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Mir-2 Family Regulates Insect Metamorphosis by Controlling the Juvenile Hormone Signaling Pathway
MiR-2 family regulates insect metamorphosis by controlling the juvenile hormone signaling pathway Jesus Lozanoa, Raúl Montañeza,b, and Xavier Bellesa,1 aInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; and bInstitució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats–Complex Systems Laboratory, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain Edited by Lynn M. Riddiford, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, and approved February 4, 2015 (received for review September 25, 2014) In 2009 we reported that depletion of Dicer-1, the enzyme that we used the cockroach Blattella germanica as a model, because catalyzes the final step of miRNA biosynthesis, prevents meta- it displays the more primitive hemimetabolan mode of meta- morphosis in Blattella germanica. However, the precise regulatory morphosis, where the juvenile stages already have the adult body roles of miRNAs in the process have remained elusive. In the pres- plan, thus making the transition from nymph to adult much less ent work, we have observed that Dicer-1 depletion results in an dramatic than in holometabolan species. In both hemimetabolan increase of mRNA levels of Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), a juvenile and holometabolan modes the regulation of metamorphosis is ba- hormone-dependent transcription factor that represses metamor- sically ensured by two hormones, the molting hormone (generally phosis, and that depletion of Kr-h1 expression in Dicer-1 knock- 20-hydroxyecdysone), which triggers nonmetamorphic and meta- down individuals rescues metamorphosis. We have also found morphic molts, and the juvenile hormone (JH) that represses the that the 3′UTR of Kr-h1 mRNA contains a functional binding site metamorphic character of the molts (21). -
Climatic Variation of Supercooling Point in the Linden Bug Pyrrhocoris Apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae)
insects Article Climatic Variation of Supercooling Point in the Linden Bug Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae) Tomáš Ditrich 1,* ,Václav Janda 1, Hana Vanˇeˇcková 2 and David Doležel 2 1 Faculty of Education, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31a, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; [email protected] 2 Biology Center, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; [email protected] (H.V.); [email protected] (D.D.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +420-387-773-014 Received: 30 June 2018; Accepted: 15 October 2018; Published: 19 October 2018 Abstract: Cold tolerance is often one of the key components of insect fitness, but the association between climatic conditions and supercooling capacity is poorly understood. We tested 16 lines originating from geographically different populations of the linden bug Pyrrhocoris apterus for their cold tolerance, determined as the supercooling point (SCP). The supercooling point was generally well explained by the climatic conditions of the population’s origin, as the best predictor—winter minimum temperature—explained 85% of the average SCP variation between populations. The supercooling capacity of P. apterus is strongly correlated with climatic conditions, which support the usage of SCP as an appropriate metric of cold tolerance in this species. Keywords: cold tolerance; supercooling point; overwintering; diapause 1. Introduction Population dynamics of temperate insects can be crucially affected by their survival rates during overwintering [1]. Cold tolerance, a key determinant of insect survival during winter, is thus an important research topic for insect ecologists and physiologists. This importance has increased with the recent climate changes around the world, especially in the Northern Hemisphere [2,3]. -
Migrations of Dysdercus Spp. (Hemiptera : Pyrrhocoridae) Related to Movements OP the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone in West Africa
Bull. ent. Res. 67, 185-204 185 Published 1977 .. Migrations of Dysdercus spp. (Hemiptera : Pyrrhocoridae) related to movements OP the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone in West Africa DOMINIQ~DUVIARD * Laboratoire d'EntotnoZogie Agricole, Centre Orstom d'Adiopodoumé, B.P. V51, A bidjan, Zvory Coast Abstract The possibilities of migrations in the West African species of Dysdercus are discussed and a hypothesis of long-range migrations asso- ciated \with the Inter-TTopical Convergence Zone and its wind systems is proposed. Catches of adult Dysdercus in four light-traps distributed from south to north of the Ivory Coast showed that the phenology of assumed migratory activity in D. voelkeri Schmidt differs with latitude and may be correlated with particular types of weather; stainer migrations taking place during the warm, wet and sunny part of the year. The whole life cycle of the insects as well as their flight activity occur under these climatic conditions, prevailing in a belt of 600-900 km width, situated immediately to the south of the Inter-Tropical Front. Colonisation of newly available habitats is thus only possible when climatic factors allow: (i), migratory flight activity and (ii), survival in the colonised area. A close examination of the timing of both migrations in the two main species, D. voelkeri and D. mehoderes Karsch, and of annual movements of the I.T.F. leads to the only logical hypothesis that the transportation of migrating insects is effected by atmospheric convergence, prevailing wind currents and air mass displacements. Introduction Migration of adults of a new generation from one breeding site to another is an important feature of the biology of many insect species (Southwood, 1960; Johnson, 1969; Bowden, 1973; Dingle, 1974) and migrants must therefore be considered as active colonisers of every potential habitat, and not just as individuals leaving an unsuitable environment (Dingle, 1972). -
Pyrrhocoris Apterus (Linnaeus, 1758) - a New Record of Firebug (Hemiptera, Pyrrhocoridae) from Malta
Correspondence BULL. ENT. SOC. MALTA (2019) Vol. 10 : 106–107 DOI: 10.17387/BULLENTSOCMALTA.2019.12 Pyrrhocoris apterus (Linnaeus, 1758) - a new record of firebug (Hemiptera, Pyrrhocoridae) from Malta Thomas CASSAR1 True bugs of the family Pyrrhocoridae, more commonly known as red bugs, cotton stainers or (in the case of Pyrrhocoris apterus) firebugs, are represented by 43 species from 13 genera in the Palaearctic (AUKEMA & RIEGER, 2001). The Heteroptera of the Maltese Islands have been relatively well-studied, with 141 species recorded (CUESTA SEGURA et al., 2010; CARAPEZZA & MIFSUD, 2015; 2016). Of these, only one species belongs to the family Pyrrhocoridae - Scantius aegyptius aegyptius. However, specimens collected in summer of 2018 were confirmed to bePyrrhocoris apterus, a new Pyrrhocorid record for Malta. Pyrrhocoris apterus (Linnaeus, 1758) Material examined: Malta, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, 20.vi.2018, leg. T. Cassar (1 macropterous); Rabat, Chadwick Lakes, 16.ix.2018, leg. T. Cassar (1 brachypterous); Rabat, Chadwick Lakes, 19.ix.2018, leg. T. Cassar (1 brachypterous). Notes: Pyrrhocoris apterus has a predominantly Palaearctic distribution, being present from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards into Siberia and China, including most of central and southern Europe. In controlled conditions, eggs take seven and a half days to hatch (MATOLÍN, 1973). P. apterus goes through five larval instars, the last of which lasts the longest – typically about seven days R( IZKI & SLÁMA, 1968). Adults can be either brachypterous or macropterous, though various intermediate morphs exist. Brachypters’ wings are reduced to vestigial scales whilst macropterous individuals have well-developed pairs of wings which extend to the abdomen tip or past it (SEIDENSTÜCKER, 1953). -
Predator Dependent Mimetic Complexes: Do Passerine Birds Avoid Central European Red-And-Black Heteroptera?
Eur. J. Entomol. 107: 349–355, 2010 http://www.eje.cz/scripts/viewabstract.php?abstract=1546 ISSN 1210-5759 (print), 1802-8829 (online) Predator dependent mimetic complexes: Do passerine birds avoid Central European red-and-black Heteroptera? KATEěINA HOTOVÁ SVÁDOVÁ, ALICE EXNEROVÁ, MICHALA KOPEýKOVÁ and PAVEL ŠTYS Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viniþná 7, CZ-128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic; e-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Key words. Aposematism, true bugs, Heteroptera, avian predators, mimetic complex Abstract. True bugs are generally considered to be well protected against bird predation. Sympatric species that have similar warning coloration are supposed to form a functional Müllerian mimetic complex avoided by visually oriented avian predators. We have tested whether these assumptions hold true for four species of European red-and-black heteropterans, viz. Pyrrhocoris apterus, Lygaeus equestris, Spilostethus saxatilis, and Graphosoma lineatum. We found that individual species of passerine birds differ in their responses towards particular bug species. Great tits (Parus major) avoided all of them on sight, robins (Erithacus rubecula) and yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) discriminated among them and attacked bugs of some species with higher probability than oth- ers, and blackbirds (Turdus merula) frequently attacked bugs of all the tested species. Different predators thus perceive aposematic prey differently, and the extent of Batesian-Müllerian mimetic complexes and relations among the species involved is predator dependent. INTRODUCTION some cases their very existence are often suspect and Unpalatable animals usually use warning signals to dis- mostly lack experimental evidence. Only few comparative courage predators from attacking them. -
The Ecology of the Viburnum Whitefly, Aleurotrachelus Jelinekii (Frauenf
The Ecology of the Viburnum Whitefly, Aleurotrachelus jelinekii (Frauenf.). by Patricia Mary Reader B.Sc, A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of London. Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology Imperial College at Silwood Park Ascot Berkshire April 1981 2. ABSTRACT A long term study on the Viburnum whitefly, Aleurotrachelus jelinokii (Frauenf.) was begun in 1962. This is an introduced species to Britain, originally from the Mediterranean, with southern England representing the northern edge of its range. Previously, (Southwood & Reader, 1976), it had been shown that the major controlling factors for the population on the bushes at Silwood Park were adult mortality and factors affecting fecundity. Consequently this thesis focuses on the adult stage and examines, in the first place, the effects of such factors as host plant, density and temperature, on the fecundity of the insect, all of which have some influence on the number of eggs produced. The extent of migration is then discussed, with the conclusion that this is not likely to be a major cause of population dilution. Indeed, tests show that this whitefly will not pursue the prolonged flights expected in a migrating insect. The impact of various predators on the whitefly populations was also examined and only one, Conwentzia psociformis, responded numerically to changes in population densities mainly because it is multivoltine; all the other predator species had one generation a year. Finally, the relation- ship between the host plant and the insect was assessed. Food quality was expressed in amino acid levels found in the leaves both within and between seasons, and it was concluded that a relationship between total levels and egg numbers per leaf could be established. -
Ag. Ento. 3.1 Fundamentals of Entomology Credit Ours: (2+1=3) THEORY Part – I 1
Ag. Ento. 3.1 Fundamentals of Entomology Ag. Ento. 3.1 Fundamentals of Entomology Credit ours: (2+1=3) THEORY Part – I 1. History of Entomology in India. 2. Factors for insect‘s abundance. Major points related to dominance of Insecta in Animal kingdom. 3. Classification of phylum Arthropoda up to classes. Relationship of class Insecta with other classes of Arthropoda. Harmful and useful insects. Part – II 4. Morphology: Structure and functions of insect cuticle, moulting and body segmentation. 5. Structure of Head, thorax and abdomen. 6. Structure and modifications of insect antennae 7. Structure and modifications of insect mouth parts 8. Structure and modifications of insect legs, wing venation, modifications and wing coupling apparatus. 9. Metamorphosis and diapause in insects. Types of larvae and pupae. Part – III 10. Structure of male and female genital organs 11. Structure and functions of digestive system 12. Excretory system 13. Circulatory system 14. Respiratory system 15. Nervous system, secretary (Endocrine) and Major sensory organs 16. Reproductive systems in insects. Types of reproduction in insects. MID TERM EXAMINATION Part – IV 17. Systematics: Taxonomy –importance, history and development and binomial nomenclature. 18. Definitions of Biotype, Sub-species, Species, Genus, Family and Order. Classification of class Insecta up to Orders. Major characteristics of orders. Basic groups of present day insects with special emphasis to orders and families of Agricultural importance like 19. Orthoptera: Acrididae, Tettigonidae, Gryllidae, Gryllotalpidae; 20. Dictyoptera: Mantidae, Blattidae; Odonata; Neuroptera: Chrysopidae; 21. Isoptera: Termitidae; Thysanoptera: Thripidae; 22. Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Coreidae, Cimicidae, Pyrrhocoridae, Lygaeidae, Cicadellidae, Delphacidae, Aphididae, Coccidae, Lophophidae, Aleurodidae, Pseudococcidae; 23. Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Papiloinidae, Noctuidae, Sphingidae, Pyralidae, Gelechiidae, Arctiidae, Saturnidae, Bombycidae; 24. -
Folk Taxonomy, Nomenclature, Medicinal and Other Uses, Folklore, and Nature Conservation Viktor Ulicsni1* , Ingvar Svanberg2 and Zsolt Molnár3
Ulicsni et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2016) 12:47 DOI 10.1186/s13002-016-0118-7 RESEARCH Open Access Folk knowledge of invertebrates in Central Europe - folk taxonomy, nomenclature, medicinal and other uses, folklore, and nature conservation Viktor Ulicsni1* , Ingvar Svanberg2 and Zsolt Molnár3 Abstract Background: There is scarce information about European folk knowledge of wild invertebrate fauna. We have documented such folk knowledge in three regions, in Romania, Slovakia and Croatia. We provide a list of folk taxa, and discuss folk biological classification and nomenclature, salient features, uses, related proverbs and sayings, and conservation. Methods: We collected data among Hungarian-speaking people practising small-scale, traditional agriculture. We studied “all” invertebrate species (species groups) potentially occurring in the vicinity of the settlements. We used photos, held semi-structured interviews, and conducted picture sorting. Results: We documented 208 invertebrate folk taxa. Many species were known which have, to our knowledge, no economic significance. 36 % of the species were known to at least half of the informants. Knowledge reliability was high, although informants were sometimes prone to exaggeration. 93 % of folk taxa had their own individual names, and 90 % of the taxa were embedded in the folk taxonomy. Twenty four species were of direct use to humans (4 medicinal, 5 consumed, 11 as bait, 2 as playthings). Completely new was the discovery that the honey stomachs of black-coloured carpenter bees (Xylocopa violacea, X. valga)were consumed. 30 taxa were associated with a proverb or used for weather forecasting, or predicting harvests. Conscious ideas about conserving invertebrates only occurred with a few taxa, but informants would generally refrain from harming firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus), field crickets (Gryllus campestris) and most butterflies. -
Review of the West Indian Arachnocoris Scott, 1881 (Hemiptera: Nabidae), with Descriptions of Two New Species, and a Catalog of the Species1
Life: The Excitement of Biology 4(1) 32 Review of the West Indian Arachnocoris Scott, 1881 (Hemiptera: Nabidae), with Descriptions of Two New Species, and a Catalog of the Species1 Javier E. Mercado2, Jorge A. Santiago-Blay3, and Michael D. Webb4 Abstract: We review the West Indian species of Arachnocoris, a genus of spider-web dwelling kleptoparasitic nabids. We recognize five species: A. berytoides Uhler from Grenada, A. darlingtoni n. sp. from Hispaniola, A. karukerae Lopez-Moncet from Guadeloupe, A. portoricensis n. sp. from Puerto Rico, and A. trinitatis Bergroth from Trinidad. West Indian Arachnocoris antennal and profemoral color banding patterns are useful diagnostic characters and may have evolved to mimic their spider hosts, which are often island endemic spiders in the family Pholcidae. We provide a simplified and illustrated key to the species based on external characters. A catalog for the 16 recognized species of Arachnocoris is presented. Keywords: Hemiptera, Nabidae, Arachnocoris, new species, Neotropical, West Indies Introduction The Nabidae are a relatively small family in the insect order Hemiptera with approximately 20-30 genera and 400-500 described species (Henry 2009, Faúndez and Carvajal 2014). All described species are terrestrial predators. Some species are considered beneficial to humans as these help control populations of agricultural pests. Several species of Nabis have been reported as biting humans (Faúndez 2015). Within the Nabidae Arachnocoris is one of two genera in the tribe Arachnocorini. The arachnophilic genus5 Arachnocoris Scott is a small and little-known group of specialized kleptoparasitic nabids that spend their life- stages living in a relatively treacherous habitat, namely a spider’s web, particularly non-sticky portions of it (Henry 1999; Mercado-Santiago-Blay 2015; Figure 1, this paper). -
Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Oriental Region
ACTA ENTOMOLOGICA MUSEI NATIONALIS PRAGAE Published 8.xii.2008 Volume 48(2), pp. 611-648 ISSN 0374-1036 New taxa of the Largidae and Pyrrhocoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Oriental Region Jaroslav L. STEHLÍK1) & Zdeněk JINDRA2) 1) Department of Entomology, Moravian Museum, Hviezdoslavova 29a, CZ-627 00 Brno – Slatina, Czech Republic 2) Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Agriculture, CZ-165 21 Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic; e-mail: [email protected] Abstract. The following new taxa are described in the Largidae and Pyrrhocoridae: Largidae – Delacampius alboarcuatus sp. nov. (Indonesia: Bali), D. parvulus sp. nov. (Thailand), D. siberutensis sp. nov. (Indonesia: Siberut), Iphita fasciata sp. nov. (India: Maharastra), I. fuscorubra sp. nov. (India: Maharastra), I. heissi sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sumatra), I. rubricata albolutea subsp. nov. (Malaysia: Sabah), I. varians rubra subsp. nov. (Indonesia: Nias), Physopelta kotheae sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sumatra, Java), Ph. melanopyga rufi femur subsp. nov. (Indonesia: Seram), and Ph. trimaculata sp. nov. (India: Maharastra); Pyrrhocoridae – Arma- tillus sulawesiensis sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sulawesi), Brancucciana (Rubriascopus) orientalis sp. nov. (Indonesia: Alor, Sumatra, Timor, Yamdena; Philippines: Mindanao), Dindymus (Dindymus) baliensis sp. nov. (Indonesia: Bali), D. (Din- dymus) sundaensis sp. nov. (Indonesia: Alor), D. (Pseudodindymus) albicornis siberutensis subsp. nov. (Indonesia: Siberut, Nias), D. (Pseudodindymus) stysi sp. nov. (Indonesia: Butung Island), Dysdercus (Paradysdercus) transversalis castaneus subsp. nov. (Indonesia: Yamdena, Banda Islands), Ectatops riedeli sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sulawesi), E. schoenitzeri sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sulawesi), and Eu- scopus tristis sp. nov. (India: Kerala). Two new combinations within the Largidae are established: Iphita fi mbriata (Stål, 1863) comb. -
Acacia Flat Mite (Brevipalpus Acadiae Ryke & Meyer, Tenuipalpidae, Acarina): Doringboomplatmyt
Creepie-crawlies and such comprising: Common Names of Insects 1963, indicated as CNI Butterfly List 1959, indicated as BL Some names the sources of which are unknown, and indicated as such Gewone Insekname SKOENLAPPERLYS INSLUITENDE BOSLUISE, MYTE, SAAMGESTEL DEUR DIE AALWURMS EN SPINNEKOPPE LANDBOUTAALKOMITEE Saamgestel deur die MET MEDEWERKING VAN NAVORSINGSINSTITUUT VIR DIE PLANTBESKERMING TAALDIENSBURO Departement van Landbou-tegniese Dienste VAN DIE met medewerking van die DEPARTEMENT VAN ONDERWYS, KUNS EN LANDBOUTAALKOMITEE WETENSKAP van die Taaldiensburo 1959 1963 BUTTERFLY LIST Common Names of Insects COMPILED BY THE INCLUDING TICKS, MITES, EELWORMS AGRICULTURAL TERMINOLOGY AND SPIDERS COMMITTEE Compiled by the IN COLLABORATION WiTH PLANT PROTECTION RESEARCH THE INSTITUTE LANGUAGE SERVICES BUREAU Department of Agricultural Technical Services OF THE in collaboration with the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ARTS AND AGRICULTURAL TERMINOLOGY SCIENCE COMMITTEE DIE STAATSDRUKKER + PRETORIA + THE of the Language Service Bureau GOVERNMENT PRINTER 1963 1959 Rekenaarmatig en leksikografies herverwerk deur PJ Taljaard e-mail enquiries: [email protected] EXPLANATORY NOTES 1 The list was alphabetised electronically. 2 On the target-language side, ie to the right of the :, synonyms are separated by a comma, e.g.: fission: klowing, splyting The sequence of the translated terms does NOT indicate any preference. Preferred terms are underlined. 3 Where catchwords of similar form are used as different parts of speech and confusion may therefore -
Native Insects on Non-Native Plants in the Netherlands: Curiosities Or Common Practice?
288 entomologische berichten 72 (6) 2012 Native insects on non-native plants in The Netherlands: curiosities or common practice? Kim Meijer Chris Smit Leo W. Beukeboom Menno Schilthuizen KEY WORDS Herbivorous insects, introduced plants, inventory, phytophagous insects Entomologische Berichten 72 (6): 288-293 In The Netherlands, close to 10% of all plant species occurring in natural habitats are non-native: species that were introduced from e.g. North America or Asia. Insect communities on non-native plants tend to get little attention from many (amateur) entomologists in The Netherlands for two main reasons. First, it is assumed that non-native plant species are not commonly used by herbivorous insects as host plants. Second, many entomologists consider insects associated with non-native plants of minor interest. Here, we give an overview of a large number (99) of native herbivorous insect species collected from non-native plant, clearly showing that non-native plants are used often as host plants. Introduction that species shifting to a novel environment (e.g., ecosystem or Non-native species can cause serious economic damage. In host) suffer less from natural enemies like predators, parasites, North America more than 50,000 species of plants, animals and herbivores and pathogens. Blossey & Nötzold (1995) suggested microbes have been introduced, causing an estimated $137 bil- the ‘Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability Hypothesis’ lion damage annually (Pimentel 2001). Furthermore, in many (EICA) as possible explanation of the success of non-native countries non-native species have a large effect on native spe- species. The EICA predicts that if plants escape from their her- cies and therefore also on the natural ecosystems in which bivores, they will allocate fewer resources to herbivore defence they occur.