Wet adhesive systems of insects strongly rely for their function on the formation of capillary bridges with the substrate. Studies on the chemical composition and evaporation dynamics of tarsal secretions strongly suggest a difference in chemistry of secretion in beetles and flies, both possessing hairy attachment devices. This difference is assumed to influence the viscosity of the secretion. ...

Abstract Spotted cucumber beetle ( Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi ; also known as southern corn rootworm) is a pest feeding on many crops, including cucurbits, (maize), peanuts, beans, and other crops wild plants in North America. On cucurbit where it co-occurs with striped Acalymma vittatum ), both are key pests that vector Erwinia tracheiphila, destructive pathogen causes bacterial wilt. ...

Some experiments indicate the ability of coccinellids to significantly suppress aphid abundance. Exclusion of predators by caging aphid-infested plants has repeatedly resulted in higher aphid populations and greater aphid population growth rates. However, aphidophagous coccinellids have never proved effective in controlling aphid populations in the field. To resolve this apparent contradiction,...

Interactions among predators can a have substantial effect on the total impact of the predator complex. We investigated the interaction between foliar-foraging (Coccinella septempunctata) and ground-foraging (Harpalus pennsylvanicus) predators of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) in a series of laboratory and field experiments. The intensity and direction of the interaction were determined by...

We present an updated checklist of the ladybird beetle fauna of New Caledonia. Fifty species have been tracked from literature and collections, but six should be removed from the list as they represent false records, invalid or unestablished species: Coccinella boletifera Fauvel, Harmonia conformis (Boisduval), Menochilus duodecimpunctatus (Fauvel), Micraspis lineola (Fabricius), Orcus australa...