter aspect, species- or intra-functional group specific CHCs composition and variation are relatively well studied. However, comparative knowledge about the relationship of CHC quantity and their relation to surface area—volume ratios in the context of water loss and protection is fragmentary. Hence, we aim to study the taxon-specific relationship of the CHC amount and surface-area to volume ratio related to their functional role (e.g. in water loss). We focused on flower visiting insects and analyzed the CHC amounts of three insect orders (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera) using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We included 113 species from two grassland plots, quantified their CHCs, and measured their body mass and surface area. We found differences in the surface area, CHCs per body mass and the CHC density (= amount of CHCs per surface area) across the three insect taxa. Especially the Hymenoptera had a higher CHC density compared to Diptera and Lepidoptera. CHC density could be explained by surface area-volume ratios in Hymenoptera but not in Diptera and Lepidoptera. Unexpectedly, CHC density decreased with increasing surface area—volume ratios. PMID:28384308

The γ-ray emission region in the Fanaroff-Riley II radio galaxy 3C 111

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grandi, P.; Torresi, E.; Stanghellini, C.

The broad-line radio galaxy 3C 111, characterized by a Fanaroff-Riley II (FRII) radio morphology, is one of the sources of the misaligned active galactic nucleus sample, consisting of radio galaxies and steep spectrum radio quasars, recently detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). In this analysis of the 24 month γ-ray light curve shows that 3C 111 was only occasionally detected at high energies. It was bright at the end of 2008 and faint, below the Fermi-LAT sensitivity threshold, for the rest of the time. A multifrequency campaign of 3C 111, ongoing in the same period, revealed an increasemore » of the millimeter, optical, and X-ray fluxes in 2008 September-November, interpreted by Chatterjee et al. as due to the passage of a superluminal knot through the jet core. Furthermore, the temporal coincidence of the millimeter-optical-X-ray outburst with the GeV activity suggests a cospatiality of the events, allowing, for the first time, the localization of the γ-ray dissipative zone in an FRII jet. Here, we argue that the GeV photons of 3C 111 are produced in a compact region confined within 0.1 pc and at a distance of about 0.3 pc from the black hole.« less

The γ-ray emission region in the Fanaroff-Riley II radio galaxy 3C 111

DOE PAGES

Grandi, P.; Torresi, E.; Stanghellini, C.

2012-04-30

The broad-line radio galaxy 3C 111, characterized by a Fanaroff-Riley II (FRII) radio morphology, is one of the sources of the misaligned active galactic nucleus sample, consisting of radio galaxies and steep spectrum radio quasars, recently detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). In this analysis of the 24 month γ-ray light curve shows that 3C 111 was only occasionally detected at high energies. It was bright at the end of 2008 and faint, below the Fermi-LAT sensitivity threshold, for the rest of the time. A multifrequency campaign of 3C 111, ongoing in the same period, revealed an increasemore » of the millimeter, optical, and X-ray fluxes in 2008 September-November, interpreted by Chatterjee et al. as due to the passage of a superluminal knot through the jet core. Furthermore, the temporal coincidence of the millimeter-optical-X-ray outburst with the GeV activity suggests a cospatiality of the events, allowing, for the first time, the localization of the γ-ray dissipative zone in an FRII jet. Here, we argue that the GeV photons of 3C 111 are produced in a compact region confined within 0.1 pc and at a distance of about 0.3 pc from the black hole.« less

[Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) as parasite of Ophyra aenescens (Diptera: Muscidae) in Brazil].

PubMed

Marchiori, C H; Silva, C G; Caldas, E R; Vieira, C I; Almeida, K G; Teixeira, F F

2000-10-01

The first occurrence of the parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae on pupae of Ophyra aenescens, a fly of medical-sanitary importance, is reported. A swine carcass was used as bait to collect the insects. In the study, 302 pupae of Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Muscidae) were obtained, 6 (1.98%) of them yielded the parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - aculeates (Apoidea, Chrysidoidea and Vespoidea)

PubMed Central

Else, George R.; Bolton, Barry

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of British and Irish aculeate Hymenoptera (Apoidea, Chrysidoidea and Vespoidea) is revised. Species distribution is summarised for all species at the level of country (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Isle of Man). New information The 601 native species represent an increase of 25 on the 1978 checklist, comprising mostly new discoveries. This increase is nearly balanced by the 23 species now presumed to be extinct in Britain and Ireland. PMID:27226757

Biting the bullet: revisionary notes on the Oraseminae of the Old World (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Twelve genera of Oraseminae (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) are recognized in the Old World. The genus Orasema is now considered as found only in the New World, and the Old World species, previously treated as species groups, are now treated as distinct genera. Nine new genera are proposed: Australosema...

Bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) community structure on two sagebrush steppe sites in southern Idaho

Treesearch

Stephen P. Cook; Sara M. Birch; Frank W. Merickel; Carrie Caselton Lowe; Deborah Page-Dumroese

2011-01-01

Although sagebrush, Artemisia spp., does not require an insect pollinator, there are several native species of bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), that are present in sagebrush steppe ecosystems where they act as pollinators for various forbs and shrubs. These native pollinators contribute to plant productivity and reproduction. We captured 12 species of...

The species of the genus Hypodynerus de Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) occurring in Brazil.

PubMed

Garcete-Barrett, Bolívar R; Hermes, Marcel Gustavo

2013-01-01

An identification table and descriptions are given to recognize the two species of Hypodynerus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) recorded from Brazil: Hypodynerus arechavaletae (Brèthes) and Hypodynerus duckei (Bertoni) comb. n. The lectotype is designated and the male is described for Hypodynerus duckei, its presence being recorded from Brazil for the first time.

Evaluation of the quality of life in subjects with a history of severe anaphylactic reaction to the Hymenoptera venom.

PubMed

Nowak, Natalia; Bazan-Socha, Stanisława; Pulka, Grażyna; Pełka, Karolina; Latra, Paulina

2015-01-01

Sensitization to the Hymenoptera venom is one of the main causes of anaphylaxis in Poland. Venom immunotherapy is the only effective treatment in such cases. Comprehensive patient care includes also education. The aim of our study was to assess the state of knowledge and to evaluate the quality of life and the anxiety level in patients allergic to the Hymenoptera venom after anaphylactic reaction. The survey was carried out in the period of the insects flight in 61 adult subjects (35 wasp and 26 bee allergic), using a validated Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (VQLQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and subjective assessment of anxiety level. The majority of respondents received venom immunotherapy. Sensitized to the wasp venom had significantly impaired quality of life (VQLQ score) as compared to the bee venom allergic (p = 0.014). The intensity of anxiety decreased with the duration of immunotherapy (p = 0.01). The majority of subjects knew how to recognize and treat anaphylaxis, but only 8% employed an identification card and about 50% implemented rules of the pre-exposition prophylaxis. History of a severe anaphylaxis to the Hymenoptera venom affected the quality of life. Venom immunotherapy reduced anxiety. We hope that presented surveys and their results might be useful in qualifying for immunotherapy in clinically uncertain cases.

A new species of Chelonus (Areselonus) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from India reared from Acrocercops lysibathra (Meyrick) on Cordia latifolia Roxb.

PubMed

Ahmad, Zubair; Ghramh, Hamed A

2018-01-01

Chelonus (Areselonus) spinigaster sp. n. , (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae) is described from India. The new species was reared from the moth species Acrocercops lysibathra (Meyr.) on Cordia latifolia Roxb.

Suitability and Accessibility of Immature Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Stages to Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Treesearch

Michael Ulyshen; Jian Duan; Leah Bauer; Ivich Fraser

2010-01-01

Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a gregarious larval endoparasitoid, is one of three biocontrol agents from Asia currently being released in the United States to combat the invasive emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The current protocol for rearing T. planipennisi involves presenting the wasps with...

Field evaluations of emamectin benzoate for control of birch leafminer (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) in Interior Alaska

Treesearch

Christopher J. Fettig; Roger E. Burnside; Christopher J. Hayes; Mark E. Schultz

2012-01-01

Ambermarked birch leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni (Konow) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), is an exotic, invasive pest of urban and wildland birch, Betula spp., in portions of North America. Extensive defoliation of ornamental birch in Alaska requires that suitable control measures be evaluated and developed. Based on previous work, we evaluated the...

Effect of GF-120 (Spinosad) Aerial Sprays on Colonies of the Stingless Bee Scaptotrigona mexicana (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Gómez-Escobar, Enoc; Liedo, Pablo; Montoya, Pablo; Méndez-Villarreal, Agustín; Guzmán, Miguel; Vandame, Rémy; Sánchez, Daniel

2018-06-02

Despite their relevant contribution to the conservation of tropical ecosystems and crop productivity through pollination, the stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) can be considered a group of neglected species in the assessment of pesticides upon nontarget organisms. In this article, we evaluated the effect of aerial sprays of the spinosad-based fruit fly toxic bait GF-120 upon colonies of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana Guérin (Hymenoptera: Apidae), an economically important and abundant species in some landscapes of Mexico, located in mango orchards. Colonies of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were used for comparison. Eight colonies (four of A. mellifera and four of S. mexicana) were moved into each of two mango orchards, one was used as a control, with no insecticide application, and other received five weekly aerial sprays of GF-120. Foraging activity and strength of colonies of both species were measured nine times over the fruiting season, previous, during and after insecticide application. We did not find a significant difference in foraging activity and strength between exposed and control colonies of A. mellifera during the observation period. However, colonies of S. mexicana seemed to be affected by the exposure, as revealed by a reduction in colony strength. However, 1 yr later, with no insecticide applications, the colonies of both species were evaluated and found to be in good conditions. Our results showed that weekly aerial sprays of GF-120 are unlikely to generate acute poisoning in both species, even if in acute toxicity tests this product has been found to be highly active.

Between-year variation in population sex ratio increases with complexity of the breeding system in Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Kümmerli, Rolf; Keller, Laurent

2011-06-01

While adaptive adjustment of sex ratio in the function of colony kin structure and food availability commonly occurs in social Hymenoptera, long-term studies have revealed substantial unexplained between-year variation in sex ratio at the population level. In order to identify factors that contribute to increased between-year variation in population sex ratio, we conducted a comparative analysis across 47 Hymenoptera species differing in their breeding system. We found that between-year variation in population sex ratio steadily increased as one moved from solitary species, to primitively eusocial species, to single-queen eusocial species, to multiple-queen eusocial species. Specifically, between-year variation in population sex ratio was low (6.6% of total possible variation) in solitary species, which is consistent with the view that in solitary species, sex ratio can vary only in response to fluctuations in ecological factors such as food availability. In contrast, we found significantly higher (19.5%) between-year variation in population sex ratio in multiple-queen eusocial species, which supports the view that in these species, sex ratio can also fluctuate in response to temporal changes in social factors such as queen number and queen-worker control over sex ratio, as well as factors influencing caste determination. The simultaneous adjustment of sex ratio in response to temporal fluctuations in ecological and social factors seems to preclude the existence of a single sex ratio optimum. The absence of such an optimum may reflect an additional cost associated with the evolution of complex breeding systems in Hymenoptera societies.

The species of the genus Hypodynerus de Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) occurring in Brazil

PubMed Central

Garcete-Barrett, Bolívar R.; Hermes, Marcel Gustavo

2013-01-01

Abstract An identification table and descriptions are given to recognize the two species of Hypodynerus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) recorded from Brazil: Hypodynerus arechavaletae (Brèthes) and Hypodynerus duckei (Bertoni) comb. n. The lectotype is designated and the male is described for Hypodynerus duckei, its presence being recorded from Brazil for the first time. PMID:23794876

The Hymenopterous Poison Apparatus. X. Morphological and Behavioral Changes in Atta texana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Treesearch

Henry R. Hermann; John C. Moser; Allen N. Hunt

1970-01-01

Atta texana (Buckley) and other members of this genus no longer utilize the 8th and 9th gonapophyses as part of their defensive system. Although the sclerites that comprise the stinging apparatus in most aculeate Hymenoptera are present in the species, they seem to function only in the deposition of trail pheromones. A mechanical and chemical defense...

A new species of the genus Palpostilpnus Aubert (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae) from the Oriental part of China

PubMed Central

Sheng, Mao-Ling; Broad, Gavin R.

2011-01-01

Abstract Palpostilpnus brevis Sheng & Broad, sp.n., belonging to the tribe Phygadeuontini of the subfamily Cryptinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), collected from Jiangxi Province, China, is described. A key to the described species of the genus Palpostilpnus Aubert, 1961, is provided. PMID:21852928

Ground Ant Diversity (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Iberá Nature Reserve, the Largest Wetland of Argentina

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Iberá Nature Reserve in northeastern Argentina protects one of the largest freshwater wetlands and reservoirs of species in South America. However, key invertebrate groups such as the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) remain almost unknown. The main objective of this work was to study the ground an...

Injection of emamectin benzoate protects paper birch from birch leafminer (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) for two field seasons

Treesearch

Christopher J. Fettig; Roger E. Burnside; Mark E. Schultz

2013-01-01

Ambermarked birch leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni (Konow) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), is an exotic, invasive pest of urban and wildland birch. We initiated a study near Fairbanks, Alaska to determine the efficacy of emamectin benzoate (TREE-äge®, Arborjet Inc., Woburn, MA) for control of P. thomsoni on paper...

Diagnosis and management of hymenoptera venom allergy: British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) guidelines.

PubMed

Krishna, M T; Ewan, P W; Diwakar, L; Durham, S R; Frew, A J; Leech, S C; Nasser, S M

2011-09-01

This guidance for the management of patients with hymenoptera venom allergy has been prepared by the Standards of Care Committee (SOCC) of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI). The guideline is based on evidence as well as on expert opinion and is for use by both adult physicians and pediatricians practising allergy. During the development of these guidelines, all BSACI members were included in the consultation process using a web-based system. Their comments and suggestions were carefully considered by the SOCC. Where evidence was lacking, consensus was reached by the experts on the committee. Included in this guideline are epidemiology, risk factors, clinical features, diagnostic tests, natural history of hymenoptera venom allergy and guidance on undertaking venom immunotherapy (VIT). There are also separate sections on children, elevated baseline tryptase and mastocytosis and mechanisms underlying VIT. Finally, we have made recommendations for potential areas of future research. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Component-resolved diagnosis in hymenoptera allergy.

PubMed

Antolín-Amérigo, D; Ruiz-León, B; Boni, E; Alfaya-Arias, T; Álvarez-Mon, M; Barbarroja-Escudero, J; González-de-Olano, D; Moreno-Aguilar, C; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, M; Sánchez-González, M J; Sánchez-Morillas, L; Vega-Castro, A

Component-resolved diagnosis based on the use of well-defined, properly characterised and purified natural and recombinant allergens constitutes a new approach in the diagnosis of venom allergy. Prospective readers may benefit from an up-to-date review on the allergens. The best characterised venom is that of Apis mellifera, whose main allergens are phospholipase A2 (Api m1), hyaluronidase (Api m2) and melittin (Api m4). Additionally, in recent years, new allergens of Vespula vulgaris have been identified and include phospholipase A1 (Ves v1), hyaluronidase (Ves v2) and antigen 5 (Ves v5). Polistes species are becoming an increasing cause of allergy in Europe, although only few allergens have been identified in this venom. In this review, we evaluate the current knowledge about molecular diagnosis in hymenoptera venom allergy. Copyright © 2017 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Reproductive and developmental biology of the emerald ash borer parasitoid Spathius galinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as affected by temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an invasive pest of serious concern in North America. To complement ongoing biological control efforts, Spathius galinae Belokobylskij and Strazenac (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a recently-described specialist parasitoid of ...

Two new species of Oobius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and their phylogenetic relationship with other congeners from northeastern Asia

Treesearch

Yan-Xia Yao; Jian J. Duan; Jason L. Mottern; Xiao-Yi Wang; Zhong-Qi Yang; Leah S. Bauer; Michael W. Gates

2018-01-01

Two new species of egg parasitoids, Oobius saimaensis Yao and Mottern new species and Oobius fleischeri Yao and Duan new species (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), are described from eggs of Agrilus fleischeri Obenberger, 1925 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Agrilus fleischeri is a phloemfeeding woodborer of poplar (...

Skin Test Reactivity to Hymenoptera Venom after Venom Immunotherapy Correlates Inversely with the IgG/IgE Ratio.

PubMed

Saulite, Ieva; Hoetzenecker, Wolfram; Guenova, Emmanuella; Schmid-Grendelmeier, Peter; Glatz, Martin

2017-01-01

Skin test reactivity to hymenoptera venom and venom-specific IgE are important for diagnosing venom allergy and deciding on the appropriate allergen for venom immunotherapy (VIT). Longitudinal data on skin test reactivity during VIT and their correlation with venom-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E and IgG are scarce. We retrospectively analyzed shifts in skin test reactivity and serum levels of venom-specific IgE and IgG in patients allergic to hymenoptera venom before the initiation of VIT with ultrarush therapy and after ≥3 years of VIT. Fifty-four patients received ultrarush desensitization and subsequent VIT with wasp venom, 26 with honeybee venom, and 8 with both wasp and honeybee venom. Hymenoptera-specific skin test reactivity decreased during VIT in most patients, and became negative in 8% of the wasp-allergic patients and in 25% of the honeybee-allergic patients. Serum levels of venom-specific IgE positively correlated to skin test reactivity before VIT, but did not change significantly during VIT. IgG serum levels and the IgG/IgE ratio increased during VIT in most patients. A high IgG/IgE ratio correlated with low skin test reactivity after ≥3 years of VIT. The correlation between a high venom-specific IgG/IgE ratio and low skin test reactivity after VIT may be interesting for future investigations that assess its role as a potential marker for VIT efficacy. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Clinical routine utility of basophil activation testing for diagnosis of hymenoptera-allergic patients with emphasis on individuals with negative venom-specific IgE antibodies.

PubMed

Korošec, Peter; Šilar, Mira; Eržen, Renato; Čelesnik, Nina; Bajrović, Nissera; Zidarn, Mihaela; Košnik, Mitja

2013-01-01

Previous reports suggest the usefulness of basophil activation testing (BAT) in Hymenoptera-allergic patients with negative venom-specific IgE antibodies. We sought to evaluate the diagnostic utility of this testing in a routine clinical laboratory setting. Twenty-one patients with anaphylactic reactions to Hymenoptera sting (median grade III) and negative venom-specific IgE were routinely and prospectively tested with BAT. We were able to diagnose 81% (17 of 21) of patients with BAT and 57% (12 of 21) with intradermal skin testing. Three wasp venom-allergic patients showed IgE positivity to rVes v 5. Four patients (19%) were negative for all tests. In the case of double-positive BAT, the culprit insect correlated with the venom that induced a significantly higher basophil response. BAT allows the identification of severe Hymenoptera-allergic patients with negative specific IgE and skin tests. The routine use of this cellular test should facilitate prescription of venom immunotherapy in complex cases with inconclusive diagnostic results. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of venom immunotherapy on serum level of CCL5/RANTES in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy.

PubMed

Gawlik, Radoslaw; Glück, Joanna; Jawor, Barbara; Rogala, Barbara

2015-01-01

Hymenoptera venoms are known to cause life-threatening IgE-mediated anaphylactic reactions in allergic individuals. Venom immunotherapy is a recommended treatment of insect allergy with still the mechanism not being completely understood. We decided to assess the serum CCL5/RANTES level in patients who experienced severe anaphylactic reaction to Hymenoptera venom and to find out changes in the course of immunotherapy. Twenty patients (9 men, 11 women, mean age: 31.91 ± 7.63 years) with history of anaphylactic reaction after insect sting were included into the study. Diagnosis was made according to sIgE and skin tests. All of them were enrolled into rush venom immunotherapy with bee or wasp venom extracts (Pharmalgen, ALK-Abello, Horsholm, Denmark). Serum levels of CCL5/RANTES were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN). CCL5/RANTES serum concentration are higher in insect venom allergic patients than in healthy controls (887.5 ± 322.77 versus 387.27 ± 85.11 pg/ml). Serum concentration of CCL5/RANTES in insect venom allergic patient was significantly reduced in the course of allergen immunotherapy already after 6 days of vaccination (887.5 ± 322.77 versus 567.32 ± 92.16 pg/ml). CCL5/RANTES serum doesn't correlate with specific IgE. Chemokine CCL5/RANTES participates in allergic inflammation induced by Hymenoptera venom allergens. Specific immunotherapy reduces chemokine CCL5/RANTES serum level already after initial days of venom immunotherapy.

Role of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) larval vibrations in host-quality assessments by Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Richard W. Mankin; Yigen Chen; Jian J. Duan; Therese M. Poland; Leah S. Bauer

2011-01-01

The biological control agent Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious larval endoparasitoid of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive cambium-feeding species responsible for recent, widespread mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) in...

Solenopsis invicta virus (sinv-1) infection and insecticide interactions in the red imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Controlling invasive species is a growing concern; however, pesticides can be detrimental for non-target organisms. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has aggressively invaded approximately 138 million ha in the USA and causes over $6 billion in damage and ...

Effect of exposure time on mass-rearing production of the olive fruit fly parasitoid, Psyttalia lounsburyi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Classical biological control programs rely on mass-production of high quality beneficial insects for subsequent releases into the field. Psyttalia lounsburyi (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a koinobiont larval-pupal endoparasitoid of tephritid flies that is being reared to support a classic...

The effect of photobleaching on bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) setae color and its implications for studying aging and behavior

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies of foraging ecology and plant-pollinator interactions benefit from a number of bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) characteristics including morphometric measurements, natural history and age. Historically, bee age has been estimated using measurements of wing wear and integument color change. Wing w...

Origin and phylogeography of the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera : Cephidae): implications for pest management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

he wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is a key pest of wheat in the northern Great Plains of North America, and damage by this species has recently expanded southward. Current pest management practices are not very effective and uncertainties regarding its origin and i...

Hyperparasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Trigonalidae) reared from dry forest and rain forest caterpillars of Area de Conservacion, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Five species of Trigonalidae, hyperparasites of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) and Tachinidae (Diptera) that parasitize caterpillars (Lepidoptera), have been reared during the ongoing caterpillar inventory of Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Guanacaste Province, northwestern Costa Rica: Lycogaste...

Parasitism of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae)by Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in organic soybean plots in Georgia, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), is a newly-invasive exotic pest of soybean in the southeastern US. In 2013, the exotic egg parasitoid Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) (Dodd) was discovered parasitizing eggs of this pest in kudzu and soybean in...

A new species of solitary Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from caterpillars of toxic butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Ecuador.

PubMed

Shaw, Scott R; Jones, Guinevere Z

2009-01-01

A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae. A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae.

A New Species of Solitary Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared from Caterpillars of Toxic Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Ecuador

PubMed Central

Shaw, Scott R.; Jones, Guinevere Z.

2009-01-01

A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae. A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae. PMID:19613877

Establishing Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), the introduced egg parasitoid of emerald ash borer, in Michigan ash stands

Treesearch

Toby Petrice; F. William Ravlin; Leah S. Bauer; Therese M. Poland

2016-01-01

The egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is one of four parasitoid species from northeast Asia being released in regions of North America as part of a biological control program to manage the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) (Bauer et al...

A total-evidence approach to dating with fossils, applied to the early radiation of the hymenoptera.

PubMed

Ronquist, Fredrik; Klopfstein, Seraina; Vilhelmsen, Lars; Schulmeister, Susanne; Murray, Debra L; Rasnitsyn, Alexandr P

2012-12-01

Phylogenies are usually dated by calibrating interior nodes against the fossil record. This relies on indirect methods that, in the worst case, misrepresent the fossil information. Here, we contrast such node dating with an approach that includes fossils along with the extant taxa in a Bayesian total-evidence analysis. As a test case, we focus on the early radiation of the Hymenoptera, mostly documented by poorly preserved impression fossils that are difficult to place phylogenetically. Specifically, we compare node dating using nine calibration points derived from the fossil record with total-evidence dating based on 343 morphological characters scored for 45 fossil (4--20 complete) and 68 extant taxa. In both cases we use molecular data from seven markers (∼5 kb) for the extant taxa. Because it is difficult to model speciation, extinction, sampling, and fossil preservation realistically, we develop a simple uniform prior for clock trees with fossils, and we use relaxed clock models to accommodate rate variation across the tree. Despite considerable uncertainty in the placement of most fossils, we find that they contribute significantly to the estimation of divergence times in the total-evidence analysis. In particular, the posterior distributions on divergence times are less sensitive to prior assumptions and tend to be more precise than in node dating. The total-evidence analysis also shows that four of the seven Hymenoptera calibration points used in node dating are likely to be based on erroneous or doubtful assumptions about the fossil placement. With respect to the early radiation of Hymenoptera, our results suggest that the crown group dates back to the Carboniferous, ∼309 Ma (95% interval: 291--347 Ma), and diversified into major extant lineages much earlier than previously thought, well before the Triassic. [Bayesian inference; fossil dating; morphological evolution; relaxed clock; statistical phylogenetics.].

A Total-Evidence Approach to Dating with Fossils, Applied to the Early Radiation of the Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

Ronquist, Fredrik; Klopfstein, Seraina; Vilhelmsen, Lars; Schulmeister, Susanne; Murray, Debra L.; Rasnitsyn, Alexandr P.

2012-01-01

Abstract Phylogenies are usually dated by calibrating interior nodes against the fossil record. This relies on indirect methods that, in the worst case, misrepresent the fossil information. Here, we contrast such node dating with an approach that includes fossils along with the extant taxa in a Bayesian total-evidence analysis. As a test case, we focus on the early radiation of the Hymenoptera, mostly documented by poorly preserved impression fossils that are difficult to place phylogenetically. Specifically, we compare node dating using nine calibration points derived from the fossil record with total-evidence dating based on 343 morphological characters scored for 45 fossil (4--20 complete) and 68 extant taxa. In both cases we use molecular data from seven markers (∼5 kb) for the extant taxa. Because it is difficult to model speciation, extinction, sampling, and fossil preservation realistically, we develop a simple uniform prior for clock trees with fossils, and we use relaxed clock models to accommodate rate variation across the tree. Despite considerable uncertainty in the placement of most fossils, we find that they contribute significantly to the estimation of divergence times in the total-evidence analysis. In particular, the posterior distributions on divergence times are less sensitive to prior assumptions and tend to be more precise than in node dating. The total-evidence analysis also shows that four of the seven Hymenoptera calibration points used in node dating are likely to be based on erroneous or doubtful assumptions about the fossil placement. With respect to the early radiation of Hymenoptera, our results suggest that the crown group dates back to the Carboniferous, ∼309 Ma (95% interval: 291--347 Ma), and diversified into major extant lineages much earlier than previously thought, well before the Triassic. [Bayesian inference; fossil dating; morphological evolution; relaxed clock; statistical phylogenetics.] PMID:22723471

DNA barcoding reveals diversity of Hymenoptera and the dominance of parasitoids in a sub-arctic environment

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Insect diversity typically declines with increasing latitude, but previous studies have shown conflicting latitude-richness gradients for some hymenopteran parasitoids. However, historical estimates of insect diversity and species richness can be difficult to confirm or compare, because they may be based upon dissimilar methods. As a proxy for species identification, we used DNA barcoding to identify molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) for 7870 Hymenoptera specimens collected near Churchill, Manitoba, from 2004 through 2010. Results We resolved 1630 MOTUs for this collection, of which 75% (1228) were ichneumonoids (Ichneumonidae + Braconidae) and 91% (1484) were parasitoids. We estimate the total number of Hymenoptera MOTUs in this region at 2624-2840. Conclusions The diversity of parasitoids in this sub-Arctic environment implies a high diversity of potential host species throughout the same range. We discuss these results in the contexts of resolving interspecific interactions that may include cryptic species, and developing reproducible methods to estimate and compare species richness across sites and between surveys, especially when morphological specialists are not available to identify every specimen. PMID:23351160

The use of root plates for nesting sites by Anthophora abrupta (Hymenoptera: Apidae) may be common within forested habitats

Treesearch

Joshua W. Campbell; Cynthia C. Viguiera; Patrick Viguiera; John E. Hartgerink; Cathryn H. Greenberg

2017-01-01

This is the first reported use of root plates by Anthophora abrupta Say (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Previous reported nesting sites were vertical riverbanks and several man-made clay structures. Root plates in forested habitats may be the preferred nesting site for A. abrupta.

Histamine-immunoreactive local neurons in the antennal lobes of the Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

Dacks, Andrew M.; Reisenman, Carolina E.; Paulk, Angelique C.; Nighorn, Alan J.

2010-01-01

Neural networks receive input which is transformed before being sent as output to higher centers of processing. These transformations are often mediated by local interneurons (LNs) that influence output based on activity across the network. In primary olfactory centers, the LNs that mediate these lateral interactions are extremely diverse. For instance, the antennal lobes (ALs) of bumble bees possess both GABA and histamine-immunoreactive (HA-ir) LNs, and both are neurotransmitters associated with fast forms of inhibition. Although the GABAergic network of the AL has been extensively studied, we sought to examine the anatomical features of the HA-ir LNs in relation to the other cellular elements of the bumble bee AL. As a population, HA-ir LNs densely innervate the glomerular core while sparsely arborizing in the outer glomerular rind, overlapping with the terminals of olfactory receptor neurons. Individual fills of HA-ir LNs revealed heavy arborization of the outer ring of a single “principal” glomerulus and sparse arborization in the core of other glomeruli. In contrast, projection neurons, and GABA-immunoreactive LNs project throughout the glomerular volume. To provide insight as to the selective pressures that resulted in the evolution of HA-ir LNs, we determined the phylogenetic distribution of HA-ir LNs in the AL. HA-ir LNs were present in all but the most basal hymenopteran examined, although there were significant morphological differences between major groups within the Hymenoptera. The ALs of other insect taxa examined lacked HA-ir LNs, suggesting that this population of LNs arose within the Hymenoptera and underwent extensive morphological modification. PMID:20533353

Five new species of Meteorus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) from Brazil.

PubMed

De Almeida, Luis Felipe Ventura; Dias, Angélica Maria Penteado

2015-12-10

Meteorus Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a cosmopolitan genus with around 340 species described, all koinobiont endoparasitoids of Coleoptera or Lepidoptera larvae, and several of its hosts are pest insects. Previously to this work only two species were described from Brazil, M. eaclidis Muesebeck and M. townsendi Muesebeck. Five new species of Meteorus are here described: M. atlanticus n. sp., M. ferruginosus n. sp., M. itatiaiensis n. sp., M. monoceros n. sp., and M. strigatus n. sp. Three species are recorded for the first time from Brazil: M. jerodi Aguirre & Shaw, M. laphygmae Viereck and M. megalops Zitani.

A chemical lure for stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is used as a kairomone by Astata occidentalis (Hymenoptera: sphecidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The digger wasp Astata occidentalis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) is a predator of pentatomid stink bugs (Hemiptera). In the states of Washington and Georgia, adult females were consistently captured in the field in traps baited with lures that included methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate, a comp...

Longevity of multiple species of tephritid (Diptera) fruit fly parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) provided exotic and sympatric-fruit based diets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While adult parasitic Hymenoptera in general feed on floral and extrafloral nectars, hemipteran-honeydews and fluids from punctured hosts, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), an Old World opiine braconid introduced to tropical/subtropical America for the biological control of Anastrepha spp. (Te...

A new species of Tamarixia Mercet (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), parasitoid of Trioza aguacate Hollis & Martin (Hemiptera, Triozidae) in Mexico

PubMed Central

Yefremova, Zoya; González-Santarosa, Graciela; Lomeli-Flores, J. Refugio; Bautista-Martínez, Néstor

2014-01-01

Abstract Tamarixia aguacatensis Yefremova, sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae) is described from Mexico as a parasitoid of the avocado psyllid, Trioza aguacate Hollis & Martin (Hemiptera: Triozidae). Trioza aguacate is a serious pest of avocado, Persea americana Miller. A key to the species of Tamarixia Mercet in Mexico is given. PMID:24478580

Biology and life history of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) a larval endoparasitoid of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera:Buprestidae)

Treesearch

Jian J. Duan; Craig B. Oppel; Michael D. Ulyshen; Leah S. Bauer; Jonathan LeLito

2011-01-01

Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious larval endoparasitoid from China that is being released in the United States as a biocontrol agent of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), an exotic beetle responsible for widespread ash mortality. The developmental time of immature stages, adult...

Detection and identification of Amylostereum areolatum (Russulales: Amylostereaceae) in the mycangia of Sirex nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricaidae) in central Louisiana

Treesearch

Rabiu Olatinwo; Jeremy Allison; James Meeker; Wood Johnson; Douglas Streett; M. Catherine Aime; Christopher Carlton

2014-01-01

The woodwasp Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) has become established in North America. A primary tactic for the management of S. noctilio in the southern hemisphere has been the development of a biological control agent, Deladenus siricidicola Bedding. This nematode has a bicyclic life cycle including a...

Sex investment ratios in eusocial Hymenoptera support inclusive fitness theory.

PubMed

Bourke, A F G

2015-11-01

Inclusive fitness theory predicts that sex investment ratios in eusocial Hymenoptera are a function of the relatedness asymmetry (relative relatedness to females and males) of the individuals controlling sex allocation. In monogynous ants (with one queen per colony), assuming worker control, the theory therefore predicts female-biased sex investment ratios, as found in natural populations. Recently, E.O. Wilson and M.A. Nowak criticized this explanation and presented an alternative hypothesis. The Wilson-Nowak sex ratio hypothesis proposes that, in monogynous ants, there is selection for a 1 : 1 numerical sex ratio to avoid males remaining unmated, which, given queens exceed males in size, results in a female-biased sex investment ratio. The hypothesis also asserts that, contrary to inclusive fitness theory, queens not workers control sex allocation and queen-worker conflict over sex allocation is absent. Here, I argue that the Wilson-Nowak sex ratio hypothesis is flawed because it contradicts Fisher's sex ratio theory, which shows that selection on sex ratio does not maximize the number of mated offspring and that the sex ratio proposed by the hypothesis is not an equilibrium for the queen. In addition, the hypothesis is not supported by empirical evidence, as it fails to explain 'split' (bimodal) sex ratios or data showing queen and worker control and ongoing queen-worker conflict. By contrast, these phenomena match predictions of inclusive fitness theory. Hence, the Wilson-Nowak sex ratio hypothesis fails both as an alternative hypothesis for sex investment ratios in eusocial Hymenoptera and as a critique of inclusive fitness theory. © 2015 The Author. Journal of Evolutionary Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on Behalf of European Society for Evolutionary Biology.

Biological control of Indianmeal moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on finished stored products using egg and larval parasitoids.

PubMed

Grieshop, Matthew J; Flinn, Paul W; Nechols, James R

2006-08-01

Biological control using hymenopteran parasitoids presents an attractive alternative to insecticides for reducing infestations and damage from the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in retail and warehouse environments. We examined the potential for using combinations of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma deion Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), and the larval parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for preventing infestations of P. interpunctella in coarse-ground cornmeal as well as the influence of packaging on parasitoid effectiveness. Treatments included one or both parasitoids and either cornmeal infested with P. interpunctella eggs or eggs deposited on the surface of plastic bags containing cornmeal. H. hebetor had a significant impact on the number of live P. interpunctella, suppressing populations by approximately 71% in both unbagged and bagged cornmeal. In contrast, T. deion did not suppress P. interpunctella in unbagged cornmeal. However, when released on bagged cornmeal, T. deion significantly increased the level of pest suppression (87%) over bagging alone (15%). When H. hebetor was added to bagged cornmeal, there was a significant reduction of live P. interpunctella compared with the control (70.6%), with a further reduction observed when T. deion was added (96.7%). These findings suggest that, in most situations, a combined release of both T. deion and H. hebetor would have the greatest impact; because even though packaging may protect most of the stored products, there are usually areas in the storage landscape where poor sanitation is present.

Powdered sugar shake to monitor and oxalic acid treatments to control varroa mites (Parasitiformes: Varroidae) in honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effective monitoring and alternative strategies to control the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor Anderson and Truemann (Parasitiformes: Varroidae), (varroa) are crucial for determining when to apply effective treatments to honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colonies. Using simpl...

New records of spider wasps (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) from Colombia

PubMed Central

Castro-Huertas, Valentina; Pitts, James P.; Rodriguez, Juanita; Cecilia Waichert; Fernández, Fernando

2014-01-01

Abstract New records of genera and species of spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from Colombia are provided. Agenioideus, Cryptocheilus, Evagetes, Mystacagenia, and Xerochares are newly recorded genera from Colombia. Nineteen species are first recorded from Colombia: Aimatocare vitrea (Fox); Ageniella azteca (Cameron); Ageniella curtipinus (Cameron); Ageniella fallax (Arlé); Ageniella hirsuta Banks; Ageniella pilifrons (Cameron); Ageniella pretiosa Banks; Ageniella sanguinolenta (Smith); Ageniella zeteki (Banks); Agenioideus birkmanni (Banks); Aporus (Aporus) cuzco Evans; Aporus (Cosmiaporus) diverticulus (Fox); Aporus (Notoplaniceps) canescens Smith; Euplaniceps exilis (Banks); Euplaniceps herbertii (Fox); Irenangelus clarus Evans; Mystacagenia bellula Evans; Phanochilus nobilitatus (Smith) and Xerochares expulsus Schulz. The following species and genera have their occurence ranges expanded for South America: Ageniella azteca (Cameron); Ageniella zeteki (Banks); Agenioideus birkmanni (Banks); and Xerochares expulsus Schulz; Cryptocheilus Panzer; and Xerochares Evans. PMID:25349495

Antennal olfactory responsiveness of the Texas leaf cutting ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to trail pheromone and its two alarm substances

Treesearch

N.A. Andryszak; Thomas L. Payne; J.C. Dickens; John C. Moser; R.W. Fisher

1990-01-01

Electroantennograms (EAGs) were recorded from major workers, queens, and males of the Texas leaf cutting, Atta texana (Buckley) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in response to serial dilutions of two alarm substances, 2-heptanone and 4-methyl-3-heptanone, and its trial phermone, 4-methylpyrrole-2-carbonxylate. The lower EAG threshold for major workers...

Aspilota-group (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) diversity in Mediterranean Natural Parks of Spain

PubMed Central

Belokobylskij, Sergey A; Falcó-Garí, Jose Vicente; Jiménez-Peydró, Ricardo

2014-01-01

Abstract This work analyses the biodiversity of the Aspilota-group (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) in three Mediterranean Natural parks: Natural Park of La Font Roja, Natural Park of Las Lagunas de la Mata-Torrevieja and Natural Park of La Tinença de Benifassà. Samples were carried out from April 2004 to December 2007. In total, 822 specimens, belonging to 52 species, were collected. Alpha, beta and gamma diversities were analysed, and the Tinença Park was proven to have higher diversity than the Font Roja and Torrevieja. Also, the structure of the Aspilota-group community was analysed. PMID:25197232

Improved sensitivity to venom specific-immunoglobulin E by spiking with the allergen component in Japanese patients suspected of Hymenoptera venom allergy.

PubMed

Yoshida, Naruo; Hirata, Hirokuni; Watanabe, Mineaki; Sugiyama, Kumiya; Arima, Masafumi; Fukushima, Yasutsugu; Ishii, Yoshiki

2015-07-01

Ves v 5 and Pol d 5, which constitute antigen 5, are recognized as the major, most potent allergens of family Vespidae. Several studies have reported the diagnostic sensitivity of the novel recombinant (r)Ves v 5 and rPol d 5 allergens in routine clinical laboratory settings by analyzing a group of Vespula and Polistes venom-allergic patients. In this study, we analyzed the sensitivity to venom specific (s)IgE by spiking with rVes v 5 and rPol d 5 in Japanese patients suspected of Hymenoptera venom allergy. Subjects were 41 patients who had experienced systemic reactions to hornet and/or paper wasp stings. Levels of serum sIgE against hornet and paper wasp venom by spiking with rVes v 5 and rPold d 5, respectively, as improvement testing, compared with hornet and paper wasp venom, as conventional testing, were measured by ImmunoCAP. Of the 41 patients, 33 (80.5%) were positive (≥0.35 UA/ml) for hornet and/or paper wasp venom in conventional sIgE testing. sIgE levels correlated significantly (P < 0.01) between hornet (R = 0.92) or paper wasp venom (R = 0.78) in improvement testing and conventional testing. To determine specificity, 20 volunteers who had never experienced a Hymenoptera sting were all negative for sIgE against these venoms in both improvement and conventional testing. Improved sensitivity was seen in 8 patients negative for sIgE against both venoms in conventional testing, while improvement testing revealed sIgE against hornet or paper wasp venom in 5 (total 38 (92.7%)) patients. The measurement of sIgE following spiking of rVes v 5 and rPol d 5 by conventional testing in Japanese subjects with sIgE against hornet and paper wasp venom, respectively, improved the sensitivity for detecting Hymenoptera venom allergy. Improvement testing for measuring sIgE levels against hornet and paper wasp venom has potential for serologically elucidating Hymenoptera allergy in Japan. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by

USBombus, a database of contemporary survey data for North American Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) distributed in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This paper describes USBombus, a large dataset that represents the outcomes of one of the largest standardized surveys of bee pollinators (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) globally. The motivation to collect live bumble bees across the US was to examine the decline and conservation status of Bombus affi...

Presence of the canonical TTAGG insect telomeric repeat in the Tenthredinidae (Symphyta) suggests its ancestral nature in the order Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Gokhman, Vladimir E; Kuznetsova, Valentina G

2018-06-01

Telomeric repeats in two members of the sawfly family Tenthredinidae (Hymenoptera), namely, Tenthredo omissa (Förster, 1844) and Taxonus agrorum (Fallén, 1808) (both have n = 10), were studied using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Chromosomes of both species were demonstrated to contain the canonical TTAGG insect telomeric repeat, which constitutes the first report of the (TTAGG) n telomeric motif for the Tenthredinidae as well as for the clade Eusymphyta and the suborder Symphyta in general. Taken together with the presence of this repeat in many other Holometabola as well as in the hymenopteran families Formicidae and Apidae from the suborder Apocrita, these results collectively suggest the ancestral nature of the (TTAGG) n telomeric motif in the Hymenoptera as well as its subsequent loss within the clade Unicalcarida and independent reappearance in ants and bees. If this is true, the loss of the TTAGG repeat can be considered as a synapomorphy of the corresponding clade.

Influence of host age on critical fitness parameters of Spathius galinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a new parasitoid of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spathius galinae Belokobylskij and Strazenac (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a recently discovered gregarious idiobiont larval ectoparasitoid currently being evaluated for biological control against the invasive emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the United St...

Pseudacteon spp. (Diptera: Phoridae) biological control agents of Solenopsis spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Louisiana: statewide distribution and Kneallhazia solenopsae (Microsporidia: Thelohaniidae) prevalence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phorid flies, Pseudacteon spp. (Diptera: Phoridae), have been released in the United States since 1996 as biological control agents for imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, Solenopsis richteri Forel, and their hybrid (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), management. A statewide survey was conducted in ...

Estimation of postmortem interval based on colony development time for Anoplolepsis longipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

PubMed

Goff, M L; Win, B H

1997-11-01

The postmortem interval for a set of human remains discovered inside a metal tool box was estimated using the development time required for a stratiomyid fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), Hermetia illucens, in combination with the time required to establish a colony of the ant Anoplolepsis longipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) capable of producing alate (winged) reproductives. This analysis resulted in a postmortem interval estimate of 14 + months, with a period of 14-18 months being the most probable time interval. The victim had been missing for approximately 18 months.

Lymphocyte-mediated inhibition of platelet cytotoxic functions during Hymenoptera venom desensitization: characterization of a suppressive lymphokine.

PubMed

Tsicopoulos, A; Tonnel, A B; Vorng, H; Joseph, M; Wallaert, B; Kusnierz, J P; Pestel, J; Capron, A

1990-06-01

Recently, it has been shown that platelets, through a receptor for the Fc fragment of IgE, could be specially triggered by venom allergens in hypersensitivity to hymenoptera, generating cytocidal mediators toward Schistosoma mansoni larvae, and oxygen metabolites measured by chemiluminescence. After rush immunotherapy, a depressed platelet response was demonstrated to be associated with the production of lymphokine(s). Here we report the characterization of a factor present in supernatants of antigen-stimulated T cells from patients after hymenoptera venom desensitization which is able to inhibit platelet cytotoxic functions in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal inhibition was observed with supernatants obtained after T lymphocyte stimulated with 10(-5) micrograms venom allergen/ml. Once specifically produced the platelet-suppressive effect of lymphocyte supernatants was not antigen specific. The producing T cell subpopulation was identified as CD8+. This lymphokine had an approximate molecular mass of 25 kDa and a pI of 4.8. It was heat and acid stable and sensitive to trypsin and proteinase K but not to neuraminidase. This platelet inhibitory activity was absorbed by platelet membrane suggesting its binding to a receptor. These properties were very similar to a previously described platelet activity suppressive lymphokine, suggesting the participation of this lymphokine in the mechanisms of rush desensitization.

Resource use and clonal differences in attack rate by the Douglas-fir seed chalcid, Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl (Hymenoptera: Torymidae), in France

Treesearch

Nancy Rappaport; Alain Roques

1991-01-01

The within-cone distribution of Megastigmus spermotrophus Wachtl (Hymenoptera: Torymidae), the Douglas-fir seed chalcid, infesting Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] cones from north-central France was compared with that in samples from California. Results indicate that the mid-region of cones was more intensively...

Comparison of the olfactory preferences of four species of filth fly pupal parasitoid species (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for hosts in equine and bovine manure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

House flies (Musca domestica L.) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)) (Diptera: Muscidae) are common pests in equine and cattle facilities. Pupal parasitoids primarily in the genera Spalangia and Muscidifurax (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) can be purchased for biological control of these flies. ...

A new species of Oozetetes De Santis (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae) from Colombia with an updated key for the bucheri species-group.

PubMed

Pérez-Benavides, A Lucia; Serna, Francisco; Gibson, Gary A P

2016-02-26

Oozetetes lucidus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is described from Colombia, South America, and through macrophotography compared with all described species in the bucheri species-group of Oozetetes De Santis. An illustrated key modified from Gibson (2004) is provided to distinguish females of the six described species of this group.

The genus Pseudapanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae), with an emphasis on the species in Area de Conservación Guanacaste in Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pseudapanteles is a moderately diverse genus of Microgastrinae parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), endemic to the New World and with the vast majority of its species (including many undescribed) in the Neotropical region. We describe here 25 new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (...

On the population of remnant Fanaroff-Riley type II radio galaxies and implications for radio source dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfrey, L. E. H.; Morganti, R.; Brienza, M.

2017-10-01

The purpose of this work is two-fold: (1) to quantify the occurrence of ultrasteep spectrum remnant Fanaroff-Riley type II (FRII) radio galaxies in a 74 MHz flux-limited sample, and (2) perform Monte Carlo simulations of the population of active and remnant FRII radio galaxies to confront models of remnant lobe evolution, and to provide guidance for further investigation of remnant radio galaxies. We find that fewer than 2 per cent of FRII radio galaxies with S74 MHz > 1.5 Jy are candidate ultrasteep spectrum remnants, where we define ultrasteep spectrum as α _74 MHz^1400 MHz > 1.2. Our Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that models involving Sedov-like expansion in the remnant phase, resulting in rapid adiabatic energy losses, are consistent with this upper limit, and predict the existence of nearly twice as many remnants with normal (not ultrasteep) spectra in the observed frequency range as there are ultrasteep spectrum remnants. This model also predicts an ultrasteep remnant fraction approaching 10 per cent at redshifts z < 0.5. Importantly, this model implies the lobes remain overpressured with respect to the ambient medium well after their active lifetime, in contrast with existing observational evidence that many FRII radio galaxy lobes reach pressure equilibrium with the external medium whilst still in the active phase. The predicted age distribution of remnants is a steeply decreasing function of age. In other words, young remnants are expected to be much more common than old remnants in flux-limited samples. For this reason, incorporating higher frequency data ≳5 GHz will be of great benefit to future studies of the remnant population.

New host record for Camponotophilus delvarei (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), a parasitoid of Microdon sp. larvae associated with the ant Camponotus sp. aff. textor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The host of Camponotophilus delvarei (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) is newly reported as Microdon sp. (Diptera: Syrphidae), a genus of obligatory myrmecophilous fly that predates ant brood, in this case Camponotus sp. aff. textor, in southern Mexico. The biology of Microdon spp. is reported as is that o...

Overview and key to the New Zealand Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera).

PubMed

Ward, D F

2014-10-30

An overview of Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera) in New Zealand is presented with information on families, genera, and when available, species. Notes on their distribution, biology, and a taxonomic key are provided. The New Zealand cynipoid fauna is very poorly known, with only 11 described species, and five genus-only taxa. The fauna is dominated by introduced species; two species have been deliberately introduced as biological control agents, and at least 12 taxa are definitely or probably adventives. Many of these species are widespread and collected from modified and non-native habitats. New generic records of Figitidae for New Zealand include: Xyalaspis (Anacharitinae), Ganaspis, (Eucoilinae), and Thoreauella (Emargininae), all of which are considered adventives. There are no native species of gall forming wasps (Cynipidae) in New Zealand, and only two native species of Figitidae are present: Anacharis zealandica Ashmead, 1900 and Kleidotoma subantarcticana Yoshimoto, 1964. 

Density and Egg Parasitism of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Elderberry and Dispersal Into Crops

PubMed Central

Tillman, P. Glynn; Cottrell, Ted E.

2016-01-01

Chinavia hilaris (Say), Euschistus servus (Say), Euschistus tristigmus (Say), and Thyanta custator custator (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are serious pests of crops in the southeastern United States but little is known concerning their dispersal from noncrop hosts in woodlands into crops. This 2-yr study was conducted to investigate whether elderberry [Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis (L.) R. Bolli] in woodlands serves as a source of stink bugs dispersing into adjacent crops and to examine parasitism of C. hilaris and E. servus eggs on this plant. Elderberry was a reproductive host for each of the four stink bug species; females oviposited on plants with subsequent nymphs feeding on elderberry and developing into adults. Anastatus mirabilis (Walsh & Riley) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), Anastatus reduvii (Howard), and Trissolcus edessae Fouts (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) were prevalent egg parasitoids of C. hilaris but A. reduvii was the prevalent parasitoid of E. servus. Newly developed stink bug adults were first detected on elderberry around mid-July. Then in late July and early August, as elderberry fruit senesced and cotton bolls became available, stink bugs began dispersing from elderberry into cotton based on recapture of stink bugs on cotton that had previously been marked on elderberry. In addition, in 2015, density of C. hilaris, E. servus, and E. tristigmus was higher in cotton with elderberry than in cotton without it. Over the study, economic threshold was reached for four of seven cotton fields. Elimination of elderberry in woodlands adjacent to cotton may be a viable management tactic for control of stink bugs in cotton. PMID:27773875

Influence of temperature on the reproductive and developmental biology of Ontsira mellipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Implications for biological control of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ontsira mellipes Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a North American parasitoid that develops on the invasive pest, Anoplophora glabripennis (Moltschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) under laboratory conditions, and is currently being considered as a potential new-association biocontrol agent. In ...

Honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of African origin exist in non-africanized areas of the southern United States: evidence from mitochondrial DNA

Treesearch

M.A. Pinto; W.S. Sheppard; J.S. Johnston; W.L. Rubink; R.N. Coulson; N.M. Schiff; I. Kandemir; J.C. Patton

2007-01-01

Descendents of Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) (the Africanized honey bee) arrived in the United States in 1990. Whether this was the first introduction is uncertain. A survey of feral honey bees from non-Africanized areas of the southern United States revealed three colonies (from Georgia, Texas, and New Mexico) with a...

A new species of Pediobius (hymenoptera: eulophidae) parasitizing Chyliza apicalis (Diptera: Psilidae) in ash trees attacked by Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Treesearch

Michael W. Gates; Houping Liu; Leah S. Bauer; Michael E. Schauff

2005-01-01

Pediobius chylizae, spec. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), is described as new and illustrated. This parasitoid has been reared from the puparia of Chyliza apicalis Loew (Diptera: Psilidae) collected from under the bark of ash trees (Oleaceae: Fraxinus spp.) dying after attack by the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleptera: Buprestidae), an invasive...

The role of selected soil fauna as predators of Apethymus abdominalis Lep. (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) in oak forests in the District Caiuti, Romania

Treesearch

C. Ciornei; N. Popa; L. Ciuca; C. Rang

2003-01-01

The present study was initiated in 2001 in the oak forests from Trotus valley (Forest District Caiucti - Bacau, Romania) which were heavily infested by oak sawflies Apethymus abdominalis Lep. (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), in order to understand better the role of soil-inhabitating predators in population regulation of this pest.

First discovery of the family Tanaostigmatidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from China with a description of a new gall-making species utilizing kudzu leaves

Treesearch

Yang Zhong-qi; Sun Jiang-hua; James P. Pitts

2004-01-01

A new species of Tanaostigmodes (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Tanaostigmatidae) is described from China- Tanaostigmodes puerariae sp. nov. This is the first record of this family in China. This new species has potential as a biological control agent for control of kudzu, Pueraria lobate, in the U.S., because its...

Fundamental properties of Fanaroff-Riley type II radio galaxies investigated via Monte Carlo simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapińska, A. D.; Uttley, P.; Kaiser, C. R.

2012-08-01

Radio galaxies and quasars are among the largest and most powerful single objects known and are believed to have had a significant impact on the evolving Universe and its large-scale structure. We explore the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of the population of Fanaroff-Riley type II (FR II) objects, i.e. their kinetic luminosities, lifetimes and the central densities of their environments. In particular, the radio and kinetic luminosity functions of these powerful radio sources are investigated using the complete, flux-limited radio catalogues of the Third Cambridge Revised Revised Catalogue (3CRR) and Best et al. We construct multidimensional Monte Carlo simulations using semi-analytical models of FR II source time evolution to create artificial samples of radio galaxies. Unlike previous studies, we compare radio luminosity functions found with both the observed and simulated data to explore the best-fitting fundamental source parameters. The new Monte Carlo method we present here allows us to (i) set better limits on the predicted fundamental parameters of which confidence intervals estimated over broad ranges are presented and (ii) generate the most plausible underlying parent populations of these radio sources. Moreover, as has not been done before, we allow the source physical properties (kinetic luminosities, lifetimes and central densities) to co-evolve with redshift, and we find that all the investigated parameters most likely undergo cosmological evolution. Strikingly, we find that the break in the kinetic luminosity function must undergo redshift evolution of at least (1 + z)3. The fundamental parameters are strongly degenerate, and independent constraints are necessary to draw more precise conclusions. We use the estimated kinetic luminosity functions to set constraints on the duty cycles of these powerful radio sources. A comparison of the duty cycles of powerful FR IIs with those determined from radiative luminosities of active galactic nuclei of

Suitability of different glycoproteins and test systems for detecting cross-reactive carbohydrate determinant-specific IgE in hymenoptera venom-allergic patients.

PubMed

Mertens, Melanie; Brehler, Randolf

2011-01-01

In hymenoptera venom allergy, about 75% of detected in vitro double positivity to yellow jacket and honeybee venom is ascribed to specific IgE (sIgE) directed against cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs). To date, for the detection of CCD-sIgE, different carbohydrate antigens and methods are used. The most suitable one still has to be identified. Eighty-seven patients with confirmed hymenoptera venom allergy and venom sIgE values of ≥0.7 kU/l were investigated. Sixty-five patients showed sIgE reactivity to both yellow jacket and honeybee venom, 22 were venom mono positive and served as controls. Occurrence of CCD-sIgE was determined using bromelain, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and MUXF(3) on system A, and ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO), bromelain and HRP on system B. Further, a reference standard for CCD-sIgE evaluation was created: CCD positivity was assumed when at least 4 of the 6 test results were positive. According to the defined reference standard, 45/65 venom double positive patients exhibited CCD-sIgE. Using system A, comparison with the reference standard revealed sensitivity and specificity values of 96 and 97%, respectively, for MUXF(3), 100 and 100%, respectively, for bromelain, and 96 and 97%, respectively, for HRP. Using system B, sensitivity and specificity was 98 and 97%, respectively, for AAO, 62 and 95%, respectively, for bromelain, and 96 and 69%, respectively, for HRP. Results of the 3 test allergens obtained with system A showed strong correlations (r = 0.932-0.976), whereas results with system B showed lower correlations (r = 0.714-0.898). All 3 test allergens used with system A are suitable for CCD-sIgE detection in hymenoptera venom allergy. With system B, only AAO seems to be a reliable tool. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A new species of Klabonosa Bouček (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) reared from eggs of Endochus sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from India.

PubMed

Gupta, Ankita; Yeshwanth, H M; Sureshan, P M

2018-04-23

The genus Klabonosa Bouček (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is recorded for the first time from the Oriental region, with both sexes of K. indica Gupta, Sureshan Yeshwanth sp. n. reared from eggs of the assassin bug Endochus sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (Moraceae). The male is formally described and illustrated for the first time for the genus.

A New Species of Megastigmus Dalman (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) Reared from Seeds of Atlantic White Cedar (Cupressaceae), with Notes on Infestation Rates

Treesearch

J.J. Turgeon; K. Kamijo; G. DeBarr

1997-01-01

A new species, Megastigmus thyoides Kamijo (Hymenoptera: Torymidae), which emerged from seeds of Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P., collected in eastern United States is described and illustrated. This is the first record of this genus exploiting seeds of Cupressaceae in the Nearctic region. An average of 7% of the seeds collected from five sites...

Oviposition behavior and survival of Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an ectoparasitoid of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), on hosts exposed to an entomopathogenic fungus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Antagonistic interactions between the nymphal parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and the ARSEF 3581 isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) could disrupt biological control of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina ...

A study of the bacterial community in the root system of the maytansine containing plant Putterlickia verrucosa.

PubMed

Wings, Susanne; Müller, Henry; Berg, Gabriele; Lamshöft, Marc; Leistner, Eckhard

2013-07-01

Maytansinoid compounds are ansa antibiotics occurring in the bacterium Actinosynnema pretiosum, in mosses and in higher plants such as Putterlickia verrucosa (E. Meyer ex Sonder) Szyszyl. The disjunct occurrence of maytansinoids has led to the consideration that plant-associated bacteria may be responsible for the presence of maytansinoids in P. verrucosa plants. Investigation of the bacterial community of this plant by molecular methods led to the observation that A. pretiosum, a maytansine-producing bacterium, is likely to be an inhabitant of the rhizosphere and the endorhiza of P. verrucosa. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization and simulation of ground-water flow in the Kansas River Valley at Fort Riley, Kansas, 1990-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, Nathan C.

2000-01-01

Hydrologic data and a ground-water flow model were used to characterize ground-water flow in the Kansas River alluvial aquifer at Fort Riley in northeast Kansas. The ground-water flow model was developed as a tool to project ground-water flow and potential contaminant-transport paths in the alluvial aquifer on the basis of past hydrologic conditions. The model also was used to estimate historical and hypothetical ground-water flow paths with respect to a private- and several public-supply wells. The ground-water flow model area extends from the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers downstream to about 2.5 miles downstream from the city of Ogden. The Kansas River Valley has low relief and, except for the area within the Fort Riley Military Reservation, is used primarily for crop production. Sedimentary deposits in the Kansas River Valley, formed after the ancestral Kansas River eroded into bedrock, primarily are alluvial sediment deposited by the river during Quaternary time. The alluvial sediment consists of as much as about 75 feet of poorly sorted, coarse-to-fine sand, silt, and clay, 55 feet of which can be saturated with ground water. The alluvial aquifer is unconfined and is bounded on the sides and bottom by Permian-age shale and limestone bedrock. Hydrologic data indicate that ground water in the Kansas River Valley generally flows in a downstream direction, but flow direction can be quite variable near the Kansas River due to changes in river stage. Ground-water-level changes caused by infiltration of precipitation are difficult to detect because they are masked by larger changes caused by fluctuation in Kansas River stage. Ratios of strontium isotopes Sr87 and Sr86 in water collected from wells in the Camp Funston Area indicate that the ground water along the northern valley wall originates, in part, from upland areas north of the river valley. Water from Threemile Creek, which flows out of the uplands north of the river valley, had Sr87:Sr86 ratios similar to

Two genera Foersteria Szépligeti, 1896 and Polydegmon Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Yan, Cheng-Jin; He, Jun-Hua; Chen, Xue-Xin

2013-01-01

The genera Foersteria Szépligeti, 1896 and Polydegmon Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) are recorded for the first time from China. A new species, Foersteria xinjiangensis Yan & Chen, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. A key to the Palaearctic species of Foersteria is given. In addition, Polydegmon sinuatus Foerster, 1862 is illustrated in detail for the first time.

The discovery of the genus Spasskia Belokobylskij, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in China, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Yan, Cheng-jin; He, Jun-hua; Chen, Xue-xin

2014-01-01

The genus Spasskia Belokobylskij, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Helconinae) is reported for the first time from China. Two species, namely Spasskia brevicarinata Yan et Chen sp. n.and Spasskia indica Singh, Belokobylskij et Chauhan, 2005 are described and illustrated. A key to the species of this genus is updated to include the new species. This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.

Two new species of genus Ateleute Förster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae) with a key to the Oriental species

PubMed Central

Sheng, Mao-Ling; Broad, Gavin R.; Sun, Shu-Ping

2011-01-01

Abstract Three species of Ateleute Förster 1869 belonging to the tribe Cryptini of the subfamily Cryptinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), collected from Jiangxi Province, China, are reported, of which two are new for science: Ateleute ferruginea Sheng, Broad & Sun, sp. n. and AAteleute zixiensis Sheng, Broad & Sun, sp. n. One, AAteleute densistriata (Uchida, 1955), was previously known from China and Japan. A key to the species of genus Ateleute known in the Oriental Region is provided. PMID:22287879

Evidence for divergence in cuticular hydrocarbon sex pheromone between California and Mississippi (United States of America) populations of bark beetle parasitoid Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

Treesearch

Brian Sullivan; Nadir Erbilgin

2014-01-01

Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is a common Holarctic parasitoid of the larvae and pupae of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scotytinae). In no-choice laboratory bioassays, we found that male wasps derived either from northern California or southwestern Mississippi, United States of America more frequently displayed sexual...

Complete mitochondrial genome of Camponotus atrox (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a new tRNA arrangement in Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Kim, Min Jee; Hong, Eui Jeong; Kim, Iksoo

2016-01-01

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Camponotus atrox (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which is only distributed in Korea. The genome was 16 540 bp in size and contained typical sets of genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs). The C. atrox A+T-rich region, at 1402 bp, was the longest of all sequenced ant genomes and was composed of an identical tandem repeat consisting of six 100-bp copies and one 96-bp copy. A total of 315 bp of intergenic spacer sequence was spread over 23 regions. An alignment of the spacer sequences in ants was largely feasible among congeneric species, and there was substantial sequence divergence, indicating their potential use as molecular markers for congeneric species. The A/T contents at the first and second codon positions of protein-coding genes (PCGs) were similar for ant species, including C. atrox (73.9% vs. 72.3%, on average). With increased taxon sampling among hymenopteran superfamilies, differences in the divergence rates (i.e., the non-synonymous substitution rates) between the suborders Symphyta and Apocrita were detected, consistent with previous results. The C. atrox mt genome had a unique gene arrangement, trnI-trnM-trnQ, at the A+T-rich region and ND2 junction (underline indicates inverted gene). This may have originated from a tandem duplication of trnM-trnI, resulting in trnM-trnI-trnM-trnI-trnQ, and the subsequent loss of the first trnM and second trnI, resulting in trnI-trnM-trnQ.

Nearly complete mitogenome of hairy sawfly, Corynis lateralis (Brullé, 1832) (Hymenoptera: Cimbicidae): rearrangements in the IQM and ARNS1EF gene clusters.

PubMed

Doğan, Özgül; Korkmaz, E Mahir

2017-10-01

The Cimbicidae is a small family of the primitive and relatively less diverse suborder Symphyta (Hymenoptera). Here, nearly complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of hairy sawfly, Corynis lateralis (Hymenoptera: Cimbicidae) was sequenced using next generation sequencing and comparatively analysed with the mitogenome of Trichiosoma anthracinum. The sequenced length of C. lateralis mitogenome was 14,899 bp with an A+T content of 80.60%. All protein coding genes (PCGs) are initiated by ATN codons and all are terminated with TAR or T- stop codon. All tRNA genes preferred usual anticodons. Compared with the inferred insect ancestral mitogenome, two tRNA rearrangements were observed in the IQM and ARNS1EF gene clusters, representing a new event not previously reported in Symphyta. An illicit priming of replication and/or intra/inter-mitochondrial recombination and TDRL seem to be responsible mechanisms for the rearrangement events in these gene clusters. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the position of Corynis within Cimbicidae and recovered a relationship of Tenthredinoidea + (Cephoidea + Orussoidea) in Symphyta.

DNA Extraction from Museum Specimens of Parasitic Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

Andersen, Jeremy C.; Mills, Nicholas J.

2012-01-01

At the same time that molecular researchers are improving techniques to extract DNA from museum specimens, this increased demand for access to museum specimens has created tension between the need to preserve specimens for maintaining collections and morphological research and the desire to conduct molecular analyses. To address these concerns, we examined the suitability of non-invasive DNA extraction techniques on three species of parasitic Hymenoptera (Braconidae), and test the effects of body size (parasitoid species), age (time since collection), and DNA concentration from each extract on the probability of amplifying meaningful fragments of two commonly used genetic loci. We found that age was a significant factor for determining the probability of success for sequencing both 28S and COI fragments. While the size of the braconid parasitoids significantly affected the total amount of extracted DNA, neither size nor DNA concentration were significant factors for the amplification of either gene region. We also tested several primer combinations of various lengths, but were unable to amplify fragments longer than ∼150 base pairs. These short fragments of 28S and COI were however sufficient for species identification, and for the discovery of within species genetic variation. PMID:23077493

A new genus of oak gallwasp, Cyclocynips Melika, Tang & Sinclair (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), with descriptions of two new species from Taiwan.

PubMed

Melika, George; Tang, Chang-ti; Sinclair, Frazer; Yang, Man-miao; Lohse, Konrad; Hearn, Jack; Nicholls, James A; Stone, Graham N

2013-01-01

A new genus of cynipid oak gallwasp-Cyclocynips Melika, Tang, & Sinclair (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), with two new species--C. uberis and C. tumorvirgae--reared from galls on oaks of the Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis is described from Taiwan. Descriptions of asexual generation adults and their diagnostic characters are presented. The likelihood of yet undiscovered sexual generations and the evolution of host-plant associations in these species are discussed.

Morphological and Chemical Characterization of the Invasive Ants in Hives of Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Simoes, M R; Giannotti, E; Tofolo, V C; Pizano, M A; Firmino, E L B; Antonialli-Junior, W F; Andrade, L H C; Lima, S M

2016-02-01

Apiculture in Brazil is quite profitable and has great potential for expansion because of the favorable climate and abundancy of plant diversity. However, the occurrence of pests, diseases, and parasites hinders the growth and profitability of beekeeping. In the interior of the state of São Paulo, apiaries are attacked by ants, especially the species Camponotus atriceps (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which use the substances produced by Apis mellifera scutellata (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), like honey, wax, pollen, and offspring as a source of nourishment for the adult and immature ants, and kill or expel the adult bees during the invasion. This study aimed to understand the invasion of C. atriceps in hives of A. m. scutellata. The individuals were classified into castes and subcastes according to morphometric analyses, and their cuticular chemical compounds were identified using Photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). The morphometric analyses were able to classify the individuals into reproductive castes (queen and gynes), workers (minor and small ants), and the soldier subcaste (medium and major ants). Identification of cuticular hydrocarbons of these individuals revealed that the eight beehives were invaded by only three colonies of C. atriceps; one of the colonies invaded only one beehive, and the other two colonies underwent a process called sociotomy and were responsible for the invasion of the other seven beehives. The lack of preventive measures and the nocturnal behavior of the ants favored the invasion and attack on the bees.

Food load manipulation ability shapes flight morphology in females of central-place foraging Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Ecological constraints related to foraging are expected to affect the evolution of morphological traits relevant to food capture, manipulation and transport. Females of central-place foraging Hymenoptera vary in their food load manipulation ability. Bees and social wasps modulate the amount of food taken per foraging trip (in terms of e.g. number of pollen grains or parts of prey), while solitary wasps carry exclusively entire prey items. We hypothesized that the foraging constraints acting on females of the latter species, imposed by the upper limit to the load size they are able to transport in flight, should promote the evolution of a greater load-lifting capacity and manoeuvrability, specifically in terms of greater flight muscle to body mass ratio and lower wing loading. Results Our comparative study of 28 species confirms that, accounting for shared ancestry, female flight muscle ratio was significantly higher and wing loading lower in species taking entire prey compared to those that are able to modulate load size. Body mass had no effect on flight muscle ratio, though it strongly and negatively co-varied with wing loading. Across species, flight muscle ratio and wing loading were negatively correlated, suggesting coevolution of these traits. Conclusions Natural selection has led to the coevolution of resource load manipulation ability and morphological traits affecting flying ability with additional loads in females of central-place foraging Hymenoptera. Release from load-carrying constraints related to foraging, which took place with the evolution of food load manipulation ability, has selected against the maintenance of a powerful flight apparatus. This could be the case since investment in flight muscles may have to be traded against other life-history traits, such as reproductive investment. PMID:23805850

Two new species of mites of the genera Petalomium Cross and Caesarodispus Mahunka (acari: Heterostigmata:Neopygmephoridae, Microdispidae) associated with Solenopsis Invicta Buren (hymenoptera: Formicdae) from the U.S.A.

Treesearch

Alexandr A. Khaustov; John C. Moser

2008-01-01

Two new species of myrmecophilous pygmephoroid mites, Petalomium hofstetteri n. sp.(Neopygmephoridae) and Caesarodispus klepzigi n. sp. (Microdispidae), associated with the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are described from Louisiana, U.S.A.

Chakra, a new genus of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) from India, along with description of a new species.

PubMed

Keloth, Rajmohana; Kamalanathan, Veenakumari

2014-06-20

A new genus and one new species of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae) is described and illustrated from India: Chakra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, gen. nov. and Chakra sarvatra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, sp. nov. The new genus is most similar to Opisthacantha Ashmead and differs from it in the presence of a unique sculpture on the head and mesosoma: large and round tubercles separated by sinuous, narrow furrows; the position of lateral ocelli; the dorsally extended prominent interantennal prominence and the fore wing with stigmal and postmarginal veins distinctly longer than the marginal vein.

A revision of the tribe Planitorini van Achterberg (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae), with description of a new genus from Australia.

PubMed

van Achterberg, Cornelis; Quicke, Donald L J; Boring, C Andrew

2017-01-01

The tribe Planitorini van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) is revised. One new genus Paramannokeraia gen. n. (type species: P. gibsoni sp. n. ) and five new species from Australia are described and illustrated: Mannokeraia albipalpis van Achterberg, sp. n. , M. nigrita van Achterberg, sp. n. , M. punctata van Achterberg, sp. n. , Paramannokeraia gibsoni van Achterberg & Quicke, sp. n. and P. juliae van Achterberg, sp. n. The tribe Mannokeraiini van Achterberg, 1995, is synonymized with the tribe Planitorini ( syn. n. ).

Antibacterial Compounds from Propolis of Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from Thailand

PubMed Central

Sanpa, Sirikarn; Popova, Milena; Bankova, Vassya; Tunkasiri, Tawee; Eitssayeam, Sukum; Chantawannakul, Panuwan

2015-01-01

This study investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of propolis collected from two stingless bee species Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Six xanthones, one triterpene and one lignane were isolated from Tetragonula laeviceps propolis. Triterpenes were the main constituents in T. melanoleuca propolis. The ethanol extract and isolated compounds from T. laeviceps propolis showed a higher antibacterial activity than those of T. melanoleuca propolis as the constituent α-mangostin exhibited the strongest activity. Xanthones were found in propolis for the first time; Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen) was the most probable plant source. In addition, this is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactivity of propolis from T. melanoleuca. PMID:25992582

Two new species of Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) egg parasitoids of Agrilus spp. (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) from the USA, including a key and taxonomic notes on other congeneric Nearctic taxa

Treesearch

Serguei V. Triapitsyn; Toby R. Petrice; Michael W. Gates; Leah S. Bauer

2015-01-01

Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) species are egg parasitoids that are important for the biological control of some Buprestidae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Two species, O. agrili Zhang & Huang and O. longoi (Siscaro), were introduced into North America for classical biocontrol and have...

Two new species of Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) egg parasitoids of Agrilus spp. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the USA, including a key and taxonomic notes on other congeneric Nearctic taxa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) species are egg parasitoids that are important for the biological control of some Buprestidae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera); two species were introduced into North America for classical biocontrol and have successfully established. Two new native North Ame...

Development of methods for the field evaluation of Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in North America, a newly introduced egg parasitoid of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Treesearch

Jian J. Duan; Leah S. Bauer; Michael D. Ulyshen; Juli R. Gould; Roy Van Driesche

2011-01-01

A field study was conducted in forested plots near Lansing, Michigan in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate the newly introduced egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) for control of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). To measure parasitism by

Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica, are revised. A total of 28 new species are described: 23 of Snellenius (the first record for Mesoamerica) and five of Microplitis. A key is provided to all new spec...

A revision of the tribe Planitorini van Achterberg (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae), with description of a new genus from Australia

PubMed Central

van Achterberg, Cornelis; Quicke, Donald L.J.; Boring, C. Andrew

2017-01-01

Abstract The tribe Planitorini van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) is revised. One new genus Paramannokeraia gen. n. (type species: P. gibsoni sp. n.) and five new species from Australia are described and illustrated: Mannokeraia albipalpis van Achterberg, sp. n., M. nigrita van Achterberg, sp. n., M. punctata van Achterberg, sp. n., Paramannokeraia gibsoni van Achterberg & Quicke, sp. n. and P. juliae van Achterberg, sp. n. The tribe Mannokeraiini van Achterberg, 1995, is synonymized with the tribe Planitorini (syn. n.). PMID:29290713

Progeny Density and Nest Availability Affect Parasitism Risk and Reproduction in a Solitary Bee (Osmia lignaria) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Farzan, Shahla

2018-02-08

Gregarious nesting behavior occurs in a broad diversity of solitary bees and wasps. Despite the prevalence of aggregative nesting, the underlying drivers and fitness consequences of this behavior remain unclear. I investigated the effect of two key characteristics of nesting aggregations (cavity availability and progeny density) on reproduction and brood parasitism rates in the blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria Say) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a solitary species that nests gregariously and appears to be attracted to nesting conspecifics. To do so, I experimentally manipulated nest cavity availability in a region of northern Utah with naturally occurring populations of O. lignaria. Nest cavity availability had a negative effect on cuckoo bee (Stelis montana Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) parasitism rates, with lower parasitism rates occurring in nest blocks with more available cavities. For both S. montana and the cleptoparasitic blister beetle Tricrania stansburyi Haldeman (Coleoptera: Meloidae), brood parasitism rate was negatively correlated with log-transformed O. lignaria progeny density. Finally, cavity availability had a positive effect on male O. lignaria body weight, with the heaviest male progeny produced in nest blocks with the most cavities. These results suggest that cavity availability and progeny density can have substantial effects on brood parasitism risk and reproduction in this solitary bee species. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Haploid, diploid, and triploid--discrimination ability against polyploid mating partner in the parasitic wasp, Bracon brevicornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Thiel, Andra; Weeda, Anne C

2014-01-01

Because the quality of mating partners varies, females of several taxa have evolved the ability to discriminate against low-quality mates. Although males in the Hymenoptera are usually haploid, diploid males may occur in species with complementary sex determination. Diploid males are almost always sterile in most of the species studied so far. They are thus of very low quality as mating partners, especially when females mate only once in life. We hypothesize that hymenopteran females might have evolved the ability to discriminate against infertile diploid males and avoid mating with them. To test this hypothesis, we studied diploid male fitness in the parasitoid wasp Bracon brevicornis Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) by measuring survival rate and fertility and then estimated their chances of actually mating with a female. Flow cytometry was used to determine the ploidy level of wasps. The fitness costs of mating a diploid male are indeed high in this species: only 15% were able to sire daughters, of which 97% were triploid and hardly able to produce viable offspring. In contrast to the hypothesis of unsuitable mate discrimination though, no evidence was found for increased rejection of diploid males by females. Male discrimination against an unsuitable partner did also not occur: triploid females elicited the same intensity of courtship behavior in males than did diploid ones. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Long-term monitoring of the introduced emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) egg parasitoid, oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyridae), in Michigan, USA and evaluation of a newly developed monitoring technique

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a serious invasive pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America. The egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was introduced as a biological control agent of this pest in Michiga...

Effect of Parasitoid: Host Ratio and Parasitoid and Host Group Size on Fitness of Spathius galinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Parasitoid of Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Implications for Mass-Rearing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Producing insect natural enemies in laboratories or insectaries for biological pest control is often expensive, and developing cost-effective rearing techniques is a goal of many biological control programs. Spathius galinae Belokobylskij and Strazenac (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a recently described...

Differences in the reproductive biology and diapause of two congeneric species of egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae) from northeast Asia: implications for biological control of the invasive emerald ash borer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oobius primorskyensis Yao and Duan and Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) constitute a cryptic species complex of egg parasitoids attacking the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis (Coleotpera: Buprestidae) in their native range of northeast Asia. While O. primorskyensis is c...

Description of five species of Xanthopimpla Saussure 1892 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dass, Angeline David; Ghani, Idris Abd.

2013-11-01

Description of five species of Xanthopimpla Saussure, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Malaysia was done using specimens deposited in Centre for Insects Systematics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (CIS, UKM). Type and non-type specimens were loaned from several repositories namely Zoological Museum of Amsterdam Netherlands (ZMAN), Swedish Museum of Natural History (NRM), British Natural History Museum London (BMNH) and Department of Agricultural Malaysia (DOA) for identification and comparison. The specimens were identified to the species level which gives rise to five species namely Xanthopimpla conica Cushman, 1925, Xanthopimpla despinosa leipephelis Townes & Chiu, 1970, Xanthopimpla flavolineata Cameron, 1907, Xanthopimpla punctata (Fabricius, 1781) and Xanthopimpla tricapus impressa Townes & Chiu, 1970. A dichotomous key and descriptions for five Xanthopimpla spesies were provided. Photos and illustrations of carina on propodeum were also included in this paper.

Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellite Loci for Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

PubMed Central

Liu, Tiansheng; Ke, Fushi; You, Shijun; Chen, Wenbin; He, Weiyi; You, Minsheng

2017-01-01

Fourteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated in this transcriptome-based data analysis for Cotesia plutellae, which is an important larval parasitoid of the worldwide pest Plutella xylostella. A subsequent test was performed for a wild C. plutellae population (N = 32) from Fuzhou, Fujian, southeastern China, to verify the effectiveness of the 14 microsatellite loci in future studies on C. plutellae genetic diversity. The observed number of alleles ranged from two to six. The expected and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.123 to 0.316 and from 0.141 to 0.281, respectively. The polymorphism information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.272 to 0.622. Potentially due to the substructure of the sampled population, three of the 14 microsatellite loci deviated from Hardy—Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Further, loci C6, C22, and C31 could be amplified in Cocobius fulvus and Encarsia japonica, suggesting the transferability of these three polymorphic loci to other species of Hymenoptera. PMID:28632152

Long-term monitoring of the introduced emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) egg parasitoid, Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Michigan, USA and evaluation of a newly developed monitoring technique

Treesearch

Kristopher J. Abell; Leah S. Bauer; Jian J. Duan; Roy Van Driesche

2014-01-01

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a serious invasive pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America from China. The egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was introduced from China as a biological control agent for this pest in...

Lymphocyte-mediated regulation of platelet activation during desensitization in patients with hymenoptera venom hypersensitivity.

PubMed Central

Ledru, E; Pestel, J; Tsicopoulos, A; Joseph, M; Wallaert, B; Tonnel, A B; Capron, A

1988-01-01

T cells from peripheral blood of hymenoptera sensitive patients were studied before and after venom desensitization. Before treatment, T cells showed a variable but higher proliferative response to allergen than T cells of treated patients or controls. While before desensitization, T cell products, specifically released after in vitro allergen stimulation, were able to amplify the IgE-dependent platelet activity, we showed that after treatment of the same patients, T cell products strongly reduced platelet activation. Considering the modifications in platelet activation previously observed in patients treated by specific immunotherapy, the present results suggest that, through a modification of T cell reactivity to allergen, T cell functions are modulated by desensitization, and emphasize the involvement of T cell products in the desensitization mechanisms. PMID:3263227

Two new species of Archaeohelorus (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea, Heloridae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

PubMed Central

Shi, Xiaoqing; Zhao, Yunyun; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong

2014-01-01

Abstract Two new fossil species, Archaeohelorus polyneurus sp. n. and A. tensus sp. n., assigned to the genus Archaeohelorus Shih, Feng & Ren, 2011 of Heloridae (Hymenoptera), are reported from the late Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. Based on the well-preserved forewings and hind wings of these specimens, the diagnosis of the Archaeohelorus is emended: forewing 2cu-a intersecting Cu and Rs+M at the same point or postfurcal, and hind wing may have tubular veins C, Sc+R, R, Rs, M+Cu, M and Cu distinct, or simplified venation. The new findings also elucidate the evolutionary trend of forewing and hind wing venation and body size for the Heloridae from the late Middle Jurassic to now. PMID:24478588

A Molecular Phylogeny of the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera)

PubMed Central

Munro, James B.; Heraty, John M.; Burks, Roger A.; Hawks, David; Mottern, Jason; Cruaud, Astrid; Rasplus, Jean-Yves; Jansta, Petr

2011-01-01

Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are extremely diverse with more than 23,000 species described and over 500,000 species estimated to exist. This is the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily based on a molecular analysis of 18S and 28S ribosomal gene regions for 19 families, 72 subfamilies, 343 genera and 649 species. The 56 outgroups are comprised of Ceraphronoidea and most proctotrupomorph families, including Mymarommatidae. Data alignment and the impact of ambiguous regions are explored using a secondary structure analysis and automated (MAFFT) alignments of the core and pairing regions and regions of ambiguous alignment. Both likelihood and parsimony approaches are used to analyze the data. Overall there is no impact of alignment method, and few but substantial differences between likelihood and parsimony approaches. Monophyly of Chalcidoidea and a sister group relationship between Mymaridae and the remaining Chalcidoidea is strongly supported in all analyses. Either Mymarommatoidea or Diaprioidea are the sister group of Chalcidoidea depending on the analysis. Likelihood analyses place Rotoitidae as the sister group of the remaining Chalcidoidea after Mymaridae, whereas parsimony nests them within Chalcidoidea. Some traditional family groups are supported as monophyletic (Agaonidae, Eucharitidae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Leucospidae, Mymaridae, Ormyridae, Signiphoridae, Tanaostigmatidae and Trichogrammatidae). Several other families are paraphyletic (Perilampidae) or polyphyletic (Aphelinidae, Chalcididae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Tetracampidae and Torymidae). Evolutionary scenarios discussed for Chalcidoidea include the evolution of phytophagy, egg parasitism, sternorrhynchan parasitism, hypermetamorphic development and heteronomy. PMID:22087244

Seasonal ecology and thermal constraints of Telenomus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), egg parasitoids of the hemlock looper (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

PubMed

Legault, Simon; Hébert, Christian; Blais, Julie; Berthiaume, Richard; Bauce, Eric; Brodeur, Jacques

2012-12-01

We describe seasonal patterns of parasitism by Telenomus coloradensis Crawford, Telenomus droozi Muesebeck, Telenomus flavotibiae Pelletier (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), and Trichogramma spp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), egg parasitoids of the hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), after a 3-yr survey of defoliated stands in the lower St. Lawrence region (Quebec, Canada). Results from sentinel trap sampling indicate that T. coloradensis and T. droozi are the most common species, whereas parasitism by T. flavotibiae and Trichogramma spp. is rare. Telenomus coloradensis and T. droozi show similar seasonal periods of parasitism, both species being active in early spring (late April) at temperatures as low as 4°C. Using thermal threshold (T(0)) and thermal constant (K) for immature development of T. coloradensis males and females from egg to adult emergence, we estimated that the spring progeny emerges in the middle of the summer while hemlock looper eggs are absent from the forest environment. Parasitoid females would then mate and remain in the environment to 1) exploit alternate host species, 2) enter into quiescence and later parasitize eggs laid by hemlock looper females in the fall, 3) enter into a reproductive diapause and parasitize hemlock looper eggs only the next spring, or all of these. Although previous studies have shown that T. coloradensis can overwinter in its immature form within the host egg, our field and laboratory results indicate that in the lower St. Lawrence region, this species principally enters diapause as fertilized females, with a mean supercooling point of -30.6°C in the fall.

Is It an Ant or a Butterfly? Convergent Evolution in the Mitochondrial Gene Order of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera

PubMed Central

Babbucci, Massimiliano; Basso, Andrea; Scupola, Antonio; Patarnello, Tomaso; Negrisolo, Enrico

2014-01-01

Insect mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) are usually double helical and circular molecules containing 37 genes that are encoded on both strands. The arrangement of the genes is not constant for all species, and produces distinct gene orders (GOs) that have proven to be diagnostic in defining clades at different taxonomic levels. In general, it is believed that distinct taxa have a very low chance of sharing identically arranged GOs. However, examples of identical, homoplastic local rearrangements occurring in distinct taxa do exist. In this study, we sequenced the complete mtDNAs of the ants Formica fusca and Myrmica scabrinodis (Formicidae, Hymenoptera) and compared their GOs with those of other Insecta. The GO of F. fusca was found to be identical to the GO of Dytrisia (the largest clade of Lepidoptera). This finding is the first documented case of an identical GO shared by distinct groups of Insecta, and it is the oldest known event of GO convergent evolution in animals. Both Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera acquired this GO early in their evolution. Using a phylogenetic approach combined with new bioinformatic tools, the chronological order of the evolutionary events that produced the diversity of the hymenopteran GOs was determined. Additionally, new local homoplastic rearrangements shared by distinct groups of insects were identified. Our study showed that local and global homoplasies affecting the insect GOs are more widespread than previously thought. Homoplastic GOs can still be useful for characterizing the various clades, provided that they are appropriately considered in a phylogenetic and taxonomic context. PMID:25480682

Anaphylactic Reactions After Discontinuation of Hymenoptera Venom Immunotherapy: A Clonal Mast Cell Disorder Should Be Suspected.

PubMed

Bonadonna, Patrizia; Zanotti, Roberta; Pagani, Mauro; Bonifacio, Massimiliano; Scaffidi, Luigi; Olivieri, Elisa; Franchini, Maurizio; Reccardini, Federico; Costantino, Maria Teresa; Roncallo, Chiara; Mauro, Marina; Boni, Elisa; Rizzini, Fabio Lodi; Bilò, Maria Beatrice; Marcarelli, Anna Rosaria; Passalacqua, Giovanni

2017-12-16

Up to 75% of patients with severe anaphylactic reactions after Hymenoptera sting are at risk of further severe reactions if re-stung. Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is highly effective in protecting individuals with ascertained Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) and previous severe reactions. After a 3- to 5-year VIT course, most patients remain protected after VIT discontinuation. Otherwise, a lifelong treatment should be considered in high-risk patients (eg, in mastocytosis). Several case reports evidenced that patients with mastocytosis and HVA, although protected during VIT, can re-experience severe and sometimes fatal reactions after VIT discontinuation. To evaluate whether patients who lost protection after VIT discontinuation may suffer from clonal mast cell disorders. The survey describes the characteristics of patients who received a full course of VIT for previous severe reactions and who experienced another severe reaction at re-sting after VIT discontinuation. Those with a Red Española de Mastocitosis score of 2 or more or a serum basal tryptase level of more than 25 ng/mL underwent a hematological workup (bone marrow biopsy, KIT mutation, expression of aberrant CD25) and/or skin biopsy. Nineteen patients (mean age, 56.3 years; 89.5% males) were evaluated. All of them had received at least 4 years of VIT and were protected. After VIT discontinuation they were re-stung and developed, in all but 1 case, severe anaphylactic reactions (12 with loss of consciousness, in the absence of urticaria/angioedema). Eighteen patients (94.7%) had a clonal mast cell disorder, 8 of them with normal tryptase. Looking at this selected population, we suggest that mastocytosis should be considered in patients developing severe reactions at re-sting after VIT discontinuation and, as a speculation, patients with mastocytosis and HVA should be VIT-treated lifelong. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Germline Mutations in BMPR1A/ALK3 Cause a Subset of Cases of Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome and of Cowden and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba Syndromes*

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xiao-Ping; Woodford-Richens, Kelly; Lehtonen, Rainer; Kurose, Keisuke; Aldred, Micheala; Hampel, Heather; Launonen, Virpi; Virta, Sanno; Pilarski, Robert; Salovaara, Reijo; Bodmer, Walter F.; Conrad, Beth A.; Dunlop, Malcolm; Hodgson, Shirley V.; Iwama, Takeo; Järvinen, Heikki; Kellokumpu, Ilmo; Kim, J. C.; Leggett, Barbara; Markie, David; Mecklin, Jukka-Pekka; Neale, Kay; Phillips, Robin; Piris, Juan; Rozen, Paul; Houlston, Richard S.; Aaltonen, Lauri A.; Tomlinson, Ian P. M.; Eng, Charis

2001-01-01

Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) is an inherited hamartomatous-polyposis syndrome with a risk for colon cancer. JPS is a clinical diagnosis by exclusion, and, before susceptibility genes were identified, JPS could easily be confused with other inherited hamartoma syndromes, such as Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS) and Cowden syndrome (CS). Germline mutations of MADH4 (SMAD4) have been described in a variable number of probands with JPS. A series of familial and isolated European probands without MADH4 mutations were analyzed for germline mutations in BMPR1A, a member of the transforming growth-factor β–receptor superfamily, upstream from the SMAD pathway. Overall, 10 (38%) probands were found to have germline BMPR1A mutations, 8 of which resulted in truncated receptors and 2 of which resulted in missense alterations (C124R and C376Y). Almost all available component tumors from mutation-positive cases showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the BMPR1A region, whereas those from mutation-negative cases did not. One proband with CS/CS-like phenotype was also found to have a germline BMPR1A missense mutation (A338D). Thus, germline BMPR1A mutations cause a significant proportion of cases of JPS and might define a small subset of cases of CS/BRRS with specific colonic phenotype. PMID:11536076

A new Anagyrus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) from Argentina, parasitoid of Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Harrisia pomanensis (Cactaceae).

PubMed

Triapitsyn, Serguei V; Aguirre, María B; Logarzo, Guillermo A

2016-05-26

A new species of Anagyrus Howard (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), A. lapachosus sp. n., is described from Salta Province of Argentina as a parasitoid of Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Harrisia pomanensis cactus (Cactaceae). It is a candidate "new association" biological control agent for quarantine evaluation and possible following introduction to Puerto Rico (USA) against another Hypogeococcus sp., commonly called the Harrisia cactus mealybug and often misidentified as H. pungens Granara de Willink (according to our unpublished data the latter attacks only Amaranthaceae), which devastates or threatens the native cacti there and also in some other Caribbean islands (Triapitsyn, Aguirre et al. 2014; Carrera-Martínez et al. 2015).

[Accelerated desensitization for hymenoptera venom allergy in 30 hours: efficacy and safety in 150 cases].

PubMed

van der Brempt, X; Ledent, C; Mairesse, M

1997-06-01

In this study, we performed 150 desensitizations in 139 Hymenoptera venom allergic patients (109 Yellow jacket allergic patients, 19 Honey bee allergic patients and 11 patients sensitized to both insects, who received a dual desensitization). We used a rush protocol, allowing injection of a total cumulated dose of 125,1 (Honey bee) to 175,1 (Yellow jacket) microgram of venom in 30 hours. Patients were hospitalized, with all emergency precautions for treating systemic reactions. The protocol was well tolerated in 147/150 cases; 3 patients had a benign systemic reaction. Patients received monthly maintenance doses of 100 micrograms venom. 39 patients experienced a field sting during immunotherapy; 2 of them (5%) had a benign systemic reaction. Thus, our rush desensitization protocol seems to be safe and effective.

A literature-based review of Hymenoptera Parasitica and Chrysidoidea from Reunion Island

PubMed Central

Muru, David; Madl, Michael; Jacquot, Maxime; Deguine, Jean-Philippe

2017-01-01

Abstract A review of the genera and species of Hymenoptera Parasitica and Chrysidoidea reported so far from Reunion Island is provided with host information. Data presented here is based on a review of the existing literature by the authors. The list includes: (1) 156 species of Ichneumonoidea belonging to 65 genera and 25 subfamilies (Braconidae: Agathidinae, Alysiinae, Aphidiinae, Braconinae, Charmontinae, Cheloninae, Doryctinae, Euphorinae, Gnamptodontinae, Microgastrinae, Opiinae; Ichneumonidae: Banchinae, Campopleginae, Cremastinae, Cryptinae, Diplazontinae, Ichneumoninae, Mesochorinae, Metopiinae, Ophioninae, Orthocentrinae, Pimplinae, Tersilochinae, Tryphoninae); (2) 121 species of Chalcidoidea belonging to 56 genera and 8 families (Agaonidae, Aphelinidae, Chalcididae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae, Pteromalidae, Signophoridae, Torymidae and Trichogrammatidae); (3) seven species of Cynipoidea (family Figitidae); (4) six species of Chrysidoidea in three families (Bethylidae, Chrysididae, Dryinidae); (5) five species of Platygastroidea (families Platygastridae and Scelionidae); (6) five species of Diaprioidea (family Diapriidae); (7) four species of Ceraphronoidae (families Ceraphronidae and Megaspilidae); and (8) two species of Evanioidea (family Evaniidae). This review records a total of 306 species. PMID:28331391

An improved method for monitoring parasitism and establishment of Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), an egg parasitoid introduced for biological control of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in North America

Treesearch

Jian J. Duan; Leah S. Bauer; Jason A. Hansen; Kristopher J. Abell; Roy Van Driesche

2012-01-01

Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a solitary egg parasitoid that has been released in the United States since 2007 for biocontrol of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Field and laboratory trials with ash logs infested with EAB eggs were conducted...

Test of nonhost angiosperm volatiles and verbenone to protect trap trees for Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) from attacks by bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in the Northeastern United States

Treesearch

Kevin Dodds; Daniel Miller

2010-01-01

Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is an invasive woodwasp, currently established in northeastern North America. In other regions of the world, stressed trap trees are used to monitor populations of S. noctilio and to provide inoculation points for the biological control nematode Deladenus siricidicola Bedding. However, the operational use of trap trees for S....

[Hsp70 Genes of the Megaphragma amalphitanum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) Parasitic Wasp].

PubMed

Chuvakova, L N; Sharko, F S; Nedoluzhko, A V; Polilov, A A; Prokhorchuk, E B; Skryabin, K G; Evgen'ev, M B

2017-01-01

Miniaturization is an evolutionary process that is widely represented in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Miniaturization frequently affects not only the size of the organism and its constituent cells, but also changes the genome structure and functioning. The structure of the main heat shock genes (hsp70 and hsp83) was studied in one of the smallest insects, the Megaphragma amalphitanum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) parasitic wasp, which is comparable in size with unicellular organisms. An analysis of the sequenced genome has detected six genes that relate to the hsp70 family, some of which are apparently induced upon heat shock. Both induced and constitutively expressed hsp70 genes contain a large number of introns, which is not typical for the genes of this family. Moreover, none of the found genes form clusters, and they are all very heterogeneous (individual copies are only 75-85% identical), which indicates the absence of gene conversion, which provides the identity of genes of this family in Drosophila and other organisms. Two hsp83 genes, one of which contains an intron, have also been found in the M. amalphitanum genome.

A review of insect parasitoids associated with Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) in Italy. 1. DipteraTachinidae and HymenopteraBraconidae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae).

PubMed

Scaramozzino, Pier Luigi; Loni, Augusto; Lucchi, Andrea

2017-01-01

This paper is aimed to summarize the information available on the parasitoid complex of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae) in Italy. The list is the result of the consultation of a vast bibliography published in Italy for almost two hundred years, from 1828 to date. This allowed the clarification and correction of misunderstandings and mistakes on the taxonomic position of each species listed. In Italy the complex of parasitoids detected on EGVM includes approximately 90 species belonging to ten families of Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Chalcididae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae, Trichogrammatidae, and Bethylidae) and one family of Diptera (Tachinidae). This paper deals with EGVM parasitoids of the families Tachinidae (Diptera) and Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Only two species of Tachinidae are associated to EGVM larvae in Italy, Actia pilipennis (Fallen) and Phytomyptera nigrina (Meigen), whereas the record of Eurysthaea scutellaris (Robineau-Desvoidy) is doubtful. Moreover, 21 species of Braconidae are reported to live on EGVM, but, unfortunately, eight of them were identified only at generic level. Bracon mellitor Say has been incorrectly listed among the parasitoids of Lobesia botrana . Records concerning Ascogaster rufidens Wesmael, Meteorus sp., Microgaster rufipes Nees, and Microplitis tuberculifer (Wesmael) are uncertain.

A review of insect parasitoids associated with Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) in Italy. 1. Diptera Tachinidae and Hymenoptera Braconidae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)

PubMed Central

Scaramozzino, Pier Luigi; Loni, Augusto; Lucchi, Andrea

2017-01-01

Abstract This paper is aimed to summarize the information available on the parasitoid complex of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae) in Italy. The list is the result of the consultation of a vast bibliography published in Italy for almost two hundred years, from 1828 to date. This allowed the clarification and correction of misunderstandings and mistakes on the taxonomic position of each species listed. In Italy the complex of parasitoids detected on EGVM includes approximately 90 species belonging to ten families of Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Chalcididae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae, Trichogrammatidae, and Bethylidae) and one family of Diptera (Tachinidae). This paper deals with EGVM parasitoids of the families Tachinidae (Diptera) and Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Only two species of Tachinidae are associated to EGVM larvae in Italy, Actia pilipennis (Fallen) and Phytomyptera nigrina (Meigen), whereas the record of Eurysthaea scutellaris (Robineau-Desvoidy) is doubtful. Moreover, 21 species of Braconidae are reported to live on EGVM, but, unfortunately, eight of them were identified only at generic level. Bracon mellitor Say has been incorrectly listed among the parasitoids of Lobesia botrana. Records concerning Ascogaster rufidens Wesmael, Meteorus sp., Microgaster rufipes Nees, and Microplitis tuberculifer (Wesmael) are uncertain. PMID:28325964

Primary and secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on blueberry and other Vaccinium in the Pacific Northwest.

PubMed

Raworth, D A; Pike, K S; Tanigoshi, L K; Mathur, S; Graf, G

2008-04-01

Blueberry scorch virus, a commercially important Carlavirus in highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., is vectored by aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We surveyed the aphids, primary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae, Braconidae), and associated secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Charipidae, Megaspilidae, Pteromalidae) on highbush blueberry and other Vaccinium in the Pacific Northwest from 1995 to 2006, with samples concentrated in 2005 and 2006, to lay the groundwork for augmentative biological control. Ericaphis fimbriata (Richards) was the principal aphid. The dominant parasitoid species were Praon unicum Smith, Aphidius n. sp., A. sp., and Aphidius ervi Haliday. Their frequency in relation to the other primary parasitoids varied significantly with geographical area; P. unicum dominated the frequency distribution in southwestern British Columbia, A. n. sp., west of the Cascades, and A. sp. and A. ervi east of the Cascades. Among the secondary parasitoids, pteromalids dominated, and their frequency in relation to the other secondary parasitoids was lowest in southwestern British Columbia. The parasitization rate for P. unicum and A. n. sp. in southwestern British Columbia increased from May or June to a maximum of 0.080 +/- 0.024 and 0.090 +/- 0.084 (SD), respectively, in late July or early August. P. unicum emerged in the spring 4 wk before A. n. sp. The parasitization rate for P. unicum was lower in conventional than organic fields. Whereas aphid density increased monotonically, P. unicum had two spring peaks. A simulation model showed that these peaks could reflect discrete generations. Releases of insectary-reared P. unicum at 150 or 450 DD above 5.6 degrees C, summing from 1 January, may effectively augment the natural spring populations by creating overlapping generations.

Three new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) associated with seed pods of Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae).

PubMed

Pikart, Tiago G; Costa, Valmir A; Hansson, Christer; Zanuncio, José C; Serrão, José E

2015-08-04

Horismenus abnormicaulis sp. nov., H. patensis sp. nov. and H. zuleidae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), all authored by Pikart, Costa & Hansson, are described from material obtained from seed pods of Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. (Fabaceae) collected in Northeastern Brazil. The seed pods were infested with larvae of Coleoptera (Chrysomelidae (Bruchinae) and Curculionidae). The associations of the Horismenus species and the beetle larvae have not been established. Morphological similarities between these new species and previously described species with host known suggest that H. patensis and H. zuleidae are primary parasitoids of Bruchinae, whereas H. abnormicaulis may act as a hyperparasitoid on other Horismenus species. The three species are compared with similar species of Horismenus.

Morphometry of the midgut of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during metamorphosis.

PubMed

Cruz, L C; Araújo, V A; Dolder, H; Araújo, A P A; Serrão, J E; Neves, C A

2011-01-01

In Hymenoptera, midgut changes begin in the last instar. At this stage, the larval epithelial digestive cells degenerate, leaving only the basal membrane and the regenerative cells which will develop into a new epithelium during the pupal stage and in the adult. Epithelium renewal is followed by changes in volume and shape of the midgut. Morphometric analysis of digestive cells and total midgut volume of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Lepeletier) were conducted to verify whether cell volume increase are sufficient to account for the total midgut volume increase that occurs during metamorphosis. An increase in midgut volume was verified in spite of the scarcity of cell proliferation found during metamorphosis. At the end of metamorphosis, the increase in cell volume was not sufficient to explain the increase in volume of the midgut, indicating that an increase in the number of digestive cells is apparently necessary. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which regenerative cells reconstitute the epithelium during metamorphosis remains unknown.

Paridris Kieffer of the New World (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)

PubMed Central

Talamas, Elijah J.; Masner, Lubomír; Johnson, Norman F.

2012-01-01

Abstract Paridris in the New World is revised (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Fifteen species are described, of which 13 are new. Paridris aenea (Ashmead)(Mexico (Tamaulipas) and West Indies south to Bolivia and southern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro state)), Paridris armata Talamas, sp. n. (Venezuela), Paridris convexa Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica, Panama), Paridris dnophos Talamas, sp. n. (Mexico (Vera Cruz) south to Bolivia and central Brazil (Goiás)), Paridris gongylos Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina), Paridris gorn Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Ohio south to Alabama, Georgia), Paridris invicta Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Brazil: São Paulo), Paridris isabelicae Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Cuba, Dominican Republic), Paridris lemete Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Puerto Rico), Paridris minor Talamas, sp. n. (Cuba), Paridris nayakorum Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica), Paridris pallipes (Ashmead)(southeastern Canada, United States south to Costa Rica, also Brazil (São Paulo), Paridris psydrax Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, United States, Venezuela), Paridris saurotos Talamas, sp. n. (Jamaica), Paridris soucouyant Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela). Paridris brevipennis Fouts, Paridris laeviceps (Ashmead), and Paridris nigricornis (Fouts) are treated as junior synonyms of Paridris pallipes; Paridris opaca is transferred to Probaryconus. Lectotypes are designated for Idris aenea Ashmead and Caloteleia aenea Ashmead. PMID:23226959

Preservation of Domesticated Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drone Semen.

PubMed

Paillard, M; Rousseau, A; Giovenazzo, P; Bailey, J L

2017-08-01

Preservation of honey bee (Apis mellifera L., Hymenoptera: Apidae) sperm, coupled with instrumental insemination, is an effective strategy to protect the species and their genetic diversity. Our overall objective is to develop a method of drone semen preservation; therefore, two experiments were conducted. Hypothesis 1 was that cryopreservation (-196 °C) of drone semen is more effective for long-term storage than at 16 °C. Our results show that after 1 yr of storage, frozen sperm viability was higher than at 16 °C, showing that cryopreservation is necessary to conserve semen. However, the cryoprotectant used for drone sperm freezing, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), can harm the queen and reduce fertility after instrumental insemination. Hypothesis 2 was that centrifugation of cryopreserved semen to reduce DMSO prior to insemination optimize sperm quality. Our results indicate that centrifuging cryopreserved sperm to remove cryoprotectant does not affect queen survival, spermathecal sperm count, or sperm viability. Although these data do not indicate that centrifugation of frozen-thawed sperm improves queen health and fertility after instrumental insemination, we demonstrate that cryopreservation is achievable, and it is better for long-term sperm storage than above-freezing temperatures for duration of close to a year. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ficus (Moraceae) and fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) in Taiwan.

PubMed

Bain, Anthony; Tzeng, Hsy-Yu; Wu, Wen-Jer; Chou, Lien-Siang

2015-12-01

Although Ficus-associated wasp fauna have been extensively researched in Australasia, information on these fauna in Taiwan is not well accessible to scientists worldwide. In this study, we compiled records on the Ficus flora of Taiwan and its associated wasp fauna. Initial agronomic research reports on Ficus were published in Japanese in 1917, followed by reports on applied biochemistry, taxonomy, and phenology in Chinese. On the basis of the phenological knowledge of 15 species of the Ficus flora of Taiwan, recent research has examined the pollinating and nonpollinating agaonid and chalcid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Updating records according to the current nomenclature revealed that there are 30 taxa (27 species) of native or naturalized Ficus with an unusually high proportion of dioecious species (78%). Four species were observed to exhibit mutualism with more than one pollinating wasp species, and 18 of the 27 Ficus species were reported with nonpollinating wasp species. The number of nonpollinating wasp species associated with specific Ficus species ranges from zero (F. pumila) to 24 (F. microcarpa). Approximately half of the Taiwanese fig tree species have been studied with basic information on phenology and biology described in peer-reviewed journals or theses. This review provides a solid basis for future in-depth comparative studies. This summary of knowledge will encourage and facilitate continuing research on the pollination dynamics of Ficus and the associated insect fauna in Taiwan.

Ten unique and charismatic new species of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from North America

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Triana, Jose

2018-01-01

Abstract Ten new species within four genera of Microgastrinae parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are described from Canada and United States: Diolcogaster ichiroi, Diolcogaster miamensis, Glyptapanteles pseudotsugae, Microgaster archboldensis, Microgaster syntopic, Microplitis altissimus, Microplitis jorgeluisi, Microplitis juanmanueli, Microplitis julioalbertoi, and Microplitis mariamargaritae. The new taxa are significant because they represent the first North American records of a tropical group (species of the basimacula group in Diolcogaster), exemplify interesting ecological cases (niche-based host selection in Glyptapanteles, syntopic species in Microgaster), and showcase unique morphological features and/or altitudinal records (Microplitis). Most of the new species were collected in protected areas or areas with strong research programs (Archbold Biological Station and hammock forests near Miami, Florida; Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and Mount Evans Wilderness Area, Colorado; Sapelo Island, Georgia; Tonto National Forest, Arizona), and thus are also of value and interest for conservation and research efforts. PMID:29416399

Next-Generation Sequencing of Two Mitochondrial Genomes from Family Pompilidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) Reveal Novel Patterns of Gene Arrangement

PubMed Central

Chen, Peng-Yan; Zheng, Bo-Ying; Liu, Jing-Xian; Wei, Shu-Jun

2016-01-01

Animal mitochondrial genomes have provided large and diverse datasets for evolutionary studies. Here, the first two representative mitochondrial genomes from the family Pompilidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) were determined using next-generation sequencing. The sequenced region of these two mitochondrial genomes from the species Auplopus sp. and Agenioideus sp. was 16,746 bp long with an A + T content of 83.12% and 16,596 bp long with an A + T content of 78.64%, respectively. In both species, all of the 37 typical mitochondrial genes were determined. The secondary structure of tRNA genes and rRNA genes were predicted and compared with those of other insects. Atypical trnS1 using abnormal anticodons TCT and lacking D-stem pairings was identified. There were 49 helices belonging to six domains in rrnL and 30 helices belonging to three domains in rrns present. Compared with the ancestral organization, four and two tRNA genes were rearranged in mitochondrial genomes of Auplopus and Agenioideus, respectively. In both species, trnM was shuffled upstream of the trnI-trnQ-trnM cluster, and trnA was translocated from the cluster trnA-trnR-trnN-trnS1-trnE-trnF to the region between nad1 and trnL1, which is novel to the Vespoidea. In Auplopus, the tRNA cluster trnW-trnC-trnY was shuffled to trnW-trnY-trnC. Phylogenetic analysis within Vespoidea revealed that Pompilidae and Mutillidae formed a sister lineage, and then sistered Formicidae. The genomes presented in this study have enriched the knowledge base of molecular markers, which is valuable in respect to studies about the gene rearrangement mechanism, genomic evolutionary processes and phylogeny of Hymenoptera. PMID:27727175

Guidelines for Clinical Practice: Hymenoptera sting allergy in children: 2017 update

PubMed

2017-10-01

Las picaduras por himenópteros son frecuentes en la infancia. La mayoría producen reacciones locales, consecuencia de un mecanismo inflamatorio, no alérgico, no tienen progresión y se resuelven con simples medidas terapéuticas. Las reacciones más extensas, generalmente, están asociadas a mecanismos alérgicos, mediados por inmunoglobulina E. Su máxima expresión, la anafilaxia, presenta síntomas cutáneos, respiratorios, cardiovasculares, digestivos y/o neurológicos, con riesgo de muerte. La prevalencia de anafilaxia en pacientes con mastocitosis sistémica es más alta. La familia Hymenoptera, que incluye hormigas coloradas, abejas y avispas, es la causante de las picaduras de mayor riesgo, potencialmente fatales. Los pilares del diagnóstico son la historia clínica, la identificación del insecto, y las pruebas diagnósticas cutáneas y/o in vitro interpretadas por el especialista en Alergia e Inmunología. La inmunoterapia con veneno es el tratamiento de elección para prevenir reacciones anafilácticas por picaduras de himenópteros.

A comparison of micropore membrane inlet mass spectrometry-derived pulmonary shunt measurement with Riley shunt in a porcine model.

PubMed

Duenges, Bastian; Vogt, Andreas; Bodenstein, Marc; Wang, Hemei; Böhme, Stefan; Röhrig, Bernd; Baumgardner, James E; Markstaller, Klaus

2009-12-01

The multiple inert gas elimination technique was developed to measure shunt and the ratio of alveolar ventilation to simultaneous alveolar capillary blood flow in any part of the lung (V(A)'/Q') distributions. Micropore membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MMIMS), instead of gas chromatography, has been introduced for inert gas measurement and shunt determination in a rabbit lung model. However, agreement with a frequently used and accepted method for quantifying deficits in arterial oxygenation has not been established. We compared MMIMS-derived shunt (M-S) as a fraction of total cardiac output (CO) with Riley shunt (R-S) derived from the R-S formula in a porcine lung injury model. To allow a broad variance of atelectasis and therefore shunt fraction, 8 sham animals did not receive lavage, and 8 animals were treated by lung lavages with 30 mL/kg warmed lactated Ringer's solution as follows: 2 animals were lavaged once, 5 animals twice, and 1 animal 3 times. Variables were recorded at baseline and twice after induction of lung injury (T1 and T2). Retention data of sulfur hexafluoride, krypton, desflurane, enflurane, diethyl ether, and acetone were analyzed by MMIMS, and M-S was derived using a known algorithm for the multiple inert gas elimination technique. Standard formulas were used for the calculation of R-S. Forty-four pairs of M-S and R-S were recorded. M-S ranged from 0.1% to 35.4% and R-S from 3.7% to 62.1%. M-S showed a correlation with R-S described by linear regression: M-S = -4.26 + 0.59 x R-S (r(2) = 0.83). M-S was on average lower than R-S (mean = -15.0% CO, sd = 6.5% CO, and median = -15.1), with lower and upper limits of agreement of -28.0% and -2.0%, respectively. The lower and upper limits of the 95% confidence intervals were -17.0 and -13.1 (P < 0.001, Student's t-test). Shunt derived from MMIMS inert gas retention data correlated well with R-S during breathing of oxygen. Shunt as derived by MMIMS was generally less than R-S.

Compression fossil Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) from Kishenehn oil shales, with description of two new genera and review of Tertiary amber genera

PubMed Central

Huber, John T.; Greenwalt, Dale

2011-01-01

Abstract Compression fossils of three genera and six species of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are described from 46 million year old Kishenehn oil shales in Montana, USA. Two new genera are described: Eoeustochus Huber, gen. n., with two included species, Eoeustochus kishenehn Huber (type species) and Eoeustochus borchersi Huber, sp. n., and Eoanaphes, gen. n., with Eoanaphes stethynioides Huber, sp. n. Three new species of Gonatocerus are also described, Gonatocerus greenwalti Huber, sp. n. , Gonatocerus kootenai Huber, sp. n., and Gonatocerus rasnitsyni Huber, sp. n. Previously described amber fossil genera are discussed and five genera in Baltic amber are tentatively recorded as fossils: Anagroidea, Camptoptera, Dorya, Eustochus, and Mimalaptus. PMID:22259294

First report of Lecanodiaspis dendrobii Douglas, 1892 (Hemiptera: Lecanodiaspididae) and the associated parasitoid Cephaleta sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in Brazil.

PubMed

Marsaro Júnior, A L; Peronti, A L B G; Costa, V A; Morais, E G F; Pereira, P R V S

2016-02-01

Lecanodiaspis dendrobii Douglas, 1892 (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Lecanodiaspididae) and the associated parasitoid Cephaleta sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) are reported for the first time in Brazil. Specimens of this scale insect were collected on branches and stems of Acacia mangium Willd., Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Fabaceae), Morus nigra L. (Moraceae), Citrus reticulata Blanco (Rutaceae), Tectona grandis L. f. (Verbenaceae), Anacardium occidentale (Anacardiaceae), Annona squamosa L. and Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart. (Annonaceae), in three municipalities of the Roraima state. All plants here mentioned are recorded for the first time as a host for L. dendrobii. Morphological characters of L. dendrobii and symptoms presented by the host plants infested by this pest are included in this work.

Mitochondrial sequencing reveals five separate origins of 'black' Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in eastern Australian commercial colonies.

PubMed

Oxley, P R; Oldroyd, B P

2009-04-01

Establishment of a closed population honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), breeding program based on 'black' strains has been proposed for eastern Australia. Long-term success of such a program requires a high level of genetic variance. To determine the likely extent of genetic variation available, 50 colonies from 11 different commercial apiaries were sequenced in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and II intergenic region. Five distinct and novel mitotypes were identified. No colonies were found with the A. mellifera mellifera mitotype, which is often associated with undesirable feral strains. One group of mitotypes was consistent with a caucasica origin, two with carnica, and two with ligustica. The results suggest that there is sufficient genetic diversity to support a breeding program provided all these five sources were pooled.

Notes on spider (Theridiidae, Salticidae) predation of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), and a possible parasitoid fly (Chloropidae)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clark, W.H.; Blom, P.E.

1992-12-01

Spiders are known predators of ants. Pressure exerted by consistent spider predation can alter the behavior of ant colonies (MacKay 1982) and may be a selective pressure contributing to the seed-harvesting behavior of Pogonomyrmex (MacKay and MacKay 1984). The authors observed the spider Euryopis formosa Banks (Araneae: Theridiidae) capture and transport workers of the harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen [Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae]) in southeastern Idaho. Additional observations revealed a crab spider of the genus Xysticus preying on P. salinus and the presence of a chloropid fly (Incertella) that may have been parasitizing the moribund prey subdued by the spider.

Biology of Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Two Species of Fruit Flies

PubMed Central

Groth, M. Z.; Loeck, A. E.; Nörnberg, S. D.; Bernardi, D.; Nava, D. E.

2016-01-01

Fopius arisanus (Sonan, 1932) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an egg–larval parasitoid used in control programs of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). In Brazil, C. capitata and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) are considered the main tephritid pests of exotic and indigenous fruits. The objective of this study was to study the biology of F. arisanus in C. capitata and A. fraterculus. Eggs of the two fruit fly species were used to determine the parasitism rate, number of offspring, emergence rate, sex ratio, adult weight and longevity of male and female F. arisanus. These biological parameters were used to develop a fertility life table. We observed higher parasitism and emergence rates of adults, a shorter duration of the egg–adult period and a sex ratio biased to females when F. arisanus was reared in eggs of C. capitata than in those of A. fraterculus. However, adults of F. arisanus from eggs of A. fraterculus were heavier and had greater longevity than those obtained from C. capitata eggs. The fertility life table showed better biological and reproductive performance for F. arisanus reared in eggs of C. capitata, although eggs of A. fraterculus also provided positive values for population increase. PMID:27638954

Dasypodidae Borner, 1919 (Insecta, Hymenoptera): Proposed emendation of spelling to Dasypodaidae, so removing the homonymy with Dasypodidae Gray, 1821 (Mammalia, Xenarthra)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alexander, B.A.; Michener, C.D.; Gardner, A.L.

1998-01-01

The family-group name DASYPODIDAE Borner, 1919 (Insecta, Hymenoptera) is a junior homonym Of DASYPODIDAE Gray, 1821 (Mammalia, Xenarthra). It is proposed that the homonymy between the two names, which relate to short-tongued bees and armadillos respectively, should be removed by emending the stem of the generic name Dasypoda Latreille, 1802, on which the insect familygroup name is based, to give DASYPODAIDAE, while leaving the mammalian name (based on Dasypus Linnaeus, 1758) unchanged. Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758, the type species of Dasypus, has a wide distribution in the southern United States, Central and South America. The genus Dasypoda ranges throughout most of the Palearctic region.

Toward Understanding the Fanaroff-Riley Dichotomy in Radio Source Morphology and Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baum, Stefi A.; Zirbel, Esther L.; O'Dea, Christopher P.

1995-09-01

In Paper I we presented the results of a study of the interrelationships between host galaxy magnitude, optical line luminosity, and radio luminosity in a large sample of Fanaroff-Riley classes 1 and 2 (FR 1 and FR 2) radio galaxies. We report several important differences between the FR 1 and FR 2 radio galaxies. At the same host galaxy magnitude or radio luminosity, the FR 2's produce substantially more optical line emission (by roughly an order of magnitude or more) than do FR 1's. Similarly, FR 2 sources produce orders of magnitude more line luminosity than do radio-quiet galaxies of the same optical magnitude, while FR 1 sources and radio-quiet galaxies of the same optical magnitude produce similar line luminosities. Combining these results with previous results from the literature, we conclude that while the emission-line gas in the FR 2's is indeed photoionized by a nuclear UV continuum source from the AGN, the emission-line gas in the FR 1's may be energized predominantly by processes associated with the host galaxy itself. The apparent lack of a strong UV continuum source from the central engine in FR 1 sources can be understood in two different ways. In the first scenario, FR l's are much more efficient at covering jet bulk kinetic energy into radio luminosity than FR 2's, such that an FR 1 has a much lower bolometric AGN luminosity (hence nuclear UV continuum source) than does an FR 2 of the same radio luminosity. We discuss the pros and cons of this model and conclude that the efficiency differences needed between FR 2 and FR 1 radio galaxies are quite large and may lead to difficulties with the interpretation since it would suggest that FR 2 radio source deposit very large amounts of kinetic energy into the ISM Intracluster Medium. However, this interpretation remains viable. Alternatively, it may be that the AGNs in FR 1 sources simply produce far less radiant UV energy than do those in FR 2 sources. That is, FR 1 sources may funnel a higher fraction

Fertility signals in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sramkova, A.; Schulz, C.; Twele, R.; Francke, W.; Ayasse, M.

2008-06-01

In eusocial Hymenoptera, queen control over workers is probably inseparable from the mechanism of queen recognition. In primitively eusocial bumblebees ( Bombus), worker reproduction is controlled not only by the presence or absence of a dominant queen but also by other dominant workers. Furthermore, it was shown that the queen dominance is maintained by pheromonal cues. We investigated whether there is a similar odor signal released by egg-laying queens and workers that may have a function as a fertility signal. We collected cuticular surface extracts from nest-searching and breeding Bombus terrestris queens and workers that were characterized by their ovarian stages. In chemical analyses, we identified 61 compounds consisting of aldehydes, alkanes, alkenes, and fatty acid esters. Nest-searching queens and all groups of breeding females differed significantly in their odor bouquets. Furthermore, workers before the competition point (time point of colony development where workers start to develop ovaries and lay eggs) differed largely from queens and all other groups of workers. Breeding queens showed a unique bouquet of chemical compounds and certain queen-specific compounds, and the differences toward workers decrease with an increasing development of the workers’ ovaries, hinting the presence of a reliable fertility signal. Among the worker groups, the smallest differences were found after the competition point. Egg-laying females contained higher total amounts of chemical compounds and of relative proportions of wax-type esters and aldehydes than nest-searching queens and workers before the competition point. Therefore, these compounds may have a function as a fertility signal present in queens and workers.

Terrestrial arthropods of Steel Creek, Buffalo National River, Arkansas. II. Sawflies (Insecta: Hymenoptera: "Symphyta")

PubMed Central

Smith, David R.; Fisher, Danielle M.; Dowling, Ashley P.G.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background This is the second in a series of papers detailing the terrestrial arthropods collected during an intensive survey of a site near Steel Creek campground along the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. The survey was conducted over a period of eight and a half months using twelve trap types – Malaise traps, canopy traps (upper and lower collector), Lindgren multifunnel traps (black, green, and purple), pan traps (blue, purple, red, white, and yellow), and pitfall traps – and Berlese-Tullgren extraction of leaf litter. New information We provide collection records for 47 species of "Symphyta" (Insecta: Hymenoptera), 30 of which are new state records for Arkansas: (Argidae) Sterictiphora serotina; (Cimbicidae) Abia americana; (Diprionidae) Monoctenus fulvus; (Orussidae) Orussus terminalis; (Pamphiliidae) Onycholyda luteicornis, Pamphilius ocreatus, P. persicum, P. rileyi; (Pergidae) Acordulecera dorsalis, A. mellina, A. pellucida; (Tenthredinidae) Caliroa quercuscoccineae, Empria coryli, Hoplocampa marlatti, Macrophya cassandra, Monophadnoides conspiculatus, Monophadnus bakeri, Nematus abbotii, Neopareophora litura, Pachynematus corniger, Paracharactus rudis, Periclista marginicollis, Pristiphora banski, P. chlorea, Strongylogaster impressata, S. remota, Taxonus epicera, Thrinax albidopictus, T. multicinctus, Zaschizonyx montana; (Xiphydriidae) Xiphydria tibialis. PMID:27222635

Traumatic ventriculitis following consumption of introduced insect prey (Hymenoptera) in nestling hihi (Notiomystis cincta).

PubMed

Rippon, Rosemary J; Alley, Maurice R; Castro, Isabel

2013-01-01

Nestling mortality in the endangered and endemic Hihi, also called Stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta), was studied over the 2008-09 breeding season at Zealandia-Karori Sanctuary, Wellington, New Zealand. Histopathology showed traumatic ventriculitis in seven of 25 (28%) dead nestlings. Single or multiple granulomas centered on chitinous insect remnants were found lodged within the gizzard mucosa, muscle layers, and ventricular or intestinal serosa. The insect remnants were confirmed as bee or wasp stings (Hymenoptera) using light and electron microscopy. Bacteria or yeasts were also found in some granulomas, and death was due to bacterial septicemia in four cases. Endemic New Zealand birds are likely to lack evolutionary adaptations required to safely consume introduced honey bees (Apis mellifera) and vespulid wasps (Vespula germanica [German wasp], and Vespula vulgaris [common wasp]). However, these insects are attracted to feeding stations used to support translocated Hihi populations. As contact between bees, wasps, and the endemic fauna of New Zealand seems inevitable, it may be necessary to minimize the numbers of these introduced insects in areas set aside for ecologic restoration.

Compatibility of endoparasitoid Hyposoter didymator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) protected stages with five selected insecticides.

PubMed

Medina, P; Morales, J J; Budia, F; Adan, A; Del Estal, P; Viñuela, E

2007-12-01

Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that emerges from the parasitization of economically important noctuid pests. H. didymator also is considered one of the most important native biocontrol agents of noctuids in Spain. Side effects of five insecticides with very different modes of action (fipronil, imidacloprid, natural pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide, pymetrozine, and triflumuron) at the maximum field recommended rate in Spain were evaluated on H. didymator parasitizing Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) larvae and pupae of the endoparasitoid. Parasitized larvae were topically treated or ingested treated artificial diet. Parasitoid cocoons were topically treated. Host mortality when parasitized larvae were treated, as well as further development of the parasitoid surviving (e.g., percentage of cocoons spun, adult emergence, hosts attacked, and numbered progeny) were determined. Toxicity after treatment of parasitized larvae differed depending on the mode of exposure and insecticide. Fipronil was always highly toxic; imidacloprid killed all host insects by ingestion, but it was less toxic to both host and parasitoids, when administered topically; natural pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide and triflumuron showed differing degrees of toxicity, and pymetrozine was harmless. Parasitoid cocoons provided effective protection against all the insecticides, except fipronil.

EAACI guidelines on allergen immunotherapy: Hymenoptera venom allergy.

PubMed

Sturm, G J; Varga, E-M; Roberts, G; Mosbech, H; Bilò, M B; Akdis, C A; Antolín-Amérigo, D; Cichocka-Jarosz, E; Gawlik, R; Jakob, T; Kosnik, M; Lange, J; Mingomataj, E; Mitsias, D I; Ollert, M; Oude Elberink, J N G; Pfaar, O; Pitsios, C; Pravettoni, V; Ruëff, F; Sin, B A; Agache, I; Angier, E; Arasi, S; Calderón, M A; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Halken, S; Jutel, M; Lau, S; Pajno, G B; van Ree, R; Ryan, D; Spranger, O; van Wijk, R G; Dhami, S; Zaman, H; Sheikh, A; Muraro, A

2018-04-01

Hymenoptera venom allergy is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction following a honeybee, vespid, or ant sting. Systemic-allergic sting reactions have been reported in up to 7.5% of adults and up to 3.4% of children. They can be mild and restricted to the skin or moderate to severe with a risk of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Patients should carry an emergency kit containing an adrenaline autoinjector, H 1 -antihistamines, and corticosteroids depending on the severity of their previous sting reaction(s). The only treatment to prevent further systemic sting reactions is venom immunotherapy. This guideline has been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Taskforce on Venom Immunotherapy as part of the EAACI Guidelines on Allergen Immunotherapy initiative. The guideline aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for the use of venom immunotherapy, has been informed by a formal systematic review and meta-analysis and produced using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) approach. The process included representation from a range of stakeholders. Venom immunotherapy is indicated in venom-allergic children and adults to prevent further moderate-to-severe systemic sting reactions. Venom immunotherapy is also recommended in adults with only generalized skin reactions as it results in significant improvements in quality of life compared to carrying an adrenaline autoinjector. This guideline aims to give practical advice on performing venom immunotherapy. Key sections cover general considerations before initiating venom immunotherapy, evidence-based clinical recommendations, risk factors for adverse events and for relapse of systemic sting reaction, and a summary of gaps in the evidence. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Side-effects of pesticides on the generalist endoparasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

PubMed

Cruz, Ricardo Alcántara-de la; Zanuncio, José Cola; Lacerda, Mabio Chrisley; Wilcken, Carlos Frederico; Fernandes, Flávio Lemes; Tavares, Wagner de Souza; Soares, Marcus Alvarenga; Sediyama, Carlos Sigueyuki

2017-08-30

New plant protection strategies focus on minimizing chemical pesticide use and increasing their compatibility with biological control agents. The objective was to evaluate the side-effects of glyphosate, diflubenzuron, malathion, tebuconazole and triflumuron (at 720, 45, 400, 150 and 20 g ai ha -1 , respectively), pesticides authorized for soybean crops in Brazil, on the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) reared on Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The emergence and female numbers produced per P. elaeisis female were higher in A. gemmatalis pupae from caterpillars fed an artificial diet treated with glyphosate. However, emergence was lower than 50% when the caterpillars were fed on soybean leaves treated with glyphosate offered ad libitum (3-5 times). Palmistichus elaeisis died before parasiting A. gemmatalis pupae treated with malathion. Diflubenzuron reduced the P. elaesis sex ratio in the second generation. Tebuconazole and triflumuron did not cause side-effects on this parasitoid. A continuous exposure to glyphosate by the host may lead to side-effects on P. elaeisis emergence, but its moderate use is acceptable for this parasitoid. Diflubenzuron had severe transgenerational side-effects. Tebuconazole fungicide and triflumuron insecticide are compatible with P. elaeisis in sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) programs, while malathion can not be included in them.

Survival of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) spermatozoa incubated at room temperature from drones exposed to miticides.

PubMed

Burley, Lisa M; Fell, Richard D; Saacke, Richard G

2008-08-01

We conducted research to examine the potential impacts ofcoumaphos, fluvalinate, and Apilife VAR (Thymol) on drone honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), sperm viability over time. Drones were reared in colonies that had been treated with each miticide by using the dose recommended on the label. Drones from each miticide treatment were collected, and semen samples were pooled. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed for periods of up to 6 wk. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over the 6-wk period. Sperm viability was measured using dual-fluorescent staining techniques. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development and sexual maturation significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 wk. Sperm viability significantly decreased from the initial sample to week 1 in control colonies, and a significant decrease in sperm viability was observed from week 5 to week 6 in all treatments and control. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed.

Leucophora Satellite Flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) as Nest Parasites of Sweat Bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in the Neotropics.

PubMed

Polidori, C; Michelsen, V; Nieves-Aldrey, J L

2015-08-01

The biology of the 10 species of Leucophora (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) recorded in the Neotropics remains unknown. The large majority of the studied species so far are kleptoparasites of bees and wasps. Here, we report the first observations of Leucophora andicola (Bigot) and Leucophora peullae (Malloch) visiting the nests of ground-nesting sweat bees Corynura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in Chilean Patagonia. Females of both species perch on small stones or sticks within a dense nest aggregation of the bees and then track pollen-loaded bees in flight with great precision, eventually following them into their nests. The overall behavior closely resembles that observed for many other species of the genus. Excavations of some bee nests returned only two dipteran puparia, possibly of Leucophora, suggesting a low parasitism rate. One male of L. peullae was also collected at the bee aggregation. This is the first report of host association for any Leucophora from the Neotropics and the first report of any anthomyiid fly associated with augochlorine bees.

First Record of the Larval Endoparasitoid Tachinaephagus zealandicus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) From Fly Hosts Developing on Burnt Remains and in Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Rivers, David B

2016-05-01

Adults of the gregarious larval endoparasitoid Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) were collected from two species of carrion-inhabiting flies, Phormia regina Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Hydrotaea aenescens Wiedemann (Muscidae), associated with the burnt remains of a domesticated pig, Sus scrofa L. (Artiodactyla: Suidae), during late summer in south central Pennsylvania. This represents the first reported occurrence of the wasp in the state and only the second in the mid-Atlantic region. Collection from P. regina is a new host record for T. zealandicus and also the first for this parasitoid being attracted to flies on burnt remains. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pseudofornicia gen. n. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), a new Indo-Australian genus and one new species from Vietnam.

PubMed

van Achterberg, Cornelis; Long, Khuat Dang; Chen, Xue-Xin; You, Lan-Shao

2015-01-01

Pseudofornicia gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) is described (type species: Pseudofornicia nigrisoma sp. n. from Vietnam) including three Oriental (type species, Pseudofornicia flavoabdominis (He & Chen, 1994), comb. n. and Pseudofornicia vanachterbergi Long, (nom. n. for Fornicia achterbergi Long, 2007; not Fornicia achterbergi Yang & Chen, 2006) and one Australian species (Pseudofornicia commoni (Austin & Dangerfield, 1992), comb. n.). Keys to genera with similar metasomal carapace and to species of the new genus are provided. The new genus shares the curved inner middle tibial spur, the comparatively small head, the median carina of the first metasomal tergite and the metasomal carapace with Fornicia Brullé, 1846, but has the first tergite movably joined to the second tergite and the third tergite 1.1-1.6 × as long as the second tergite medially and is flattened in lateral view. One of the included species is a primary homonym and is renamed in this paper.

Optimizing Drone Fertility With Spring Nutritional Supplements to Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies.

PubMed

Rousseau, Andrée; Giovenazzo, Pierre

2016-03-27

Supplemental feeding of honey bee (Apis melliferaL., Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies in spring is essential for colony buildup in northern apicultural regions. The impact of pollen and syrup feeding on drone production and sperm quality is not well-documented, but may improve fecundation of early-bred queens. We measured the impact of feeding sucrose syrup, and protein supplements to colonies in early spring in eastern Canada. Drones were reared under different nutritional regimes, and mature individuals were then assessed in regard to size, weight, and semen quality (semen volume, sperm count, and viability). Results showed significant increases in drone weight and abdomen size when colonies were fed sucrose and a protein supplement. Colonies receiving no additional nourishment had significantly less semen volume per drone and lower sperm viability. Our study demonstrates that feeding honey bee colonies in spring with sucrose syrup and a protein supplement is important to enhance drone reproductive quality. RÉSUMÉ: L'administration de suppléments alimentaires aux colonies de l'abeille domestique (Apis melliferaL., Hymenoptera: Apidae) au printemps est essentielle pour le bon développement des colonies dans les régions apicoles nordiques. L'impact de la supplémentation des colonies en pollen et en sirop sur la production des faux-bourdons et la qualité du sperme demeure peu documenté mais pourrait résulter en une meilleure fécondation des reines produites tôt en saison. Nous avons mesuré l'impact de la supplémentation en sirop et/ou en supplément de pollen sur les colonies d'abeilles tôt au printemps dans l'est du Canada. Les faux-bourdons ont été élevé sous différents régimes alimentaires et les individus matures ont ensuite été évalués pour leur taille, leur poids ainsi que la qualité de leur sperme (volume de sperme, nombre et viabilité des spermatozoïdes. Les résultats montrent une augmentation significative du poids et de la taille

First report of Dolichozele koebelei Viereck, 1911 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in maize (Zea mays L.) under different cropping systems.

PubMed

Silva, R B; Cruz, I; Penteado-Dias, A M

2014-08-01

In the context of the modern agriculture, pest control is important in order to increase productivity in maize (Zea mays L.). However, this control should be done rationally, prioritising environmentally safer methods such as biological control. This paper aims to report the occurrence of Dolichozele koebelei Viereck, 1911 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae collected in maize subjected to different cropping systems. The experiment was conducted at the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Milho e Sorgo (CNPMS) in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using organic and conventional production. Ten plants were sampled from each of the 24 plots and for each production system, three times a week during the entire cycle of maize (variety BR 106). In the laboratory, larvae were distributed in individual rearing containers with artificial diet until the end of the biological cycle. An increased number of S. frugiperda larvae was observed in organic single crop maize; hence a higher percentage of S. frugiperda larvae parasitised by Hymenoptera and Diptera also occurred in the maize under this production system. Dolichozele koebelei had not yet been described in association with larvae of S. frugiperda. The percentage of parasitism of S. frugiperda larvae was high in both experiments, indicating the importance of natural control agents in reducing the population density of S. frugiperda, and especially the importance of an appropriate crop management.

Skeletal Morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a Discussion of Terminology

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Dave; Ronquist, Fredrik

2012-01-01

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study. PMID:22558068

Skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a discussion of terminology.

PubMed

Karlsson, Dave; Ronquist, Fredrik

2012-01-01

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study.

Learning to Be Homesteaders: Frontier Women in Oklahoma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Joan

2010-01-01

In "The Female Frontier" (1988), Glenda Riley notes that the typical historical account of life on the frontier puts men at the center of the experience. In contrast to a male frontier thesis, Riley posits that women played highly significant, though largely domestic, roles in the settling and development of the frontier, and that…

New records of chalcidid (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) pupal parasitoids from India

PubMed Central

Kanagarajan, Rasappan

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Chalcidids are one of the most important parasitoids of pupae of agriculturally important pests belonging to orders like Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Such an important group has not been studied consistently by any team of workers from any country apart from the notable contributions by Boucek, Steffan, Delvare and Narendran. (Boucek 1988, Steffan 1973, Delvare 1992 and Narendran 1989). On a personal note, Dr. John S Noyes of Natural History Museum London agrees with this view as expressed with the second author and hence we felt that we can initiate further work on this group within India. We currently hold hundreds of unidentified specimens of this family in our department collection confirming that we will have much work to do over a long period of time. New information New distribution records of Chalcididae from Andhra Pradesh (Brachymeria megaspila, B. minuta, Dirhinus anthracia and D. auratus), Bihar (B. podagrica, B. excarinata, B. hearseyi, D. anthracia, D. auratus, D. pilifer, Epitranus erythrogaster and Psilochalcis carinigena), Karnataka (B. apicicornis), Manipur (B. euploeae, D. auratus and E. erythrogaster), Mizoram (B. euploeae and D. anthracia), Nagaland (B. euploeae), Himachal Pradesh (B. alternipes), and Tamil Nadu (B. apicicornis, D. anthracia, D. deplanatus, D. pilifer, D. bakeri, E. observator, E. elongatulus, P. keralensis and P. soudanensis) and union territories Andaman & Nicobar Islands (B. podagrica, B. excarinata, E. erythrogaster and P. carinigena) and Pudhucherry (B. albicrus, D. anthracia, D. auratus, E. erythrogaster and P. kerelensis) are documented from the unidentified material mentioned above. PMID:26929709

Toxicity of Pesticide Tank Mixtures from Rice Crops Against Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae).

PubMed

de B Pazini, J; Pasini, R A; Rakes, M; de Armas, F S; Seidel, E J; da S Martins, J F; Grützmacher, A D

2017-08-01

The use of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides commonly occurs in mixtures in tanks in order to control phytosanitary problems in crops. However, there is no information regarding the effects of these mixtures on non-target organisms associated to the rice agroecosystem. The aim of this study was to know the toxicity of pesticide tank mixtures from rice crops against Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Based on the methods adapted from the International Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC), adults of T. podisi were exposed to residues of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, individually or in mixture commonly used by growers, in laboratory and on rice plants in a greenhouse. The mixture between fungicides tebuconazole, triclyclazole, and azoxystrobin and the mixture between herbicides cyhalofop-butyl, imazethapyr, imazapyr/imazapic, and penoxsulam are harmless to T. podisi and can be used in irrigated rice crops without harming the natural biological control. The insecticides cypermethin, thiamethoxam, and bifenthrin/carbosulfan increase the toxicity of the mixtures in tank with herbicides and fungicides, being more toxic to T. podisi and less preferred for use in phytosanitary treatments in the rice crop protection.

Toxicological and histopathological effects of boric acid on Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers.

PubMed

Sumida, Simone; Silva-Zacarin, Elaine C M; Decio, Pâmela; Malaspina, Osmar; Bueno, Fabiana C; Bueno, Odair C

2010-06-01

The current study compared the toxicity of different concentrations of boric acid in adult workers of Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with toxicological bioassays, and examining the dose-dependent and time-dependent histopathological changes, of the midgut, Malpighian tubules, and postpharyngeal glands. Our results revealed the importance of conducting toxicological bioassays combined with morphological analyses of the organs of ants chronically exposed to insecticides used in commercial ant baits. In vitro bioassays showed that boric acid significantly decreases the survivorship of workers regardless of concentration, whereas the morphological data suggested progressive dose-dependent and time-dependent changes in the organs examined, which were evident in the midgut. The midgut is the first organ to be affected, followed by the postpharyngeal gland and Malpighian tubules. This sequence is in agreement with the absorption pathway of this chemical compound in the midgut, its transference to the hemolymph, possibly reaching the postpharyngeal glands, and excretion by the Malpighian tubules. These progressive changes might be due to the cumulative and delayed effect of boric acid. Our findings provide important information for the understanding of the action of boric acid in ant baits in direct and indirect target organs.

DNA barcoding of euryglossine bees and the description of new species of Euhesma Michener (Hymenoptera, Colletidae, Euryglossinae)

PubMed Central

Hogendoorn, Katja; Stevens, Mark; Leijs, Remko

2015-01-01

Abstract This paper launches an open access DNA barcoding project “AUSBS” under the Barcoding of Life Datasystems (BOLD). The aims of the project are to help scientists who lack the necessary morphological knowledge to identify known species using molecular markers, to aid native bee specialists with the recognition of species groups that morphologically are difficult to define, and, eventually, to assist with the recognition of new species among known species. Using integrative taxonomy, i.e. morphological comparison to type specimens in Australian museum collections combined with phylogenetic analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene sequences led to the recognition of four new species of Euhesma Michener (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Euryglossini) collected during intensive surveys in remote Australian conservation areas, which are described. The new species are Euhesma micans, Euhesma lyngouriae, and Euhesma aulaca in a species group associated with Eremophila flowers, and Euhesma albamala in the walkeriana species group. PMID:26448713

Review of Stantonia Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Orgilinae) from Vietnam, China, Japan, and Russia, with descriptions of six new species

PubMed Central

van Achterberg, Cornelis; Long, Khuat Dang; Chen, Xue-xin

2017-01-01

Abstract The genus Stantonia Ashmead, 1904 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Orgilinae) is reviewed for Vietnam, China, Japan, and Russia. Six new species of the genus Stantonia are described and illustrated: Stantonia brevicaudata van Achterberg, sp. n., S. dickyyui van Achterberg & Long, sp. n., S. granulata Long & van Achterberg, sp. n., S. robustifemur van Achterberg & Long, sp. n., S. stilpnosoma Long & van Achterberg, sp. n., and S. vietnamica van Achterberg, sp. n. A new subgenus (Planitonia subg. n.: type species Stantonia robustifemur van Achterberg & Long, sp. n.) is proposed for the species with a flat clypeus and face, and reduced vein r-m of the fore wing. Three species are newly recorded from Vietnam: Stantonia gracilis van Achterberg, 1987, S. sumatrana Enderlein, 1908, and S. tianmushana Chen, He & Ma, 2004. A key to species of Stantonia from Vietnam, China, Russia, and Japan is provided. PMID:29362527

Math in Riley's World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kritzer, Karen L.

2011-01-01

In their overview for the prekindergarten-grade 2 Standards, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) documents the value of early mathematical environments. During these early years, young children are building beliefs about what mathematics is and learning about themselves as early mathematicians. What young children learn about…

Defense.gov Special Report: Travels with Gates - May 2011

Science.gov Websites

Notre Dame. Story Gates Keeps Promise to Open Elementary School at Fort Riley FORT RILEY, Kan., May 20 last year to open a new elementary school there. Story Secretary Urges Careful Thought in Spending Military/DOD Social Media Sites Register A Site Unified Combatant Commands Contact Us Frequently Asked

Prediction of social structure and genetic relatedness in colonies of the facultative polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

PubMed

Dos Reis, Evelyze Pinheiro; de Oliveira Campos, Lucio Antonio; Tavares, Mara Garcia

2011-04-01

Stingless bee colonies typically consist of one single-mated mother queen and her worker offspring. The stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae) shows facultative polygyny, which makes this species particularly suitable for testing theoretical expectations concerning social behavior. In this study, we investigated the social structure and genetic relatedness among workers from eight natural and six manipulated colonies of M. bicolor over a period of one year. The populations of M. bicolor contained monogynous and polygynous colonies. The estimated genetic relatedness among workers from monogynous and polygynous colonies was 0.75 ± 0.12 and 0.53 ± 0.16 (mean ± SEM), respectively. Although the parental genotypes had significant effects on genetic relatedness in monogynous and polygynous colonies, polygyny markedly decreased the relatedness among nestmate workers. Our findings also demonstrate that polygyny in M. bicolor may arise from the adoption of related or unrelated queens.

Prediction of social structure and genetic relatedness in colonies of the facultative polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

PubMed Central

dos Reis, Evelyze Pinheiro; de Oliveira Campos, Lucio Antonio; Tavares, Mara Garcia

2011-01-01

Stingless bee colonies typically consist of one single-mated mother queen and her worker offspring. The stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae) shows facultative polygyny, which makes this species particularly suitable for testing theoretical expectations concerning social behavior. In this study, we investigated the social structure and genetic relatedness among workers from eight natural and six manipulated colonies of M. bicolor over a period of one year. The populations of M. bicolor contained monogynous and polygynous colonies. The estimated genetic relatedness among workers from monogynous and polygynous colonies was 0.75 ± 0.12 and 0.53 ± 0.16 (mean ± SEM), respectively. Although the parental genotypes had significant effects on genetic relatedness in monogynous and polygynous colonies, polygyny markedly decreased the relatedness among nestmate workers. Our findings also demonstrate that polygyny in M. bicolor may arise from the adoption of related or unrelated queens. PMID:21734839

The mitochondrial genome of Polistes jokahamae and a phylogenetic analysis of the Vespoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera).

PubMed

Song, Sheng-Nan; Chen, Peng-Yan; Wei, Shu-Jun; Chen, Xue-Xin

2016-07-01

The mitochondrial genome sequence of Polistes jokahamae (Radoszkowski, 1887) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) (GenBank accession no. KR052468) was sequenced. The current length with partial A + T-rich region of this mitochondrial genome is 16,616 bp. All the typical mitochondrial genes were sequenced except for three tRNAs (trnI, trnQ, and trnY) located between the A + T-rich region and nad2. At least three rearrangement events occurred in the sequenced region compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects, corresponding to the shuffling of trnK and trnD, translocation or remote inversion of tnnY and translocation of trnL1. All protein-coding genes start with ATN codons. Eleven, one, and another one protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, TA, and T, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis using the Bayesian method based on all codon positions of the 13 protein-coding genes supports the monophyly of Vespidae and Formicidae. Within the Formicidae, the Myrmicinae and Formicinae form a sister lineage and then sister to the Dolichoderinae, while within the Vespidae, the Eumeninae is sister to the lineage of Vespinae + Polistinae.

Characterization of Resistance to Cephus cinctus (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) in Barley Germplasm.

PubMed

Varella, Andrea C; Talbert, Luther E; Achhami, Buddhi B; Blake, Nancy K; Hofland, Megan L; Sherman, Jamie D; Lamb, Peggy F; Reddy, Gadi V P; Weaver, David K

2018-04-02

Most barley cultivars have some degree of resistance to the wheat stem sawfly (WSS), Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae). Damage caused by WSS is currently observed in fields of barley grown in the Northern Great Plains, but the impact of WSS damage among cultivars due to genetic differences within the barley germplasm is not known. Specifically, little is known about the mechanisms underlying WSS resistance in barley. We characterized WSS resistance in a subset of the spring barley CAP (Coordinated Agricultural Project) germplasm panel containing 193 current and historically important breeding lines from six North American breeding programs. Panel lines were grown in WSS infested fields for two consecutive years. Lines were characterized for stem solidness, stem cutting, WSS infestation (antixenosis), larval mortality (antibiosis), and parasitism (indirect plant defense). Variation in resistance to WSS in barley was compared to observations made for solid-stemmed resistant and hollow-stemmed susceptible wheat lines. Results indicate that both antibiosis and antixenosis are involved in the resistance of barley to the WSS, but antibiosis seems to be more prevalent. Almost all of the barley lines had greater larval mortality than the hollow-stemmed wheat lines, and only a few barley lines had mortality as low as that observed in the solid-stemmed wheat line. Since barley lines lack solid stems, it is apparent that barley has a different form of antibiosis. Our results provide information for use of barley in rotation to control the WSS and may provide a basis for identification of new approaches for improving WSS resistance in wheat.

The exotic wasp Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hymenoptera: Torymidae): first record and damage on the Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius drupes, in São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Ferreira-Filho, Pedro J; Piña-Rodrigues, Fátima C M; Silva, José M S; Guerreiro, Julio C; Ghiotto, Thaís C; Piotrowski, Ivonir; Dias, Luiz P; Wilcken, Carlos F; Zanuncio, José C

2015-01-01

This paper records the first report of Megastigmus transvaalensis Hussey (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) in Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae) drupes in Sorocaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil. This wasp is an invasive species and was found damaging S. terebinthifolius drupes in urban areas (35.0 ± 15.8%), natural forests (21.5 ± 10.2%) and restoration areas (15.8 ± 8.4%). The bio-ecology and damage caused by M. transvaalensis in the S. terebinthifolius drupes warrants further study focused upon the management of this phytophagous wasp. Megastigmus transvaalensis has a potential to be disseminated throughout Brazil and is posing a threat to the natural regeneration of S. terebinthifolius in the native forests and restoration areas and ecological regions of this country.

Mosaicism may explain the evolution of social characters in haplodiploid Hymenoptera with female workers.

PubMed

Morpurgo, Giorgio; Babudri, Nora; Fioretti, Bernard; Catacuzzeno, Luigi

2010-12-01

The role of haplodiploidy in the evolution of eusocial insects and why in Hymenoptera males do not perform any work is presently unknown. We show here that within-colony conflict caused by the coexistence of individuals of the same caste expressing the same character in different ways can be fundamental in the evolution of social characters in species that have already reached the eusocial condition. Mosaic colonies, composed by individuals expressing either the wild-type or a mutant phenotype, inevitably occurs during the evolution of advantageous social traits in insects. We simulated the evolution of an advantageous social trait increasing colony fitness in haplodiploid and diplodiploid species considering all possible conditions, i.e. dominance/recessivity of the allele determining the new social character, sex of the castes, and influence of mosaicism on the colony fitness. When mosaicism lowered colony fitness below that of the colony homogeneous for the wild type allele, the fixation of an advantageous social character was possible only in haplodiploids with female castes. When mosaicism caused smaller reductions in colony fitness, reaching frequencies of 90% was much faster in haplodiploids with female castes and dominant mutations. Our results suggest that the evolution of social characters is easier in haplodiploid than in diplodiploid species, provided that workers are females.

Prey preference of Myopopone castanea (hymenoptera: formicidae) toward larvae Oryctes rhinoceros Linn (coleoptera: scarabidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widihastuty; Tobing, M. C.; Marheni; Kuswardani, R. A.

2018-02-01

Myopoponecastanea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ant is a predator for larvae Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabidae) which is a pest on oil palm. These ants are able to prey on all stadia of O. rhinoceros larvae. This study was conducted to determine prey preference of M. castaneatoward its prey O. rhinoceros larvae.. The study was conducted using a Factorial Complete Random Design with two factors (using log and no log) and five replications. Preferences test was done by choice test and no choice test. The results of no choice preference test on the log treatment, M. castaneaprefer preyed on firstinstar larvae of O. rhinoceros (\\bar{X}=2.6 individual) with a preference index was 0.194 and on no log treatment, M. castanea prefer for both first instar larvae and second instarlarvae (\\bar{X}=4.6 individual) with a preference index 0.197. The results of the choice preference test using logs, showed that M. castanea prefer the firstinstar larvae of O. rhinoceros (\\bar{X}=2.6 individual), with a preference index (0.35), and on no log treatment, M. castaneaprefer the second instar larvae(\\bar{X}=1.4 individual) with a preference index 0.189. Both first and secondinstarlarvaeof O. rhinoceros were preferred by predator M. castanea

First report of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, 1908) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) and the associated parasitoid Anagyrus kamali Moursi, 1948 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Brazil.

PubMed

Marsaro Júnior, A L; Peronti, A L B G; Penteado-Dias, A M; Morais, E G F; Pereira, P R V S

2013-05-01

The pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and the associated hymenopterous parasitoid, Anagyrus kamali Moursi, 1948 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), are reported for the first time in Brazil. Specimens of the PHM were collected on nine hosts plants, Annona muricata L. (Anonnaceae), Glycine max (L.) Merr. (Fabaceae), Centrolobium paraensis Tul. (Fabaceae), Inga edulis Mart. (Fabaceae), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. (Malvaceae), Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidaceae), Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae) and Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae), in four municipalities in the north-northeast of the state of Roraima. The plants C. paraensis, I. edulis and C. sinensis are recorded for the first time as a hosts for PHM. Characteristic injuries observed on the host plants infested by PHM and suggestions for its management are presented.

Predation on pupa of Chrysomya rufifacies (Marquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) by parasitoid, Exoristobia philippinensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Ophyra spinigera larva (Diptera: Muscidae).

PubMed

Chin, Heo Chong; Ahmad, Nazni Wasi; Lim, Lee Han; Jeffery, John; Omar, Baharudin; Dhang, Chen Chee; Weng, Lau Koon; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2009-12-01

A forensic entomological study was conducted using monkey carcasses (Macaca fascicularis Raffles) that were placed in either an outdoor or indoor environment at a coastal area in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, Malaysia during May until August 2008. We collected pupae of Chrysomya rufifacies (Marquart) from the carcasses and kept them individually. The emergence of 13 parasitic microhymenopteran, from one of the pupae occurring within a week were identified as Exoristobia philippinensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Another observation was made whereby a pupa of C. rufifacies was predated by a muscid larva, Ophyra spinigera (Stein). The larva squeezed into the pupa and consumed the contents. This paper report C. rufifacies as a new host record for E. philippinensis in Malaysia and highlighted the predatory behavior of O. spinigera larva in natural environment.

An illustrated key to the genera and subgenera of the Alysiini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), with three genera new for China

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jia-Chen; van Achterberg, Cornelis; Chen, Xue-Xin

2017-01-01

Abstract An illustrated key to the genera and subgenera of the Alysiini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) from China is presented. Three genera new for China are reported: Adelurola Strand, 1924, Anisocyrta Foerster, 1863, and Pentapleura Foerster, 1863. The total for China is 26 genera of Alysiini and an additional seven subgenera (excluding the nominal subgenera, which are included in the total of genera). The known Chinese species are listed under each genus and the biology is summarised. Separatatus sinicus (Zheng, Chen & Yang, 2012) and Grammospila eurys (Chen & Wu, 1994) are new combinations. Regetus Papp, 1999, and Adelphenaldis Fischer, 2003, are new synonyms of Eusynaldis Zaykov & Fischer, 1982. In addition, Eusynaldis Zaykov & Fischer and Synaldis Foerster, 1863, are treated as subgenera of Aspilota Foerster, 1863, and Dinotrema Foerster, 1863, respectively. An aberrant species of Separatatus Chen & Wu, 1994, S. parallelus sp. n., is described from Yunnan and Hainan. PMID:29308029

Storage of Euschistus heros Eggs (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Liquid Nitrogen for Parasitization by Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae).

PubMed

Favetti, B M; Butnariu, A R; Doetzer, A K

2014-06-01

Records in the literature with regard to the influence of freezing of pentatomid eggs on parasitism by microhymenopterans are scarce. In this research, we compared the storage of Euschistus heros (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs in liquid nitrogen for different periods with the objective of optimizing the multiplication of Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in the laboratory. Fresh eggs of E. heros were exposed (S3, S6) or not (NS3, NS6) to UV light for 30 min and stored in 1.5-mL plastic vials in liquid nitrogen either for 3 (S3, NS3) or 6 months (S6, NS6), and egg suitability to parasitoid development was compared to control eggs exposed (SC) or not (NSC) to UV treatment. Global data analysis showed that E. heros eggs stored in liquid nitrogen with or without UV treatment, for 3 or 6 months, were suitable for T. podisi parasitization.

Thermoperiodism Synchronizes Emergence in the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Yocum, George D; Rinehart, Joseph P; Yocum, Ian S; Kemp, William P; Greenlee, Kendra J

2016-02-01

Alfalfa seed production in the northwestern United States and western Canada is heavily dependent upon the pollinating services of Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). M. rotundata females nest in cavities either naturally occurring or in artificial nesting blocks. Because of the physical nature of the nest, M. rotundata brood may have limited to no exposure to photoperiodic cues in order to regulate important circadian functions. Therefore, various thermoperiod regimes were used to characterize the possible role of thermoperiodism in synchronizing M. rotundata adult emergence. Adult emergence was monitored using a microprocessor-controlled event logger. Incubating bees under constant 29°C and darkness resulted in an arhythmic adult emergence pattern. Exposing developing M. rotundata to a thermoperiod synchronized emergence to the beginning of the thermophase and decreased the total number of days required for all adults to emerge. The amplitude of the thermoperiod regulated the timing of peak emergence in relationship to the increase in temperature. A thermoperiod amplitude of only 2°C was sufficient to synchronize peak adult emergence to take place during the rise in temperature. Increasing the amplitude of the thermoperiod to 4 or 8°C caused a positively correlated shift in peak emergence to later in the thermophase. Brood stored under constant 29°C and darkness for different durations (May or June early in the growing season or July or August late in the growing season) or under a fluctuating thermal regime (base temperature of 6°C and daily 1-h pulse of 20°C until September or November) maintained their capacity for entraining emergence timing by thermoperiodism. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

A survey for potential biological control agents of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) in Brazil reveals two new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

PubMed

Pikart, Tiago G; Costa, Valmir A; Hansson, Christer; Cristo, Sandra C DE; Vitorino, Marcelo D

2017-05-30

This paper deals with the description of two new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Brazil, parasitoids of larvae of Adetus analis (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Both species are similar to Horismenus steirastomae (Girault), a species that also parasitizes cerambycids. Adetus analis is a pest of Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz (Cucurbitaceae), a minor crop in Brazil, Argentina and U.S.A., but also feeds in stems of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae), an ornamental plant that has become a problematic weed species in Africa, where it was introduced. The two new Horismenus species are described, diagnosed, and compared to H. steirastomae.

Control of Linepithema micans (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) in Vineyards Using Toxic Baits.

PubMed

Nondillo, Aline; Andzeiewski, Simone; Bello Fialho, Flávio; Bueno, Odair Correa; Botton, Marcos

2016-08-01

Linepithema micans (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is the main ant species responsible for dispersal of Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae), a root scale that damages grapevines in southern Brazil. The effects of different formulations of toxic baits based on boric acid and hydramethylnon to control L. micans and E. brasiliensis were evaluated. Toxic baits with boric acid (1.0%) mixed in different concentrations of inverted sugar (20%, 30%, and 40%), and hydramethylnon, mixed with sardines (paste), cassava flour and peanut, brown sugar (sucrose), or sardine oil-based gel, were evaluated in a greenhouse and in the field. In the greenhouse experiment, the number of foraging ants was significantly reduced in the pots where the hydramethylnon in sardine paste (Solid S), sardine oil-brown sugar-based gel (GEL SAM), and peanut oil-brown-sugar gel (GEL AM) formulations were applied. The GEL SAM toxic bait effectively reduced the infestation of L. micans, and could be used for indirect control of E. brasiliensis on young grapevines. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lack of behavioural evidence for kin avoidance in mate choice in a hymenopteran parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Bourdais, D; Hance, T

2009-05-01

Mechanisms for inbreeding avoidance should be prevalent in insects that reproduce by arrhenotokous haplodiploidy because of the higher potential production of unviable diploid males in inbred matings. Few studies have focused on mating strategies in insect parasitoids and even less on kinship relationships during mate choice. In this study we tested avoidance of kin as mate in the parasitic wasp Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) using an ethological approach. Key mating parameters, such as male wing fanning, latent period before genitalia contact and duration of copulation were measured. No evidence for kin avoidance in mate choice in both A. matricariae males and females was observed in our behaviour (no choice or choice tests) tests. This lack of ethological sib mating avoidance could be due to different factors such as sex determination rule different than the single locus complementary sex determination, making lower the proportion of diploid males in case of sib matings and thus its negative consequence. The existence of other inbreeding avoidance strategies and mechanisms that reduce the probability of 2 receptive relatives meeting in nature may be common, for example, inbred mating may be rare through differential dispersal, delayed maturation, or protandry.

Recent (1977-1980) releases of imported larch casebearer parasites for biological control.

Treesearch

Roger B. Ryan

1981-01-01

Releases of Diadegma laricinellum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Dicladocerus westwoodii, Dicladocerus japonicus, Chrysocharis laricinellae, Elachertus argissaj, Necremnus metalarus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and Agathis pumila (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for biological control of the larch casebearer in...

Revision of the ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

PubMed Central

Heterick, Brian E.; Castalanelli, Mark; Shattuck, Steve O.

2017-01-01

Abstract The fauna of the purely Australian formicine ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is revised. This project involved integrated morphological and molecular taxonomy using one mitochondrial gene (COI) and four nuclear genes (AA, H3, LR and Wg). Seven major clades were identified and are here designated as the M. aeneovirens, M. anderseni, M. biroi, M. fulvihirtus, M. ludius, M. majeri and M. potteri species-groups. Within these clades, smaller complexes of similar species were also identified and designated species-complexes. The M. ludius species-group was identified purely on molecular grounds, as the morphology of its members is indistinguishable from typical members of the M. biroi species-complex within the M. biroi species-group. Most species-complexes sampled were also found to be monophyletic. Sequencing generally supported monophyly in taxa sampled but some species of the M. fieldi complex and M. biroi were not monophyletic and the implications arising from this are discussed in this monograph. Based on morphology, ninety-three species are recognized, 73 described as new. A further new species (here called 'Species K' [TERC Collection]) is noted in the taxonomic list, but is not described in this work. One species is removed from Melophorus: M. scipio Forel is here placed provisionally in Prolasius. Six species and five subspecies pass into synonymy. Of the full species, M. constans Santschi, M. iridescens (Emery) and M. insularis Wheeler are synonymized under M. aeneovirens (Lowne), M. pillipes Santschi is synonymized under M. turneri Forel, M. marius Forel is synonymized under M. biroi Forel, and M. omniparens Forel is synonymized under M. wheeleri Forel. Of the subspecies, M. iridescens fraudatrix and M. iridescens froggatti Forel are synonymized under M. aeneovirens (Lowne), M. turneri aesopus Forel and M. turneri candidus Santschi are synonymized under M. turneri Forel and M. fieldi propinqua Viehmeyer is synonymized under M. biroi

Cloning and expression profile of ionotropic receptors in the parasitoid wasp Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Wang, Shan-Ning; Peng, Yong; Lu, Zi-Yun; Dhiloo, Khalid Hussain; Zheng, Yao; Shan, Shuang; Li, Rui-Jun; Zhang, Yong-Jun; Guo, Yu-Yuan

2016-07-01

Ionotropic receptors (IRs) mainly detect the acids and amines having great importance in many insect species, representing an ancient olfactory receptor family in insects. In the present work, we performed RNAseq of Microplitis mediator antennae and identified seventeen IRs. Full-length MmedIRs were cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the Hymenoptera IRs revealed that ten MmedIR genes encoded "antennal IRs" and seven encoded "divergent IRs". Among the IR25a orthologous groups, two genes, MmedIR25a.1 and MmedIR25a.2, were found in M. mediator. Gene structure analysis of MmedIR25a revealed a tandem duplication of IR25a in M. mediator. The tissue distribution and development specific expression of the MmedIR genes suggested that these genes showed a broad expression profile. Quantitative gene expression analysis showed that most of the genes are highly enriched in adult antennae, indicating the candidate chemosensory function of this family in parasitic wasps. Using immunocytochemistry, we confirmed that one co-receptor, MmedIR8a, was expressed in the olfactory sensory neurons. Our data will supply fundamental information for functional analysis of the IRs in parasitoid wasp chemoreception. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Chip-Scale Atomic Clock - Prototype Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

39th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Meeting THE CHIP-SCALE ATOMIC CLOCK – PROTOTYPE EVALUATION R. Lutwak *, A. Rashed...been supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contract # NBCHC020050. REFERENCES [1] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, W. Riley, and...D.C.), pp. 539-550. [2] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, T. English, W. Riley, A. Duwel, M. Varghese, D. K. Serkland, and G. M. Peake, 2004, “The Chip-Scale

Controlling Cocaine. Supply Versus Demand Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

System Description of the Cocaine Trade, MR-236-A/AF/DPRC, Santa Monica, CA. RAND. * Kennedy, Michael, Peter Reuter, and Kevin Jack Riley (1994), A Simple...Peter Reuter, and Kevin Riley, and reviews by Richard Harwood, James Hodges, and Michael Kennedy deepened and improved this analysis. Helpful...relative to rean-ltaonprice Priefti 1.000 Actual heavy- waer treatment cost ($ mn~lons) TreatCost 9M.0 Total control budget ($ naions) Sofludgat.TrSdgate’o

Leading Change: Transitioning the AFMS into a High Reliability Organization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-16

Belief and Drive Big Results (New York, NY: Free Press, 2012), 17. 61 William Riley, “High Reliability and Implications for Nursing Leaders,” Journal of... Nursing Management 17, no. 2 (March 2009): 241. 62 The Joint Commission, “About Us,” 25 November 2015, http://www.jointcommission.org/about_us...Air Force Surgeon General. Trusted Care Concept of Operations, October 2015. Riley, William. “High reliability and implications for nursing leaders

Distribution and abundance of mymarid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) of Sophonia rufofascia Kuoh and Kuoh (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)in Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, P.; Foote, D.; Alyokhin, A.V.; Lenz, L.; Messing, R.H.

2002-01-01

The abundance of mymarid parasitoids attacking the two-spotted leafhopper (Sophonia rufofascia [Kuoh and Kuoh]), a polyphagous pest recently adventive to Hawaii, was monitored using yellow sticky cards deployed in several areas on the islands of Kauai and Hawaii. The yellow cards captured Chaetomymar sp. nr bagicha Narayanan, Subba Rao, & Kaur and Schizophragma bicolor (Dozier), both adventive species, and Polynema sp. Haliday, which is endemic to Hawaii (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). The former two species were most abundant at all sites. On Kauai, there was a negative correlation between the captures of C. sp. nr bagicha and those of Polynema sp. Throughout the season, the increase in parasitoid numbers generally followed the increase in leafhopper numbers. C. sp. nr. bagicha and S. bicolor showed distinct habitat preferences. Removal of Myrica faya Aiton, an invasive weed that is a highly preferred two-spotted leafhopper host, decreased the overall numbers of captured parasitoids, but led to a twofold increase in the ratio of trapped parasitoids/hosts in weed-free areas. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Side-Effects of Glyphosate to the Parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae).

PubMed

Stecca, C S; Bueno, A F; Pasini, A; Silva, D M; Andrade, K; Filho, D M Z

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the side-effects of glyphosate to the parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) when parasitoids were exposed to this chemical at the pupal (inside host eggs) and adult stages. Bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions according to the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) standard methods for testing side-effects of pesticides to egg parasitoids. Different glyphosate-based pesticides (Roundup Original®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Transorb®, Roundup WG®, and Zapp Qi®) were tested at the same acid equivalent concentration. Treatments were classified following the IOBC toxicity categories as (1) harmless, (2) slightly harmful, (3) moderately harmful, and (4) harmful. When tested against T. remus adults, Roundup Original®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Transorb®, and Roundup WG® reduced parasitism 2 days after parasitoid emergence, being classified as slightly harmful. Differently, when tested against T. remus pupae, all tested glyphosate-based products did not differ in their lethal effect and therefore did not reduce T. remus adult emergence or parasitism capacity, being classified as harmless. However, differences on sublethal toxicity were found. Parasitism of individuals emerging from parasitized eggs sprayed at the pupal stage of T. remus with Zapp Qi® was lower compared to control, but parasitism was still higher than 66%, and therefore, Zapp Qi® was still classified as harmless. In conclusion, all tested glyphosate-based products can be used in agriculture without negative impact to T. remus as none was classified as harmful or moderately harmful to this parasitoid when exposure occurred at the pupal or adult stages.

DNA characterization and karyotypic evolution in the bee genus Melipona (Hymenoptera, Meliponini).

PubMed

Rocha, Marla Piumbini; Pompolo, Silvia Das Graças; Dergam, Jorge Abdala; Fernandes, Anderson; Campos, Lucio Antonio De Oliveira

2002-01-01

We analyzed patterns of heterochromatic bands in the Neotropical stingless bee genus Melipona (Hymenoptera, Meliponini). Group I species (Melipona bicolor bicolor, Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona asilvae, Melipona marginata, Melipona subnitida) were characterized by low heterochromatic content. Group II species (Melipona capixaba, Melipona compressipes, Melipona crinita, Melipona seminigra fuscopilosa e Melipona scutellaris) had high heterochromatic content. All species had 2n = 18 and n = 9. In species of Group I heterochromatin was pericentromeric and located on the short arm of acrocentric chromosomes, while in Group II species heterochromatin was distributed along most of the chromosome length. The most effective sequential staining was quinacrine mustard (QM)/distamycin (DA)/chromomycin A3(CMA3)/4-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Heterochromatic and euchromatic bands varied extensively within Group I. In Group II species euchromatin was restricted to the chromosome tips and it was uniformly GC+. Patterns of restriction enzymes (EcoRI, DraI, HindIII) showed that heterochromatin was heterogeneous. In all species the first pair of homologues was of unequal size and showed heteromorphism of a GC+ pericentromeric heterochromatin. In M. asilvae (Group I) this pair bore NOR and in M. compressipes (Group II) it hybridized with a rDNA FISH probe. As for Group I species the second pair was AT+ in M. subnitida and neutral for AT and GC in the remaining species of this group. Outgroup comparison indicates that high levels of heterochromatin represent a derived condition within Melipona. The pattern of karyotypic evolution sets Melipona in an isolated position within the Meliponini.

Diversity of Hymenoptera (Insecta) on different ages of oil palm in Lekir Plantation, Perak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azhari, Muhammad Luqman Hakim; Hazmi, Izfa Riza

2018-04-01

This study was conducted to determine the diversity of Hymenoptera on the different ages of oil palm namely plot 12, 9 and 5 years old. Sampling was carried out from November 2015 to February 2016 at Ladang Lekir, Perak using Malaise traps and Window trap. A total of 3052 individuals Hymenopteran consisting of 58 morphospecies and 35 subfamilies of 17 families were successfully collected. The most abundant species recorded was the Pimplinae.sp4 with 447 individuals (relative abundance, RA=14.51%). According to the plot, plot 9 years old have the highest reading for all three Peilou Equality Index (E'=0.983), Shannon Diversity Index (H'=3.939) and Simpson Diversity Index (D'=0.9795) with 55 species have been recorded. The t-tests showed that there were no significant difference in term of the diversity index (H') between palm plots 9 years old and 12 years old, while there were significant differences between the two plot (9 years old and 12 years old) with 5 old palm plot. The species accumulation curve showed that only 5 old palm plot nearly asymptotic. This study is expected to help the management to provide basic information for future research and as well, to develop and implement tools, methods, strategies in farm management practices of the oil palm plantations in Malaysia.

Rickettsia symbionts cause parthenogenetic reproduction in the parasitoid wasp Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

PubMed

Giorgini, M; Bernardo, U; Monti, M M; Nappo, A G; Gebiola, M

2010-04-01

Bacteria in the genus Rickettsia are intracellular symbionts of disparate groups of organisms. Some Rickettsia strains infect vertebrate animals and plants, where they cause diseases, but most strains are vertically inherited symbionts of invertebrates. In insects Rickettsia symbionts are known to have diverse effects on hosts ranging from influencing host fitness to manipulating reproduction. Here we provide evidence that a Rickettsia symbiont causes thelytokous parthenogenesis (in which mothers produce only daughters from unfertilized eggs) in a parasitoid wasp, Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Feeding antibiotics to thelytokous female wasps resulted in production of progeny that were almost all males. Cloning and sequencing of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene amplified with universal primers, diagnostic PCR screening of symbiont lineages associated with manipulation of reproduction, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that Rickettsia is always associated with thelytokous P. soemius and that no other bacteria that manipulate reproduction are present. Molecular analyses and FISH showed that Rickettsia is distributed in the reproductive tissues and is transovarially transmitted from mothers to offspring. Comparison of antibiotic-treated females and untreated females showed that infection had no cost. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and gltA gene sequences placed the symbiont of P. soemius in the bellii group and indicated that there have been two separate origins of the parthenogenesis-inducing phenotype in the genus Rickettsia. A possible route for evolution of induction of parthenogenesis in the two distantly related Rickettsia lineages is discussed.

The Chip-Scale Atomic Clock - Low-Power Physics Package

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

36th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Meeting 339 THE CHIP-SCALE ATOMIC CLOCK – LOW-POWER PHYSICS PACKAGE R. Lutwak ...pdf/documents/ds-x72.pdf [2] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, W. Riley, and R. M. Garvey, 2003, “The Chip-Scale Atomic Clock – Coherent Population Trapping vs...2002, Reston, Virginia, USA (U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.), pp. 539-550. [3] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, T. English, and W. Riley, 2004

[Cross reactions between Hymenoptera venoms from different families, genera and species].

PubMed

Hemmer, W

2014-09-01

Simultaneous reactivity with the venoms of different Hymenoptera is commonly seen in patients allergic to insect venoms. Strong, though individually variable, cross-reactivity occurs between the venoms of different Vespinae species (Vespula, Dolichovespula, Vespa). In Middle Europe, anaphylaxis after European hornet stings is nearly always due to cross-reactivity with Vespula venom. The identification of the primary venom in patients testing positive for Vespula and Polistes (paper wasps) is particularly important in Mediterranean areas. Component-resolved diagnosis with the marker allergens Ves v 5 and Pol d 5 may directly identify the causative venom in the majority of patients. There is substantial cross-reactivity between honeybee and bumblebee venom, sometimes causing allergic symptoms in patients allergic to honeybee venom after accidental bumblebee stings. However, subjects strongly exposed to bumblebees may show bumblebee-specific sensitization and require immunotherapy with bumblebee venom. More than half of all venom-allergic patients show double-positive test results to honeybee and vespid venoms. This may be due to true double sensitization or due to cross-reactivity between homologous allergens present in both venoms and sharing around 50 % sequence identity, i.e. hyaluronidases (Api m 2/Ves v 2), dipeptidyl peptidases (Api m 5/Ves v 3), and vitellogenins (Api m 12/Ves v 6). The clinical relevance of these cross-reactions is unknown. In up to 50 % the double-positivity is caused by clinically irrelevant IgE antibodies against CCDs. Many (though not all) patients with true double sensitization may be identified by means of the species-specific marker allergens Api m 1 and Ves v 1/5. Some Vespula venom-allergic patients may clinically cross-react to fire ant stings (Solenopsis), but otherwise allergen relationships with other ant species are not well studied.

Superparasitism in the Fruit Fly Parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and the Implications for Mass Rearing and Augmentative Release

PubMed Central

Montoya, Pablo; Pérez-Lachaud, Gabriela; Liedo, Pablo

2012-01-01

Superparasitism, a strategy in which a female lays eggs in/on a previously parasitized host, was attributed in the past to the inability of females to discriminate between parasitized and non-parasitized hosts. However, superparasitism is now accepted as an adaptive strategy under specific conditions. In fruit fly parasitoids, superparasitism has mainly been studied as concerns the new association between Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), wherein this phenomenon is a common occurrence in both mass rearing and field conditions. Studies of this species have shown that moderate levels of superparasitism result in a female-biased sex ratio and that both massreared and wild females superparasitize their hosts without detrimental effects on offspring demographic parameters, including longevity and fecundity. These studies suggest that superparasitism in this species is advantageous. In this paper, we review superparasitism in D. longicaudata, discuss these findings in the context of mass rearing and field releases and address the possible implications of superparasitism in programs employing augmentative releases of parasitoids for the control of fruit fly pests. PMID:26466718

Antennal sensilla and ovipositor morphology of the European birch sawfly Arge pullata Zadd (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae, Argidae).

PubMed

Zhang, Lu; Feng, Yu-Qian; Ren, Li-Li; Luo, You-Qing; Zong, Shi-Xiang

2014-06-01

Arge pullata Zadd is an important phytophagous pest that damages red birch Betula albo-sinensis in Hubei Province, South China. Massive ecological and economic losses have been caused by this species, which threatens the ecological security of the Shennongjia Nature Reserve. To investigate the mechanoreception, chemoreception, and oviposition processes of A. pullata, scanning electron microscopy and optical confocal microscopy were used to reveal the typology, morphology, and distribution of ovipositor and antennal sensilla. The results show that A. pullata has clavate antennae and eight types of sensilla in total, including sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea (types 1-3), sensilla basiconica, sensilla coeloconica (types 1 and 2), and Böhm's bristles. Sensilla trichodea type 1 distributed only on male antennae; the densities of sensilla trichodea type 2 and sensilla basiconica differed between the sexes. The binding pattern of ovipositor valvulae was discovered, and one type of sensilla chaetica, two types of sensory pits, and tooth-like cones as well as two types of microtrichia were found in the ovipositor. Based on morphological evidence and research on Hymenoptera, putative functions are suggested to increase our understanding of the mechanisms by which this species finds hosts and mates, and how oviposition takes place. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Outdoor post-mortem bite injuries by Tapinoma nigerrimum (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) on a human corpse: Case report.

PubMed

Bonacci, Teresa; Vercillo, Vannio

2015-07-01

Ants are among the insects that colonize exposed human and animal corpses during the early stage of decomposition. In Calabria, Italy (as well as in other countries), Formicidae have been observed preying on immature stages of Diptera and other insects, as well as causing irregular scalloped areas of superficial skin loss on human corpses and animal carcasses. We present a case of injuries on a human corpse caused by ant feeding. The macroscopic appearance is described and the results of a histochemical investigation of the skin lesions caused by worker ants are reported for the first time. The investigation was carried out on the fresh corpse of a 53-year-old man discovered in a rural area of Cosenza province (Calabria, southern Italy). Numerous irregular areas of superficial skin loss caused by the ant Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) were observed on the body surface, inflicted very early in the post-mortem period. Because the classification of lesions is of crucial importance for forensic investigations, the macroscopic appearance and distribution pattern of the lesions on the corpse are illustrated. The histochemical investigation of the damaged skin explains, for the first time, the mechanism of production of the lesions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Baby Killers: Documentation and Evolution of Scuttle Fly (Diptera: Phoridae) Parasitism of Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Brood

PubMed Central

Brown, Brian V.; Hash, John M.; Porras, Wendy; Amorim, Dalton de Souza

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Numerous well-documented associations occur among species of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), but examples of brood parasitism are rare and the mechanisms of parasitism often remain unsubstantiated. New information We present two video-documented examples of ant brood (larvae and pupae) parasitism by scuttle flies. In footage from Estação Biológica de Boracéia in Brazil, adult females of Ceratoconus setipennis Borgmeier can be seen attacking workers of Linepithema humile (Mayr) species group while they are carrying brood, and ovipositing directly onto brood in the nest. In another remarkable example, footage from the Soltis Center, near Peñas Blancas in Costa Rica, shows adult females of an unidentified species of the Apocephalus grandipalpus Borgmeier group mounting Pheidole Westwood brood upside-down and ovipositing while the brood are being transported by workers. Analysis of evolutionary relationships (in preparation) among Apocephalus Coquillett species shows that this is a newly derived behavior within the genus, as the A. grandipalpus group arises within a group of adult ant parasitoids. In contrast, relationships of Ceratoconus Borgmeier have not been studied, and the lifestyles of the other species in the genus are largely unknown. PMID:28325980

Interactions Among Latitude, Nematode Parasitization, and Female Sirex nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Fitness.

PubMed

Hartshorn, Jessica A; Chase, Kevin D; Galligan, Larry D; Riggins, John J; Stephen, Fred M

2016-12-01

Sirex nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is an innocuous pine-inhabiting woodwasp native to eastern North America, utilizing dead or dying pine trees as hosts. Although S. nigricornis F. does not cause economic damage, a closely related species, Sirex noctilio, was discovered in New York in 2004 and has continually spread throughout the northeastern United States and southern Canada, threatening the multi-billion-dollar pine timber industry of the southeastern United States and raising interest about potential interactions with native woodwasps and associated mortality agents. A non-sterilizing strain of the biological control agent, Deladenus siricidicola Bedding (Tylenchida: Neotylenchidae), was introduced along with S. noctilio but is not inhibiting the spread or establishment of S. noctilio A North American congener, Deladenus proximus Bedding, has been recently isolated from S. noctilio and shows promise as a biological control agent. To better understand the potential of D. proximus as a control agent for S. noctilio, we measured and dissected nearly 1,200 S. nigricornis females from Arkansas and Mississippi and evaluated differences among collection location with regard to nematode virulence, woodwasp body size, and egg load. Body size and egg load were related to collection location, and nematode infestation resulted in significantly smaller females who produced significantly fewer eggs. Female woodwasps, especially those collected in Arkansas, were often fully sterilized by nematodes, and a higher percent sterilization was inversely related to body size and fewer eggs. We propose field studies to test the nematode's ability to sterilize S. noctilio in the northeastern United States. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A new species of Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae); a parasitoid of the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Iran

PubMed Central

van Achterberg, C.; Mehrnejad, M.R.

2011-01-01

Abstract A new species of the genus Megalommum Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), reared from the pistachio longhorn beetle (Calchaenesthes pistacivora Holzschuh; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is described and illustrated. The genera Curreia Ashmead, 1900 and Endovipio Turner, 1922 are new synonyms of Megalommum Szépligeti, 1900. Notes on the biology of Megalommum pistacivorae sp. n. and a key to the West Palaearctic and Oriental species are added. The following new combinations are given: Megalommum xanthoceps (Fahringer, 1928), comb. n., Megalommum jacobsoni (Tobias, 1968), comb. n., Megalommum ayyari (Watanabe, 1950), comb. n., Megalommum philippinense (Baker, 1917), comb. n., Megalommum dodecanesi(Ferrière, 1922), comb. n., Megalommum ceresense (Turner, 1922), comb. n., Megalommum inareatum (Granger, 1949), comb. n., Megalommum antefurcale (Szépligeti, 1915) comb. n. and Megalommum tibiale (Ashmead, 1906), comb. n. PMID:21976987

Catalog of Hymenoptera described by Giovanni Gribodo (1846-1924) (Insecta).

PubMed

Penati, Fabio; Mariotti, Alberto

2015-03-10

Giovanni Gribodo (1846-1924) was an Italian civil engineer who described 377 new taxa of Hymenoptera, 199 of which are still valid and in use today, and proposed 6 replacement names. The present catalog provides a brief biography of Gribodo, a bibliography of his 42 publications and a complete list of the taxa proposed by Gribodo. The catalog lists, for all published names, details on the type series, type locality and collector, present status based on literature, all data labels, relevant references and remarks. A gazetteer of type-localities, a systematical list of Genus- and Species-group names, a chronological list of new names proposed by Giovanni Gribodo, with name-bearing types, and a list of Algerian species and varieties are also given. Furthermore, an unpublished manuscript by Gribodo on hymenopterological fauna of Tunisia, still kept at the Civic Museum of Natural History "Giacomo Doria" (Genoa, Italy), is described, and data on the 57 "new" taxa therein listed are reported, discussing their relevance in order to ascertain the original type series of 27 taxa validly published later. Finally, the problem posed by the enigmatic "disappearance" of a large number of Algerian types, already faced by several entomologists in the past, is analyzed, in order to prevent future mistaken designations of lectotypes and neotypes. The following six nomenclatural acts are proposed here by R. Wahis: Hemipepsis sycophanta Gribodo, 1884 = Hemipepsis bellicosa (Smith, 1873) new synonym; Anospilus sulcithorax (Gribodo, 1924) new combination; Auplopus validus (Gribodo, 1884) new combination; Dichragenia quartinae (Gribodo, 1884) new combination; Diplonyx caesar (Gribobo, 1894) new combination; Paracyphononyx melanicrus Gribodo, 1884 status revalidated (resurrected from synonymy with Pompilus ruficrus Klug, 1834). The following four nomenclatural acts are proposed by F. Penati: Parachrysis Gribodo, 1879 [subgenus of Chrysis Linnaeus] = Chrysis Linnaeus, 1760 new synonym

The type specimens of sawflies (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid.

PubMed

Taeger, Andreas; París, Mercedes; Nieves-Aldrey, Jose Luis

2014-04-16

The type specimens of sawflies (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) housed in the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, were examined. Lectotypes are designated and illustrated for the following 32 nominal taxa (preserved in the MNCN collection if not stated otherwise): Tenthredo acutiscutis Konow, 1908; Tenthredo aericeps Konow, 1907; Allantus albipectus Konow, 1907; Athalia bolivari Dusmet, 1896; Tristactus punctatus var. candidatus Konow, 1899; Tenthredo capistrata Konow, 1907; Megalodontes capitalatus Konow 1904 (coll. SDEI); Tenthredo casta Konow, 1908; Clydostomus cestatus Konow, 1908; Miocephala chalybea Konow, 1907 (coll. SDEI); Peus cupreiceps Konow, 1907; Metallopeus cupreolus Malaise, 1945 (coll. NHRS); Allantus dusmeti Konow, 1894 (coll. SDEI); Megalodontes dusmeti Enslin, 1914 (coll. ZSM); Megalodontes escalerai Konow, 1899; Tenthredo flavitarsis Konow, 1908; Sciopteryx galerita Konow, 1907; Tenthredo habenata Konow, 1907; Allantus inguinalis Konow, 1908; Clydostomus merceti Konow, 1908; Megalodontes merceti Konow 1904 (coll. SDEI); Tenthredo mordax Konow, 1908; Megalodontes mundus Konow, 1904; Tenthredo nimbata Konow, 1906; Tenthredo oculissima Konow, 1907; Peus pannulosus Konow, 1907; Tenthredo podagrica Konow, 1907; Arge segmentaria var. rufiventris Konow, 1899; Tenthredo rugiceps Konow, 1908; Tenthredo segrega Konow, 1908; Peus splendidus Konow 1907; Tenthredo suta Konow, 1906. Peus cupreiceps Konow, 1907, is considered to be a valid species. New synonymy is proposed for Tenthredo (Metallopeus) cupreiceps (Konow, 1907), comb. nov., spec. rev. (=Metallopeus cupreolus Malaise, 1945, syn. nov.; =Metallopeus inermis Malaise, 1945, syn. nov.). 

Fortuitous establishment of Ageniaspis citricola (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in Jamaica on the citrus leafminer (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoy, M.A.; Jeyaprakash, A.; Clarke-Harris, D.

These data indicate that the population of A. citricola in Jamaica probably originated from the Australian (Thailand), rather than from the Taiwan, population. This is consistent with what is currently known about the origin of the established Ageniaspis population in Florida (Alvarez 2000). It is not known when, or how, A. citricola arrived in Jamaica, although the CLM was detected there in 1994. The fortuitous establishment of A. citricolaon the CLM in Jamaica is not the only such establishment of a natural enemy discovered during this 2004 survey of citrus. The parasitoid Lipolexis oregmae Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) was found attackingmore » the brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (Hoy et al., unpublished data), and the eulophid parasitoid Tamarixia radiata Waterston was found attacking the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). The fact that 3 natural enemies of 3 invasive citrus pests were found in Jamaica, none of which were purposefully imported and released, suggests that pest-infested citrus trees were imported into Jamaica without going through appropriate quarantine procedures. Because each pest arrived at different times, the parasitoids probably arrived at different times, as well. This indicates that an analysis is needed to identify the critical control points within those services in Jamaica that support border protection, and that procedures may require strengthening. (author)« less

Potential of ozone as a fumigant to control pests in honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives.

PubMed

James, R R

2011-04-01

Ozone is a powerful oxidant capable of killing insects and microorganisms, and eliminating odors, taste, and color. Thus, it could be useful as a fumigant to decontaminate honey comb between uses. The experiments here are intended to determine the exposure levels required to kill an insect pest and spore forming bee pathogens. Ozone was effective against greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), even on naturally infested comb. Neonates and adults were the easiest life stages to kill, requiring only a few hours of exposure, whereas eggs required a 48-h exposure (at 460-920 mg O3/m3). Two honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), pathogens, Ascosphaera apis (a fungus that causes chalkbrood) and Paenibacillus larvae (a bacterium that causes American foulbrood), also were killed with ozone. These pathogens required much higher concentrations (3200 and 8560 mg O3/m3, respectively) and longer exposure periods (3 d) than needed to control the insects. P. larvae was effectively sterilized only when these conditions were combined with high temperature (50 degrees C) and humidity (> or =75% RH). Thus, ozone shows potential as a fumigant for bee nesting materials, but further research is needed to evaluate its acceptability and efficacy in the field. The need for a reliable method to decontaminate honey bee nesting materials as part of an overall bee health management system is discussed.

Evolution of the Insect Desaturase Gene Family with an Emphasis on Social Hymenoptera

PubMed Central

Helmkampf, Martin; Cash, Elizabeth; Gadau, Jürgen

2015-01-01

Desaturase genes are essential for biological processes, including lipid metabolism, cell signaling, and membrane fluidity regulation. Insect desaturases are particularly interesting for their role in chemical communication, and potential contribution to speciation, symbioses, and sociality. Here, we describe the acyl-CoA desaturase gene families of 15 insects, with a focus on social Hymenoptera. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that the insect desaturases represent an ancient gene family characterized by eight subfamilies that differ strongly in their degree of conservation and frequency of gene gain and loss. Analyses of genomic organization showed that five of these subfamilies are represented in a highly microsyntenic region conserved across holometabolous insect taxa, indicating an ancestral expansion during early insect evolution. In three subfamilies, ants exhibit particularly large expansions of genes. Despite these expansions, however, selection analyses showed that desaturase genes in all insect lineages are predominantly undergoing strong purifying selection. Finally, for three expanded subfamilies, we show that ants exhibit variation in gene expression between species, and more importantly, between sexes and castes within species. This suggests functional differentiation of these genes and a role in the regulation of reproductive division of labor in ants. The dynamic pattern of gene gain and loss of acyl-CoA desaturases in ants may reflect changes in response to ecological diversification and an increased demand for chemical signal variability. This may provide an example of how gene family expansions can contribute to lineage-specific adaptations through structural and regulatory changes acting in concert to produce new adaptive phenotypes. PMID:25425561

Comparative flight morphology in queens of invasive and native Patagonian bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Bombus).

PubMed

Polidori, Carlo; Nieves-Aldrey, José Luis

2015-02-01

Since its introduction in Chile, the European Bombus terrestris L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has progressively reduced the abundance of the native Patagonian bumblebee, Bombus dahlbomii Guérin. Because an important cause of successful invasion of a species may depend on a potentially advantageous phenotype, we studied morphologies related to flight performance (flight muscle ratio (FMR), wing loading (WL), excess power index (EPI, which integrates FMR and WL) and wing aspect ratio (AR)) in the queens of the two species. Previous empirical studies showed that greater FMR, AR and EPI, and lower WL increase flight performance. In the Patagonian Chilean fjord where the study was carried out, B. dahlbomii was 40% heavier than B. terrestris, a difference theoretically allowing the queens of the native species to take off with heavier loads, despite the fact that the two species have virtually identical FMRs. However, FMR negatively depended on body mass at the intra-specific level. The total wing area was 35% greater in B. dahlbomii, but the difference in forewing length was only of 16%. Once taken into account the effect of body size, WL, was significantly lower in B. terrestris. AR increased with body mass and did not differ between species. EPI was weakly but significantly higher in B. terrestris. Experiments formally linking such parameters with flight performance may help to explain the observed quick and wide spread of this alien species in Patagonia in the last few years. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Single-locus complementary sex determination in the inbreeding wasp Euodynerus foraminatus Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

PubMed

Stahlhut, J K; Cowan, D P

2004-03-01

The Hymenoptera have arrhenotokous haplodiploidy in which males normally develop from unfertilized eggs and are haploid, while females develop from fertilized eggs and are diploid. Multiple sex determination systems are known to underlie haplodiploidy, and the best understood is single-locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD) in which sex is determined at a single polymorphic locus. Individuals heterozygous at the sex locus develop as females; individuals that are hemizygous (haploid) or homozygous (diploid) at the sex locus develop as males. sl-CSD can be detected with inbreeding experiments that produce diploid males in predictable proportions as well as sex ratio shifts due to diploid male production. This sex determination system is considered incompatible with inbreeding because the ensuing increase in homozygosity increases the production of diploid males that are inviable or infertile, imposing a high cost on matings between close relatives. However, in the solitary hunting wasp Euodynerus foraminatus, a species suspected of having sl-CSD, inbreeding may be common due to a high incidence of sibling matings at natal nests. In laboratory crosses with E. foraminatus, we find that sex ratios and diploid male production (detected as microsatellite heterozygosity) are consistent with sl-CSD, but not with other sex determination systems. This is the first documented example of sl-CSD in a hymenopteran with an apparent natural history of inbreeding, and thus presents a paradox for our understanding of hymenopteran genetics.

Rickettsia Symbionts Cause Parthenogenetic Reproduction in the Parasitoid Wasp Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)▿

PubMed Central

Giorgini, M.; Bernardo, U.; Monti, M. M.; Nappo, A. G.; Gebiola, M.

2010-01-01

Bacteria in the genus Rickettsia are intracellular symbionts of disparate groups of organisms. Some Rickettsia strains infect vertebrate animals and plants, where they cause diseases, but most strains are vertically inherited symbionts of invertebrates. In insects Rickettsia symbionts are known to have diverse effects on hosts ranging from influencing host fitness to manipulating reproduction. Here we provide evidence that a Rickettsia symbiont causes thelytokous parthenogenesis (in which mothers produce only daughters from unfertilized eggs) in a parasitoid wasp, Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Feeding antibiotics to thelytokous female wasps resulted in production of progeny that were almost all males. Cloning and sequencing of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene amplified with universal primers, diagnostic PCR screening of symbiont lineages associated with manipulation of reproduction, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that Rickettsia is always associated with thelytokous P. soemius and that no other bacteria that manipulate reproduction are present. Molecular analyses and FISH showed that Rickettsia is distributed in the reproductive tissues and is transovarially transmitted from mothers to offspring. Comparison of antibiotic-treated females and untreated females showed that infection had no cost. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and gltA gene sequences placed the symbiont of P. soemius in the bellii group and indicated that there have been two separate origins of the parthenogenesis-inducing phenotype in the genus Rickettsia. A possible route for evolution of induction of parthenogenesis in the two distantly related Rickettsia lineages is discussed. PMID:20173065

Aerodynamics of Rotorcraft (L’Aerodynamique des Aeronefs a Voilure Tournante)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

appreciate wether or not the airfoil drag was liable to differ significantly from the 2-D value imposed In the CAMRAD calculation. Rotor blade boundary layer...0079, 1986 24. P.G. Wilby, M.J. Riley, Judith Miller, "Some unsteady effects on helicopter rotors." 7th European Rotorcraft and Powered Lift Forum...1981 W b 9-20 25. H.J. Riley, Judith Miller, "Pressure distributions on a helicopter swept tip from flight tests and from calculations", Paper No 9, 9th

The Distribution and Habitat Affinities of the Invasive Ant Myrmica rubra (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southern New England.

PubMed

Chen, Wen; Adams, Eldridge S

2018-06-06

The Eurasian ant Myrmica rubra (L.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was first discovered in North America in the early 1900s in Massachusetts. Populations have since appeared in at least seven states within the United States and in seven Canadian provinces. We conducted a systematic search for the ant across southern New England-the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island-where M. rubra is spreading from multiple loci. The species occurs in two large regions in Massachusetts, each spanning approximately 75 km, and in several smaller populations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. No populations were discovered anywhere in Connecticut or across large expanses of central Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island, despite the presence of apparently favorable habitat. This pattern of distribution suggests a combination of long-distance dispersal by human transport coupled with slow local spread. Resurveys of sites previously known to support M. rubra showed that populations persist for decades. Within invaded areas, M. rubra was strongly associated with particular habitats. Colonies were most prevalent in freshwater wetlands and in moist forests near wetlands and water; they were uncommon in drier forests and were rare in open habitats outside of wetlands. The slow rate of spread over the last 110 yr suggests that the ants do not easily disperse between patches of suitable habitat.

Natural history of Hymenoptera venom allergy in children not treated with immunotherapy.

PubMed

Lange, Joanna; Cichocka-Jarosz, Ewa; Marczak, Honorata; Krauze, Agnieszka; Tarczoń, Izabela; Świebocka, Ewa; Lis, Grzegorz; Brzyski, Piotr; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

2016-03-01

Differences in treatment approach still exist for children after systemic sting reactions. In addition, there are still some doubts about when systemic reactors should be treated with venom immunotherapy (VIT). To determine the rate of sting recurrence and natural history of Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) in children not treated with VIT. A total of 219 children diagnosed as having HVA who were not treated with VIT were identified in 3 pediatric allergology centers. Survey by telephone or mail with the use of a standardized questionnaire was conducted. The number of field re-stings, subsequent symptoms, and provided treatment were analyzed. A total of 130 of the 219 patients responded to the survey, for a response rate of 59.4%. During the median follow-up period of 72 months (interquartile range, 52-85 months), 44 children (77% boys) were stung 62 times. Normal reactions were most common, occurring in 27 patients (62%). Severe systemic reactions (SSRs) occurred in 8 (18%) of those who were re-stung. The subsequent reaction was significantly milder (P < 0.001), especially in the case of patients re-stung by the same insect (P < .001). None of the children with prediagnostic large local reactions and negative test results for venom specific IgE developed SSRs after re-sting by the culprit insect (P = .03). In children with SSRs, median time from diagnosis to re-sting was 2 times longer than that in those with large local reactions and normal reactions (P = .007). Most children with HVA not treated with VIT reported milder reactions after a re-sting. Probability of SSR to re-sting increases along with the severity of initial reaction. Copyright © 2016 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization and Generation of Male Courtship Song in Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

PubMed Central

Bredlau, Justin P.; Mohajer, Yasha J.; Cameron, Timothy M.; Kester, Karen M.; Fine, Michael L.

2013-01-01

Background Male parasitic wasps attract females with a courtship song produced by rapid wing fanning. Songs have been described for several parasitic wasp species; however, beyond association with wing fanning, the mechanism of sound generation has not been examined. We characterized the male courtship song of Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and investigated the biomechanics of sound production. Methods and Principal Findings Courtship songs were recorded using high-speed videography (2,000 fps) and audio recordings. The song consists of a long duration amplitude-modulated “buzz” followed by a series of pulsatile higher amplitude “boings,” each decaying into a terminal buzz followed by a short inter-boing pause while wings are stationary. Boings have higher amplitude and lower frequency than buzz components. The lower frequency of the boing sound is due to greater wing displacement. The power spectrum is a harmonic series dominated by wing repetition rate ∼220 Hz, but the sound waveform indicates a higher frequency resonance ∼5 kHz. Sound is not generated by the wings contacting each other, the substrate, or the abdomen. The abdomen is elevated during the first several wing cycles of the boing, but its position is unrelated to sound amplitude. Unlike most sounds generated by volume velocity, the boing is generated at the termination of the wing down stroke when displacement is maximal and wing velocity is zero. Calculation indicates a low Reynolds number of ∼1000. Conclusions and Significance Acoustic pressure is proportional to velocity for typical sound sources. Our finding that the boing sound was generated at maximal wing displacement coincident with cessation of wing motion indicates that it is caused by acceleration of the wing tips, consistent with a dipole source. The low Reynolds number requires a high wing flap rate for flight and predisposes wings of small insects for sound production. PMID:23630622

Comparative performance of two mite-resistant stocks of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Alabama beekeeping operations.

PubMed

Ward, Kenneth; Danka, Robert; Ward, Rufina

2008-06-01

The utility of USDA-developed Russian and varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), was compared with that of locally produced, commercial Italian bees during 2004-2006 in beekeeping operations in Alabama, USA. Infestations of varroa mites, Varroa destructor Anderson & Truman (Acari: Varroidae), were measured twice each year, and colonies that reached established economic treatment thresholds (one mite per 100 adult bees in late winter; 5-10 mites per 100 adult bees in late summer) were treated with acaricides. Infestations of tracheal mites, Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), were measured autumn and compared with a treatment threshold of 20% mite prevalence. Honey production was measured in 2005 and 2006 for colonies that retained original test queens. Throughout the three seasons of measurement, resistant stocks required less treatment against parasitic mites than the Italian stock. The total percentages of colonies needing treatment against varroa mites were 12% of VSH, 24% of Russian, and 40% of Italian. The total percentages requiring treatment against tracheal mites were 1% of Russian, 8% of VSH and 12% of Italian. The average honey yield of Russian and VSH colonies was comparable with that of Italian colonies each year. Beekeepers did not report any significant behavioral problems with the resistant stocks. These stocks thus have good potential for use in nonmigratory beekeeping operations in the southeastern United States.

Diurnal flight behavior of Ichneumonoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) related to environmental factors in a tropical dry forest.

PubMed

González-Moreno, A; Bordera, S; Leirana-Alcocer, J; Delfín-González, H

2012-06-01

The biology and behavior of insects are strongly influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation. Because some of these factors present a within day variation, they may be causing variations on insect diurnal flight activity, but scant information exists on the issue. The aim of this work was to describe the patterns on diurnal variation of the abundance of Ichneumonoidea and their relation with relative humidity, temperature, light intensity, and wind speed. The study site was a tropical dry forest at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Mexico; where correlations between environmental factors (relative humidity, temperature, light, and wind speed) and abundance of Ichneumonidae and Braconidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) were estimated. The best regression model for explaining abundance variation was selected using the second order Akaike Information Criterion. The optimum values of temperature, humidity, and light for flight activity of both families were also estimated. Ichneumonid and braconid abundances were significantly correlated to relative humidity, temperature, and light intensity; ichneumonid also showed significant correlations to wind speed. The second order Akaike Information Criterion suggests that in tropical dry conditions, relative humidity is more important that temperature for Ichneumonoidea diurnal activity. Ichneumonid wasps selected toward intermediate values of relative humidity, temperature and the lowest wind speeds; while Braconidae selected for low values of relative humidity. For light intensity, braconids presented a positive selection for moderately high values.

Expression of Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) in commercial VSH honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Danka, Robert G; Harris, Jeffrey W; Villa, José D

2011-06-01

We tested six commercial sources of honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), whose breeding incorporated the trait of Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH). VSH confers resistance to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman by enhancing the ability of the bees to hygienically remove mite-infested brood. VSH production queens (i.e., queens commercially available for use in beekeepers' production colonies) from the six sources were established in colonies which later were measured for VSH. Their responses were compared with those of colonies with three other types of queens, as follows: VSH queens from the selected closed population maintained by USDA-ARS for research and as a source of breeding germplasm, queens from the cooperating commercial distributor of this germplasm, and queens of a commercial, mite-susceptible source. The reduction of mite infestation in brood combs exposed to test colonies for 1 wk differed significantly between groups. On average, colonies with VSH production queens reduced infestation by 44%. This group average was intermediate between the greater removal by pure ARS VSH (76%) and the cooperators' breeding colonies (64%), and the lesser removal by susceptible colonies (7%). VSH production colonies from the different sources had variable expression of hygiene against mites, with average reduced infestations ranging from 22 to 74%. In addition, infertility was high among mites that remained in infested cells in VSH breeder colonies from ARS and the commercial distributor but was lower and more variable in VSH production colonies and susceptible colonies. Commercial VSH production colonies supply mite resistance that generally seems to be useful for beekeeping. Resistance probably could be improved if more VSH drones sources were supplied when VSH production queens are being mated.

Health status of alfalfa leafcutting bee larvae (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in United States alfalfa seed fields.

PubMed

James, R R; Pitts-Singer, T L

2013-12-01

We conducted a broad geographic survey in the northwestern United States to quantify production losses in the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata (F.), Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a solitary pollinator used extensively in alfalfa seed production. Viable larvae were found in only 47.1% of the nest cells collected at the end of the season. Most of the rest of the cells contained pollen balls (typified by a provision but no larva; 16.7%), unknown causes of mortality (15.5%), or larvae killed by chalkbrood (8.0%). Prevalence of pollen balls was correlated positively with bee release rates and negatively with alfalfa stand age. The unknown mortality was correlated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Plant Hardiness Zone, and thus, some of the mortality may be caused by high temperature extremes, although the nesting season degree-days were not correlated with this mortality. Chalkbrood prevalence was correlated with possible nesting-resource or crowding-related factors, such as the number of bees released per hectare and the number of shelters used, but not with nesting board disinfection practices. Vapona is used to control parasitoids when the parent bees are incubated before release, and use of this fumigant was associated with an increase in both chalkbrood and diapausing offspring, although any reason for these correlations are unknown. This survey quantifies the variation in the quality of alfalfa leafcutting bee cocoons produced across much of the U.S. alfalfa seed production area.

Strategies for Establishing a Rearing Technique for the Fruit Fly Parasitoid: Doryctobracon brasiliensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Poncio, S; Nunes, A M; Gonçalves, R D S; Lisboa, H; Manica-Berto, R; Garcia, M S; Nava, D E

2018-05-28

Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the most important pest in South American orchards. When control measures are not adopted, this pest can cause losses of up to 100%. Doryctobracon brasiliensis (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a larval-pupal endoparasitoid that can be used as a native biological control agent against A. fraterculus. This study aimed to develop a rearing technique for D. brasiliensis in larvae of A. fraterculus. Trials were carried out to: 1) determine the optimal instar for parasitism, 2) define the exposure time of larvae to parasitoids, 3) determine the density requirements of A. fraterculus larvae offered to each parasitoid, and 4) evaluate the effect of diet on adults of D. brasiliensis. In all trials, we evaluated the number of offspring, parasitism rate, and sex ratio. Moreover, in the experiment to investigate the effects of diet, we determined the longevity of males and females. In both choice and nonchoice parasitism tests, the parasitoids preferred third-instar larvae of A. fraterculus over second- and first-instar larvae. An exposure time of 12 h of A. fraterculus larvae produced larger numbers of parasitoids and higher parasitism rates. The density of 15 larvae of A. fraterculus to each female of D. brasiliensis produced a larger number of offspring. A supply of honey solution (20 and 50%) to the parasitoids yielded the highest number offspring and resulted in greater longevity. Our findings can be used to support the development of a mass rearing protocol for D. brasiliensis.

A Landscape Analysis to Understand Orientation of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drones in Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Galindo-Cardona, A; Monmany, A C; Diaz, G; Giray, T

2015-08-01

Honey bees [Apis mellifera L. (Apidae, Hymenoptera)] show spatial learning behavior or orientation, in which animals make use of structured home ranges for their daily activities. Worker (female) orientation has been studied more extensively than drone (male) orientation. Given the extensive and large flight range of drones as part of their reproductive biology, the study of drone orientation may provide new insight on landscape features important for orientation. We report the return rate and orientation of drones released at three distances (1, 2, and 4 km) and at the four cardinal points from an apiary located in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. We used high-resolution aerial photographs to describe landscape characteristics at the releasing sites and at the apiary. Analyses of variance were used to test significance among returning times from different distances and directions. A principal components analysis was used to describe the landscape at the releasing sites and generalized linear models were used to identify landscape characteristics that influenced the returning times of drones. Our results showed for the first time that drones are able to return from as far as 4 km from the colony. Distance to drone congregation area, orientation, and tree lines were the most important landscape characteristics influencing drone return rate. We discuss the role of landscape in drone orientation. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Costs of female odour in males of the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruther, Joachim; Steiner, Sven

2008-06-01

The display of female traits by males is widespread in the animal kingdom. In several species, this phenomenon has been shown to function adaptively as a male mating strategy to deceive sexual rivals (female mimicry). Freshly emerged males of the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) are perceived by other males as if they were females because of a very similar composition of cuticular hydrocarbons which function as a sex pheromone in this species inducing courtship behaviour in males. Within 32 h, however, males deactivate the pheromone and are no longer courted by other males. In this paper, behavioural experiments were performed to test hypotheses on potential costs and benefits associated with the female odour in young males. We did not find any benefits, but demonstrated that young males were significantly more often outrivaled in male-male contests when competing with two older males for a female. Also, young males were significantly more often mounted in homosexual courtship events during these contests. Thus, display of female traits by males is not necessarily beneficial, and in fact, can be disadvantageous. We suggest that these costs have favoured the evolution of the pheromone deactivation mechanism in L. distinguendus males. The function of cuticular hydrocarbons as a female courtship pheromone in L. distinguendus might have evolved secondarily from a primary function relevant for both genders, and the deactivation of the signal in males might have caused a shift of specificity of the chemical signal from the species level to the sex level.

Reproductive performance of Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with previously refrigerated pupae of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae).

PubMed

Pereira, F F; Zanuncio, J C; Serrão, J E; Pastori, P L; Ramalho, F S

2009-08-01

The mass rearing of parasitoids represents a fundamental stage for programmes of biological control. The progeny of the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were evaluated on previously refrigerated pupae of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Forty-eight to 72 hours-old pupae of B. mori were stored at 10 degrees C for five, 10, 15 or 20 days and then exposed to parasitism by P. elaeisis females. This parasitoid showed shorter duration of the life cycle when reared on pupae of B. mori which were previously stored at 10 degrees C during 15 days. P. elaeisis parasitized 100% of the pupae of B. mori after storage at 10 degrees C during all periods with emergence of this parasitoid from 78 to 100% of these pupae. P. elaeisis had a higher number of progeny per pupa of B. mori stored for 15 days at 10 degrees C. Pupae of B. mori can be stored for 15 days at 10 degrees C before being used to rear P. elaeisis.

Arms race between selfishness and policing: two-trait quantitative genetic model for caste fate conflict in eusocial Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Dobata, Shigeto

2012-12-01

Policing against selfishness is now regarded as the main force maintaining cooperation, by reducing costly conflict in complex social systems. Although policing has been studied extensively in social insect colonies, its coevolution against selfishness has not been fully captured by previous theories. In this study, I developed a two-trait quantitative genetic model of the conflict between selfish immature females (usually larvae) and policing workers in eusocial Hymenoptera over the immatures' propensity to develop into new queens. This model allows for the analysis of coevolution between genomes expressed in immatures and workers that collectively determine the immatures' queen caste fate. The main prediction of the model is that a higher level of polyandry leads to a smaller fraction of queens produced among new females through caste fate policing. The other main prediction of the present model is that, as a result of arms race, caste fate policing by workers coevolves with exaggerated selfishness of the immatures achieving maximum potential to develop into queens. Moreover, the model can incorporate genetic correlation between traits, which has been largely unexplored in social evolution theory. This study highlights the importance of understanding social traits as influenced by the coevolution of conflicting genomes. © 2012 The Author. Evolution© 2012 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Natural enemies of Atta vollenweideri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) leaf-cutter ants negatively affected by synthetic pesticides, chlorpyrifos and fipronil.

PubMed

Guillade, Andrea C; Folgarait, Patricia J

2014-02-01

In southern South America, Ada vollenweideri Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a significant pest of several crops and forestry, also considered to reduce the carrying capacity of pastures. The most usual control method used in Latin America is the application of synthetic pesticides, mainly chlorpyrifos and fipronil. However, no studies have assessed the effects of these agrochemicals on natural enemies of ants. We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of these pesticides on leaf-cutter ants' control and to test their effect on phorid fly parasitoids. Chlorpyrifos failed to exert complete control over ant colonies in the field and was gravely detrimental to specific parasitoids, reducing their percentage of parasitism, pupal survivorship, and adult longevity. Fipronil, however, exerted complete control over the treated colonies. Laboratory tests using both pesticides, either on ants from foraging trails or on pupariae, showed that chlorpyrifos and fipronil decreased larval and pupal survivorship, as well as adult longevity of parasitoids, in comparison to controls. In conclusion, these pesticides will likely affect parasitoids with regard to their reproductive capacity, leading to the decreased levels of natural parasitism observed in the field after treatments. We discuss why neither pesticide should be taken into account for integrated pest management programs.

Review of the East Palaearctic and North Oriental Psyttalia Walker, with the description of three new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae).

PubMed

Wu, Qiong; van Achterberg, Cornelis; Tan, Jiang-Li; Chen, Xue-Xin

2016-01-01

The East Palaearctic and North Oriental species of the genus Psyttalia Walker (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae) are reviewed. Three new species are described and illustrated: Psyttalia latinervis Wu & van Achterberg, sp. n . and Psyttalia majocellata Wu & van Achterberg, sp. n . from China, and Psyttalia spectabilis van Achterberg, sp. n. from Japan. Coeloreuteus formosanus Watanabe, 1934, Opius (Lissosema) proclivis Papp, 1981, Opius (Psyttalia) subcyclogaster Tobias, 1998, Opius (Psyttalia) darasunicus Tobias, 1998, Opius (Psyttalia) cyclogastroides Tobias, 1998, Psyttalia extensa Weng & Chen, 2001, and Rhogadopsis longicaudifera Li & van Achterberg, 2013, are new synonyms of Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895); Opius (Psyttalia) ophthalmicus Tobias, 1977, and Opius (Psyttalia) brevitemporalis Tobias, 1998, of Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) and both Opius (Psyttalia) vacuus Tobias, 1998, and Opius (Lissosema) longurius Chen & Weng, 1995, of Rhogadopsis mediocarinata (Fischer, 1963). Phaedrotoma daghestanicum (Telenga, 1950), Rhogadopsis mediocarinata (Fischer, 1963) and Rhogadopsis mystica (Fischer, 1963) are new combinations. New records are Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) from The Netherlands and Norway, and Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895) from Japan. A lectotype is designated for Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) and Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895). A key to the East Palaearctic and North Oriental species of the genus Psyttalia Walker is included.

Review of the East Palaearctic and North Oriental Psyttalia Walker, with the description of three new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae)

PubMed Central

Wu, Qiong; van Achterberg, Cornelis; Tan, Jiang-Li; Chen, Xue-Xin

2016-01-01

Abstract The East Palaearctic and North Oriental species of the genus Psyttalia Walker (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae) are reviewed. Three new species are described and illustrated: Psyttalia latinervis Wu & van Achterberg, sp. n. and Psyttalia majocellata Wu & van Achterberg, sp. n. from China, and Psyttalia spectabilis van Achterberg, sp. n. from Japan. Coeloreuteus formosanus Watanabe, 1934, Opius (Lissosema) proclivis Papp, 1981, Opius (Psyttalia) subcyclogaster Tobias, 1998, Opius (Psyttalia) darasunicus Tobias, 1998, Opius (Psyttalia) cyclogastroides Tobias, 1998, Psyttalia extensa Weng & Chen, 2001, and Rhogadopsis longicaudifera Li & van Achterberg, 2013, are new synonyms of Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895); Opius (Psyttalia) ophthalmicus Tobias, 1977, and Opius (Psyttalia) brevitemporalis Tobias, 1998, of Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) and both Opius (Psyttalia) vacuus Tobias, 1998, and Opius (Lissosema) longurius Chen & Weng, 1995, of Rhogadopsis mediocarinata (Fischer, 1963). Phaedrotoma daghestanicum (Telenga, 1950), Rhogadopsis mediocarinata (Fischer, 1963) and Rhogadopsis mystica (Fischer, 1963) are new combinations. New records are Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) from The Netherlands and Norway, and Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895) from Japan. A lectotype is designated for Psyttalia carinata (Thomson, 1895) and Psyttalia cyclogaster (Thomson, 1895). A key to the East Palaearctic and North Oriental species of the genus Psyttalia Walker is included. PMID:27920599

Raalin, a transcript enriched in the honey bee brain, is a remnant of genomic rearrangement in Hymenoptera.

PubMed

Tirosh, Y; Morpurgo, N; Cohen, M; Linial, M; Bloch, G

2012-06-01

We identified a predicted compact cysteine-rich sequence in the honey bee genome that we called 'Raalin'. Raalin transcripts are enriched in the brain of adult honey bee workers and drones, with only minimum expression in other tissues or in pre-adult stages. Open-reading frame (ORF) homologues of Raalin were identified in the transcriptomes of fruit flies, mosquitoes and moths. The Raalin-like gene from Drosophila melanogaster encodes for a short secreted protein that is maximally expressed in the adult brain with negligible expression in other tissues or pre-imaginal stages. Raalin-like sequences have also been found in the recently sequenced genomes of six ant species, but not in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. As in the honey bee, the Raalin-like sequences of ants do not have an ORF. A comparison of the genome region containing Raalin in the genomes of bees, ants and the wasp provides evolutionary support for an extensive genome rearrangement in this sequence. Our analyses identify a new family of ancient cysteine-rich short sequences in insects in which insertions and genome rearrangements may have disrupted this locus in the branch leading to the Hymenoptera. The regulated expression of this transcript suggests that it has a brain-specific function. © 2012 The Authors. Insect Molecular Biology © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.

Long-term seasonal dominance of the wasp Trihapsis polita Townes (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

PubMed Central

Aguiar, Alexandre P; Tedesco, Anazélia M; Fontenelle, Julio C R

2017-01-01

Abstract Background The temporal dynamics of insect populations in tropical environments is highly complex and poorly known. Long-term seasonality studies are scarce, and particularly so for ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae). This study represents an effort to elucidate aspects of seasonality and forest succession in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. New information We report on the seasonal and successional dominance of the ichneumonid wasp Trihapsis polita (Cryptinae). A long-term survey of Cryptinae was carried out in a protected area of Brazilian Atlantic Forest, in primary, tall secondary and low secondary forest areas. Specimens were collected during rainy season (RS) and dry season (DS) between 2000 and 2008, with total sampling effort of 4,095 trap-days. A total of 8,385 specimens of Cryptinae were collected, of which 6,655 (79.4%) belonged to T. polita. The occurrence of T. polita species was heavily concentrated in the RS, with abundance 148× higher than during the DS. Seasonal fluctuation was also detected for Cryptinae as a whole, but was two orders of magnitude lower. Sampling efficiency also varied widely among areas, with the peak of abundance at the tall secondary forest. The dominance of T. polita in secondary vegetation might be of general interest, as this type of forest is currently on the rise, due to unprecedented levels of human pressure. PMID:28325982

Long-term seasonal dominance of the wasp Trihapsis polita Townes (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

PubMed

Santos, Bernardo F; Aguiar, Alexandre P; Tedesco, Anazélia M; Fontenelle, Julio C R

2017-01-01

The temporal dynamics of insect populations in tropical environments is highly complex and poorly known. Long-term seasonality studies are scarce, and particularly so for ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae). This study represents an effort to elucidate aspects of seasonality and forest succession in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We report on the seasonal and successional dominance of the ichneumonid wasp Trihapsis polita (Cryptinae). A long-term survey of Cryptinae was carried out in a protected area of Brazilian Atlantic Forest, in primary, tall secondary and low secondary forest areas. Specimens were collected during rainy season (RS) and dry season (DS) between 2000 and 2008, with total sampling effort of 4,095 trap-days. A total of 8,385 specimens of Cryptinae were collected, of which 6,655 (79.4%) belonged to T. polita . The occurrence of T. polita species was heavily concentrated in the RS, with abundance 148× higher than during the DS. Seasonal fluctuation was also detected for Cryptinae as a whole, but was two orders of magnitude lower. Sampling efficiency also varied widely among areas, with the peak of abundance at the tall secondary forest. The dominance of T. polita in secondary vegetation might be of general interest, as this type of forest is currently on the rise, due to unprecedented levels of human pressure.

Barucynips panamensis, a new genus and species of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) from Panama, and description of one new species of  Coffeikokkos

PubMed Central

Medianero, Enrique; Nieves-Aldrey, José Luis

2013-01-01

Abstract Barucynips panamensis Medianero & Nieves-Aldrey, a new genus and species of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), is described from adults reared from galls on Quercus bumelioides in Panama. The new genus is taxonomically close to the recently described Coffeikokkos from Costa Rica, but differs from it and all of the described genera of Cynipini, by the shape and setation of the projecting part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium and by the sculpture of the propodeum. A new species of Coffeikokkos is also described from the same area, the Volcán Barú in Panama. Diagnostic characters, gall description, distribution, and biological data of the new genus and the two new species are given. The new genus is the first genus of oak gallwasps of the tribe Cynipini described in Panama. PMID:23794822

Poles Apart: Comparing Trends of Alien Hymenoptera in New Zealand with Europe (DAISIE)

PubMed Central

Ward, Darren; Edney-Browne, Emma

2015-01-01

Developing generalisations of invasive species is an important part of invasion biology. However, trends and generalisations from one part of the world may not necessarily hold elsewhere. We present the first inventory and analysis of all Hymenoptera alien to New Zealand, and compare patterns from New Zealand with those previously published from Europe (DAISIE). Between the two regions there was broad correlation between families with the highest number of alien species (Braconidae, Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, Eulophidae, Formicidae, Aphelinidae). However, major differences also existed. The number of species alien to New Zealand is higher than for Europe (334 vs 286), and major differences include: i) the much lower proportion of intentionally released species in New Zealand (21% vs 63% in Europe); and ii) the greater proportion of unintentionally introduced parasitoids in New Zealand (71.2% vs 22.6%). The disharmonic ‘island’ nature of New Zealand is shown, as a high proportion of families (36%) have no native representatives, and alien species also represent >10% of the native fauna for many other families. A much larger proportion of alien species are found in urban areas in New Zealand (60%) compared to Europe (~30%), and higher numbers of alien species were present earlier in New Zealand (especially <1950). Differences in the origins of alien species were also apparent. Unlike Europe, the New Zealand data reveals a change in the origins of alien species over time, with an increasing dominance of alien species from Australasia (a regional neighbour) during the past 25 years. We recommend that further effort be made towards the formation, and analysis, of regional inventories of alien species. This will allow a wider range of taxa and regions to be examined for generalisations, and help assess and prioritise the risk posed by certain taxa towards the economy or environment. PMID:26147445

Trap-Nesting Hymenoptera and Their Network with Parasites in Recovered Riparian Forests Brazil.

PubMed

Araujo, G J; Fagundes, R; Antonini, Y

2018-02-01

Different aspects of human activities can cause environmental change that endanger species persistence, alter species distributions, and lead to changes in antagonistic and mutualistic interactions, whereas deforestation and flooding of riparian forest results in landscapes consisting of patchily distributed riparian forest fragments in a matrix of pastures, plantations, and urban areas. Therefore, we assessed the richness, abundance, and trophic interactions of trap-nesting Hymenoptera and their parasites at four patches of restored riparian forest and at one reference natural fragment, of different sizes and ages, located at the Volta Grande Reservoir, in Minas Gerais and São Paulo states to answer the following questions: (1) Does the richness and abundance of cavity-nesting bees and wasps differ in riparian forest fragments according to the seasonal periods? (2) Does the composition of cavity-nesting bees and wasps vary among restoration and reference sites and between climate seasons (wet and dry)? (3) How do the degrees of specialization of the parasites vary among the patches of forest? We recorded 12 species of wasps, eight of bees, and nine species of parasites. Areas with longer time since restoration (reference site) showed higher species richness. However, the abundance was higher in most recent areas. The composition of bee and wasp assembly has not significantly changed between the climate seasons, although it is different between sampling areas. The richness and abundance were higher in warmer and rainy periods. The rate of bee and wasp mortality was high. The degree of specialization of parasites varies among sampling units, and the network of host-parasite interaction has a modular configuration with generalists and specialists. We concluded that the restored areas with more complex habitat could provide better conditions for the reestablishment of ecological interactions among these insects, the local flora, and other invertebrates, which

Use of novel pollen species by specialist and generalist solitary bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Williams, Neal M

2003-01-01

If trade-offs between flexibility to use a range of host species and efficiency on a limited set underlie the evolution of diet breadth, one resulting prediction is that specialists ought to be more restricted than generalists in their ability to use novel resource species. I used foraging tests and feeding trials to compare the ability of a generalist and a specialist solitary mason bee species to collect and develop on two pollen species that are not normally used in natural populations (novel pollens). Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is a generalist pollen feeder; O. californica, is more specialized. Adults of the specialist were more limited in use of novel hosts, but only in some contexts. Both bee species refused to collect one novel pollen. The specialist accepted a second novel pollen only when it was presented along with its normal pollen, whereas the generalist collected novel pollen whether presented alone or with normal pollen. Surprisingly, larvae of the specialist were more flexible than were generalists. The specialist grew well on mixtures of normal and novel pollen species, in some cases better than on its normal host alone. Larvae of the generalist grew more poorly on all diets containing novel pollens than on their normal host. Data on these two species of bees suggest that specialization by itself need not reduce flexibility on novel hosts. The findings also provide information about mechanisms of specialization in bees. Similar to some folivores, specific cues of the pollen host and the bee's interpretation of these contribute, along with foraging economics, to pollen choice by adults. The ability of the larvae to cope with specific components of one pollen species need not interfere with its ability to use others.

Sublethal Effects of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Thiamethoxam on the Transcriptome of the Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Shi, Teng-Fei; Wang, Yu-Fei; Liu, Fang; Qi, Lei; Yu, Lin-Sheng

2017-12-05

Neonicotinoid insecticides are now the most widely used insecticides in the world. Previous studies have indicated that sublethal doses of neonicotinoids impair learning, memory capacity, foraging, and immunocompetence in honey bees (Apis mellifera, Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Despite these, few studies have been carried out on the molecular effects of neonicotinoids. In this study, we focus on the second-generation neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, which is currently widely used in agriculture to protect crops. Using high-throughput RNA-Seq, we investigated the transcriptome profile of honey bees after subchronic exposure to 10 ppb thiamethoxam over 10 d. In total, 609 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 225 were upregulated and 384 were downregulated. Several genes, including vitellogenin, CSP3, defensin-1, Mrjp1, and Cyp6as5 were selected and further validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. The functions of some DEGs were identified, and Gene Ontology-enrichment analysis showed that the enriched DEGs were mainly linked to metabolism, biosynthesis, and translation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that thiamethoxam affected biological processes including ribosomes, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, tyrosine metabolism pathway, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and drug metabolism. Overall, our results provide a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of the complex interactions between neonicotinoid insecticides and honey bees. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Two new species of Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) egg parasitoids of Agrilus spp. (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) from the USA, including a key and taxonomic notes on other congeneric Nearctic taxa

PubMed Central

Triapitsyn, Serguei V.; Petrice, Toby R.; Gates, Michael W.; Bauer, Leah S.

2015-01-01

Abstract Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) species are egg parasitoids that are important for the biological control of some Buprestidae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Two species, Oobius agrili Zhang & Huang and Oobius longoi (Siscaro), were introduced into North America for classical biocontrol and have successfully established. Two new native North American species that parasitize eggs of Agrilus spp. (Buprestidae) are described and illustrated from the USA: Oobius minusculus Triapitsyn & Petrice, sp. n. (Michigan), an egg parasitoid of both Agrilus subcinctus Gory on ash (Fraxinus spp.) and Agrilus egenus Gory on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) trees, and Oobius whiteorum Triapitsyn, sp. n. (Pennsylvania), an egg parasitoid of Agrilus anxius Gory on European white birch (Betula pendula Roth). A taxonomic key and notes on the Nearctic native and introduced Oobius species are also included. PMID:25931963

Development of virtual bait stations to control Argentine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in environmentally sensitive habitats.

PubMed

Choe, Dong-Hwan; Vetter, Richard S; Rust, Michael K

2010-10-01

A novel bait station referred to as a virtual bait station was developed and tested against field populations of the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), at White Beach, Camp Pendleton, in Oceanside, CA. White Beach is a nesting habitat for an endangered seabird, the California least tern (Sterna antillarum browni Mearns). The beach is heavily infested with Argentine ants, one of the threats for the California least tern chicks. Conventional pest control strategies are prohibited because of the existence of the protected bird species and the site's proximity to the ocean. The bait station consisted of a polyvinyl chloride pipe that was treated on the inside with fipronil insecticide at low concentrations to obtain delayed toxicity against ants. The pipe was provisioned with an inverted bottle of 25% sucrose solution, then capped, and buried in the sand. Foraging ants crossed the treated surface to consume the sucrose solution. The delayed toxicity of fipronil deposits allowed the ants to continue foraging on the sucrose solution and to interact with their nestmates, killing them within 3-5 d after exposure. Further modification of the bait station design minimized the accumulation of dead ants in the sucrose solution, significantly improving the longevity and efficacy of the bait station. The virtual bait station exploits the foraging behavior of the ants and provides a low impact approach to control ants in environmentally sensitive habitats. It excluded all insects except ants, required only milligram quantities of toxicant, and eliminated the problem of formulating toxicants into aqueous sugar baits.

Effects of three-dimensional and color patterns on nest location and progeny mortality in alfalfa leafcutting bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Guédot, Christelle; Bosch, Jordi; James, Rosalind R; Kemp, William P

2006-06-01

ABSTRACT In alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., seed production where high bee densities are released, alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), females may enter several nesting holes before locating their nests. Such levels of "wrong hole" visits lead to an increase in the time spent by females locating their own nests, thereby decreasing alfalfa pollination efficiency and possibly healthy brood production. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of different nesting board configurations in commercial alfalfa leafcutting bee shelters (separating nesting boards, applying a three-dimensional pattern to the boards, applying a color contrast pattern, or applying a combination of three-dimensional and color contrast patterns) on nest location performance, on the incidence of chalkbrood disease, and on the incidence of broodless provisions. Separating the nesting boards inside shelters improved the ability of females to locate their nests. An increase in nest location performance also occurred in boards with the three-dimensional pattern and the combined three-dimensional and color contrast pattern, compared with the uniform board (a standard configuration currently used commercially). The percentage of provisioned cells that were broodless was not statistically different between treatments, but the percentage of larvae infected with chalkbrood decreased by half in the three-dimensional board design, compared with the uniform board.

USBombus, a database of contemporary survey data for North American Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) distributed in the United States.

PubMed

Koch, Jonathan B; Lozier, Jeffrey; Strange, James P; Ikerd, Harold; Griswold, Terry; Cordes, Nils; Solter, Leellen; Stewart, Isaac; Cameron, Sydney A

2015-01-01

Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombus) are pollinators of wild and economically important flowering plants. However, at least four bumble bee species have declined significantly in population abundance and geographic range relative to historic estimates, and one species is possibly extinct. While a wealth of historic data is now available for many of the North American species found to be in decline in online databases, systematic survey data of stable species is still not publically available. The availability of contemporary survey data is critically important for the future monitoring of wild bumble bee populations. Without such data, the ability to ascertain the conservation status of bumble bees in the United States will remain challenging. This paper describes USBombus, a large database that represents the outcomes of one of the largest standardized surveys of bumble bee pollinators (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) globally. The motivation to collect live bumble bees across the United States was to examine the decline and conservation status of Bombus affinis, B. occidentalis, B. pensylvanicus, and B. terricola. Prior to our national survey of bumble bees in the United States from 2007 to 2010, there have only been regional accounts of bumble bee abundance and richness. In addition to surveying declining bumble bees, we also collected and documented a diversity of co-occuring bumble bees. However we have not yet completely reported their distribution and diversity onto a public online platform. Now, for the first time, we report the geographic distribution of bumble bees reported to be in decline (Cameron et al. 2011), as well as bumble bees that appeared to be stable on a large geographic scale in the United States (not in decline). In this database we report a total of 17,930 adult occurrence records across 397 locations and 39 species of Bombus detected in our national survey. We summarize their abundance and distribution across the United States and

Insecticidal activity of Piper essential oils from the Amazon against the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

PubMed

Souto, R N P; Harada, A Y; Andrade, E H A; Maia, J G S

2012-12-01

Pepper plants in the genus Piper (Piperales: Piperaceae) are common in the Brazilian Amazon and many produce compounds with biological activity against insect pests. We evaluated the insecticidal effect of essential oils from Piper aduncum, Piper marginatum (chemotypes A and B), Piper divaricatum and Piper callosum against workers of the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), as well as their chemical composition by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The lowest median lethal concentration (LC50) in 48 h was obtained with the oil of P. aduncum (58.4 mg/L), followed by the oils of P. marginatum types A (122.4 mg/L) and B (167.0 mg/L), P. divaricatum (301.7 mg/L), and P. callosum (312.6 mg/L). The major chemical constituents were dillapiole (64.4%) in the oil of P. aduncum; p-mentha-1(7),8-diene (39.0%), 3,4-methylenedioxypropiophenone (19.0%), and (E)-β-ocimene (9.8%) in P. marginatum chemotype A and (E)-isoosmorhizole (32.2%), (E)-anethole (26.4%), isoosmorhizole (11.2%), and (Z)-anethole (6.0%) in P. marginatum chemotype B; methyleugenol (69.2%) and eugenol (16.2%) in P. divaricatum; and safrole (69.2%), methyleugenol (8.6%), and β-pinene (6.2%) in P. callosum. These chemical constituents have been previously known to possess insecticidal properties.

Revision of the European species of Omphale Haliday (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae)

PubMed Central

Hansson, Christer; Shevtsova, Ekaterina

2012-01-01

Abstract The European species of Omphale Haliday (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are revised. The revision includes 37 species, of which eleven are newly described and the remaining 26 species are redescribed. The species are classified into six species groups, with six unplaced species. All species are fully diagnosed and thoroughly illustrated. Identification keys are provided for females and males. Two new morphological features to aid classification and identification are introduced: male genitalia and wing interference patterns (WIPs). The former has been used successfully in the classification of New World Omphale and the latter is used for the first time in a taxonomic revision. Male genitalia in Omphale have considerable interspecific variation, an unusual trait among chalcidoid Hymenoptera, and are demonstrated to be useful for classification of species and species-groups, and they also possess the only autapomorphy for Omphale. WIPs are useful to help separate some species, but cannot be used to define either the genus or species groups. Distributional data are compiled for each species and suggest a pan-european distribution for most species. Gall-midges are the known hosts for 14 species, and the absence of host overlap between species suggests that host specialization is a driving force for speciation. Several Omphale species are known only from females, or have a strong female biased sex ratio, suggesting thelytokous development. Apart from the 37 species included in this revision, the status for nine additional species (names) in species group aetius remain unsolved. For nomenclatorial stability, a neotype is designated for Eulophus lugens Nees (= Omphale lugens (Nees)). Elachestus obscurus Förster and Derostenus sulciscuta Thomson are transferred from Holcopelte to Omphale comb. n. Derostenus radialis Thomson and Achrysocharella americana Girault are synonymized with Omphale theana (Walker), and Omphale teresis Askew is synonymized with Omphale phruron

Neurobehavioral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure: an international perspective.

PubMed

Riley, Edward P; Mattson, Sarah N; Li, Ting-Kai; Jacobson, Sandra W; Coles, Claire D; Kodituwakku, P W; Adnams, Colleen M; Korkman, Marit I

2003-02-01

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the 2002 Research Society on Alcoholism/International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism meeting in San Francisco, CA. The organizers were Edward P. Riley and Sarah N. Mattson, and the chairperson was Edward P. Riley. The presentations were (1) Neurobehavioral deficits in alcohol-exposed South African infants: preliminary findings, by Sandra W. Jacobson, Christopher D. Molteno, Denis Viljoen, and Joseph L. Jacobson; (2) A pilot study of classroom intervention for learners with fetal alcohol syndrome in South Africa, by Colleen Adnams, M. W. Rossouw, M. D. Perold, P. W. Kodituwakku, and W. Kalberg; (3) Differential effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on fluid versus crystallized intelligence, by P. W. Kodituwakku, W. Kalberg, L. Robinson, and P. A. May; (4) Neurobehavioral outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure: early identification of alcohol effects, by Claire D. Coles; (5) Fetal alcohol syndrome in Moscow, Russia: neuropsychology test performance, by Sarah N. Mattson, E. P. Riley, A. Matveeva, and G. Marintcheva; and (6) Long-term follow-up of Finnish children exposed to alcohol in utero in various durations, by Marit I. Korkman and I. Autti-Rämö. The discussant was Ting-Kai Li.

Phenotypic Variation in Fitness Traits of a Managed Solitary Bee, Osmia ribifloris (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Sampson, B J; Rinehart, T A; Kirker, G T; Stringer, S J; Werle, C T

2015-12-01

We investigated fitness in natural populations of a managed solitary bee Osmia ribifloris Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from sites separated from 400 to 2,700 km. Parental wild bees originated in central Texas (TX), central-northern Utah (UT), and central California (CA). They were then intercrossed and raised inside a mesh enclosure in southern Mississippi (MS). Females from all possible mated pairs of O. ribifloris produced F1 broods with 30-40% female cocoons and outcrossed progeny were 30% heavier. Mitochondrial (COI) genomes of the four populations revealed three distinct clades, a TX-CA clade, a UT clade, and an MS clade, the latter (MS) representing captive progeny of CA and UT bees. Although classified as separate subspecies, TX and CA populations from 30° N to 38° N latitude shared 98% similarity in COI genomes and the greatest brood biomass per nest straw (600- to 700-mg brood). Thus, TX and CA bees show greater adaptation for southern U.S. sites. In contrast, UT-sourced bees were more distantly related to TX and CA bees and also produced ∼50% fewer brood. These results, taken together, confirm that adult O. ribifloris from all trap-nest sites are genetically compatible, but some phenotypic variation exists that could affect this species performance as a commercial blueberry pollinator. Males, their sperm, or perhaps a substance in their sperm helped stabilize our captive bee population by promoting legitimate nesting over nest usurpation. Otherwise, without insemination, 50% fewer females nested (they nested 14 d late) and 20% usurped nests, killing 33-67% of brood in affected nests. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Application of recombinant antigen 5 allergens from seven allergy-relevant Hymenoptera species in diagnostics.

PubMed

Schiener, M; Eberlein, B; Moreno-Aguilar, C; Pietsch, G; Serrano, P; McIntyre, M; Schwarze, L; Russkamp, D; Biedermann, T; Spillner, E; Darsow, U; Ollert, M; Schmidt-Weber, C B; Blank, S

2017-01-01

Hymenoptera stings can cause severe anaphylaxis in untreated venom-allergic patients. A correct diagnosis regarding the relevant species for immunotherapy is often hampered by clinically irrelevant cross-reactivity. In vespid venom allergy, cross-reactivity between venoms of different species can be a diagnostic challenge. To address immunological IgE cross-reactivity on molecular level, seven recombinant antigens 5 of the most important Vespoidea groups were assessed by different diagnostic setups. The antigens 5 of yellow jackets, hornets, European and American paper wasps, fire ants, white-faced hornets, and Polybia wasps were recombinantly produced in insect cells, immunologically and structurally characterized, and their sIgE reactivity assessed by ImmunoCAP, ELISA, cross-inhibition, and basophil activation test (BAT) in patients with yellow jacket or Polistes venom allergy of two European geographical areas. All recombinant allergens were correctly folded and structural models and patient reactivity profiles suggested the presence of conserved and unique B-cell epitopes. All antigens 5 showed extensive cross-reactivity in sIgE analyses, inhibition assays, and BAT. This cross-reactivity was more pronounced in ImmunoCAP measurements with venom extracts than in sIgE analyses with recombinant antigens 5. Dose-response curves with the allergens in BAT allowed a differentiated individual dissection of relevant sensitization. Due to extensive cross-reactivity in various diagnostic settings, antigens 5 are inappropriate markers for differential sIgE diagnostics in vespid venom allergy. However, the newly available antigens 5 from further vespid species and the combination of recombinant allergen-based sIgE measurements with BAT represents a practicable way to diagnose clinically relevant sensitization in vespid venom allergy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evolution of Metapostnotum in Flat Wasps (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae): Implications for Homology Assessments in Chrysidoidea.

PubMed

Kawada, Ricardo; Lanes, Geane O; Azevedo, Celso O

2015-01-01

Some authors in the past based their conclusions about the limits of the metapostnotum of Chrysidoidea based on the position of the mesophragmo-metaphragmal muscle, rather than aspects of the skeleton and musculature associated with the metapectal-propodeal complex. The latter character system suggests another interpretation of the metapostnotum delimitation. Given this scenario, the main goal of this work is to present a new perspective on the metapostnotum in Chrysidoidea, especially Bethylidae, helping to resolve questions related to the evolution of the metapostnotum. This is based on homologies established by associating of insertion points of ph2-ph3 and ph3-T2 muscles with the delimitation of the respective sclerite the muscles insert into. Our results indicate that, according the position of the metaphragmal muscles, the metapostnotum in Bethylidae is medially expanded in the propodeal disc and has different forms of configuration. Internally, the limits of the metapostnotum can be tracked by the shape of the mesopostnotum, and vice versa. Thus, the anteromedian area of the propodeal disc sensu Evans was reinterpreted in the current study as the metapostnotum. In conjunction with associated structures, we provide evidence to clarify the relationships between the families within Chrysidoidea, although certain families like Embolemidae, Dryinidae and Chrysididae exhibit extreme modifications of the condition found in Aculeata, as observed in Bethylidae. We review the terminology used to describe anatomical features on the metapectal-propodeal complex in Bethylidae in general, and provide a list of recommended terms in accordance with the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied subfamilies are illustrated. Studies that focus on a single structure, across a larger number of taxa, are more insightful and present specific questions that can contribute to broader issues, thus providing a better understanding of the morphology and

Phylogeography of the Wheat Stem Sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae): Implications for Pest Management.

PubMed

Lesieur, Vincent; Martin, Jean-François; Weaver, David K; Hoelmer, Kim A; Smith, David R; Morrill, Wendell L; Kadiri, Nassera; Peairs, Frank B; Cockrell, Darren M; Randolph, Terri L; Waters, Debra K; Bon, Marie-Claude

2016-01-01

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is a key pest of wheat in the northern Great Plains of North America, and damage resulting from this species has recently expanded southward. Current pest management practices are inadequate and uncertainty regarding geographic origin, as well as limited data on population structure and dynamics across North America impede progress towards more informed management. We examined the genetic divergence between samples collected in North America and northeastern Asia, the assumed native range of C. cinctus using two mitochondrial regions (COI and 16S). Subsequently, we characterized the structure of genetic diversity in the main wheat producing areas in North America using a combination of mtDNA marker and microsatellites in samples collected both in wheat fields and in grasses in wildlands. The strong genetic divergence observed between North American samples and Asian congeners, in particular the synonimized C. hyalinatus, did not support the hypothesis of a recent American colonization by C. cinctus. Furthermore, the relatively high genetic diversity both with mtDNA and microsatellite markers offered additional evidence in favor of the native American origin of this pest. The genetic diversity of North American populations is structured into three genetic clusters and these are highly correlated with geography. Regarding the recent southern outbreaks in North America, the results tend to exclude the hypothesis of recent movement of damaging wheat stem sawfly populations from the northern area. The shift in host plant use by local populations appears to be the most likely scenario. Finally, the significance of these findings is discussed in the context of pest management.

Phylogeography of the Wheat Stem Sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae): Implications for Pest Management

PubMed Central

Lesieur, Vincent; Martin, Jean-François; Weaver, David K.; Hoelmer, Kim A.; Smith, David R.; Morrill, Wendell L.; Kadiri, Nassera; Peairs, Frank B.; Cockrell, Darren M.; Randolph, Terri L.; Waters, Debra K.; Bon, Marie-Claude

2016-01-01

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is a key pest of wheat in the northern Great Plains of North America, and damage resulting from this species has recently expanded southward. Current pest management practices are inadequate and uncertainty regarding geographic origin, as well as limited data on population structure and dynamics across North America impede progress towards more informed management. We examined the genetic divergence between samples collected in North America and northeastern Asia, the assumed native range of C. cinctus using two mitochondrial regions (COI and 16S). Subsequently, we characterized the structure of genetic diversity in the main wheat producing areas in North America using a combination of mtDNA marker and microsatellites in samples collected both in wheat fields and in grasses in wildlands. The strong genetic divergence observed between North American samples and Asian congeners, in particular the synonimized C. hyalinatus, did not support the hypothesis of a recent American colonization by C. cinctus. Furthermore, the relatively high genetic diversity both with mtDNA and microsatellite markers offered additional evidence in favor of the native American origin of this pest. The genetic diversity of North American populations is structured into three genetic clusters and these are highly correlated with geography. Regarding the recent southern outbreaks in North America, the results tend to exclude the hypothesis of recent movement of damaging wheat stem sawfly populations from the northern area. The shift in host plant use by local populations appears to be the most likely scenario. Finally, the significance of these findings is discussed in the context of pest management. PMID:27959958

The Similarity and Appropriate Usage of Three Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Datasets for Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

Highland, Steven; James, R R

2016-04-01

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L., Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have experienced profound fluctuations, especially declines, in the past few decades. Long-term datasets on honey bees are needed to identify the most important environmental and cultural factors associated with these changes. While a few such datasets exist, scientists have been hesitant to use some of these due to perceived shortcomings in the data. We compared data and trends for three datasets. Two come from the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board: one is the annual survey of honey-producing colonies from the Annual Bee and Honey program (ABH), and the other is colony counts from the Census of Agriculture conducted every five years. The third dataset we developed from the number of colonies registered annually by some states. We compared the long-term patterns of change in colony numbers among the datasets on a state-by-state basis. The three datasets often showed similar hive numbers and trends varied by state, with differences between datasets being greatest for those states receiving a large number of migratory colonies. Dataset comparisons provide a method to estimate the number of colonies in a state used for pollination versus honey production. Some states also had separate data for local and migratory colonies, allowing one to determine whether the migratory colonies were typically used for pollination or honey production. The Census of Agriculture should provide the most accurate long-term data on colony numbers, but only every five years. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Factors affecting the flight capacity of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a classical biological control agent of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).

PubMed

Fahrner, Samuel J; Lelito, Jonathan P; Blaedow, Karen; Heimpel, George E; Aukema, Brian H

2014-12-01

The dispersal characteristics of a biological control agent can have direct implications on the ability of that agent to control populations of a target host. Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a parasitic wasp native to eastern Asia that has been introduced into the United States as part of a classical biological control program against the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). We used computer-monitored flight mills to investigate the role of age, feeding status, mating status, and size on the flight capacity of female T. planipennisi over a 24-h period. We also compared flight capacity between sexes. Flight distance of female T. planipennisi representative of populations released in the biological control program averaged 1.26 km in 24 h with a maximum flight of just over 7 km. Median flight distance, however, was 422 m. The flight capacity of females fed a honey-water solution was 41× that of females provided only water, who flew very little. Larger females were capable of flying farther distances, but age did not affect the flight capacity of females up to 70 d posteclosion. Females dispersed 6× farther than did their smaller, male counterparts. The implications of our findings to host-parasitoid interactions and release protocols for distributing T. planipennisi are discussed.

Incomplete Homogenization of Chemical Recognition Labels Between Formica sanguinea and Formica rufa Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Living in a Mixed Colony

PubMed Central

Włodarczyk, Tomasz; Szczepaniak, Lech

2014-01-01

Abstract Formica sanguinea Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a slave-making species, i.e., it raids colonies of host species and pillages pupae, which are taken to develop into adult workers in a parasite colony. However, it has been unclear if the coexistence of F. sanguinea with slave workers requires uniformity of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), among which those other than n -alkanes are believed to be the principal nestmate recognition cues utilized by ants. In this study, a mixed colony (MC) of F. sanguinea and Formica rufa L. as a slave species was used to test the hypothesis that CHCs are exchanged between the species. Chemical analysis of hexane extracts from ants’ body surfaces provided evidence for interspecific exchange of alkenes and methyl-branched alkanes. This result was confirmed by behavioral tests during which ants exhibited hostility toward conspecific individuals from the MC but not toward ones from homospecific colonies of their own species. However, it seems that species-specific differences in chemical recognition labels were not eliminated completely because ants from the MC were treated differently depending on whether they were con- or allospecific to the individuals whose behavioral reactions were tested. These findings are discussed in the context of mechanisms of colony's odor formation and effective integration of slaves into parasite colony. PMID:25502026

Performance of the species-typical alarm response in young workers of the ant Myrmica sabuleti (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is induced by interactions with mature workers.

PubMed

Cammaerts, Marie-Claire

2014-01-01

Young workers of the ant Myrmica sabuleti (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Meinert 1861 perceived nestmate alarm pheromone but did not display normal alarm behavior (orientation toward the source of emission, increased running speed). They changed their initial behavior when in the presence of older nestmates exhibiting normal alarm behavior. Four days later, the young ants exhibited an imperfect version of normal alarm behavior. This change of behavior did not occur in young ants, which were not exposed to older ants reacting to alarm pheromone. Queen ants perceived the alarm pheromone and, after a few seconds, moved toward its source. Thus, the ants' ability to sense the alarm pheromone and to identify it as an alarm signal is native, while the adult alarm reaction is acquired over time (= age based polyethism) by young ants. It is possible that the change in behavior observed in young ants could be initiated and/or enhanced (via experience-induced developmental plasticity, learning, and/or other mechanisms) by older ants exhibiting alarm behavior. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Performance of the Species-Typical Alarm Response in Young Workers of the Ant Myrmica sabuleti (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Is Induced by Interactions with Mature Workers

PubMed Central

Cammaerts, Marie-Claire

2014-01-01

Abstract Young workers of the ant Myrmica sabuleti (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Meinert 1861 perceived nestmate alarm pheromone but did not display normal alarm behavior (orientation toward the source of emission, increased running speed). They changed their initial behavior when in the presence of older nestmates exhibiting normal alarm behavior. Four days later, the young ants exhibited an imperfect version of normal alarm behavior. This change of behavior did not occur in young ants, which were not exposed to older ants reacting to alarm pheromone. Queen ants perceived the alarm pheromone and, after a few seconds, moved toward its source. Thus, the ants’ ability to sense the alarm pheromone and to identify it as an alarm signal is native, while the adult alarm reaction is acquired over time (= age based polyethism) by young ants. It is possible that the change in behavior observed in young ants could be initiated and/or enhanced (via experience-induced developmental plasticity, learning, and/or other mechanisms) by older ants exhibiting alarm behavior. PMID:25525102

Monitoring the establishment and flight phenology of parasitoids of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Michigan by using sentinel eggs and larvae

Treesearch

Kristopher J. Abell; Leah S. Bauer; Deborah L. Miller; Jian J. Duan; Roy G. Van Driesche

2016-01-01

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an important invasive pest of ash (Fraxinus) trees in North America. Two larval parasitoid species, Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera:...

The influence of Lasius neoniger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on population growth and biomass of Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in soybeans.

PubMed

Schwartzberg, Ezra G; Johnson, D W; Brown, G C

2010-12-01

In the United States, the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are often tended by the aphid-tending ant, Lasius neoniger Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In this study, we examined the effects of tending by ants on the density and biomass of soybean aphids on soybeans in Kentucky. We performed cage studies that limited access by ants and/or natural enemies. We used a split-plot design with natural enemy access as the main plot and ant attendance as the sub plot. We found that natural enemy access negatively affected aphid population density in the presence of tending ants, seen as a three- to four-fold increase in aphid density when natural enemies were excluded. In addition, we found that ant tending positively affected aphid biomass, both when natural enemies were given access to aphids or when natural enemies were excluded, seen by a two-fold increase in aphid biomass when ants tended aphids, both in the presence or absence of natural enemies. Biomass accumulation is seen as an important measurement for assessing aphid performance, and we argue that aphid-tending by ants can have an influence on natural field populations of soybean aphids. Agronomic practices that affect ant abundance in soybeans may influence the performance and hence pest outbreaks for this economically important pest. © 2010 Entomological Society of America

Brewer’s Yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enhances Attraction of Two Invasive Yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) to Dried Fruit and Fruit Powder

PubMed Central

Gries, Regine; Borden, John; Palmero, Luis; Mattiacci, Analía; Masciocchi, Maité; Corley, Juan; Gries, Gerhard

2017-01-01

Abstract The German yellowjacket, Vespula germanica F., and common yellowjacket, Vespula vulgaris L. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), are pests of significant economic, environmental, and medical importance in many countries. There is a need for the development and improvement of attractive baits that can be deployed in traps to capture and kill these wasps in areas where they are a problem. Yellowjackets are known to feed on fermenting fruit, but this resource is seldom considered as a bait due to its ephemeral nature and its potential attractiveness to nontarget species. We analyzed the headspace volatiles of dried fruit and fruit powder baits with and without Brewer’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and we field tested these baits for their attractiveness to yellowjackets in Argentina. The addition of yeast to dried fruit and fruit powder changed the volatile compositions, increasing the number of alcohols and acids and decreasing the number of aldehydes. Dried fruit and fruit powder baits on their own were hardly attractive to yellowjackets, but the addition of yeast improved their attractiveness by 9- to 50-fold and surpassed the attractiveness of a commercial heptyl butyrate-based wasp lure. We suggest that further research be done to test additional varieties and species of yeasts. A dried fruit or fruit powder bait in combination with yeast could become a useful tool in the management of yellowjackets. PMID:28922898

Landscape Context Affects Aphid Parasitism by Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) in Wheat Fields.

PubMed

Elliott, Norman C; Brewer, Michael J; Giles, Kristopher L

2018-04-12

Winter wheat is Oklahoma's most widely grown crop, and is planted during September and October, grows from fall through spring, and is harvested in June. Winter wheat fields are typically interspersed in a mosaic of habitats in other uses, and we hypothesized that the spatial and temporal composition and configuration of landscape elements, which contribute to agroecosystem diversity also influence biological control of common aphid pests. The parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson; Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) is highly effective at reducing aphid populations in wheat in Oklahoma, and though a great deal is known about the biology and ecology of L. testaceipes, there are gaps in knowledge that limit predicting when and where it will be effective at controlling aphid infestations in wheat. Our objective was to determine the influence of landscape structure on parasitism of cereal aphids by L. testaceipes in wheat fields early in the growing season when aphid and parasitoid colonization occurs and later in the growing season when aphid and parasitoid populations are established in wheat fields. Seventy fields were studied during the three growing seasons. Significant correlations between parasitism by L. testaceipes and landscape variables existed for patch density, fractal dimension, Shannon's patch diversity index, percent wheat, percent summer crops, and percent wooded land. Correlations between parasitism and landscape variables were generally greatest at a 3.2 km radius surrounding the wheat field. Correlations between parasitism and landscape variables that would be expected to increase with increasing landscape diversity were usually positive. Subsequent regression models for L. testaceipes parasitism in wheat fields in autumn and spring showed that landscape variables influenced parasitism and indicated that parasitism increased with increasing landscape diversity. Overall, results indicate that L. testaceipes utilizes multiple habitats throughout the year

Gaze stability of observers watching Op Art pictures.

PubMed

Zanker, Johannes M; Doyle, Melanie; Robin, Walker

2003-01-01

It has been the matter of some debate why we can experience vivid dynamic illusions when looking at static pictures composed from simple black and white patterns. The impression of illusory motion is particularly strong when viewing some of the works of 'Op Artists, such as Bridget Riley's painting Fall. Explanations of the illusory motion have ranged from retinal to cortical mechanisms, and an important role has been attributed to eye movements. To assess the possible contribution of eye movements to the illusory-motion percept we studied the strength of the illusion under different viewing conditions, and analysed the gaze stability of observers viewing the Riley painting and control patterns that do not produce the illusion. Whereas the illusion was reduced, but not abolished, when watching the painting through a pinhole, which reduces the effects of accommodation, it was not perceived in flash afterimages, suggesting an important role for eye movements in generating the illusion for this image. Recordings of eye movements revealed an abundance of small involuntary saccades when looking at the Riley pattern, despite the fact that gaze was kept within the dedicated fixation region. The frequency and particular characteristics of these rapid eye movements can vary considerably between different observers, but, although there was a tendency for gaze stability to deteriorate while viewing a Riley painting, there was no significant difference in saccade frequency between the stimulus and control patterns. Theoretical considerations indicate that such small image displacements can generate patterns of motion signals in a motion-detector network, which may serve as a simple and sufficient, but not necessarily exclusive, explanation for the illusion. Why such image displacements lead to perceptual results with a group of Op Art and similar patterns, but remain invisible for other stimuli, is discussed.

Systemic and local reactions of bee venom immunotherapy in Iran.

PubMed

Bemanian, Mohammad Hassan; Farhoudi, Abolhassan; Pourpak, Zahra; Gharagozlou, Mohammad; Movahedi, Masoud; Nabavi, Mohammad; Mozafari, Habibeh; Mohammadzadeh, Iraj; Chavoshzadeh, Zahra; Shirkhoda, Zahra

2007-12-01

Severe allergic reactions during specific immunotherapy may occur in the treatment of hymenoptera sting allergy. The objective of the present study was to examine the characteristics of allergic reactions during specific immunotherapy in patients with allergy towards hymenoptera venom in the Iranian population. A prospective study was performed using the clinical reports of 27 patients with anaphylaxis to bee venom (Apis melifera, Geupes vespula and Geupes Polites). Ten patients treated with Cluster protocol during 2002 and 2006 After diagnosis of hymenoptera sting allergy according to history and intradermal tests, the patient were treated with Cluster protocol immunotherapy. The protocol lasted 6 weeks with an increase in the concentration of venom from 0.01 microg/ml to 100 microg/ml. None of the patient received premedication. All patients with hymenoptera venom allergy received 120 injections. Anaphylactic reactions were classified according to the Mueller-classification. The frequencies of systemic reactions during Cluster protocol were 8.33% and 5% for yellow jacket and honey bee venom respectively. No patient experienced severe systemic reaction. Cluster protocol for hymenoptera immunotherapy is a reliable method for the treatment of anaphylactic reactions to bee venom. It is safe with low cost and do not need hospitalization.

Flight capacities of yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax, Hymenoptera: Vespidae) workers from an invasive population in Europe.

PubMed

Sauvard, Daniel; Imbault, Vanessa; Darrouzet, Éric

2018-01-01

The invasive yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is native to Southeast Asia. It was first detected in France (in the southwest) in 2005. It has since expanded throughout Europe and has caused significant harm to honeybee populations. We must better characterize the hornet's flight capacity to understand the species' success and develop improved control strategies. Here, we carried out a study in which we quantified the flight capacities of V. velutina workers using computerized flight mills. We observed that workers were able to spend around 40% of the daily 7-hour flight tests flying. On average, they flew 10km to 30km during each flight test, although there was a large amount of variation. Workers sampled in early summer had lower flight capacities than workers sampled later in the season. Flight capacity decreased as workers aged. However, in the field, workers probably often die before this decrease becomes significant. During each flight test, workers performed several continuous flight phases of variable length that were separated by rest phases. Based on the length of those continuous flight phases and certain key assumptions, we estimated that V. velutina colony foraging radius is at least 700 m (half that in early summer); however, some workers are able to forage much farther. While these laboratory findings remain to be confirmed by field studies, our results can nonetheless help inform V. velutina biology and control efforts.

Flight capacities of yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax, Hymenoptera: Vespidae) workers from an invasive population in Europe

PubMed Central

Imbault, Vanessa; Darrouzet, Éric

2018-01-01

The invasive yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is native to Southeast Asia. It was first detected in France (in the southwest) in 2005. It has since expanded throughout Europe and has caused significant harm to honeybee populations. We must better characterize the hornet’s flight capacity to understand the species’ success and develop improved control strategies. Here, we carried out a study in which we quantified the flight capacities of V. velutina workers using computerized flight mills. We observed that workers were able to spend around 40% of the daily 7-hour flight tests flying. On average, they flew 10km to 30km during each flight test, although there was a large amount of variation. Workers sampled in early summer had lower flight capacities than workers sampled later in the season. Flight capacity decreased as workers aged. However, in the field, workers probably often die before this decrease becomes significant. During each flight test, workers performed several continuous flight phases of variable length that were separated by rest phases. Based on the length of those continuous flight phases and certain key assumptions, we estimated that V. velutina colony foraging radius is at least 700 m (half that in early summer); however, some workers are able to forage much farther. While these laboratory findings remain to be confirmed by field studies, our results can nonetheless help inform V. velutina biology and control efforts. PMID:29883467

Brewer's Yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enhances Attraction of Two Invasive Yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) to Dried Fruit and Fruit Powder.

PubMed

Babcock, Tamara; Gries, Regine; Borden, John; Palmero, Luis; Mattiacci, Analía; Masciocchi, Maité; Corley, Juan; Gries, Gerhard

2017-09-01

The German yellowjacket, Vespula germanica F., and common yellowjacket, Vespula vulgaris L. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), are pests of significant economic, environmental, and medical importance in many countries. There is a need for the development and improvement of attractive baits that can be deployed in traps to capture and kill these wasps in areas where they are a problem. Yellowjackets are known to feed on fermenting fruit, but this resource is seldom considered as a bait due to its ephemeral nature and its potential attractiveness to nontarget species. We analyzed the headspace volatiles of dried fruit and fruit powder baits with and without Brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and we field tested these baits for their attractiveness to yellowjackets in Argentina. The addition of yeast to dried fruit and fruit powder changed the volatile compositions, increasing the number of alcohols and acids and decreasing the number of aldehydes. Dried fruit and fruit powder baits on their own were hardly attractive to yellowjackets, but the addition of yeast improved their attractiveness by 9- to 50-fold and surpassed the attractiveness of a commercial heptyl butyrate-based wasp lure. We suggest that further research be done to test additional varieties and species of yeasts. A dried fruit or fruit powder bait in combination with yeast could become a useful tool in the management of yellowjackets. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Evaluation of the shaking technique for the economic management of American foulbrood disease of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Pernal, Stephen F; Albright, Robert L; Melathopoulos, Andony P

2008-08-01

Shaking is a nonantibiotic management technique for the bacterial disease American foulbrood (AFB) (Paenibacillus larvae sensu Genersch et al.), in which infected nesting comb is destroyed and the adult honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), are transferred onto uncontaminated nesting material. We hypothesized that colonies shaken onto frames of uninfected drawn comb would have similar reductions in AFB symptoms and bacterial spore loads than those shaken onto frames of foundation, but they would attain higher levels of production. We observed that colonies shaken onto drawn comb, or a combination of foundation and drawn comb, exhibited light transitory AFB infections, whereas colonies shaken onto frames containing only foundation failed to exhibit clinical symptoms. Furthermore, concentrations of P. larvae spores in honey and adult worker bees sampled from colonies shaken onto all comb and foundation treatments declined over time and were undetectable in adult bee samples 3 mo after shaking. In contrast, colonies that were reestablished on the original infected comb remained heavily infected resulting in consistently high levels of spores, and eventually, their death. In a subsequent experiment, production of colonies shaken onto foundation was compared with that of colonies established from package (bulk) bees or that of overwintered colonies. Economic analysis proved shaking to be 24% more profitable than using package bees. These results suggest that shaking bees onto frames of foundation in the spring is a feasible option for managing AFB in commercial beekeeping operations where antibiotic use is undesirable or prohibited.

Brood pheromone effects on colony protein supplement consumption and growth in the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a subtropical winter climate.

PubMed

Pankiw, Tanya; Sagili, Ramesh R; Metz, Bradley N

2008-12-01

Fatty acid esters extractable from the surface of honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), larvae, called brood pheromone, significantly increase rate of colony growth in the spring and summer when flowering plant pollen is available in the foraging environment. Increased colony growth rate occurs as a consequence of increased pollen intake through mechanisms such as increasing number of pollen foragers and pollen load weights returned. Here, we tested the hypothesis that addition of brood pheromone during the winter pollen dearth period of a humid subtropical climate increases rate of colony growth in colonies provisioned with a protein supplement. Experiments were conducted in late winter (9 February-9 March 2004) and mid-winter (19 January-8 February 2005). In both years, increased brood area, number of bees, and amount of protein supplement consumption were significantly greater in colonies receiving daily treatments of brood pheromone versus control colonies. Amount of extractable protein from hypopharyngeal glands measured in 2005 was significantly greater in bees from pheromone-treated colonies. These results suggest that brood pheromone may be used as a tool to stimulate colony growth in the southern subtropical areas of the United States where the package bee industry is centered and a large proportion of migratory colonies are overwintered.

Transgenic Cotton-Fed Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Affects the Parasitoid Encarsia desantisi Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) Development.

PubMed

Pessoa, R; Rossi, G D; Busoli, A C

2016-02-01

Cotton cultivars expressing Cry proteins are widely used to control lepidopteran pests. The effects of transgenic plants containing insecticidal Cry proteins on non-target species must be comprehended for a better and rational use of this technology for pest management. We investigated the influence of the Bt cotton cultivars NuOPAL and FM 975 on biological parameters of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a non-target pest of Bt cotton cultivars and on its parasitoid Encarsia desantisi Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The experiments were conducted in a climatized room, and the non-transgenic near isolines were used for rearing whiteflies as control hosts. The effects of the Bt cotton cultivars on the period of embryonic and larval development and the percentage of adult emergence of B. tabaci were assessed. The period required for embryonic, larval, and pupal development and the percentage of emergence and longevity of E. desantisi females were determined using Bt cotton-fed and non-Bt cotton-fed B. tabaci as hosts. Both Bt cotton cultivars resulted in a decrease of approximately 20% of adult emergence of B. tabaci. Differently, an increase of approximately 10% of adult emergence of E. desantisi was observed for parasitoids that used hosts fed with both Bt cotton cultivars. However, female parasitoid longevity decreased when their hosts were fed on Bt cotton cultivars. Our data suggest that the use of Bt cotton cultivars in association with the biological control agent E. desantisi could be functional for the management of B. tabaci in Bt cotton crops.

Radiation of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) Eggs to Improve the Mass Rearing of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Cai, Pumo; Hong, Jingfang; Wang, Cong; Yang, Yanchuan; Zhang, Qiwen; Ji, Qinge; Chen, Jiahua

2018-05-28

This study explored the potential for Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) larvae hatched from irradiated eggs as hosts for Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). B. dorsalis eggs of three different ages (12-, 24-, and 36-h old) were analyzed for hatchability, pupation rate, pupal weight, emergence rate, and sex ratio after exposure to different doses of radiation (5 and 10 Gy) at different dose rates (1 and 6 Gy/min). For the eggs of different ages exposed to radiation, only the hatchability and pupal weight of 36-h-old eggs exposed to the dose rate of 1 Gy/min were not affected; therefore, 6 Gy/min was not suitable for irradiating eggs. The viability of the parents and progenies of D. longicaudata when the parents were reared from 36-h-old eggs irradiated at nine different doses (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 Gy) under laboratory conditions were investigated. The emergence percentage, sex ratio, and longevity of parasitoids developed from irradiated eggs were similar to those reared from nonirradiated hosts. A significant increase in larva mortality was observed for the eggs irradiated at doses above 25 Gy, and no redundant adult flies emerged at doses above 15 Gy. Hence, for B. dorsalis eggs to be applied in the mass rearing of D. longicaudata, the age of 36 h and a dose of 20-25 Gy are the optimal parameters. The results reveal that hosts and parasitoids need not be separated, enabling a reduction in cost, labor, and time and resulting in an improved mass rearing procedure for D. longicaudata.

Refining the Roots of the Beewolf-Streptomyces Symbiosis: Antennal Symbionts in the Rare Genus Philanthinus (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae)

PubMed Central

Yildirim, Erol; Gürbüz, M. Faruk; Herzner, Gudrun; Strohm, Erhard

2012-01-01

Insects engage in symbiotic associations with a large diversity of beneficial microorganisms. While the majority of well-studied symbioses have a nutritional basis, several cases are known in which bacteria protect their host from pathogen infestation. Solitary wasps of the genera Philanthus and Trachypus (beewolves; Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) cultivate the actinomycete “Candidatus Streptomyces philanthi” in specialized antennal gland reservoirs. The symbionts are transferred to the larval cocoon, where they provide protection against pathogenic fungi by producing at least nine different antibiotics. Here we investigated the closest relatives of Philanthus and Trachypus, the rare genus Philanthinus, for the presence of antennal gland reservoirs and symbiotic streptomycetes. Molecular analyses identified “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” in reservoirs of Philanthinus quattuordecimpunctatus. Phylogenies based on the 16S rRNA gene suggest that P. quattuordecimpunctatus may have acquired “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” by horizontal transfer from other beewolf species. In histological sections and three-dimensional reconstructions, the antennal gland reservoirs were found to occupy six antennal segments (as opposed to only five in Philanthus and Trachypus) and to be structurally less complex than those of the evolutionarily more derived genera of beewolves. The presence of “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” in antennal glands of Philanthinus indicates that the symbiosis between beewolves and Streptomyces bacteria is much older than previously thought. It probably evolved along the branch leading to the monophyletic tribe Philanthini, as it seems to be confined to the genera Philanthus, Trachypus, and Philanthinus, which together comprise 172 described species of solitary wasps. PMID:22113914

Effects of neonicotinoid imidacloprid exposure on bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) queen survival and nest initiation.

PubMed

Wu-Smart, Judy; Spivak, Marla

2018-02-08

Neonicotinoids are highly toxic to insects and may systemically translocate to nectar and pollen of plants where foraging bees may become exposed. Exposure to neonicotinoids can induce detrimental sublethal effects on individual and colonies of bees and may have long-term impacts, such as impaired foraging, reduced longevity, and reduced brood care or production. Less well-studied are the potential effects on queen bumble bees that may become exposed while foraging in the spring during colony initiation. This study assessed queen survival and nest founding in caged bumble bees [Bombus impatiens (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)] after chronic (18-d) dietary exposure of imidacloprid in syrup (1, 5, 10, and 25 ppb) and pollen (0.3, 1.7, 3.3, and 8.3 ppb), paired respectively. Here we show some mortality in queens exposed at all doses even as low as 1 ppb, and, compared with untreated queens, significantly reduced survival of treated queens at the two highest doses. Queens that survived initial imidacloprid exposure commenced nest initiation; however, they exhibited dose-dependent delay in egg-laying and emergence of worker brood. Furthermore, imidacloprid treatment affected other parameters such as nest and queen weight. This study is the first to show direct impacts of imidacloprid at field-relevant levels on individual B. impatiens queen survival and nest founding, indicating that bumble bee queens are particularly sensitive to neonicotinoids when directly exposed. This study also helps focus pesticide risk mitigation efforts and highlights the importance of reducing exposure rates in the early spring when bumble bee queens, and other wild bees are foraging and initiating nests. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Congruence of the current practices in Hymenoptera venom allergic patients in Poland with EAACI guidelines

PubMed Central

Cichocka-Jarosz, Ewa; Diwakar, Lavanya; Brzyski, Piotr; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Lis, Grzegorz; Pietrzyk, Jacek J.

2011-01-01

Introduction Venom immunotherapy (VIT) practice is the definitive treatment for patients with potentially fatal allergic reactions to Hymenoptera stings. The aim is assesing compliance of VIT practice in Poland with the current European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) guidance. Material and methods A multicentre study was carried out using a structured questionnaire which was sent by post to all VIT practitioners in Poland. Some questionnaire items were altered, in comparison to original version by adding additional answer options or alowing multiple answer option. The response rate was 100%. The obtained results were compared with the published EAACI guidelines. Results Twenty-six Polish centres took part in the survey. SSIgE and skin prick tests (SPT) are together used as the first line of investigation, whereas confirmatory intradermal tests (IDT) are applied in half of centres. Only a few centres measure baseline serum tryptase levels. The ultra-rush protocol is preferred. Antihistamine pre-medication is routinely practiced. A target dose equal to 100 µg is used in most centres. A 6-week interval between booster doses is the most frequent. Five years is considered as an optimal VIT duration. Before the VIT completion, SSIgE is evaluated in fifty percent of centres, whereas sting challenge is considered by half of responders. Conclusions There are some differences between current practice in Poland and the EAACI recommendations, indicating areas requiring better compliance. Comparision between Poland and the United Kingdom revealed that health service organization and health care funding may play a major role in the provision of allergy services. This may affect the extent to which international guidance may be applied in individual countries. It is worth considering conducting the same survey in other European countries. PMID:22291828

Semiochemicals From Fungal Associates of Bark Beetles May Mediate Host Location Behavior of Parasitoids

Treesearch

Brian T. Sullivan; C. Wayne Berisford

2004-01-01

In laboratory olfactometer bioassays, females of two hymenopteran parasitoid species, Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Spathius pallidus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), were attracted to odors from bark or bolts of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., colonized by bluestain fungi (genus ...

Determination of Opiinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associated with crop infesting Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) using COI and Cyt b sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shariff, Safiah; Yaakop, Salmah; Zain, Badrul Munir Md.

2013-11-01

Members of the Opiinae subfamily (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are well known as important parasitoids of fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae). They are widely used as biological control agents of fruit flies, especially the Bactrocera Macquart species that infest fruits. In this study, the larvae of fruit flies were collected from infested crops including star fruit, guava, wax apple and ridge gourd. The parasitized larvae were then reared under laboratory conditions until emergence of the adult parasitoids. Additionally, Malaise trap also was used to collect parasitoid species. The general concept of the multiplex PCR has been performed is to amplify two mitochondrial DNA markers, namely cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cyt b) simultaneously. Therefore, the lengthy process of reaction will be reduced. The status of the fruit fly species has also been confirmed by using COI marker on the early stage of the larvae. Maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference (BI) were implemented to help and support the identification of Opiinae species. The result obtained from this study showed three parasitoid genera of the Opiinae viz. Fopius Wharton, Psyttalia Walker and Diachasmimorpha Viereck. Each genus has been determined by clustering together in a similar clade according to their infested crops. Therefore, accurate determination of parasitoids and the fruit fries species was highly useful and necessary for successful biological control of Bactrocera species.

Functional characterization of transcriptional regulatory elements of three highly expressed constitutive genes in the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) serves as an easily reared parasitoid that is providing an ever increasing malleable model for examining the biology and genetics of Hymenoptera. In order to conduct genetic transformations, it is preferable to have native highl...

75 FR 65632 - Granting of Request for Early Termination of the Waiting Period Under the Premerger Notification...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... Fortify Software, Inc. 20101047 G International Business Machines Corporation. G Unica Corporation. G... Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. 20101124 G Taleo Corporation. G James Barrett Riley. G Learn.com...

Longitudinal Validation of the Spanish Version of the Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Hymenoptera Venom Allergy (HRQLHA).

PubMed

Alfaya, T; Vega, A; Domínguez-Noche, C; Ruiz, B; Marqués, L; Sánchez-Morillas, L

2015-01-01

The Spanish version of the health-related quality of life questionnaire for allergy to hymenoptera venom (HRQLHA) has been shown to be reliable, internally consistent, and externally valid. The aim of this study was to complete the validation of the HRQLHA by analyzing its sensitivity to changes (longitudinal validity) using the sting challenge test (SCT) as the variable of change. Patients over the age of 17 years with a systemic allergic reaction to Apis, Vespula, or Polistes venom were included during their first year of venom-specific immunotherapy. Patients were assigned to either a group that underwent the SCT or a control group that did not. All patients completed the HRQLHA at baseline and after a period of 2 to 4 months, during which time the SCT was performed in the active group, with no intervention in the control group. Fifty patients were included in the study: 25 in the SCT group and 25 in the control group. The patients in the SCT group showed a significant improvement in mean HRQLHA score (+0.35, P=.03) after the SCT, while those in the control group showed no significant changes in questionnaire scores. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity of the HRQLHA to changes and thus complete the longitudinal validation of the questionnaire. A well-tolerated SCT improves the quality of life of venom-allergic patients as it reduces anxiety associated with the fear of being stung.

Eochrysis, a new replacement name for the fossil Protochrysis Bischoff, 1916 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) nec Pascher, 1911 (Protista: Cryptomonada).

PubMed

Doweld, Alexander B

2015-12-18

The genus Protochrysis (type species P. succinalis Bischoff, 1916, by monotypy) was established by Bischoff (1916: 139) for distinctive fossil insect remains of Eocene (Lutetian) age from the former Königsberg outskirts of East Prussia (now Kalinigrad, Russian Federation), referred at present to the Chrysididae (Hymenoptera) (Brues 1933; Carpenter 1985, 1992). However, an identical generic name Protochrysis had previously been proposed by Pascher (1911: 191) for a living protist (Cryptomonada). Bischoff's (1916) name is therefore an invalid junior homonym. Carpenter (1985: 577) proposed a new replacement name for the fossil genus, but overlooked the fact that his newly proposed generic name Protochrysidis was also preoccupied, again by the name of another protist genus, Protochrysidis [Protista: Chrysomonada] described by Skvortzov (1969: 346) from Harbin (China). In fact, the protistan genus Protochrysidis had initially been published as chrysophyte algae following the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (McNeill et al. 2012) by Skvortzov (1961: 4) who had failed to designate holotype of the species, but later fulfilled all conditions for valid publication in 1969 by providing necessary typification and reference to formerly published description and illustrations. At present chrysophyte algae are still maintained as Chrysomonada in protozoology due to a continued somewhat archaic tradition (Preisig & Anderson 2002). Protochrysidis Skvortzov, 1969 remained little studied since the time of its first description and is currently treated as an incertae sedis protistan taxon.

Outcome survey of insect venom allergic patients with venom immunotherapy in a rural population.

PubMed

Roesch, Alexander; Boerzsoenyi, Julia; Babilas, Philipp; Landthaler, Michael; Szeimies, Rolf-Markus

2008-04-01

Hymenoptera venom anaphylaxis is a frightening event that affects physical and psychical functioning. Retrospective survey of 182 Hymenoptera venom allergic patients living in a rural area using a questionnaire targeting on patients' satisfaction during therapy, fear of anaphylactic recurrences and changes in lifestyle before and after venom immunotherapy (VIT). Additionally, patients' self-assessment of quality of life, daily outdoor time and re-sting rate were recorded. 146 patients returned the questionnaire (58.9% male, 41.1% female, 25.3% honey bee allergic, 67.8% wasp allergic, 41.1% re-sting rate, mean follow-up time 6.5 years). Measurement of the parameters fear, satisfaction and changes in lifestyle revealed a significant improvement after VIT. This correlated with the patients'self-assessment of quality of life,when 89.7% declared an improvement after VIT. Although the improvement was higher in patients with re-stings, also patients without re-stings clearly benefited from VIT. Interestingly, females were significantly more affected by Hymenoptera venom allergy than males,whereas both genders showed a similar improvement after VIT. Patients with Hymenoptera venom sting allergy significantly benefit from VIT in regard to both biological and psychological outcome. VIT should still be provided to all Hymenoptera venom allergic patients as standard of care.

Sexual selection and the evolution of male pheromone glands in philanthine wasps (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae).

PubMed

Weiss, Katharina; Herzner, Gudrun; Strohm, Erhard

2017-06-06

Sexual selection is thought to promote evolutionary changes and diversification. However, the impact of sexual selection in relation to other selective forces is difficult to evaluate. Male digger wasps of the tribe Philanthini (Hymenoptera, Philanthinae) scent mark territories to attract receptive females. Consequently, the organs for production and storage of the marking secretion, the mandibular gland (MG) and the postpharyngeal gland (PPG), are subject to sexual selection. In female Philanthini, these glands are most likely solely subject to natural selection and show very little morphological diversity. According to the hypothesis that sexual selection drives interspecific diversity, we predicted that the MG and PPG show higher interspecific variation in males than in females. Using histological methods, 3D-reconstructions, and multivariate statistical analysis of morphological characters, we conducted a comparative analysis of the MG and the PPG in males of 30 species of Philanthini and three species of the Cercerini and Aphilanthopsini, two related tribes within the Philanthinae. We found substantial interspecific diversity in gland morphology with regard to gland incidence, size, shape and the type of associated secretory cells. Overall there was a phylogenetic trend: Ensuing from the large MGs and small PPGs of male Cercerini and Aphilanthopsini, the size and complexity of the MG was reduced in male Philanthini, while their PPG became considerably enlarged, substantially more complex, and associated with an apparently novel type of secretory cells. In some clades of the Philanthini the MG was even lost and entirely replaced by the PPG. However, several species showed reversals of and exceptions from this trend. Head gland morphology was significantly more diverse among male than among female Philanthinae. Our results show considerable variation in male head glands including the loss of an entire gland system and the evolution of a novel kind of secretory

Locating an atmospheric contamination source using slow manifolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Wenbo; Haller, George; Baik, Jong-Jin; Ryu, Young-Hee

2009-04-01

Finite-size particle motion in fluids obeys the Maxey-Riley equations, which become singular in the limit of infinitesimally small particle size. Because of this singularity, finding the source of a dispersed set of small particles is a numerically ill-posed problem that leads to exponential blowup. Here we use recent results on the existence of a slow manifold in the Maxey-Riley equations to overcome this difficulty in source inversion. Specifically, we locate the source of particles by projecting their dispersed positions on a time-varying slow manifold, and by advecting them on the manifold in backward time. We use this technique to locate the source of a hypothetical anthrax release in an unsteady three-dimensional atmospheric wind field in an urban street canyon.

Field-cage methodology for evaluating climatic suitability for introduced wood-borer parasitoids: preliminary results from the emerald ash borer system

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Jian J. Duan; Leah S. Bauer; Juli Gould; Phil Taylor; Dick Bean; Carol Holko; Roy Van Driesche

2011-01-01

Field-cage methods were developed to evaluate the abilities of Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), biocontrol agents of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), to parasitize, develop and overwinter following three late-season releases at both a northern (Michigan) and a southern (...

Role of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) larval vibrations in host-quality assessment by Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

PubMed

Ulyshen, Michael D; Mankin, Richard W; Chen, Yigen; Duan, Jian J; Poland, Therese M; Bauer, Leah S

2011-02-01

The biological control agent Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious larval endoparasitoid of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive cambium-feeding species responsible for recent, widespread mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) in North America. T. planipennisi is known to prefer late-instar emerald ash borer, but the cues used to assess host size by this species and most other parasitoids of concealed hosts remain unknown. We sought to test whether vibrations produced by feeding emerald ash borer vary with larval size and whether there are any correlations between these cues and T. planipennisi progeny number (i.e., brood size) and sex ratio. The amplitudes and rates of 3-30-ms vibrational impulses produced by emerald ash borer larvae of various sizes were measured in the laboratory before presenting the larvae to T. planipennisi. Impulse-rate did not vary with emerald ash borer size, but vibration amplitude was significantly higher for large larvae than for small larvae. T. planipennisi produced a significantly higher proportion of female offspring from large hosts than small hosts and was shown in previous work to produce more offspring overall from large hosts. There were no significant correlations, however, between the T. planipennisi progeny data and the emerald ash borer sound data. Because vibration amplitude varied significantly with host size, however, we are unable to entirely reject the hypothesis that T. planipennisi and possibly other parasitoids of concealed hosts use vibrational cues to assess host quality, particularly given the low explanatory potential of other external cues. Internal chemical cues also may be important.

Diapause Induction, Color Change, and Cold Tolerance Physiology of the Diapausing Larvae of the Chouioia cunea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

PubMed Central

Zhao, Liwei; Xu, Xiaorui; Xu, Zhe; Liu, Yanqun; Sun, Shouhui

2014-01-01

Abstract The chalcid wasp Chouioia cunea Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is one of the most dominant pupal parasitoids of Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), an invasive pest of many forestry trees and agricultural crops. For mass rearing C. cunea for biological control purposes, the pupae of Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) have been widely used as a substitute host in China. In this article, photoperiodic effect on diapause induction in C. cunea within the pupae of A. pernyi was investigated, and the differences in cold tolerance physiology including supercooling point, water content, and activities of three protective enzymes (Peroxidase [POD], Catalase [CAT], and Superoxide dismuase [SOD]) between diapause and nondiapause mature larvae were comparatively determined. Our results revealed that C. cunea possess a short-day induced larval diapause. The critical photoperiods for diapause induction in C. cunea were estimated to be between a photoperiod of 13:11 and 14:10 (L:D) h at 18°C, or between a photoperiod of 12:12 and 13:11 (L:D) h at 21°C or 24°C. We also found that the color of C. cunea diapausing larvae was taupe, while the normally developed (nondiapausing) individuals were light yellow. This body color change can be used as an indicator of diapause entry of C. cunea larave. The average supercooling point of diapausing mature larvae were lower than those of nondiapausing ones. There were significant differences in the activity of three protective enzymes (POD, CAT, and SOD) between diapausing and nondiapausing mature larvae. PMID:25527599

Genetics Home Reference: Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome

MedlinePlus

... VP, Eng C, Hudgins L. The spectrum and evolution of phenotypic findings in PTEN mutation positive cases ... Accessibility FOIA Viewers & Players U.S. Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health National Library of ...

Odor Learning and Its Experience-Dependent Modulation in the South American Native Bumblebee Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Palottini, Florencia; Estravis Barcala, María C; Farina, Walter M

2018-01-01

Learning about olfactory stimuli is essential in bumblebees' life since it is involved in orientation, recognition of nest sites, foraging efficiency and food yield for the colony as a whole. To evaluate associative learning abilities in bees under controlled environmental conditions, the proboscis extension response (PER) assay is a well-established method used in honey bees, stingless bees and successfully adapted to bumblebees of the genus Bombus . However, studies on the learning capacity of Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), one of the most abundant native species in South America, are non-existent. In this study, we examined the cognitive abilities of worker bees of this species, carrying out an olfactory PER conditioning experiment. Bumblebees were able to learn a pure odor when it was presented in paired association with sugared reward, but not when odor and reward were presented in an unpaired manner. Furthermore, if the bees were preexposed to the conditioned odor, the results differed depending on the presence of the scent either as a volatile in the rearing environment or diluted in the food. A decrement in learning performance results from the non-reinforced pre-exposure to the to-be-conditioned odor, showing a latent inhibition phenomenon. However, if the conditioned odor has been previously offered diluted in sugared reward, the food odor acts as a stimulus that improves the learning performance during PER conditioning. The native bumblebee B. atratus is thus a new hymenopteran species capable of being trained under controlled experimental conditions. Since it is an insect increasingly reared for pollination service, this knowledge could be useful in its management in crops.

Phospholipase A1-based cross-reactivity among venoms of clinically relevant Hymenoptera from Neotropical and temperate regions.

PubMed

Perez-Riverol, Amilcar; Fernandes, Luís Gustavo Romani; Musacchio Lasa, Alexis; Dos Santos-Pinto, José Roberto Aparecido; Moitinho Abram, Débora; Izuka Moraes, Gabriel Hideki; Jabs, Frederic; Miehe, Michaela; Seismman, Henning; Palma, Mario Sergio; de Lima Zollner, Ricardo; Spillner, Edzard; Brochetto-Braga, Márcia Regina

2018-01-01

Molecular cross-reactivity caused by allergen homology or cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs) is a major challenge for diagnosis and immunotherapy of insect venom allergy. Venom phospholipases A1 (PLA1s) are classical, mostly non-glycosylated wasp and ant allergens that provide diagnostic benefit for differentiation of genuine sensitizations from cross-reactivity. As CCD-free molecules, venom PLA1s are not causative for CCD-based cross-reactivity. Little is known however about the protein-based cross-reactivity of PLA1 within vespid species. Here, we address PLA1-based cross-reactivity among ten clinically relevant Hymenoptera venoms from Neotropical and temperate regions including Polybia paulista (paulistinha) venom and Vespula vulgaris (yellow jacket) venom. In order to evaluate cross-reactivity, sera of mice sensitized with recombinant PLA1 (rPoly p 1) from P. paulista wasp venom were used. Pronounced IgE and IgG based cross-reactivity was detected for wasp venoms regardless the geographical region of origin. The cross-reactivity correlated well with the identity of the primary sequence and 3-D models of PLA1 proteins. In contrast, these mice sera showed no reaction with honeybee (HBV) and fire ant venom. Furthermore, sera from patients monosensitized to HBV and fire ants did not recognize the rPoly p 1 in immunoblotting. Our findings reveal the presence of conserved epitopes in the PLA1s from several clinically relevant wasps as major cause of PLA1-based in vitro cross-reactivity. These findings emphasize the limitations but also the potential of PLA1-based HVA diagnostics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field suppression of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a tropical fruit orchard in Hawaii.

PubMed

Souza, Evann; Follett, Peter A; Price, Don K; Stacy, Elizabeth A

2008-08-01

The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is an invasive ant that forms supercolonies when it successfully invades new areas. W. auropunctata was first reported in Hawaii in 1999, and it has since invaded a variety of agricultural sites, including nurseries, orchards, and pastures. Amdro (hydramethylnon; in bait stations), Esteem (pyriproxyfen; broadcast bait), and Conserve (spinosad; ground spray) were tested for their efficacy against W. auropunctata in a rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum L. and mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L., orchard by making treatments every 2 wk for 16 wk. Relative estimates of ant numbers in plots was determined by transect sampling using peanut butter-baited sticks. Significant treatment effects were observed on weeks 13-17, with reductions in ant counts occurring in the Amdro and Esteem treatments. During this period, the reduction in ant numbers from pretreatment counts averaged 47.1 and 92.5% in the Amdro and Esteem plots, respectively, whereas ant numbers in the untreated control plots increased by 185.9% compared with pretreatment counts. Conserve did not cause a reduction in ant counts as applied in our experiment. No plots for any of the treatments achieved 100% reduction. Pseudococcidae were counted on branch terminals at 4-wk intervals. The two predominant species, Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell) and Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead) were significantly lower in the Amdro and Esteem treatments on week 16 compared with controls. Many W. auropunctata were found nesting in protected sites in the orchard trees, which may have compromised the ground-based control methods. Absolute density estimates from shallow core samples taken from the orchard floor indicated the W. auropunctata supercolony exceeded 244 million ants and 22.7 kg wet weight per ha.

Odor Learning and Its Experience-Dependent Modulation in the South American Native Bumblebee Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

PubMed Central

Palottini, Florencia; Estravis Barcala, María C.; Farina, Walter M.

2018-01-01

Learning about olfactory stimuli is essential in bumblebees’ life since it is involved in orientation, recognition of nest sites, foraging efficiency and food yield for the colony as a whole. To evaluate associative learning abilities in bees under controlled environmental conditions, the proboscis extension response (PER) assay is a well-established method used in honey bees, stingless bees and successfully adapted to bumblebees of the genus Bombus. However, studies on the learning capacity of Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), one of the most abundant native species in South America, are non-existent. In this study, we examined the cognitive abilities of worker bees of this species, carrying out an olfactory PER conditioning experiment. Bumblebees were able to learn a pure odor when it was presented in paired association with sugared reward, but not when odor and reward were presented in an unpaired manner. Furthermore, if the bees were preexposed to the conditioned odor, the results differed depending on the presence of the scent either as a volatile in the rearing environment or diluted in the food. A decrement in learning performance results from the non-reinforced pre-exposure to the to-be-conditioned odor, showing a latent inhibition phenomenon. However, if the conditioned odor has been previously offered diluted in sugared reward, the food odor acts as a stimulus that improves the learning performance during PER conditioning. The native bumblebee B. atratus is thus a new hymenopteran species capable of being trained under controlled experimental conditions. Since it is an insect increasingly reared for pollination service, this knowledge could be useful in its management in crops. PMID:29755391

Modeling Environmental Influences in the Psyllaephagus bliteus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)-Glycaspis brimblecombei (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) Parasitoid-Host System.

PubMed

Margiotta, M; Bella, S; Buffa, F; Caleca, V; Floris, I; Giorno, V; Lo Verde, G; Rapisarda, C; Sasso, R; Suma, P; Tortorici, F; Laudonia, S

2017-04-01

Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) is an invasive psyllid introduced into the Mediterranean area, where it affects several species of Eucalyptus. Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a specialized parasitoid of this psyllid that was accidentally introduced into Italy in 2011. We developed a model of this host-parasitoid system that accounts for the influence of environmental conditions on the G. brimblecombei population dynamics and P. bliteus parasitism rates in the natural ecosystem. The Lotka-Volterra-based model predicts non-constant host growth and parasitoid mortality rates in association with variation in environmental conditions. The model was tested by analyzing sampling data collected in Naples in 2011 (before the parasitoid was present) and defining several environmental patterns, termed Temperature-Rain or T-R patterns, which correspond to the host growth rate. A mean value of the host growth rate was assigned to each T-R pattern, as well as a variation of the parasitoid mortality rate based on temperature thresholds. The proposed model was applied in simulation tests related to T-R patterns carried out with a data series sampled between June 2014 and July 2015 in five Italian sites located in Campania, Lazio, Sicily, and Sardinia regions. The simulation results showed that the proposed model provides an accurate approximation of population trends, although oscillation details may not be apparent. Results predict a 64% reduction in G. brimblecombei population density owing to P. bliteus parasitoid activity. Our results are discussed with respect to features of the host-parasitoid interaction that could be exploited in future biological control programs. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Functionality of Varroa-resistant honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) when used in migratory beekeeping for crop pollination.

PubMed

Danka, Robert G; De Guzman, Lilia I; Rinderer, Thomas E; Sylvester, H Allen; Wagener, Christine M; Bourgeois, A Lelania; Harris, Jeffrey W; Villa, José D

2012-04-01

Two types of honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), bred for resistance to Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman were evaluated for performance when used in migratory crop pollination. Colonies of Russian honey bees (RHB) and outcrossed bees with Varroa-sensitive hygiene (VSH) were managed without miticide treatments and compared with colonies of Italian honey bees that served as controls. Control colonies were managed as groups which either were treated twice each year against V. destructor (CT) or kept untreated (CU). Totals of 240 and 247 colonies were established initially for trials in 2008 and 2009, respectively. RHB and VSH colonies generally had adult and brood populations similar to those of the standard CT group regarding pollination requirements. For pollination of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb] in February, percentages of colonies meeting the required six or more frames of adult bees were 57% (VSH), 56% (CT), 39% (RHB), and 34% (CU). RHB are known to have small colonies in early spring, but this can be overcome with appropriate feeding. For later pollination requirements in May to July, 94-100% of colonies in the four groups met pollination size requirements for apples (Malus domestica Borkh.), cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton), and lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton). Infestations with V. destructor usually were lowest in CT colonies and tended to be lower in VSH colonies than in RHB and CU colonies. This study demonstrates that bees with the VSH trait and pure RHB offer alternatives for beekeepers to use for commercial crop pollination while reducing reliance on miticides. The high frequency of queen loss (only approximately one fourth of original queens survived each year) suggests that frequent requeening is necessary to maintain desired genetics.

Host Range Testing of Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) for Use in Classical Biological Control of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in California.

PubMed

Bistline-East, Allison; Pandey, Raju; Kececi, Mehmet; Hoddle, Mark S

2015-06-01

Host range tests for Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Shafee, Alam, & Agarwal) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), an endoparasitoid of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), sourced from Punjab Pakistan, were conducted in quarantine at the University of California, Riverside, CA. Seven nontarget psyllid species representing four psyllid families were exposed to mated D. aligarhensis females in four different treatment types: 1) short sequential no-choice treatments, 2) prolonged sequential no-choice treatments, 3) prolonged no-choice static treatments, and 4) choice treatments. Selection of nontarget psyllid species was based on phylogenetic proximity to D. citri, likelihood of being encountered by D. aligarhensis in the prospective release areas in California, and psyllid species in biological control of invasive weeds. D. aligarhensis exhibited high host affinity to D. citri, and only parasitized one nontarget species, the pestiferous potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc), at low levels (<14%). Based on the results of this study, we conclude that D. aligarhensis has a narrow host range and exhibits a high level of host specificity, as it shows a significant attack preference for the target pest, D. citri. Results presented here suggest D. aligarhensis poses minimal risk to nontarget psyllid species in California. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

77 FR 43047 - Modoc County Resource Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

...; or Resource Advisory Coordinator, Stephen Riley at (530) 233-8705. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The... also be set aside for public comments at the beginning of the meeting. Dated: July 16, 2012. Kimberly H...

Rarely reported, widely distributed, and unexpectedly diverse: molecular characterization of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in the USA.

PubMed

Tripodi, Amber D; Strange, James P

2018-03-16

Mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithida: Mermithidae) parasitize a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate hosts, yet are recorded in bumble bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) only six times historically. Little is known about the specific identity of these parasites. In a single-season nationwide survey of internal parasites of 3646 bumble bees, we encountered six additional instances of mermithid parasitism in four bumble bee species and genetically characterized them using two regions of 18S to identify the specific host-parasite relationships. Three samples from the northeastern USA are morphologically and genetically identified as Mermis nigrescens, whereas three specimens collected from a single agricultural locality in the southeast USA fell into a clade with currently undescribed species. Nucleotide sequences of the V2-V6 region of 18S from the southeastern specimens were 2.6-3.0% divergent from one another, and 2.2-4.0% dissimilar to the nearest matches to available data. The dearth of available data prohibits positive identification of this parasite and its affinity for specific bumble bee hosts. By doubling the records of mermithid parasitism of bumble bee hosts and providing genetic data, this work will inform future investigations of this rare phenomenon.

ARC-2008-ACD08-0260-019

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-04

K-10 (red) plaentary rover at Marscape (Ames Mars Yard): with prototype flight control team remotely operating K-10 'Red' from Ames Future Flight Centeral (FFC) Simulator, with Rob Landis and Steve Riley.

An improved method for bivariate meta-analysis when within-study correlations are unknown.

PubMed

Hong, Chuan; D Riley, Richard; Chen, Yong

2018-03-01

Multivariate meta-analysis, which jointly analyzes multiple and possibly correlated outcomes in a single analysis, is becoming increasingly popular in recent years. An attractive feature of the multivariate meta-analysis is its ability to account for the dependence between multiple estimates from the same study. However, standard inference procedures for multivariate meta-analysis require the knowledge of within-study correlations, which are usually unavailable. This limits standard inference approaches in practice. Riley et al proposed a working model and an overall synthesis correlation parameter to account for the marginal correlation between outcomes, where the only data needed are those required for a separate univariate random-effects meta-analysis. As within-study correlations are not required, the Riley method is applicable to a wide variety of evidence synthesis situations. However, the standard variance estimator of the Riley method is not entirely correct under many important settings. As a consequence, the coverage of a function of pooled estimates may not reach the nominal level even when the number of studies in the multivariate meta-analysis is large. In this paper, we improve the Riley method by proposing a robust variance estimator, which is asymptotically correct even when the model is misspecified (ie, when the likelihood function is incorrect). Simulation studies of a bivariate meta-analysis, in a variety of settings, show a function of pooled estimates has improved performance when using the proposed robust variance estimator. In terms of individual pooled estimates themselves, the standard variance estimator and robust variance estimator give similar results to the original method, with appropriate coverage. The proposed robust variance estimator performs well when the number of studies is relatively large. Therefore, we recommend the use of the robust method for meta-analyses with a relatively large number of studies (eg, m≥50). When the

76 FR 39812 - Modoc County Resource Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... Coordinator, Stephen Riley at (530) 233-8705. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The business meeting on July 11, 2011... meeting. Dated: June 23, 2011. Kimberly H. Anderson, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2011-17022 Filed 7-6-11...

Structure, chemical composition and putative function of the postpharyngeal gland of the emerald cockroach wasp, Ampulex compressa (Hymenoptera, Ampulicidae).

PubMed

Herzner, Gudrun; Ruther, Joachim; Goller, Stephan; Schulz, Stefan; Goettler, Wolfgang; Strohm, Erhard

2011-02-01

The postpharyngeal gland (PPG) plays a major role in the social integration of ant colonies. It had been thought to be restricted to ants but was recently also described for a solitary wasp, the European beewolf (Philanthus triangulum). This finding posed the question whether the gland has evolved independently in the two taxa or has been inherited from a common ancestor and is hence homologous. The latter alternative would be supported if a PPG was found in more basal taxa. Therefore, we examined a species at the base of the Apoidea, the solitary ampulicid wasp Ampulex compressa, for the existence of a PPG. Both sexes of this species possess a cephalic gland that branches off the posterior part of the pharynx, is lined by a cuticular intima and surrounded by a monolayered epithelium with the epithelial cells bearing long hairs. Most of these morphological characteristics conform to those of the PPG of ants and beewolves. Chemical analysis of the gland content revealed that it contains mainly hydrocarbons and that there is a congruence of the pattern of hydrocarbons in the gland, on the cuticle, and in the hemolymph, as has also been reported for both ants and beewolves. Based on these morphological and chemical results we propose that the newly described cephalic gland is a PPG and discuss its possible function in A. compressa. The present study supports the view of a homologous origin of the PPG in the aculeate Hymenoptera. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Photosynthesis and yield reductions from wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae): interactions with wheat solidness, water stress, and phosphorus deficiency.

PubMed

Delaney, Kevin J; Weaver, David K; Peterson, Robert K D

2010-04-01

The impact of herbivory on plants is variable and influenced by several factors. The current study examined causes of variation in the impact of larval stem mining by the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), on spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L. We performed greenhouse experiments over 2 yr to (1) study whether biotic (hollow versus solid stemmed host wheat) and abiotic (water, phosphorus stress) factors interact with C. cinctus stem mining to influence degree of mined stem physiological (photosynthesis) and yield (grain weight) reductions; and (2) determine whether whole plant yield compensatory responses occur to offset stem-mining reductions. Flag leaf photosynthetic reduction was not detected 16-20 d after infestation, but were detected at 40-42 d and doubled from water or phosphorus stresses. Main stem grain weight decreased from 10 to 25% from stem mining, largely due to reductions in grain size, with greater reductions under low phosphorus and/or water levels. Phosphorus-deficient plants without water stress were most susceptible to C. cinctus, more than doubling the grain weight reduction due to larval feeding relative to other water and phosphorus treatments. Two solid stemmed varieties with stem mining had less grain weight loss than a hollow stemmed variety, so greater internal mechanical resistance may reduce larval stem mining and plant yield reductions. Our results emphasize the importance of sufficient water and macronutrients for plants grown in regions impacted by C. cinctus. Also, solid stemmed varieties not only reduce wheat lodging from C. cinctus, they may reduce harvested grain losses from infested stems.

Pertussis

MedlinePlus

... Kim DK, Riley LE, Harriman KH, Hunter P, Bridges CB. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended immunization ... commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions. About MedlinePlus Site Map FAQs Customer ...

Pheromone-based mating disruption in Wisconsin cranberries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pheromone-based mating disruption is a promising method of pest control in cranberries. Three moth species, cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii Riley (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Sparganothis fruitworm, Sparganothis sulfureana Clemens (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and black-headed fireworm, Rhopobota...

Spatial Distribution of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) Adults, Eggs and Parasitism by Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in Soybean.

PubMed

Knight, Ian A; Roberts, Phillip M; Gardner, Wayne A; Oliver, Kerry M; Reay-Jones, Francis P F; Reisig, Dominic D; Toews, Michael D

2017-12-08

Since 2014, populations of the kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), have declined in the southeastern United States and seldom require treatment. This decline follows the discovery of Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd; Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), a non-native egg parasitoid. The objective of this project was to observe the temporal and spatial dynamics of P. saccharalis parasitism of kudzu bug egg masses in commercial soybean fields. Four fields were sampled weekly for kudzu bugs and egg masses at a density of one sample per 0.6 ha. Sampling commenced when soybean reached the R2 maturity stage and continued until no more egg masses were present. Responses including kudzu bugs, egg masses, and parasitism rates were analyzed using ANOVA, Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE), and SaTScan spatial analysis software. Egg masses were collected from the field, held in the lab and monitored for emergence of kudzu bug nymphs or P. saccharalis. Kudzu bug populations were generally lower than previously reported in the literature and spatial aggregation was not consistently observed. Egg parasitism was first detected in early July and increased to nearly 40% in mid-August. Significant spatial patterns in parasitism were observed with spatio-temporal clusters being loosely associated with clusters of egg masses. There were no significant differences in parasitism rates between field margins and interiors, suggesting that P. saccharalis is an effective parasitoid of kudzu bug egg masses on a whole-field scale. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Decontamination Work and the Long-term Increase in Hospital Visits for Hymenoptera Stings Following the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.

PubMed

Ozaki, Akihiko; Yokota, Takeru; Nomura, Shuhei; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Leppold, Claire; Tanimoto, Tetsuya; Miura, Toru; Yamamoto, Kana; Sawano, Toyoaki; Tsukada, Manabu; Kami, Masahiro; Kanazawa, Yukio; Ohira, Hiromichi

2017-10-01

Animals, including arthropods, are one health threat that can be affected by disasters. This institution-based study aimed to assess trends in Hymenoptera stings following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. We reviewed the medical records of patients with hymenopteran stings who visited Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, located 23 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, from March 2005 to March 2016. Patient and sting characteristics of post-disaster patients were examined, and the annual incidence of hospital visits for hymenopteran stings was compared with the pre-disaster baseline, calculating an incidence rate ratio (IRR) for each year. We identified 152 pre-disaster patients (2005-2011) and 222 post-disaster patients (2011-2016). In the post-disaster period, 160 males (72.1%) were identified, with a median age of 59 years (range: 2-89 years). A total of 45 patients (20.3%) were decontamination workers. Post-disaster increases were found in the IRR for hymenopteran stings, peaking first in 2011 (IRR: 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-4.2) and later in 2014 (IRR: 3.2; 95% CI: 2.4-4.3) and 2015 (IRR 3.3; 95% CI: 2.5-4.4). Long-term increases were found in the IRR of hospital visits for hymenopteran stings in an institution affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Decontamination workers appear to have been particularly affected by this phenomenon. Better disaster field worker monitoring and education about potential environmental health hazards may help to identify and prevent worker exposure to insect stings and other vectors in these settings. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:545-551).

Inorganic elements in the fat bodies of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae parasitized by Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Pinheiro, D O; Zucchi, T D; Zucchi, O L A D; Nascimento Filho, V F; Almeida, E; Cônsoli, F L

2010-08-01

Koinobiont parasitoids use several strategies to regulate the host's physiological processes during parasitism. Although many aspects of host-parasitoid interactions have been explored, studies that attempted to assess the effects of parasitism on the availability of inorganic elements in the host are virtually nonexistent. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of parasitism on the concentrations of inorganic elements in the fat bodies of larvae of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) during the development of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), by using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). TXRF analysis allowed comparisons of the changes in the availability of the elements P, S, K, Ca, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn in the fat body tissues of D. saccharalis larvae parasitized by C. flavipes. Overall, the concentration of inorganic elements was higher early in parasitoid development (1 and 3days after parasitism) compared to non-parasitized larvae, but much lower towards the end of parasitoid development (7 and 9days after parasitism). Ca, K, and S were reduced after the fifth day of parasitism, which affected the total abundance of inorganic elements observed in the fat bodies of the parasitized hosts. The regulatory mechanisms or pathological effects related to the observed variation of the host inorganic elements induced by the parasitoid remain unknown, but there might be a strategy to make these elements available to the parasitoid larvae at the end of their development, when higher metabolic activity of the host fat body is required to sustain parasitoid growth. The observed variation of the host's inorganic elements could also be related to the known effects of parasitism on the host's immune response. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cockroach Oothecal Parasitoid, Evania appendigaster (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae) Exhibits Oviposition Preference Towards Oothecal Age Most Vulnerable to Host Cannibalism.

PubMed

Tee, Hui-Siang; Lee, Chow-Yang

2017-12-05

Many female parasitoid wasps optimize host selection to balance the benefits of high-quality hosts and the costs of predator- or hyperparasitoid-induced mortality risks to maximize their fitness. Cannibalism exists in many insect species and affects survival of parasitoid larvae developing in or on parasitized hosts. However, little is known about how parasitoid wasps resolve the fitness consequence of host cannibalism-induced mortality risk during host selection. We examined the effect of oothecal age on cannibalism in the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) and its effect on host age selection and fitness of its oothecal parasitoid Evania appendigaster (L.) (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae). P. americana differentially cannibalized 1-d-old (30‒60%) versus 10- to 40-d-old oothecae (<9%). However, parasitoid females did not avoid but still preferred to parasitize 1-d-old (45%) over 10- to 40-d-old oothecae (1.6‒20%). The parasitism rate was greater and the handling time was shorter on 1-d-old compared to older oothecae. For parasitoid progeny emerging from different-aged oothecae, regression analysis showed that development time increased and body size (measured as hind tibia length) and longevity decreased with oothecal age. These results demonstrate that reduced parasitoid progeny survival due to host cannibalism did not change the parasitoid's oviposition preference for newly laid oothecae, and that E. appendigaster females traded progeny survival for fitness gains for themselves and their progeny. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Toxicity and Residual Activity of Insecticides Against Tamarixia triozae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a Parasitoid of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae).

PubMed

Luna-Cruz, Alfonso; Rodríguez-Leyva, Esteban; Lomeli-Flores, J Refugio; Ortega-Arenas, Laura D; Bautista-Martínez, Néstor; Pineda, Samuel

2015-10-01

Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is one of the most economically important pests of potato, tomato, and peppers in Central America, Mexico, the United States, and New Zealand. Its control is based on the use of insecticides; however, recently, the potential of the eulophid parasitoid Tamarixia triozae (Burks) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) for population regulation has been studied. Because T. triozae is likely to be exposed to insecticides on crops, the objective of this study was to explore the compatibility of eight insecticides with this parasitoid. The toxicity and residual activity (persistence) of spirotetramat, spiromesifen, beta-cyfluthrin, pymetrozine, azadirachtin, imidacloprid, abamectin, and spinosad against T. triozae adults were assessed using a method based on the residual contact activity of each insecticide on tomato leaf discs collected from treated plants growing under greenhouse conditions. All eight insecticides were toxic to T. triozae. Following the classification of the International Organization of Biological Control, the most toxic were abamectin and spinosad, which could be placed in toxicity categories 3 and 4, respectively. The least toxic were azadirachtin, pymetrozine, spirotetramat, spiromesifen, imidacloprid, and beta-cyfluthrin, which could be placed in toxicity category 2. In terms of persistence, by day 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 24, and 41 after application, spirotetramat, azadirachtin, spiromesifen, pymetrozine, imidacloprid, beta-cyfluthrin, abamectin, and spinosad could be considered harmless, that is, placed in toxicity category 1 (<25% mortality of adults). The toxicity and residual activity of some of these insecticides allow them to be considered within integrated pest management programs that include T. triozae. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Brain size and visual environment predict species differences in paper wasp sensory processing brain regions (hymenoptera: vespidae, polistinae).

PubMed

O'Donnell, Sean; Clifford, Marie R; DeLeon, Sara; Papa, Christopher; Zahedi, Nazaneen; Bulova, Susan J

2013-01-01

The mosaic brain evolution hypothesis predicts that the relative volumes of functionally distinct brain regions will vary independently and correlate with species' ecology. Paper wasp species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) differ in light exposure: they construct open versus enclosed nests and one genus (Apoica) is nocturnal. We asked whether light environments were related to species differences in the size of antennal and optic processing brain tissues. Paper wasp brains have anatomically distinct peripheral and central regions that process antennal and optic sensory inputs. We measured the volumes of 4 sensory processing brain regions in paper wasp species from 13 Neotropical genera including open and enclosed nesters, and diurnal and nocturnal species. Species differed in sensory region volumes, but there was no evidence for trade-offs among sensory modalities. All sensory region volumes correlated with brain size. However, peripheral optic processing investment increased with brain size at a higher rate than peripheral antennal processing investment. Our data suggest that mosaic and concerted (size-constrained) brain evolution are not exclusive alternatives. When brain regions increase with brain size at different rates, these distinct allometries can allow for differential investment among sensory modalities. As predicted by mosaic evolution, species ecology was associated with some aspects of brain region investment. Nest architecture variation was not associated with brain investment differences, but the nocturnal genus Apoica had the largest antennal:optic volume ratio in its peripheral sensory lobes. Investment in central processing tissues was not related to nocturnality, a pattern also noted in mammals. The plasticity of neural connections in central regions may accommodate evolutionary shifts in input from the periphery with relatively minor changes in volume. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Transcript levels of ten caste-related genes in adult diploid males of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Apidae) - A comparison with haploid males, queens and workers

PubMed Central

Borges, Andreia A.; Humann, Fernanda C.; Oliveira Campos, Lucio A.; Tavares, Mara G.; Hartfelder, Klaus

2011-01-01

In Hymenoptera, homozygosity at the sex locus results in the production of diploid males. In social species, these pose a double burden by having low fitness and drawing resources normally spent for increasing the work force of a colony. Yet, diploid males are of academic interest as they can elucidate effects of ploidy (normal males are haploid, whereas the female castes, the queens and workers, are diploid) on morphology and life history. Herein we investigated expression levels of ten caste-related genes in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata, comparing newly emerged and 5-day-old diploid males with haploid males, queens and workers. In diploid males, transcript levels for dunce and paramyosin were increased during the first five days of adult life, while those for diacylglycerol kinase and the transcriptional co-repressor groucho diminished. Two general trends were apparent, (i) gene expression patterns in diploid males were overall more similar to haploid ones and workers than to queens, and (ii) in queens and workers, more genes were up-regulated after emergence until day five, whereas in diploid and especially so in haploid males more genes were down-regulated. This difference between the sexes may be related to longevity, which is much longer in females than in males. PMID:22215977

Transcript levels of ten caste-related genes in adult diploid males of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Apidae) - A comparison with haploid males, queens and workers.

PubMed

Borges, Andreia A; Humann, Fernanda C; Oliveira Campos, Lucio A; Tavares, Mara G; Hartfelder, Klaus

2011-10-01

In Hymenoptera, homozygosity at the sex locus results in the production of diploid males. In social species, these pose a double burden by having low fitness and drawing resources normally spent for increasing the work force of a colony. Yet, diploid males are of academic interest as they can elucidate effects of ploidy (normal males are haploid, whereas the female castes, the queens and workers, are diploid) on morphology and life history. Herein we investigated expression levels of ten caste-related genes in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata, comparing newly emerged and 5-day-old diploid males with haploid males, queens and workers. In diploid males, transcript levels for dunce and paramyosin were increased during the first five days of adult life, while those for diacylglycerol kinase and the transcriptional co-repressor groucho diminished. Two general trends were apparent, (i) gene expression patterns in diploid males were overall more similar to haploid ones and workers than to queens, and (ii) in queens and workers, more genes were up-regulated after emergence until day five, whereas in diploid and especially so in haploid males more genes were down-regulated. This difference between the sexes may be related to longevity, which is much longer in females than in males.

Abundance and Diversity of Wild Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) Found in Lowbush Blueberry Growing Regions of Downeast Maine.

PubMed

Bushmann, Sara L; Drummond, Francis A

2015-08-01

Insect-mediated pollination is critical for lowbush blueberry (Ericaceae: Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) fruit development. Past research shows a persistent presence of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) providing pollination services even when commercial pollinators are present. We undertook the study to 1) provide a description of bee communities found in lowbush blueberry-growing regions, 2) identify field characteristics or farm management practices that influence those communities, 3) identify key wild bee pollinators that provide pollination services for the blueberry crop, and 4) identify non-crop plants found within the cropping system that provide forage for wild bees. During a 4-year period, we collected solitary and eusocial bees in over 40 fields during and after blueberry bloom, determining a management description for each field. We collected 4,474 solitary bees representing 124 species and 1,315 summer bumble bees representing nine species. No bumble bee species were previously unknown in Maine, yet we document seven solitary bee species new for the state. These include species of the genera Nomada, Lasioglossum, Calliopsis, and Augochloropsis. No field characteristic or farm management practice related to bee community structure, except bumble bee species richness was higher in certified organic fields. Pollen analysis determined scopal loads of 67-99% ericaceous pollen carried by five species of Andrena. Our data suggest two native ericaceous plants, Kalmia angustifolia L. and Gaylussacia baccata (Wangenheim), provide important alternative floral resources. We conclude that Maine blueberry croplands are populated with a species-rich bee community that fluctuates in time and space. We suggest growers develop and maintain wild bee forage and nest sites. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Diverse Filters to Sense: Great Variability of Antennal Morphology and Sensillar Equipment in Gall-Wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

PubMed Central

Polidori, Carlo; Nieves-Aldrey, José L.

2014-01-01

Comparative studies on antennal sensillar equipment in insects are largely lacking, despite their potential to provide insights into both ecological and phylogenetic relationships. Here we present the first comparative study on antennal morphology and sensillar equipment in female Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera), a large and diverse group of wasps, with special reference to the so-called gall-wasps (Cynipidae). A SEM analysis was conducted on 51 species from all extant cynipoid families and all cynipid tribes, and spanning all known life-histories in the superfamily (gall-inducers, gall-inquilines, and non-gall associated parasitoids). The generally filiform, rarely clavate, antennal flagellum of Cynipoidea harbours overall 12 types of sensilla: s. placoidea (SP), two types of s. coeloconica (SCo-A, SCo-B), s. campaniformia (SCa), s. basiconica (SB), five types of s. trichoidea (ST-A, B, C, D, E), large disc sensilla (LDS) and large volcano sensilla (LVS). We found a great variability in sensillar equipment both among and within lineages. However, few traits seem to be unique to specific cynipid tribes. Paraulacini are, for example, distinctive in having apical LVS; Pediaspidini are unique in having ≥3 rows of SP, each including 6–8 sensilla per flagellomere, and up to 7 SCo-A in a single flagellomere; Eschatocerini have by far the largest SCo-A. Overall, our data preliminarily suggest a tendency to decreased numbers of SP rows per flagellomere and increased relative size of SCo-A during cynipoid evolution. Furthermore, SCo-A size seems to be higher in species inducing galls in trees than in those inducing galls in herbs. On the other hand, ST seem to be more abundant on the antennae of herb-gallers than wood-gallers. The antennal morphology and sensillar equipment in Cynipoidea are the complex results of different interacting pressures that need further investigations to be clarified. PMID:25003514

Best Host Age of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) for Multiplication of Four Native Parasitoids from the Americas

PubMed Central

Poncio, S; Montoya, P; Cancino, J; Nava, D E

2018-01-01

Abstract The success of the mass rearing of parasitoids is directly related to host quality, and it requires selecting the best biological host age to ensure the optimal performance of the parasitoids released into the field. The larval development of the parasitoids Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae) and the pupal development of the parasitoids Coptera haywardi (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) and Dirhinus sp. (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on the native host Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in different larvae and pupae ages were investigated under laboratory conditions. Not all parasitoid species developed with the same efficiency in immature individuals of A. obliqua; U. anastrephae and C. haywardi showed the higher parasitism rates. The emergence and parasitism of U. anastrephae were equal using larvae from 5 to 8 d, while C. haywardi reared in 1- to 8-d-old pupae showed higher averages of parasitism. These results suggest that native parasitoids can be used to strengthen the implementation of biological control projects against A. obliqua, a pest of economic importance in South America. PMID:29718497

Best Host Age of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) for Multiplication of Four Native Parasitoids from the Americas.

PubMed

Poncio, S; Montoya, P; Cancino, J; Nava, D E

2018-03-01

The success of the mass rearing of parasitoids is directly related to host quality, and it requires selecting the best biological host age to ensure the optimal performance of the parasitoids released into the field. The larval development of the parasitoids Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae) and the pupal development of the parasitoids Coptera haywardi (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) and Dirhinus sp. (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on the native host Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in different larvae and pupae ages were investigated under laboratory conditions. Not all parasitoid species developed with the same efficiency in immature individuals of A. obliqua; U. anastrephae and C. haywardi showed the higher parasitism rates. The emergence and parasitism of U. anastrephae were equal using larvae from 5 to 8 d, while C. haywardi reared in 1- to 8-d-old pupae showed higher averages of parasitism. These results suggest that native parasitoids can be used to strengthen the implementation of biological control projects against A. obliqua, a pest of economic importance in South America.

Characteristics of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) rRNA genes of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera): structure, organization, and retrotransposable elements

PubMed Central

Gillespie, J J; Johnston, J S; Cannone, J J; Gutell, R R

2006-01-01

As an accompanying manuscript to the release of the honey bee genome, we report the entire sequence of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-encoding gene sequences (rDNA) and related internally and externally transcribed spacer regions of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apocrita). Additionally, we predict secondary structures for the mature rRNA molecules based on comparative sequence analyses with other arthropod taxa and reference to recently published crystal structures of the ribosome. In general, the structures of honey bee rRNAs are in agreement with previously predicted rRNA models from other arthropods in core regions of the rRNA, with little additional expansion in non-conserved regions. Our multiple sequence alignments are made available on several public databases and provide a preliminary establishment of a global structural model of all rRNAs from the insects. Additionally, we provide conserved stretches of sequences flanking the rDNA cistrons that comprise the externally transcribed spacer regions (ETS) and part of the intergenic spacer region (IGS), including several repetitive motifs. Finally, we report the occurrence of retrotransposition in the nuclear large subunit rDNA, as R2 elements are present in the usual insertion points found in other arthropods. Interestingly, functional R1 elements usually present in the genomes of insects were not detected in the honey bee rRNA genes. The reverse transcriptase products of the R2 elements are deduced from their putative open reading frames and structurally aligned with those from another hymenopteran insect, the jewel wasp Nasonia (Pteromalidae). Stretches of conserved amino acids shared between Apis and Nasonia are illustrated and serve as potential sites for primer design, as target amplicons within these R2 elements may serve as novel phylogenetic markers for Hymenoptera. Given the impending completion of the sequencing of the Nasonia genome

Breath holding spell

MedlinePlus

... such as Riley-Day syndrome or Rett syndrome Iron deficiency anemia A family history of breath holding spells ( ... tests may be done to check for an iron deficiency. Other tests that may be done include: EKG ...

Finding the Right Filling Station for Alternative Vehicles Now Easier

Science.gov Websites

the guesswork out of finding the fuel needed by the thousands of alternative vehicles on the road vehicles on the road," said Cynthia Riley, AFDC program manager at NREL. "Drivers can now have

Multi-species mating disruption in Wisconsin cranberries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous work has shown pheromone-based mating disruption to be a promising method of pest control in cranberries. Three moth species, cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii Riley (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Sparganothis fruitworm, Sparganothis sulfureana Clemens (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and black...

5. A PHOTO IMAGE FROM THE WEST SIDEWALK LOOKING EAST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. A PHOTO IMAGE FROM THE WEST SIDEWALK LOOKING EAST TOWARD THE ENTRY GATES AND PORTIONS OF RILEY PARK - Delphi Bridge on U.S. Route 421, Spanning Deer Creek at U.S. Route 421, Delphi, Carroll County, IN

Patch Time Allocation and Oviposition Behavior in Response to Patch Quality and the Presence of a Generalist Predator in Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

PubMed Central

Sheng, Sheng; Ling, Meng; Fu-an, Wu; Baoping, Li

2015-01-01

Foraging parasitoids often must estimate local risk of predation just as they must estimate local patch value. Here, we investigate the effects a generalist predator Chlaenius bioculatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has on the oviposition behavior and the patch residence decisions of a solitary parasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in response to the varying host quality of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae (L2 and L4). M. pulchricornis attacked more L4 than on L2 hosts, with the difference in attack rate varying depending on predation treatments, greater in the presence (either actively feeding or not) of the predator than in the absence of it. The parasitoid attacked fewer L2 and L4 hosts when the predator was actively feeding than when it was not feeding or not present in the patch. M. pulchricornis decreased the patch leaving tendency with increasing rejections of hosts, but increased the tendency in response to the presence of the predator as compared with the absence of it, and furthermore, increased the patch leaving tendency when the predator was actively feeding as compared with when it was not. Our study suggests that M. pulchricornis can exploit high quality patches while minimizing predation risk, by attacking more hosts in high quality patches while reducing total patch time in response to risk of predation. PMID:25943317

Influence of toxic bait type and starvation on worker and queen mortality in laboratory colonies of Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

PubMed

Mathieson, Melissa; Toft, Richard; Lester, Philip J

2012-08-01

The efficacy of toxic baits should be judged by their ability to kill entire ant colonies, including the colony queen or queens. We studied the efficacy of four toxic baits to the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). These baits were Xstinguish that has the toxicant fipronil, Exterm-an-Ant that contains both boric acid and sodium borate, and Advion ant gel and Advion ant bait arena that both have indoxacarb. Experimental nests contained 300 workers and 10 queen ants that were starved for either 24 or 48 h before toxic bait exposure. The efficacy of the toxic baits was strongly influenced by starvation. In no treatment with 24-h starvation did we observe 100% worker death. After 24-h starvation three of the baits did not result in any queen deaths, with only Exterm-an-Ant producing an average of 25% mortality. In contrast, 100% queen and worker mortality was observed in colonies starved for 48 h and given Xstinguish or Exterm-an-Ant. The baits Advion ant gel and Advion ant bait arena were not effective against Argentine ants in these trials, resulting in <60% mortality in all treatments. Because of the strong influence of starvation on bait uptake, control efficacy may be maximized by applying bait when ants are likely to be starved. Our results suggest queen mortality must be assessed in tests for toxic bait efficacy. Our data indicate that of these four baits, Xstinguish and Exterm-an-Ant are the best options for control of Argentine ants in New Zealand.

Selective flowers to attract and enhance Telenomus laeviceps (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): a released biocontrol agent of Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

PubMed

Barloggio, G; Tamm, L; Nagel, P; Luka, H

2018-05-10

The importance of the right food source for the survival and reproduction of certain insect species is well documented. In the case of biocontrol agents, this is even more important in order to reach a high predation or parasitation performance. The egg parasitoid Telenomus laeviceps (Förster, 1861) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a promising candidate for mass release as a biological control agent of the cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). However, adult T. laeviceps need a sugar-rich food source to increase their parasitation performance and produce a good amount of female offspring. Released biocontrol agents were shown to benefit from conservation biocontrol, which includes the provision of selected flowers as nectar resources for beneficial insects. In Switzerland, Centaurea cyanus L. (Asteraceae), Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (Polygonaceae) and Vicia sativa L. (Fabaceae) are successfully implemented in the field to attract and promote natural enemies of different cabbage pests. In this study, we investigated the potential of these selected flowers to attract and promote T. laeviceps under laboratory conditions. In Y-tube olfactometer experiments, we first tested whether the three nectar providing plant species are attractive to T. laeviceps. Furthermore, we assessed their effects on survival and parasitation performance of adult T. laeviceps. We found that flowers of F. esculentum and C. cyanus were attractive in contrast to V. sativa. Also fecundity and the number of female offspring produced were higher for females kept on F. esculentum and C. cyanus than on V. sativa. In contrast, survival was similar on all treatments. Our findings present a further key step towards the implementation of T. laeviceps as a biocontrol agent.

Identifying Shifts in Leaf-Litter Ant Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) across Ecosystem Boundaries Using Multiple Sampling Methods

PubMed Central

Wiezik, Michal; Svitok, Marek; Wieziková, Adela; Dovčiak, Martin

2015-01-01

Global or regional environmental changes in climate or land use have been increasingly implied in shifts in boundaries (ecotones) between adjacent ecosystems such as beech or oak-dominated forests and forest-steppe ecotones that frequently co-occur near the southern range limits of deciduous forest biome in Europe. Yet, our ability to detect changes in biological communities across these ecosystems, or to understand their environmental drivers, can be hampered when different sampling methods are required to characterize biological communities of the adjacent but ecologically different ecosystems. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have been shown to be particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and vegetation and they require different sampling methods in closed vs. open habitats. We compared ant assemblages of closed-forests (beech- or oak-dominated) and open forest-steppe habitats in southwestern Carpathians using methods for closed-forest (litter sifting) and open habitats (pitfall trapping), and developed an integrated sampling approach to characterize changes in ant assemblages across these adjacent ecosystems. Using both methods, we collected 5,328 individual ant workers from 28 species. Neither method represented ant communities completely, but pitfall trapping accounted for more species (24) than litter sifting (16). Although pitfall trapping characterized differences in species richness and composition among the ecosystems better, with beech forest being most species poor and ecotone most species rich, litter sifting was more successful in identifying characteristic litter-dwelling species in oak-dominated forest. The integrated sampling approach using both methods yielded more accurate characterization of species richness and composition, and particularly so in species-rich forest-steppe habitat where the combined sample identified significantly higher number of species compared to either of the two methods on their own. Thus, an integrated sampling

Identifying Shifts in Leaf-Litter Ant Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) across Ecosystem Boundaries Using Multiple Sampling Methods.

PubMed

Wiezik, Michal; Svitok, Marek; Wieziková, Adela; Dovčiak, Martin

2015-01-01

Global or regional environmental changes in climate or land use have been increasingly implied in shifts in boundaries (ecotones) between adjacent ecosystems such as beech or oak-dominated forests and forest-steppe ecotones that frequently co-occur near the southern range limits of deciduous forest biome in Europe. Yet, our ability to detect changes in biological communities across these ecosystems, or to understand their environmental drivers, can be hampered when different sampling methods are required to characterize biological communities of the adjacent but ecologically different ecosystems. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have been shown to be particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and vegetation and they require different sampling methods in closed vs. open habitats. We compared ant assemblages of closed-forests (beech- or oak-dominated) and open forest-steppe habitats in southwestern Carpathians using methods for closed-forest (litter sifting) and open habitats (pitfall trapping), and developed an integrated sampling approach to characterize changes in ant assemblages across these adjacent ecosystems. Using both methods, we collected 5,328 individual ant workers from 28 species. Neither method represented ant communities completely, but pitfall trapping accounted for more species (24) than litter sifting (16). Although pitfall trapping characterized differences in species richness and composition among the ecosystems better, with beech forest being most species poor and ecotone most species rich, litter sifting was more successful in identifying characteristic litter-dwelling species in oak-dominated forest. The integrated sampling approach using both methods yielded more accurate characterization of species richness and composition, and particularly so in species-rich forest-steppe habitat where the combined sample identified significantly higher number of species compared to either of the two methods on their own. Thus, an integrated sampling

Folding Wings like a Cockroach: A Review of Transverse Wing Folding Ensign Wasps (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae: Afrevania and Trissevania)

PubMed Central

Mikó, István; Copeland, Robert S.; Balhoff, James P.; Yoder, Matthew J.; Deans, Andrew R.

2014-01-01

We revise two relatively rare ensign wasp genera, whose species are restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa: Afrevania and Trissevania. Afrevania longipetiolata sp. nov., Trissevania heatherae sp. nov., T. hugoi sp. nov., T. mrimaensis sp. nov. and T. slideri sp. nov. are described, males and females of T. anemotis and Afrevania leroyi are redescribed, and an identification key for Trissevaniini is provided. We argue that Trissevania mrimaensis sp. nov. and T. heatherae sp. nov. populations are vulnerable, given their limited distributions and threats from mining activities in Kenya. We hypothesize that these taxa together comprise a monophyletic lineage, Trissevaniini, tr. nov., the members of which share the ability to fold their fore wings along two intersecting fold lines. Although wing folding of this type has been described for the hind wing of some insects four-plane wing folding of the fore wing has never been documented. The wing folding mechanism and the pattern of wing folds of Trissevaniini is shared only with some cockroach species (Blattodea). It is an interesting coincidence that all evaniids are predators of cockroach eggs. The major wing fold lines of Trissevaniini likely are not homologous to any known longitudinal anatomical structures on the wings of other Evaniidae. Members of the new tribe share the presence of a coupling mechanism between the fore wing and the mesosoma that is composed of a setal patch on the mesosoma and the retinaculum of the fore wing. While the setal patch is an evolutionary novelty, the retinaculum, which originally evolved to facilitate fore and hind wing coupling in Hymenoptera, exemplifies morphological exaptation. We also refine and clarify the Semantic Phenotype approach used in previous taxonomic revisions and explore the consequences of merging new with existing data. The way that semantic statements are formulated can evolve in parallel, alongside improvements to the ontologies themselves. PMID:24787704

1. Ninth Street (west) facade. Adjacent on the north is ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Ninth Street (west) facade. Adjacent on the north is the 9th Street facade of 816 E Street. Both buildings were originally one property. - Riley Building, Rendezvous Adult Magazines & Films, 437 Ninth Street, Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Impact of planting dates on a seed maggot, Neotephritis finalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), and sunflower bud moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) damage in cultivated sunflower

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Neotephritis finalis (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), and sunflower bud moth, Suleima helianthana (Riley) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are major head-infesting insect pests of cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Planting date was evaluated as a cultural pest management strategy for control of N...

ARC-2008-ACD08-0260-016

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-04

K-10 (red) plaentary rover at Marscape (Ames Mars Yard): with prototype flight control team remotely operating K-10 'Red' from Ames Future Flight Centeral (FFC) Simulator, L-R Eric Park, Debra Schreckenghost, Rob Landis, Tod Milam, Steve Riley, Estrellina Pacis

Entomopathogenic Nematodes Combined with Adjuvants Presents a New Potential Biological Control Method for Managing the Wheat Stem Sawfly, Cephus cinctus (Hymenoptera: Cephidae)

PubMed Central

Portman, Scott L.; Krishnankutty, Sindhu M.

2016-01-01

The wheat stem sawfly, (Cephus cinctus Norton) Hymenoptera: Cephidae, has been a major pest of winter wheat and barley in the northern Great Plains for more than 100 years. The insect’s cryptic nature and lack of safe chemical control options make the wheat stem sawfly (WSS) difficult to manage; thus, biological control offers the best hope for sustainable management of WSS. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have been used successfully against other above-ground insect pests, and adding adjuvants to sprays containing EPNs has been shown to improve their effectiveness. We tested the hypothesis that adding chemical adjuvants to sprays containing EPNs will increase the ability of EPNs to enter wheat stems and kill diapausing WSS larvae. This is the first study to test the ability of EPNs to infect the WSS, C. cinctus, and test EPNs combined with adjuvants against C. cinctus in both the laboratory and the field. Infection assays showed that three different species of EPNs caused 60–100% mortality to WSS larvae. Adding Penterra, Silwet L-77, Sunspray 11N, or Syl-Tac to solutions containing EPNs resulted in higher WSS mortality than solutions made with water alone. Field tests showed that sprays containing S. feltiae added to 0.1% Penterra increased WSS mortality up to 29.1%. These results indicate a novel control method for WSS, and represent a significant advancement in the biological control of this persistent insect pest. PMID:28006820

Mastocytosis and insect venom allergy.

PubMed

Bonadonna, Patrizia; Zanotti, Roberta; Müller, Ulrich

2010-08-01

To analyse the association of systemic allergic hymenoptera sting reactions with mastocytosis and elevated baseline serum tryptase and to discuss diagnosis and treatment in patients with both diseases. In recent large studies on patients with mastocytosis a much higher incidence of severe anaphylaxis following hymenoptera stings than in the normal population was documented. In patients with hymenoptera venom allergy, elevated baseline tryptase is strongly associated with severe anaphylaxis. Fatal sting reactions were reported in patients with mastocytosis, notably after stopping venom immunotherapy. During venom immunotherapy most patients with mastocytosis are protected from further sting reactions. Based on these observations immunotherapy for life is recommended for patients with mastocytosis and venom allergy. The incidence of allergic side-effects is increased in patients with mastocytosis and elevated baseline tryptase, especially in those allergic to Vespula venom. Premedication with antihistamines, or omalizumab in cases with recurrent severe side-effects, can be helpful. In all patients with anaphylaxis following hymenoptera stings, baseline serum tryptase should be determined. A value above 11.4 microg/l is often due to mastocytosis and indicates a high risk of very severe anaphylaxis following re-stings. Venom immunotherapy is safe and effective in this situation.

Anagrus nedotepae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Nedotepa curta (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), a pest of coconut palm in West Africa.

PubMed

Triapitsyn, Serguei V; Kwadjo, K Eric; Rosete, Yaima Arocha

2017-06-09

A new Afrotropical species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), A. nedotepae Triapitsyn sp. n., is described and illustrated. The type series was reared from parasitized eggs of the leafhopper Nedotepa curta Dmitriev (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) during a survey for its natural enemies in Côte d'Ivoire. This peculiar leafhopper, recently described from Ghana (Dmitriev 2016), lays its eggs on leaflets of coconut palm, and could be an economically important pest of this crop in West Africa, particularly because it is a suspected vector of the phytoplasma associated with the Côte d'Ivoire Lethal Yellowing disease of coconut, as characterized by Arocha-Rosete et al. (2014). Coconut lethal yellowing diseases cause severe economic losses to the very important coconut growing industry in several West African countries and elsewhere, being considered a threat of global economic and social significance (Gurr et al. 2016). Thus, the parasitoid may be of potential importance for natural biological control of this pest and urgently needs a scientific name to be used in further publications on its biology and ecology. Such studies are currently underway by the second author, who collected the type series of the new species.

Effects of the endoparasitoid Cotesia chilonis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitism, venom, and calyx fluid on cellular and humoral immunity of its host Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae.

PubMed

Teng, Zi-Wen; Xu, Gang; Gan, Shi-Yu; Chen, Xuan; Fang, Qi; Ye, Gong-Yin

2016-02-01

The larval endoparasitoid Cotesia chilonis injects venom and bracoviruses into its host Chilo suppressalis during oviposition. Here we study the effects of the polydnavirus (PDV)-carrying endoparasitoid C. chilonis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitism, venom and calyx fluid on host cellular and humoral immunity, specifically hemocyte composition, cellular spreading, encapsulation and melanization. Total hemocyte counts (THCs) were higher in parasitized larvae than in unparasitized larvae in the late stages following parasitization. While both plasmatocyte and granulocyte fractions and hemocyte mortality did not differ between parasitized and unparasitized hosts, in vitro spreading behavior of hemocytes was inhibited significantly by parasitism throughout the course of parasitoid development. C. chilonis parasitism suppressed the encapsulation response and melanization in the early stages. Venom alone did not alter cellular immune responses, including effects on THCs, mortality, hemocyte composition, cell spreading and encapsulation, but venom did inhibit humoral immunity by reducing melanization within 6h after injection. In contrast to venom, calyx fluid had a significant effect on cell spreading, encapsulation and melanization from 6h after injection. Dose-response injection studies indicated the effects of venom and calyx fluid synergized, showing a stronger and more persistent reduction in immune system responses than the effect of either injected alone. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of brood pheromone (SuperBoost) on consumption of protein supplement and growth of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies during fall in a northern temperate climate.

PubMed

Sagili, Ramesh R; Breece, Carolyn R

2012-08-01

Honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), nutrition is vital for colony growth and maintenance of a robust immune system. Brood rearing in honey bee colonies is highly dependent on protein availability. Beekeepers in general provide protein supplement to colonies during periods of pollen dearth. Honey bee brood pheromone is a blend of methyl and ethyl fatty acid esters extractable from cuticle of honey bee larvae that communicates the presence of larvae in a colony. Honey bee brood pheromone has been shown to increase protein supplement consumption and growth of honey bee colonies in a subtropical winter climate. Here, we tested the hypothesis that synthetic brood pheromone (SuperBoost) has the potential to increase protein supplement consumption during fall in a temperate climate and thus increase colony growth. The experiments were conducted in two locations in Oregon during September and October 2009. In both the experiments, colonies receiving brood pheromone treatment consumed significantly higher protein supplement and had greater brood area and adult bees than controls. Results from this study suggest that synthetic brood pheromone may be used to stimulate honey bee colony growth by stimulating protein supplement consumption during fall in a northern temperate climate, when majority of the beekeepers feed protein supplement to their colonies.

Clinico-epidemiology of arthropod stings and bites in primary hospitals of North Western province of Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Kularatne, Senanayake A M; Shahmy, Seyed; Rathnayake, Shantha S; Dawson, Andrew H

2018-03-06

Arthropod stinging and bites are common environmental hazards in Sri Lanka. However, their medical importance has not been fully evaluated yet. This study aims to study the burden, epidemiology, and outcome of stings and bites in primary hospitals in the Kurunegala district in North Western Province (NWP) of Sri Lanka. The study was conducted one year from 25th May 2013 to 25th May 2014. Details of all stings and bites admissions and their outcomes were retrospectively extracted from hospital records in all 44 primary hospitals in the district. There were 623 stings and bites with population incidence of 38/100,000 (95% CI 27-52). There were no deaths. Median age was 38 years (IQR: 19-53 years), and 351 (56%) were males. Most of stings and bites (75%) occurred in the daytime. Median time to hospital arrival was 55 minutes (IQR: 30 min to 2 h). The offending arthropods had been identified in 557 (89%) cases, of them, 357 (57%) were Hymenoptera (hornet and bees), 99 centipedes, 61 spiders and 40 scorpions. Local pain occurred in 346 (56%) cases - centipede 69 (70%), Scorpion 24 (60%), spider 36 (59%), Hymenoptera 187 (52%) and unidentified 30 (45%). Hymenoptera stings and spider bites occurred between 06 am to 12 noon, and scorpion stings and centipede bites mostly occurred between 06 pm to 12 midnight. Mild, moderate to severe anaphylaxis reactions occurred in 173 (28%) patients including 110 Hymenoptera stings - mild 39, moderate 62 and severe 9. From primary hospitals, 53(9%) cases had been transferred to tertiary care units for further management. Of them, 41 cases were Hymenoptera stings and 24 (58%) of them had mild, moderate to severe anaphylaxis. In the entire group, 27% severe cases received adrenaline. The primary hospitals in NW province of Sri Lanka manage large numbers of arthropod stings and bites. These include Hymenoptera (hornet and bee), centipedes, spiders, and scorpions. Pain, swellings and anaphylactic reactions were the most common adverse

Genetic Diversity of the Invasive Gall Wasp Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and of its Rickettsia Endosymbiont, and Associated Sex-Ratio Differences

PubMed Central

Nugnes, Francesco; Gebiola, Marco; Monti, Maurilia Maria; Gualtieri, Liberata; Giorgini, Massimo; Wang, Jianguo; Bernardo, Umberto

2015-01-01

The blue-gum chalcid Leptocybe invasa Fisher & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gall wasp pest of Eucalyptus species, likely native to Australia. Over the past 15 years it has invaded 39 countries on all continents where eucalypts are grown. The worldwide invasion of the blue gum chalcid was attributed to a single thelytokous morphospecies formally described in 2004. Subsequently, however, males have been recorded in several countries and the sex ratio of field populations has been found to be highly variable in different areas. In order to find an explanation for such sex ratio differences, populations of L. invasa from a broad geographical area were screened for the symbionts currently known as reproductive manipulators, and both wasps and symbionts were genetically characterized using multiple genes. Molecular analyses suggested that L. invasa is in fact a complex of two cryptic species involved in the rapid and efficient spread of the wasp, the first recovered from the Mediterranean region and South America, the latter from China. All screened specimens were infected by endosymbiotic bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia. Two closely related Rickettsia strains were found, each infecting one of the two putative cryptic species of L. invasa and associated with different average sex ratios. Rickettsia were found to be localized in the female reproductive tissues and transovarially transmitted, suggesting a possible role of Rickettsia as the causal agent of thelytokous parthenogenesis in L. invasa. Implications for the variation of sex ratio and for the management of L. invasa are discussed. PMID:25970681

The Effects of the Insect Growth Regulators Methoxyfenozide and Pyriproxyfen and the Acaricide Bifenazate on Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Forager Survival.

PubMed

Fisher, Adrian; Colman, Chet; Hoffmann, Clint; Fritz, Brad; Rangel, Juliana

2018-04-02

The honey bee (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) contributes an essential role in the U.S. economy by pollinating major agricultural crops including almond, which depends entirely on honey bee pollination for successful nut set. Almond orchards are often treated with pesticides to control a variety of pests and pathogens, particularly during bloom. While the effects to honey bee health of some insecticides, particularly neonicotinoids, have received attention recently, the impact of other types of insecticides on honey bee health is less clear. In this study, we examined the effects to honey bee forager survival of three non-neonicotinoid pesticides widely used during the 2014 California almond bloom. We collected foragers from a local apiary and exposed them to three pesticides at the label dose, or at doses ranging from 0.5 to 3 times the label dose rate. The selected pesticides included the insect growth regulators methoxyfenozide and pyriproxyfen, and the acaricide bifenazate. We simulated field exposure of honey bees to these pesticides during aerial application in almond orchards by using a wind tunnel and atomizer set up with a wind speed of 2.9 m/s. Experimental groups consisting of 30-40 foragers each were exposed to either untreated controls or pesticide-laden treatments and were monitored every 24 hr over a 10-d period. Our results revealed a significant negative effect of all pesticides tested on forager survival. Therefore, we suggest increased caution in the application of these pesticides in almond orchards or any agricultural crop during bloom to avoid colony health problems.

A Nutritional Profile of the Trap-Nesting Wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae): Comparison of Sexes and Overwintering and Non-Overwintering Generations

PubMed Central

Judd, Timothy M.; Fasnacht, Matthew P.

2017-01-01

The wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure is a bivoltine trap-nesting species that possesses a non-overwintering generation (G1) and a generation that overwinters as a prepupa (G2). Thus, the nutritional needs of the G1 individuals were predicted to be different than the G2 because the latter generation needs to store energy prior to diapause. Trap-nesting Trypoxylon are also of interest because, unlike most Hymenoptera, the males guard the nest while females forage. Thus, males may lose nutrients as they stay and guard the nest. In this study, a nutritional profile was created for T. lactitarse to compare the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) and micronutrient (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn) levels of the different life stages of the wasp and compare individuals of the G1 and G2 generations. There were distinct changes in the nutrient levels relative to the original food source as individuals metamorphosed into larvae, pupae, and adults. G1 larvae had higher levels of carbohydrates than G2 larvae. G2 larvae had higher levels of lipids and K than G1 larvae, indicating possible differences in energy storage. In adults, there was an increase in levels of carbohydrates and Mn. Parental males, which stay and guard the nest, were found to have higher levels of carbohydrates at the end of the nesting period than females and emerging adults. One possible implication is that females may feed males during the nesting period, as the females are the only individuals to forage. PMID:28054943

A Nutritional Profile of the Trap-Nesting Wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae): Comparison of Sexes and Overwintering and Non-Overwintering Generations.

PubMed

Judd, Timothy M; Fasnacht, Matthew P

2017-01-03

The wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure is a bivoltine trap-nesting species that possesses a non-overwintering generation (G1) and a generation that overwinters as a prepupa (G2). Thus, the nutritional needs of the G1 individuals were predicted to be different than the G2 because the latter generation needs to store energy prior to diapause. Trap-nesting Trypoxylon are also of interest because, unlike most Hymenoptera, the males guard the nest while females forage. Thus, males may lose nutrients as they stay and guard the nest. In this study, a nutritional profile was created for T. lactitarse to compare the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) and micronutrient (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn) levels of the different life stages of the wasp and compare individuals of the G1 and G2 generations. There were distinct changes in the nutrient levels relative to the original food source as individuals metamorphosed into larvae, pupae, and adults. G1 larvae had higher levels of carbohydrates than G2 larvae. G2 larvae had higher levels of lipids and K than G1 larvae, indicating possible differences in energy storage. In adults, there was an increase in levels of carbohydrates and Mn. Parental males, which stay and guard the nest, were found to have higher levels of carbohydrates at the end of the nesting period than females and emerging adults. One possible implication is that females may feed males during the nesting period, as the females are the only individuals to forage.

The Family Adaptation Model: A Life Course Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

more general constructs of self esteem ( Coopersmith , 1967; Lawler, 1973; Rosenberg, 1965), locus of control, (Rotter, 1966), and situational mastery...Riley (Ed.), Aging from birth to death. Boulder, C: Westview Press. Coopersmith , S. (1967). The antecedents of self-esteem. San Francisco: Freeman

MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY: POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

EPA Science Inventory

Introduction

The term "molecular epidemiology" has been used to cover a broad range of scientific activities, often without specific reference to epidemiology. In fact, as noted by Foxman and Riley [1],molecular epidemiology has often been described almost exclusively in...

NASA Spacecraft Images Texas Wildfire

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-13

The tri-county Riley Road wildfire burning in Texas north of Houston was 85 percent contained when NASA Terra spacecraft acquired this image on Sept. 12, 2011. Burned areas are dark gray and black; vegetation red; and bare ground and roads light gray.

Removal of drone brood from Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies to control Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) and retain adult drones.

PubMed

Wantuch, Holly A; Tarpy, David R

2009-12-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) has plagued European honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in the Americas since its introduction in the 1980s. For many years, these mites were sufficiently controlled using synthetic acaricides. Recently, however, beekeepers have experienced increased resistance by mites to chemical pesticides, which are also known to leave residues in hive products such as wax and honey. Thus there has been increased emphasis on nonchemical integrated pest management control tactics for Varroa. Because mites preferentially reproduce in drone brood (pupal males), we developed a treatment strategy focusing on salvaging parasitized drones while removing mites from them. We removed drone brood from colonies in which there was no acaricidal application and banked them in separate "drone-brood receiving" colonies treated with pesticides to kill mites emerging with drones. We tested 20 colonies divided into three groups: 1) negative control (no mite treatment), 2) positive control (treatment with acaricides), and 3) drone-brood removal and placement into drone-brood receiving colonies. We found that drone-brood trapping significantly lowered mite numbers during the early months of the season, eliminating the need for additional control measures in the spring. However, mite levels in the drone-brood removal group increased later in the summer, suggesting that this benefit does not persist throughout the entire season. Our results suggest that this method of drone-brood trapping can be used as an element of an integrated control strategy to control varroa mites, eliminating a large portion of the Varroa population with limited chemical treatments while retaining the benefits of maintaining adult drones in the population.

MODIS imagery improves pest risk assessment: A case study of wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus, Hymenoptera: Cephidae) in Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lestina, Jordan; Cook, Maxwell; Kumar, Sunil; Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Ode, Paul J.; Peirs, Frank

2016-01-01

Wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Norton, Hymenoptera: Cephidae) has long been a significant insect pest of spring, and more recently, winter wheat in the northern Great Plains. Wheat stem sawfly was first observed infesting winter wheat in Colorado in 2010 and, subsequently, has spread rapidly throughout wheat production regions of the state. Here, we used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) to generate habitat suitability maps in order to predict the risk of crop damage as this species spreads throughout the winter wheat-growing regions of Colorado. We identified environmental variables that influence the current distribution of wheat stem sawfly in the state and evaluated whether remotely sensed variables improved model performance. We used presence localities of C. cinctus and climatic, topographic, soils, and normalized difference vegetation index and enhanced vegetation index data derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery as environmental variables. All models had high performance in that they were successful in predicting suitable habitat for C. cinctus in its current distribution in eastern Colorado. The enhanced vegetation index for the month of April improved model performance and was identified as a top contributor to MaxEnt model. Soil clay percent at 0–5 cm, temperature seasonality, and precipitation seasonality were also associated with C. cinctus distribution in Colorado. The improved model performance resulting from integrating vegetation indices in our study demonstrates the ability of remote sensing technologies to enhance species distribution modeling. These risk maps generated can assist managers in planning control measures for current infestations and assess the future risk of C. cinctus establishment in currently uninfested regions.

Sex ratio in two species of Pegoscapus wasps (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) that develop in figs: can wasps do mathematics, or play sex ratio games?

PubMed

Ramírez-Benavides, William; Monge-Nájera, Julián; Chavarría, Juan B

2009-09-01

The fig pollinating wasps (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) have obligate arrhenotoky and a breeding structure that fits local mate competition (LMC). It has been traditionally assumed that LMC organisms adjust the sex ratio by laying a greater proportion of male eggs when there is superparasitism (several foundresses in a host). We tested the assumption with two wasp species, Pegoscapus silvestrii, pollinator of Ficus pertusa and Pegoscapus tonduzi, pollinator of Ficus eximia (= F citrifolia), in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Total number of wasps and seeds were recorded in individual isolated naturally colonized syconia. There was a constant additive effect between the number of foundresses and the number of males produced in the brood of a syconium, while the number of females decreased. Both wasp species seem to have precise sex ratios and probably lay the male eggs first in the sequence, independently of superparasitism and clutch size: consequently, they have a non-random sex allocation. Each syconium of Ficus pertusa and of F. eximia colonized by one foundress had similar mean numbers of females, males, and seeds. The two species of wasps studied do not seem to adjust the sex ratio when there is superparasitism. Pollinating fig wasp behavior is better explained by those models not assuming that females do mathematical calculations according to other females' sex ratios, size, number of foundresses, genetic constitution, clutch size or environmental conditions inside the syconium. Our results are in agreement with the constant male number hypothesis, not with sex ratio games.

Patch time allocation and oviposition behavior in response to patch quality and the presence of a generalist predator in Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Sheng, Sheng; Ling, Meng; Fu-An, Wu; Baoping, Li

2015-01-01

Foraging parasitoids often must estimate local risk of predation just as they must estimate local patch value. Here, we investigate the effects a generalist predator Chlaenius bioculatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has on the oviposition behavior and the patch residence decisions of a solitary parasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in response to the varying host quality of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae (L2 and L4). M. pulchricornis attacked more L4 than on L2 hosts, with the difference in attack rate varying depending on predation treatments, greater in the presence (either actively feeding or not) of the predator than in the absence of it. The parasitoid attacked fewer L2 and L4 hosts when the predator was actively feeding than when it was not feeding or not present in the patch. M. pulchricornis decreased the patch leaving tendency with increasing rejections of hosts, but increased the tendency in response to the presence of the predator as compared with the absence of it, and furthermore, increased the patch leaving tendency when the predator was actively feeding as compared with when it was not. Our study suggests that M. pulchricornis can exploit high quality patches while minimizing predation risk, by attacking more hosts in high quality patches while reducing total patch time in response to risk of predation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

The geological record and phylogeny of spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): A revision of fossil species and their phylogenetic placement.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Juanita; Waichert, Cecilia; von Dohlen, Carol D; Pitts, James P

2017-01-01

Accurate fossil identification has become increasingly relevant with the widespread use of phylogenetic divergence time estimation methods, which rely on fossil data to determine clade hard-minimum ages. Here we revise, diagnose and illustrate known spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) fossil species and place them within the latest Pompilidae phylogenetic hypothesis. Ceropalites infelix Cockerell, from the Florissant Fossil Beds (Priabonian), is no longer recognized as Pompilidae, but as Aulacidae. Agenioideus saxigenus (Cockerell) comb. nov., Deuteragenia wettweri (Statz) comb. nov., Caputelus scudderi (Cockerell, 1906) comb. nov., Pepsinites avitula (Cockerell, 1941) comb. nov., Pepsinites contentus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pepsinites florissantensis (Cockerell, 1906) comb. nov., Pepsinites laminarum (Rohwer, 1909) comb. nov., Pepsinites scelerosus (Meunier, 1919) comb. nov., Pepsinites cockerellae (Rohwer, 1909) comb. nov., Pompilinites coquandi (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pompilinites depressus (Statz, 1936) comb. nov., Pompilites incertus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pompilites induratus (Heer, 1849) comb. nov., Pompilites fasciatus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., and Pompilites senex comb. nov. are new combinations. Twenty-three fossil species of spider wasps are now recognized in 13 genera. Four new genera are proposed: Caputelus Waichert & Pitts gen. nov., Pompilites Rodriguez gen. nov., Pompilinites Rodriguez & Waichert gen. nov., and Pepsinites Rodriguez & Waichert gen. nov., of which the three latter are collective-group names for fossils with taxonomic uncertainty. One species of fossil spider wasp is described: Deuteragenia catalunyia Rodriguez, Waichert & Pitts sp. nov., from the Bellver deposits in Catalonia, Spain. Five of the 23 known species can be used to determine hard-minimum age for calibrations of genera stem-groups (Agenioideus, Anoplius, Cryptocheilus, Deuteragenia, Priocnemis). The fossil belonging to the stem-group of the tribe

The geological record and phylogeny of spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): A revision of fossil species and their phylogenetic placement

PubMed Central

Waichert, Cecilia; von Dohlen, Carol D.; Pitts, James P.

2017-01-01

Accurate fossil identification has become increasingly relevant with the widespread use of phylogenetic divergence time estimation methods, which rely on fossil data to determine clade hard-minimum ages. Here we revise, diagnose and illustrate known spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) fossil species and place them within the latest Pompilidae phylogenetic hypothesis. Ceropalites infelix Cockerell, from the Florissant Fossil Beds (Priabonian), is no longer recognized as Pompilidae, but as Aulacidae. Agenioideus saxigenus (Cockerell) comb. nov., Deuteragenia wettweri (Statz) comb. nov., Caputelus scudderi (Cockerell, 1906) comb. nov., Pepsinites avitula (Cockerell, 1941) comb. nov., Pepsinites contentus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pepsinites florissantensis (Cockerell, 1906) comb. nov., Pepsinites laminarum (Rohwer, 1909) comb. nov., Pepsinites scelerosus (Meunier, 1919) comb. nov., Pepsinites cockerellae (Rohwer, 1909) comb. nov., Pompilinites coquandi (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pompilinites depressus (Statz, 1936) comb. nov., Pompilites incertus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., Pompilites induratus (Heer, 1849) comb. nov., Pompilites fasciatus (Theobald, 1937) comb. nov., and Pompilites senex comb. nov. are new combinations. Twenty-three fossil species of spider wasps are now recognized in 13 genera. Four new genera are proposed: Caputelus Waichert & Pitts gen. nov., Pompilites Rodriguez gen. nov., Pompilinites Rodriguez & Waichert gen. nov., and Pepsinites Rodriguez & Waichert gen. nov., of which the three latter are collective-group names for fossils with taxonomic uncertainty. One species of fossil spider wasp is described: Deuteragenia catalunyia Rodriguez, Waichert & Pitts sp. nov., from the Bellver deposits in Catalonia, Spain. Five of the 23 known species can be used to determine hard-minimum age for calibrations of genera stem-groups (Agenioideus, Anoplius, Cryptocheilus, Deuteragenia, Priocnemis). The fossil belonging to the stem-group of the tribe

Method 365.5 Determination of Orthophosphate in Estuarine and Coastal Waters by Automated Colorimetric Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

This method provides a procedure for the determination of low-level orthophosphate concentrations normally found in estuarine and/or coastal waters. It is based upon the method of Murphy and Riley1 adapted for automated segmented flow analysis2 in which the two reagent solutions ...

2010 Precision Strike Annual Review Held in Springfield, Virginia on April 20-21, 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-21

Reaction Technology Office Fogg (Acting) Director, Rapid Fielding Wyatt PD - Riley Program Oversight Dipetto Program Guidance And Assessment TBD Director...warfighters Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell Mr Thomas P Dee Complex Systems Dr Charles W Perkins Rapid Reaction Technology Office Mr Glenn A Fogg (Acting

Plant-herbivore and plant-pollinator interactions of the developing perennial oilseed crop, Silphium integrifolium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sampling in Kansas and North Dakota documented the plant-herbivore and plant-pollinator interactions of the developing perennial oilseed crop, Silphium integrifolium Michx. The larva of the tortricid moth, Eucosma giganteana (Riley), was the most common floret- and seed-feeding pest in Kansas, with ...

A revision of Chilicola (Heteroediscelis), a subgenus of xeromelissine bees (Hymenoptera, Colletidae) endemic to Chile: taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography, with descriptions of eight new species

PubMed Central

Monckton, Spencer K.

2016-01-01

Abstract The bee subgenus Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) Toro & Moldenke, 1979 (Hymenoptera, Colletidae, Xeromelissinae) is revised. The subgenus is considered endemic to Chile and occurs across a broad range of habitats. Eight new species are described: Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) charizard Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) curvapeligrosa Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) guanicoe Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) katherinae Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) lickana Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) mayu Monckton, sp. n., Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) packeri Monckton, sp. n., and Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) randolphi Monckton, sp. n. One of the existing species, Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) valparaiso Toro & Moldenke, 1979, syn. n., is treated as a junior synonym of Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) mantagua Toro & Moldenke, 1979, and the nine remaining valid species are redescribed. Thoroughly illustrated keys to species for males and females are provided, along with habitus images, images of male terminalia, distribution maps for each species, and a map of relevant Chilean biogeographic regions. Results of phylogenetic analyses are presented, based upon 74 morphological characters and on CO1 barcode sequences, analyzed both separately and as a combined dataset. Monophyly of the subgenus is supported, and groupings within the subgenus are discussed in light of a biogeographic analysis of their species distributions (spatial analysis of vicariance), whereby divergence between taxa is found to occur primarily via north-south disjunctions. PMID:27408541

The density of females of Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) affects their reproductive performance on pupae of Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae).

PubMed

Pereira, Fabricio F; Zanuncio, José C; Serrão, José E; Zanuncio, Teresinha V; Pratissoli, Dirceu; Pastori, Patrik L

2010-06-01

Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious and polyphagous parasitoid mainly of Lepidoptera pupae. The objective of this paper as to study the developent of parasitoid on Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) pupae exposed to one, nine, 18, 27, 36, 45 or 54 female P. elaeisis, respectively. The females of the parasitoid remained in contact with pupae for 24 hours in glass tubes (14.0 x 2.2 cm), packed in a climatic chamber regulated at 25 +/- 2 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% relative humidity and photo phase of 12 hours. With the exception of density 1:1 (72.72%), in other densities parasitism was 100%. Adults of P. elaeisis did not emerge from pupae at densities of 1:1 and 9:1, but 100.0% of parasitoid emergence was observed at the density of 45:1 and 54.54% at 54:1. The duration of the life cycle of this parasitoid ranged from 20 to 28 days. P. elaeisis produced 49 to 589 descendants per pupa of B. mori. The sex ratio of P. elaeisis ranged from 0.93 +/- 0.01 to 0.97 +/- 0.01 without differences with 18, 27, 36, 45 and 54 females/host. This parasitoid should be reared with the density of 45 females per pupa of B. mori.

Streamlining the use of BOLD specimen data to record species distributions: a case study with ten Nearctic species of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

PubMed Central

Penev, Lyubomir; Ratnasingham, Sujeevan; Smith, M. Alex; Sones, Jayme; Telfer, Angela; deWaard, Jeremy R.; Hebert, Paul D. N.

2014-01-01

Abstract The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) is designed to support the generation and application of DNA barcode data, but it also provides a unique source of data with potential for many research uses. This paper explores the streamlining of BOLD specimen data to record species distributions – and its fast publication using the Biodiversity Data Journal (BDJ), and its authoring platform, the Pensoft Writing Tool (PWT). We selected a sample of 630 specimens and 10 species of a highly diverse group of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from the Nearctic region and used the information in BOLD to uncover a significant number of new records (of locality, provinces, territories and states). By converting specimen information (such as locality, collection date, collector, voucher depository) from the BOLD platform to the Excel template provided by the PWT, it is possible to quickly upload and generate long lists of "Material Examined" for papers discussing taxonomy, ecology and/or new distribution records of species. For the vast majority of publications including DNA barcodes, the generation and publication of ancillary data associated with the barcoded material is seldom highlighted and often disregarded, and the analysis of those data sets to uncover new distribution patterns of species has rarely been explored, even though many BOLD records represent new and/or significant discoveries. The introduction of journals specializing in – and streamlining – the release of these datasets, such as the BDJ, should facilitate thorough analysis of these records, as shown in this paper. PMID:25473326

A Bio-Economic Case Study of Canadian Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies: Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) in Queen Breeding Affects Beekeeper Profits

PubMed Central

Baylis, Kathy; Hoover, Shelley E.; Currie, Rob W.; Melathopoulos, Andony P.; Pernal, Stephen F.; Foster, Leonard J.; Guarna, M. Marta

2017-01-01

Abstract Over the past decade in North America and Europe, winter losses of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have increased dramatically. Scientific consensus attributes these losses to multifactorial causes including altered parasite and pathogen profiles, lack of proper nutrition due to agricultural monocultures, exposure to pesticides, management, and weather. One method to reduce colony loss and increase productivity is through selective breeding of queens to produce disease-, pathogen-, and mite-resistant stock. Historically, the only method for identifying desirable traits in honey bees to improve breeding was through observation of bee behavior. A team of Canadian scientists have recently identified markers in bee antennae that correspond to behavioral traits in bees and can be tested for in a laboratory. These scientists have demonstrated that this marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be used to produce hygienic, pathogen-resistant honey bee colonies. Based on this research, we present a beekeeping case study where a beekeeper’s profit function is used to evaluate the economic impact of adopting colonies selected for hygienic behavior using MAS into an apiary. Our results show a net profit gain from an MAS colony of between 2% and 5% when Varroa mites are effectively treated. In the case of ineffective treatment, MAS generates a net profit benefit of between 9% and 96% depending on the Varroa load. When a Varroa mite population has developed some treatment resistance, we show that MAS colonies generate a net profit gain of between 8% and 112% depending on the Varroa load and degree of treatment resistance. PMID:28334400

FEU Technology Digest No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Further Education Unit, London (England).

This digest contains four articles about technology and education in Britain. "The Development of an 'Additional Skills' Training Programme" (Peter Riley) details the organization and progress of a collaborative effort between Blackpool Processing Company and Flyde College's Additional Skills training program, a solution to achieving the…

Military Bases: Opportunities Exist to Improve Future Base Realignment and Closure Rounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Operational Army—realigns Fort Bliss , TX; Fort Hood, TX; Fort Riley, KS; Fort Campbell, KY; and Fort Sill, OK to include rebasing of units from overseas to...Committee on Appropriations United States Senate The Honorable Tim Johnson Chairman The Honorable Mark Kirk Ranking Member Subcommittee on Military

Using Probabilistic Terrorism Risk Modeling for Regulatory Benefit-Cost Analysis. Application to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Implemented in the Land Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

Dixon and Stern, 2004), and gun violence prevention programs ( Tita et al., 2003). As DHS considers promulgating regulations and implementing new...communication 2/21/07. Tita , G., K. J. Riley, G. Ridgeway, C. A. Grammich, A. Abrahamse, and P. W. Greenwood (2003), Reducing Gun Violence: Results

Buffalo Soldiers: The Formation of the Tenth Cavalry Regiment from September 1866 to August 1867

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

April, Company A departed Fort Leavenworth for Fort Riley, Kansas. -53- Unfortunately, personal tragedy preempted Grierson’s plans. In early April...McGeehee, Curator Frontier Army Museum Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-6900 18. Editor, Leavenworth Times 422 Seneca Leavenworth, KS 66048 19. LTC James F

78 FR 38872 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Idaho Amalgamated Sugar Company...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. Docket: All documents in the electronic... hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www... determination for TASCO's fossil fuel-fired Riley Boiler. This alternative control measure is also referred to...

Advising China, 1924-1948: The Role of Military Culture in Foreign Advisory Missions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-27

part of Ludendorff’s ultra-nationalist circle, which had participated in Adolf Hitler’s failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. 73 The advisers... Sour ce: Charles F. Romanus and Riley Sunderland, United States Army in World War II, China-Burma-India Theater: Stilwell’s Mission to China

The Simulation of Wave Slam Impulses to Evaluate Shock Mitigation Seats For High-Speed Planing Craft

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-17

Vibration Handbook Fourth Edition”, McGraw Hill, New York, Chicago , San Francisco, 1996 29. Riley, M., Coats, T., Haupt, K., Jacobson, D., “The...United States Coast Guard Office of Boat Forces, CG 731 2100 Second Street, SW STOP 356 Washington, DC 20593-7356 Attn: David Shepard

75 FR 59208 - Modoc County Resource Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-27

... Office, Conference Room, 800 West 12th St., Alturas. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly H... Coordinator, Stephen Riley at (530) 233-8771. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The business meeting on October 4... meeting. Dated: September 20, 2010. Kimberly H. Anderson, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2010-24177 Filed 9...

Social Capital Development within a Novice District-Grown Principal Preparation Program: A Case Study of the DCPS Patterson Fellowship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Allison

2016-01-01

In the last decade district-managed principal preparation programs have become common as a means for school leadership preparation (Leithwood, Seashore-Lewis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004; Turnbull, Riley, & MacFarlane, 2015), but evaluations of these programs are relatively rare. This dissertation evaluates one such program, the Mary Jane…

Establishing special needs car seat loan program.

PubMed

Bull, M J; Stroup, K B; Stout, J; Doll, J P; Jones, J; Feller, N

1990-04-01

Car seat loan and rental programs have provided many families with low-cost access to child restraints. When an infant or child is unable to be accommodated in a standard car seat or seat belt owing to physical or medical problems, parents of these children have few, if any available resources. The establishment and operation of a loan program at the Indiana University School of Medicine for children who are medically fragile is reviewed in this article. This program was developed by the Automotive Safety for Children Program at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Medical Center, to meet the special transportation needs of children with respiratory, orthopaedic, and other medical and physical difficulties. A summary table is included to highlight restraints that have performed satisfactorily during dynamic crash tests and are used to meet patient transportation needs at Riley Hospital. Guidelines for establishing and maintaining a child restraint loan program for children with special needs are outlined to encourage replication of this effort.

Annual Research Briefs, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moin, Parviz; Reynolds, William C.

1988-01-01

Lagrangian techniques have found widespread application to the prediction and understanding of turbulent transport phenomena and have yielded satisfactory results for different cases of shear flow problems. However, it must be kept in mind that in most experiments what is really available are Eulerian statistics, and it is far from obvious how to extract from them the information relevant to the Lagrangian behavior of the flow; in consequence, Lagrangian models still include some hypothesis for which no adequate supporting evidence was until now available. Direct numerical simulation of turbulence offers a new way to obtain Lagrangian statistics and so verify the validity of the current predictive models and the accuracy of their results. After the pioneering work of Riley (Riley and Patterson, 1974) in the 70's, some such results have just appeared in the literature (Lee et al, Yeung and Pope). The present contribution follows in part similar lines, but focuses on two particle statistics and comparison with existing models.

Evaluation of alternative planting strategies to reduce wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) damage to spring wheat in the northern Great Plains.

PubMed

Beres, B L; Cárcamo, H A; Bremer, E

2009-12-01

Wheat, Triticum aestivum L., producers are often reluctant to use solid-stemmed wheat cultivars resistant to wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), due to concerns regarding yield, efficacy or market opportunities. We evaluated the impact of several planting strategies on wheat yield and quality and wheat stem sawfly infestation at two locations over a three-year period. Experimental units consisted of large plots (50 by 200 m) located on commercial farms adjacent to wheat stem sawfly-infested fields. Compared with a monoculture of a hollow-stemmed cultivar ('AC Barrie'), planting a monoculture of a solid-stemmed cultivar ('AC Eatonia') increased yield by an average of 16% (0.4 mg ha(-1)) and increased the grade of wheat by one unit at the two most heavily infested site-years. Planting a 1:1 blend of AC Eatonia and AC Barrie increased yield by an average of 11%, whereas planting 20- or 40-m plot margins to AC Eatonia increased yield by an average of 8%. High wheat stem sawfly pressure limited the effectiveness of using resistant cultivars in field margins because plants were often infested beyond the plot margin, with uniform infestation down the length of the plots at the two most heavily infested site-years. The effectiveness of AC Eatonia to reduce wheat stem sawfly survivorship was modest in this study, probably due to weather-related factors influencing pith expression and to the high abundance of wheat stem sawfly. Greater benefits from planting field margins to resistant cultivars or planting a blend of resistant and susceptible cultivars might be achievable under lower wheat stem sawfly pressure.

Do weather conditions correlate with findings in failed, provision-filled nest cells of Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in western North America?

PubMed

Pitts-Singer, Theresa L; James, Rosalind R

2008-06-01

Cavity-nesting alfalfa leafcutting bees, Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), are excellent pollinators of alfalfa, Medicago savita L., for seed production. In commercial settings, artificial cavities are placed in field domiciles for nesting and, thereby, bee populations are sustained for future use. For this study, cells from leafcutting bee nests were collected in late summer from commercial seed fields. Over 3 yr (2003-2005), 39 samples in total of approximately equal to 1,000 cells each were taken from several northwestern U.S. states and from Manitoba, Canada. X-radiography of 500 cells from each sample was used to identify "pollen balls" (i.e., cells in which the pollen-nectar provision remained, but the egg or larva, if present, was not detectable on an x-radiograph). Most U.S. samples seemed to have higher proportions of pollen ball cells than Manitoba samples. Pollen ball cells were dissected to determine the moisture condition of the mass provision and true contents of each cell. Most pollen ball cells from Manitoba samples contained fungus, the frequency of which was positively correlated with cool, wet weather. In the United States, most pollen ball cells had moist provisions, and many of them lacked young brood. Correlation analysis revealed that pollen ball cells occurred in greater proportions in fields with more hot days (above 38 degrees C). Broodless pollen ball cells occurred in greater proportions under cool conditions, but dead small larvae (second-third instars) seemed to occur in greater proportions under hot conditions. Pollen ball cells with unhatched eggs and first instars (in the chorion) occurred in lesser proportions under hot conditions.

A New Species of Torymus (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) Parasitic on Pachypsylla Celtidis-Vesicula Riley (Chermidae) with Notes on its Biology and Other Parasitoids attacking the same host at Columbus, Ohio

Treesearch

John C. Moser

1956-01-01

The genus Torymus is a group in which the vast majority of species are ectoparasitic on dipterous or hymenopterous gall makers. Three species, however, have been recorded from Homoptera, one on the eggs of Cicadidae and two others as gall parasitoids of the genus Pachypsylla which are gall makers of Celtis sp. (...

Effect of Cold Storage on Biological Traits of Psix saccharicola (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), an Egg Parasitoid of Acrosternum arabicum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

PubMed

Forouzan, Farzane; Jalali, Mohammad Amin; Ziaaddini, Mahdi; Hashemi Rad, Hamid

2018-05-28

Psix saccharicola (Mani) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a solitary egg parasitoid of the pistachio green stink bug, Acrosternum arabicum (Wagner) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), which is one of the most important pests of pistachio in Iran. Augmentation of P. saccharicola field populations using mass-reared individuals may provide an alternative to conventional pesticide use for pistachio green stink bug control. Cold storage is an important component of mass-rearing protocols for optimum timing of host egg parasitization and potentially extended storage of P. saccharicola pupae prior to adult emergence. The impact of cold storage on A. arabicum eggs for various time intervals at 4.0°C was investigated. Results indicated that host eggs stored at 4.0°C for up to 60 d could be exploited by P. sacchricola, whereas no offspring were produced when eggs were stored for 120 d. The emergence rates of the F1 and F2 generations declined with increased host egg storage time. Both sex ratio and survival rate of the F2 generation decreased as the refrigeration time of host eggs increased. The impact of cold storage on P. saccharicola pupae was evaluated. Reared pupae of P. saccharicola were held for 1 wk at three temperatures and compared with a control (27 ± 1°C). Psix saccharicola pupae were tolerant to cold storage at 8 and 12°C. Cold storage adversely affected mean adult emergence at 4°C, which decreased following low temperature exposure. Furthermore, mean percentage survivorship was unaffected by storage at low temperatures in the F1 generation, but was reduced at 4°C. The sex ratio of the F1 generation became more male-biased when held at lower storage temperatures. The highest female proportion was observed at 12°C.

QuartetS-DB: A Large-Scale Orthology Database for Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes Inferred by Evolutionary Evidence

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

particular functions and identify species that contain these proteins. For example, if users select two species, Homo sapiens and Mus musculus, and...Kerr AR, McCormack TJ, Riley M: Evolution by leaps: gene duplication in bacteria. Biol Direct 2009, 4:46. 12. Remm M, Storm CE, Sonnhammer EL

Historical Review of Atomic Frequency Standards Used in Space Systems - 10 Year Update

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

section on 2006 predictions. The authors would like to thank Peter Cash, Bernardo Jaduszliwer, Bob Kern, Robert Lutwak , John Prestage, Bill Riley, and...258- 262. [17] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, R. M. Garvey, and P. Vlitas, 2003, “Optically pumped cesium-beam frequency standard for GPS-III,” in

A Framework for Failure? The Impact of Short Tour Lengths and Separate National Command and Control on British Operational Art and Coalition Warfare in Iraq, 2003-2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-10

frame the problem.54 This is a clear example of cognitive dissonance and highlights the intellectual confusion that had emerged in senior British...to explicitly express complete satisfaction with PJHQ and the command and control framework) came from LTG Riley, CG MND (SE) from Dec 04-Jun 05: LTG

Benchmarking Peer Production Mechanisms, Processes & Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Thomas; Kretschmer, Thomas

2008-01-01

This deliverable identifies key approaches for quality management in peer production by benchmarking peer production practices and processes in other areas. (Contains 29 footnotes, 13 figures and 2 tables.)[This report has been authored with contributions of: Kaisa Honkonen-Ratinen, Matti Auvinen, David Riley, Jose Pinzon, Thomas Fischer, Thomas…

Panel discussion: Fumonisin Elimination. In: Proceedings of the Aflatoxin/Fumonisin Elimination and Fungal Genomics Workshops, October 22-24, 2007, Atlanta, Georgia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Summary of Presentations: The session was moderated by Scott Averhoff of the Texas Corn Producers Board. Ron Riley and Anthony Glenn from the USDA-ARS Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research Unit in Athens, GA presented a set of reports on the effects of fumonisin on corn seedling development and disease. F...

Pres. Clinton's Education Priorities: Early 1993 Indications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Franklin

Educators anticipate bold new education reform initiatives from President Bill Clinton and his Education Secretary, Richard Riley. A priority project is college tuition loans, repayable through voluntary public service jobs. The President also supports increased funding for the Head Start Program and money for a national apprenticeship program for…

We Should Not Give up on Kids: Interviews with former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reno, Janet

2001-01-01

In two interviews Janet Reno, former U.S. Attorney General, discusses the biggest challenges facing children and youth and how government, families, and communities can come together to meet these challenges. The first interview was conducted by Mary Shahbazian; the second was conducted by Father Chris Riley. (Author)

Investigating a Case of Hidden Misinterpretations of an Additive Word Problem: Structural Substitution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polotskaia, Elena; Savard, Annie; Freiman, Viktor

2016-01-01

According to numerous studies (Barrouillet & Camos 2002; Brousseau 1988; Chevallard 1988; Riley et al. 1984; Schubauer-Leoni & Ntamakiliro, "Revue Des Sciences de L'éducation," 20(1): 87-113, 1994; Vergnaud 1982; Xin, "The Journal of Educational Research," 100(6):347-360, 2007), a combination of many factors, including…

The Expressed Emotion of Mothers of Children with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Jeanine M.

2010-01-01

A review of the literature revealed that mothers with children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) face many challenges, including managing their child's behavior which is a defining characteristic of children with FXS (Epstein, Riley, & Sobesky, 2002). Parents and professionals have become increasingly aware through research and everyday experiences…

Hearing on H.R. 3130: Improving America's School Act of 1993. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education and Labor. House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, First Session. (September 23, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the proposed Improving America's School (IAS) Act of 1993, which embodies the Clinton Administration's program for transforming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Testimony was heard from U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, accompanied by Marshall Smith, Under…

Influence of winter temperature and simulated climate change on body mass and fat body depletion during diapause in adults of the solitary bee, Osmia rufa (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Fliszkiewicz, Monika; Giejdasz, Karol; Wasielewski, Oskar; Krishnan, Natraj

2012-12-01

The influence of simulated climate change on body weight and depletion of fat body reserves was studied during diapause in the European solitary bee Osmia rufa L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Insects (females) were reared and collected from outdoor nests from September to March. One cohort of females was weighed and dissected immediately for analyses, whereas another cohort was subjected to simulated warmer temperature (15°C for 7 d) before analyses. A gradual decline in body mass and fat body content was recorded with declining temperatures from September to January in female bees from natural conditions. Temperature increased gradually from January to March with a further decline in body mass and fat body content. The fat body development index dropped from five in September-October (≈ 89% individuals) to four for the period from November to February (≈ 84% individuals) and further to three in March (95% individuals) before emergence. Simulated warmer winter temperature also resulted in a similar decline in body weight and fat body content; however, body weight and fat body content declined faster. The fat body development index dropped to three in December in the majority of individuals and continued at this level until March just before emergence. Taken together, our data indicate an earlier depletion of fat body reserves under simulated climate change conditions that may impact ovarian development and reproductive fitness in O. rufa.

Reading for Change: Social Justice Unionism Book Groups as an Organizing Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Kathleen

2015-01-01

Kathleen Riley begins this article by providing quotes from James H. Lytle, and Anissa Weinraub, which were published in "Perspectives on Urban Education" in the summer of 2013. While they hold different professional positions (Lytle is a retired administrator and professor; Weinraub is a teacher and organizer), both wrote as…

Genomic Comparison of Escherichia coli O104:H4 Isolates from 2009 and 2011 Reveals Plasmid, and Prophage Heterogeneity, Including Shiga Toxin Encoding Phage stx2

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

306. 70. Smith DL, Rooks DJ, Fogg PC, Darby AC, Thomson NR, et al. (2012) Comparative genomics of Shiga toxin encoding bacteriophages. BMC Genomics 13...genomic rearrangements to lysogenic conversion. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 68: 560–602. 77. Smith DL, Wareing BM, Fogg PCM, Riley LM, Spencer M, et al

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Journalism Historians' Association (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 3-5, 1991).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Journalism Historians' Association.

The 24 papers in this collection discuss a variety of issues concerning the history of journalism in many countries. The papers are: "The East-Indian American Press" (Arthi Subramaniam); "The World's Oldest Magazine and Its Place in the Evolution of British Periodicals" (Sam G. Riley); "Donna Allen and the Women's…

Internal hydrological mechanism of permeable pavement and interaction with subsurface water - slides

EPA Science Inventory

A permeable pavement site located at the Seitz Elementary School on Fort Riley, Kansas was selected for this study. An 80-space parking lot was built behind the school as part of an EPA ORD collaboration with the U.S. Army under the Net Zero program. The parking lot design includ...

Outstanding Results--Tomorrow's Challenge. Adult Education Changes Lives: Recipients of the 1998-1999 Secretary's Awards for Outstanding Adult Education and Literacy Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Div. of Adult Education and Literacy.

This book profiles the achievements and best practices of 10 outstanding adult education and literacy education programs in nine states that received the 1998-99 Secretary's Awards from U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley. The programs were selected from 35 nominated programs using the following criteria: program design, instructional…

75 FR 11922 - Notice of Determinations Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-12

... domestic industry in an investigation resulting in-- (A) An affirmative determination of serious injury or... Workers from Manpower, South Portland, ME. May 20, 2008. TA-W-70,671; Daramic, LLC, Including on-site.... June 15, 2008. TA-W-71,536; Symmetry Medical Cases, D/B/A Riley Medical, Kelly Services, Manpower...

76 FR 50726 - Riverbank Hydro No. 14, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-16

... (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the Tuttle Creek Hydroelectric Project (Tuttle Creek Project or project) to be located at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Tuttle Creek Dam, on Big Blue River, near Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas. The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued...

Additive Relations Word Problems in the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Standard at Foundation Phase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Nicky

2016-01-01

Drawing on a literature review of classifications developed by each of Riley, Verschaffel and Carpenter and their respective research groups, a refined typology of additive relations word problems is proposed and then used as analytical tool to classify the additive relations word problems in South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Standard…

Enriching the Curriculum through Service Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinsley, Carol W., Ed.; McPherson, Kate, Ed.

In this practical guide to service learning, 21 contributors describe specific service-learning projects that have enhanced the curriculum in schools across the United States and that have improved student learning in the process. In the Foreword, U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, encourages schools to incorporate service learning…

A Bio-Economic Case Study of Canadian Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies: Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) in Queen Breeding Affects Beekeeper Profits.

PubMed

Bixby, Miriam; Baylis, Kathy; Hoover, Shelley E; Currie, Rob W; Melathopoulos, Andony P; Pernal, Stephen F; Foster, Leonard J; Guarna, M Marta

2017-06-01

Over the past decade in North America and Europe, winter losses of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have increased dramatically. Scientific consensus attributes these losses to multifactorial causes including altered parasite and pathogen profiles, lack of proper nutrition due to agricultural monocultures, exposure to pesticides, management, and weather. One method to reduce colony loss and increase productivity is through selective breeding of queens to produce disease-, pathogen-, and mite-resistant stock. Historically, the only method for identifying desirable traits in honey bees to improve breeding was through observation of bee behavior. A team of Canadian scientists have recently identified markers in bee antennae that correspond to behavioral traits in bees and can be tested for in a laboratory. These scientists have demonstrated that this marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be used to produce hygienic, pathogen-resistant honey bee colonies. Based on this research, we present a beekeeping case study where a beekeeper's profit function is used to evaluate the economic impact of adopting colonies selected for hygienic behavior using MAS into an apiary. Our results show a net profit gain from an MAS colony of between 2% and 5% when Varroa mites are effectively treated. In the case of ineffective treatment, MAS generates a net profit benefit of between 9% and 96% depending on the Varroa load. When a Varroa mite population has developed some treatment resistance, we show that MAS colonies generate a net profit gain of between 8% and 112% depending on the Varroa load and degree of treatment resistance. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

PubMed Central

Onuferko, Thomas M.

2018-01-01

Abstract Herein, the cleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee genus Epeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is revised for species occurring in North America, north of Mexico, and an updated checklist of all species known to occur in Canada and the United States of America is provided with comprehensive descriptions, diagnoses, and a single dichotomous key (using the same couplets for both sexes) to aid in their identification. To increase their recognition among North American naturalists, English common names are also proposed for all North American Epeolus. A total of 43 species is confirmed as present in the region, 15 of which are newly recognized. The following new species are proposed based on unique morphological (and in most cases also molecular) attributes: E. andriyi sp. n., E. attenboroughi sp. n., E. axillaris sp. n., E. basili sp. n., E. brumleyi sp. n., E. chamaesarachae sp. n., E. deyrupi sp. n., E. diadematus sp. n., E. ferrarii sp. n., E. gibbsi sp. n., E. inornatus sp. n., E. nebulosus sp. n., E. packeri sp. n., E. splendidus sp. n., and E. tessieris sp. n. Of the 15, six (E. axillaris, E. brumleyi, E. chamaesarachae, E. diadematus, E. splendidus, and E. tessieris) were identified as new species under different names (nomina nuda) in an M.Sc. thesis by Richard L. Brumley in 1965, but until now they have not been formally described. Detailed morphological comparisons with some evidence from DNA barcoding support the following synonymies, one of which C was first proposed by Brumley (1965): a) E. melectimimus Cockerell and Sandhouse, syn. n., under E. asperatus Cockerell; b) E. crucis Cockerell, syn. n., under E. compactus Cresson; c) E. mesillae palmarum Linsley, syn. n., under E. mesillae (Cockerell); and d) E. weemsi Mitchell, syn. n., and e) E. vernalis Mitchell, syn. n., under E. ilicis Mitchell. Only one member of the almost entirely Neotropical “Trophocleptria group” (Epeolus bifasciatus Cresson) is confirmed as occurring north of Mexico, and is widespread

Detoxification and stress response genes expressed in a western North American bumble bee, Bombus huntii (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

PubMed

Xu, Junhuan; Strange, James P; Welker, Dennis L; James, Rosalind R

2013-12-12

The Hunt bumble bee (Bombus huntii Greene, Hymenoptera: Apidae) is a holometabolous, social insect important as a pollinator in natural and agricultural ecosystems in western North America. Bumble bees spend a significant amount of time foraging on a wide variety of flowering plants, and this activity exposes them to both plant toxins and pesticides, posing a threat to individual and colony survival. Little is known about what detoxification pathways are active in bumble bees, how the expression of detoxification genes changes across life stages, or how the number of detoxification genes expressed in B. huntii compares to other insects. We found B. huntii expressed at least 584 genes associated with detoxification and stress responses. The expression levels of some of these genes, such as those encoding the cytochrome P450s, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and glycosidases, vary among different life stages to a greater extent than do other genes. We also found that the number of P450s, GSTs and esterase genes expressed by B. huntii is similar to the number of these genes found in the genomes of other bees, namely Bombus terrestris, Bombus impatiens, Apis mellifera and Megachile rotundata, but many fewer than are found in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. Bombus huntii has transcripts for a large number of detoxification and stress related proteins, including oxidation and reduction enzymes, conjugation enzymes, hydrolytic enzymes, ABC transporters, cadherins, and heat shock proteins. The diversity of genes expressed within some detoxification pathways varies among the life stages and castes, and we typically identified more genes in the adult females than in larvae, pupae, or adult males, for most pathways. Meanwhile, we found the numbers of detoxification and stress genes expressed by B. huntii to be more similar to other bees than to the fruit fly. The low number of detoxification genes, first noted in the honey bee, appears to be a common phenomenon among bees

A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

PubMed

Onuferko, Thomas M

2018-01-01

Herein, the cleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee genus Epeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is revised for species occurring in North America, north of Mexico, and an updated checklist of all species known to occur in Canada and the United States of America is provided with comprehensive descriptions, diagnoses, and a single dichotomous key (using the same couplets for both sexes) to aid in their identification. To increase their recognition among North American naturalists, English common names are also proposed for all North American Epeolus . A total of 43 species is confirmed as present in the region, 15 of which are newly recognized. The following new species are proposed based on unique morphological (and in most cases also molecular) attributes: E. andriyi sp. n. , E. attenboroughi sp. n. , E. axillaris sp. n. , E. basili sp. n. , E. brumleyi sp. n. , E. chamaesarachae sp. n. , E. deyrupi sp. n. , E. diadematus sp. n. , E. ferrarii sp. n. , E. gibbsi sp. n. , E. inornatus sp. n. , E. nebulosus sp. n. , E. packeri sp. n. , E. splendidus sp. n. , and E. tessieris sp. n. Of the 15, six ( E. axillaris , E. brumleyi , E. chamaesarachae , E. diadematus , E. splendidus , and E. tessieris ) were identified as new species under different names ( nomina nuda ) in an M.Sc. thesis by Richard L. Brumley in 1965, but until now they have not been formally described. Detailed morphological comparisons with some evidence from DNA barcoding support the following synonymies, one of which C was first proposed by Brumley (1965): a) E. melectimimus Cockerell and Sandhouse, syn . n ., under E. asperatus Cockerell; b) E. crucis Cockerell, syn . n ., under E. compactus Cresson; c) E. mesillae palmarum Linsley, syn . n ., under E. mesillae (Cockerell); and d) E. weemsi Mitchell, syn . n ., and e) E. vernalis Mitchell, syn . n ., under E. ilicis Mitchell. Only one member of the almost entirely Neotropical "Trophocleptria group" ( Epeolus bifasciatus Cresson) is confirmed as occurring north of Mexico

Effect of insecticides on mealybug destroyer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), natural enemies of citrus mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae).

PubMed

Cloyd, Raymond A; Dickinson, Amy

2006-10-01

In this study, we measured, under laboratory conditions, the direct and indirect effects of insecticides on mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii Howard (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), natural enemies of citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). The adult stages of both natural enemies were exposed to sprays of the insecticides buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, flonicamid, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and clothianidin at label-recommended rates to assess direct mortality after 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. The effects of the insecticides on L. dactylopii parasitization rate and percentage of parasitoid emergence also were monitored using the label and 4x the recommended label rate. Dinotefuran was extremely detrimental to the adult parasitoid at the label rate with 100% mortality after 24 h. Buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, and flonicamid were not harmful to L. dactylopii when applied at the label rate. At 4x the recommended label rate, dinotefuran, acetamiprid, and clothianidin were all harmful to the parasitoid with 100% mortality 72 h after application. Both buprofezin and flonicamid were not toxic to L. dactylopii with 100% adult survival after 72 h. Pyriproxyfen and flonicamid, at both the label and 4x the recommended label rate, did not negatively affect L. dactylopii parasitization rate or percentage of parasitoid emergence. Acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and clothianidin were toxic to C. montrouzieri adults with 100% mortality after 48 h, whereas buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, and flonicamid demonstrated minimal (10-20% mortality after 48 h) harmful effects to the predator. Based on the results from our study, the indirect effects of the insect growth regulator (IGR) buprofezin were not decisive; however, the IGR pyriproxyfen and the insecticide flonicamid were not directly or indirectly harmful to the predator C. montrouzieri and parastioid L. dactylopii, indicating that

Chemometric analysis of Hymenoptera toxins and defensins: A model for predicting the biological activity of novel peptides from venoms and hemolymph.

PubMed

Saidemberg, Daniel M; Baptista-Saidemberg, Nicoli B; Palma, Mario S

2011-09-01

When searching for prospective novel peptides, it is difficult to determine the biological activity of a peptide based only on its sequence. The "trial and error" approach is generally laborious, expensive and time consuming due to the large number of different experimental setups required to cover a reasonable number of biological assays. To simulate a virtual model for Hymenoptera insects, 166 peptides were selected from the venoms and hemolymphs of wasps, bees and ants and applied to a mathematical model of multivariate analysis, with nine different chemometric components: GRAVY, aliphaticity index, number of disulfide bonds, total residues, net charge, pI value, Boman index, percentage of alpha helix, and flexibility prediction. Principal component analysis (PCA) with non-linear iterative projections by alternating least-squares (NIPALS) algorithm was performed, without including any information about the biological activity of the peptides. This analysis permitted the grouping of peptides in a way that strongly correlated to the biological function of the peptides. Six different groupings were observed, which seemed to correspond to the following groups: chemotactic peptides, mastoparans, tachykinins, kinins, antibiotic peptides, and a group of long peptides with one or two disulfide bonds and with biological activities that are not yet clearly defined. The partial overlap between the mastoparans group and the chemotactic peptides, tachykinins, kinins and antibiotic peptides in the PCA score plot may be used to explain the frequent reports in the literature about the multifunctionality of some of these peptides. The mathematical model used in the present investigation can be used to predict the biological activities of novel peptides in this system, and it may also be easily applied to other biological systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cofoundress relatedness and group productivity in colonies of social Dunatothrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) on Australian Acacia

PubMed Central

Bono, Jeremy M.; Crespi, Bernard J.

2015-01-01

Facultative joint colony founding by social insects provides opportunities to analyze the roles of genetic and ecological factors in the evolution of cooperation. Although cooperative nesting is observed in range of social insect taxa, the most detailed studies of this behavior have been conducted with Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps). Here, we show that foundress associations in the haplodiploid social thrips Dunatothrips aneurae (Insecta: Thysanoptera) are most often comprised of close relatives (sisters), though groups with unrelated foundresses are also found. Associations among relatives appear to be facilitated by limited female dispersal, which results in viscous population structure. In addition, we found that per capita productivity declined with increasing group size, sex ratios were female-biased, and some female offspring apparently remained in their natal domicile for some time following eclosion. D. aneurae thus exhibits a suite of similarities with eusocial Hymenoptera, providing evidence for the convergent evolution of associated social and life-history traits in Hymenoptera and Thysanoptera. PMID:26279604

Significant Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in the Setting of Massive Bee Venom-Induced Coagulopathy: A Case Report.

PubMed

Stack, Kelsey; Pryor, Lindsey

2016-09-01

Bees and wasps of the Hymenoptera order are encountered on a daily basis throughout the world. Some encounters prove harmless, while others can have significant morbidity and mortality. Hymenoptera venom is thought to contain an enzyme that can cleave phospholipids and cause significant coagulation abnormalities. This toxin and others can lead to reactions ranging from local inflammation to anaphylaxis. We report a single case of a previously healthy man who presented to the emergency department with altered mental status and anaphylaxis after a massive honeybee envenomation that caused a fall from standing resulting in significant head injury. He was found to have significant coagulopathy and subdural bleeding that progressed to near brain herniation requiring emergent decompression. Trauma can easily occur to individuals escaping swarms of hymenoptera. Closer attention must be paid to potential bleeding sources in these patients and in patients with massive bee envenomation. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RF-Interrogated End-State Chip-Scale Atomic Clock

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

coherent population trapping,” Electronics Letters 37, (24), 1449-1451. [2] R. Lutwak , P. Vlitas, M. Varghese, M. Mescher, D. K. Serkland, and G. M...367. [9] R. Lutwak , D. Emmons, T. English, W. Riley, A. Duwel, M. Varghese, D. K. Serland, and G. M. Peake, 2003, “Chip-Scale Atomic Clock, Recent

Promoting Teachers' Generalization of Intervention Use through Goal Setting and Performance Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Neelima G.; Dufrene, Brad A.; Sterling, Heather E.; Tingstrom, Daniel H.

2013-01-01

Consultation is beneficial for increasing teachers' intervention use for target students. However, little is known about teachers' generalized intervention use. This study is a systematic replication of Riley-Tillman and Eckert ("J Educ Psychol Consult" 12:217-241, 2001) and Martens et al. ("Sch Psychol Q" 12:33-41,…

American Association of Community Colleges 75th Annual Convention: Clinton Presidential Address. [Videotape].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community Colleges, Washington, DC.

This 60 minute videotape is a live satellite presentation of the American Association of Community Colleges' 75th Annual Convention in 1995. Speeches by former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, and former Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, are followed by the presidential address to community colleges by former President Bill Clinton. He…

Federal Information Policies: Their Implementation and Implications for Information Access. A Summary of the Proceedings of the Annual Federal Library and Information Center Committee Forum on Federal Information Policies (3rd, Washington, DC, February 12, 1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Adrian T.

This Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC) Forum on Federal Information Policies focused on the impact of OMB (Office of Management and Budget) Circular A-130, which revises administration policy on information dissemination and the use of automated systems by federal agencies. Introductory remarks by James P. Riley, Kent A.…

Time as a Basic Concept for Theory Building in Social Gerontology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pastorello, Thomas

A typology of time-related concepts is put forth as a step toward the building of comprehensive theory in aging. The concepts derive from statistics (age, cohort, period effects), the theoretical writings of Sorokin (life course role sequences, durations and rates), the writings of Riley (on the synchronization of life course socialization and…

Personalization vs. How People Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Riley asserts that some findings of cognitive science conflict with key principles of personalized learning--that students should control the content of their learning and that they should control the pace of their learning. A personalized approach is in conflict with the cognitive science principle that committing key facts in a discipline to…

Urine pH test

MedlinePlus

... 2015:chap 4. Remer T, Manz F. Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. J Am Diet Assoc . 1995;95(7):791-797. PMID: 7797810 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7797810 . Riley RS, McPherson RA. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, ...

Application of Component Scoring to a Complicated Cognitive Domain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatsuoka, Kikumi K.; Yamamoto, Kentaro

This study used the Montague-Riley Test to introduce a new scoring procedure that revealed errors in cognitive processes occurring at subcomponents of an electricity problem. The test, consisting of four parts with 36 open-ended problems each, was administered to 250 high school students. A computer program, ELTEST, was written applying a…

Influences of Temperature and Ootheca Age on the Life History of the Cockroach Ootheca Parasitoid Aprostocetus hagenowii (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

PubMed

Tee, Hui-Siang; Lee, Chow-Yang

2017-02-01

The influences of ootheca age and temperature on the life history of Aprostocetus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a gregarious ootheca parasitoid of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae), were evaluated. Oothecae were incubated at 20, 25, and 30 °C to produce oothecae aged 1-60, 1-40, and 1-30 d old, respectively. Fitness traits (development time, percentage emergence, number of progeny, percentage female progeny, and female body size) of A. hagenowii developing in these different-aged oothecae were determined. For oothecae incubated at 20, 25, and 30 °C, parasitoids successfully developed in oothecae aged up to 50, 30, and 20 d old, which represent 72.9%, 65.9%, and 61.9% of the total embryonic development time of P. americana, respectively, without any changes in their fitness traits. When A. hagenowii from oothecae kept at constant temperatures (20, 25, 30, 32, and 35 °C) were compared, the immature development time (71.0-34.0 d) and adult life span decreased with increasing temperature. No parasitoid emerged at 35 °C. The lower, upper, and optimal temperature-dependent developmental thresholds were 9.5, 34.2, and 31.1 °C, respectively. Thermal constant for total immature development was 666.7 degree-days. Temperature did not affect lifetime realized fecundity and number of oothecae parasitized by females but did influence parasitism activities over time. Sugar-fed females sustained longer periods of high parasitism rates (≥70%) at 20-30 °C (15-30 d) than at 32-35 °C (1-5 d). These results are useful for determining the ootheca age and temperature range optimal for parasitoid rearing and for estimating the effectiveness of biological control by the wasps. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Annotated type catalogue of the Chrysididae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) deposited in the collection of Maximilian Spinola (1780–1857), Turin

PubMed Central

Rosa, Paolo; Xu, Zai-fu

2015-01-01

Abstract A critical and annotated catalogue of the ninety-six type specimens of Chrysididae (Hymenoptera), belonging to sixty-seven species, housed in the insect collection of Maximilian Spinola is given. The neotypes of six species are designated: Chrysis bicolor Lepeletier, 1806; Chrysis comparata Lepeletier, 1806; Chrysis dives Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis pumila Klug, 1845; Chrysis succincta Linnaeus, 1767; Hedychrum bidentulum Lepeletier, 1806. The lectotypes of twenty-four species are designated: Chrysis aequinoctialis Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis analis Spinola, 1808; Chrysis assimilis Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis bihamata Spinola, 1838; Chrysis chilensis Spinola, 1851; Chrysis dichroa Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis distinguenda Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis episcopalis Spinola, 1838; Chrysis grohmanni Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis incrassata Spinola, 1838; Chrysis pallidicornis Spinola, 1838; Chrysis pulchella Spinola, 1808; Chrysis ramburi Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis refulgens Spinola, 1806; Chrysis splendens Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis succinctula Dahlbom, 1854; Chrysis versicolor Spinola, 1808; Elampus gayi Spinola, 1851; Hedychrum caerulescens Lepeletier, 1806; Hedychrum chloroideum Dahlbom, 1854; Hedychrum difficile Spinola, 1851; Hedychrum virens Dahlbom, 1854; Holopyga janthina Dahlbom, 1854; Holopyga luzulina Dahlbom, 1854. Previous lectotype designations of five species are set aside: Chrysis bicolor Lepeletier, 1806 (designated by Morgan 1984); Chrysis calimorpha Mocsáry, 1882 (designated by Móczár 1965); Chrysis elegans Lepeletier, 1806 (designated by Bohart (in Kimsey and Bohart 1991)); Hedychrum chloroideum Dahlbom, 1854 (designated by Kimsey 1986); Hedychrum rutilans Dahlbom, 1854 (designated by Morgan 1984). Three new synonymies are proposed: Hedychrum intermedium Dahlbom, 1845, syn. n. of Holopyga fervida (Fabricius, 1781); Chrysis sicula Dahlbom, 1854, syn. n. of Chrysis elegans Lepeletier, 1806; Chrysis succinctula Dahlbom, 1854, syn. n. of Chrysis germari Wesmael, 1839. Chrysis