ABSTRACT HERTL, PETER THOMAS. The life cycle and development of Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder and S. borellii Giglio-Tos (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in southeastern North Carolina. (Under the direction of Rick Lynn Brandenburg.) The development of the tawny (Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder) and southern mole cricket (S. borellii Giglio-Tos) was quantified in southeastern North Carolina from field-collected samples. Nymphs were sampled weekly using the soapy water flush technique during the summers of 1993–1997 at nine golf courses to compile a developmental data base from a total of 20 site-years. Pronotal length was used to assign the nymphs to size classes, and counts were summarized on a m2 basis. The two smallest size classes were equated to the first and second instar and counts were used to quantify the timing of 25, 50 and 75% peak and cumulative abundance and estimate the timing of oviposition and hatch. Flight behavior was studied concurrently at two sites using paired acoustic calling traps to capture flying adults. Timing of flight was compared to timing of nymph abundance. Flight counts were also compared to nymph counts before and after flight at both sites, and with damage levels occurring later in the season at one site. The relationship between soil moisture and damage was studied (1995–1997) in the field at one site and the relationship between soil moisture and oviposition was studied in a series of greenhouse experiments. Soil moisture was found to significantly affect both surface activity and oviposition. On-site soil degree-day accumulations and rainfall data from regional weather stations were examined to determine their relationship to the timing of development and flight. Soil degree-days were correlated with the timing of cumulative nymph abundance, however, date quantified timing better than degree-days. A statistically significant correlation between the timing of development and both soil degree-days and rainfall was found. Differences in annual degree-day accumulations and a soil moisture-related delay in oviposition documented in the greenhouse experiments are believed responsible for observed differences in annual development. Management implications of the research are discussed. THE LIFE CYCLE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCAPTERISCUS VICINUS SCUDDER AND S. BORELLII GIGLIO-TOS (ORTHOPTERA: GRYLLOTALPIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA by PETER THOMAS HERTL A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy ENTOMOLOGY Raleigh 2003 APPROVED BY: ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ __________________________________ Chair of Advisory Committee DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Jack E. Bailey who served on my graduate committee as a friend, colleague, mentor and advisor until his untimely death in 2002. Jack always encouraged me in his gentle way and offered guidance and advice on many fronts, both professional and personal. He always found time to see me, even when he had a heavy schedule and had other important and pressing things to do. His experience, counsel, encouragement and support were much missed in the final days of this project. His passing has helped me to realize the short and fragile nature of life, perhaps a more important lesson than any learned in the classroom or field. It is with deep regret that he is not here to share in the joy of this work’s completion. He will be missed, but never forgotten. ii BIOGRAPHY Peter Thomas Hertl was born on 11 August 1954 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Towson, Maryland where he completed his secondary education at Towson Senior High School, graduating in 1973. In September of 1973, he began undergraduate studies in Biology at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. He transferred to North Carolina State University (NCSU) in 1975 and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology in 1978. Graduate studies in Acarology leading to a Master of Science degree in Entomology were completed at NCSU in the spring of 1986. Since that time he has been employed as a Technician, and later as a Research Assistant in Peanut and Turfgrass Entomology in the Department of Entomology at the University. He is an avid caver and has traveled extensively in Mexico and Venezuela. He began doctoral studies in Entomology at NCSU in the fall of 1993 and is currently a member of the North Carolina Entomological Society and the Entomological Society of America. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Rick L. Brandenburg for his patience, guidance and support of these graduate studies. The additional generous support, advice and critical review of manuscripts by committee members Drs. Mary E. Barbercheck, P. Sterling Southern, Ronald E. Stinner, and C. Bruce Williams III is also greatly appreciated. Very special thanks are extended to Dr. Cavell Brownie (Department of Statistics, NC State University) for indespensable assistance with statistical analysis of results. Field studies would not have been possible without the active cooperation and participation of a number of golf course superintendents including David Pate (Sea Trail Plantation), Rick Vigland and Chuck Baldwin (The Lakes Country Club), Billy Lewis (Oak Island and Brierwood Golf Courses), Mike Claffey (Cape Fear Country Club), Sammy Corbett (Duck Haven Golf Course), Gary ‘Cutter’ Smitter (Landfall Golf Club), Sam Osteen (Oyster Bay Golf Links), and Terry Warlick (Olde Point Golf and Country Club. Special thanks are also extended to Jason Cryan for assistance processing specimens in the laboratory. Student research assistants Ian Winborne and Ed Karoly and coworkers Brian Royals and Dr. Yulu Xia are also acknowledged for long hours of sampling in the field and assistance in performing the greenhouse studies and data entry. Additional thanks are also extended to the host of Brunswick County Master Gardener volunteers that helped to collect field data and specimens for various studies. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................xi I. FLIGHT ACTIVITY OF SCAPTERISCUS VICINUS SCUDDER AND S. BORELLII GIGLIO-TOS (ORTHOPTERA: GRYLLOTALPIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.........................................................1 Introduction..............................................................................................................2 Materials and Methods.............................................................................................5 Results.....................................................................................................................9 Discussion..............................................................................................................22 References Cited....................................................................................................29 II. THE EFFECT OF SOIL MOISTURE ON OVIPOSITIONAL BEHAVIOR IN THE SOUTHERN MOLE CRICKET SCAPTERISCUS BORELLII GIGLIO-TOS (ORTHOPTERA: GRYLLOTALPIDAE)......................................41 Introduction............................................................................................................42 Materials and Methods...........................................................................................44 Results....................................................................................................................48 Discussion..............................................................................................................54 References Cited....................................................................................................59 v III. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCAPTERISCUS VICINUS SCUDDER AND S. BORELLII GIGLIO-TOS IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...........................................................................................70 Introduction...........................................................................................................71 Materials and Methods.........................................................................................73 Results..................................................................................................................79 Discussion.............................................................................................................90 References Cited..................................................................................................114 IV. EFFECT OF MOISTURE AND TIME OF YEAR ON MOLE CRICKET (ORTHOPTERA: GRYLLOTALPIDAE) SURFACE TUNNELING...................................................................................130 Introduction.........................................................................................................131 Materials and Methods........................................................................................134 Results.................................................................................................................136 Discussion...........................................................................................................139 References Cited.................................................................................................143