Methods employed by Australian quarantine officers to control Aedes mosquitoes in containers were tested against all stages of Aedes aegypti. Saltwater emersion killed all larvae but not pupae or eggs that were briefly exposed. Swimming pool chlorine, methyl bromide fumigation, and permethrin (2% active ingredient) spray provided 100% mortality of eggs, larvae, and pupae. Aerosol sprays incorpo...

The genus Harnischia Kieffer, 1921 from China is reviewed and one new species, Harnischia parallela Yan & Wang, sp. n., is described and illustrated as adult male. Harnischia okilurida Sasa is recognized as a new synonym of Harnischia longispuria Wang & Zheng. The pupae of Harnischia fuscimana Kieffer and Harnischia curtilamellata Malloch are redescribed from material collected in China, and an...

Phosphine fumigations under superatmospheric oxygen levels (oxygenated phosphine fumigations) were significantly more effective than the fumigations under the normal 20.9% atmospheric oxygen level against western flower thrips [Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)] adults and larvae, leafminer Liriomyza langei Frick pupae, grape mealybug [Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn)] eggs, and Indianmeal ...

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effect of temperature and cold storage on the performance of Tetrastichus brontispae (Ferriere) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), one of the major endoparasitoids against coconut hispine beetle, Brontispa longissima (Gestro) (Coleptera: Chrysomelidae). The results revealed that T. brontispae could successfully parasitize host pupae under all seven tes...

Laboratory, greenhouse and field studies were conducted on Oomyzus sokolowskii Kurdjumov, a parasite of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), to judge its suitability for introduction in the field to control the plutellid. Oomyzus sokolowskii preferred the third and fourth instar diamondback moth larvae over fresh pupae for parasitization. It is thus a larval parasite. Within the range of...

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are a ubiquitous component of the cellular response to stress in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, but their role and function during desiccation stress in terrestrial arthropods has received limited attention. Molecular responses to rehydration are arguably as important as those to desiccation in maintaining cellular integrity and enzyme activity, but the ro...

In order to determine the most resistant stage to various high temperature treatments for disinfesting dried fruits and nuts of postharvest insect pests, effect of different Indianmeal moth (lMM) and navel orangeworm (NOW) egg ages on response to heat was estimated. Of the ages treated, 9 :i: 8 hr old IMM eggs, and 42 :i: 6 hr old NOW eggs proved to be the most resistant stages to high temperat...

The globally distributed ectoparasite Varroa destructor is a vector for viral pathogens of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera), in particular the Iflavirus Deformed Wing Virus (DWV). In the absence of Varroa low levels DWV occur, generally causing asymptomatic infections. Conversely, Varroa-infested colonies show markedly elevated virus levels, increased overwintering colony losses, with impa...

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a serious pest of stored agricultural products and one of the most common insects found in grain storage and food processing facilities. Heat treatment has been revisited to control stored-product insects as a potential alternative to methyl bromide for disinfesting mills and food-processing facilities. The influence of acclimation of ...

In the butterfly Inachis io, a pupal melanization reducing factor (PMRF) which is located throughout the entire central nervous system controls the intensity of pigmentation of pupal cuticle depending on the background color of the pupation site. PMRF does not only reduce melanization but, in addition, enhances lutein incorporation in a dose-dependent manner to form pupae with yellow color on b...