Recently, the number of reported human cases of La Crosse encephalitis, an illness caused by mosquito-borne La Crosse virus (LAC), has increased in southwestern Virginia, resulting in a need for better understanding of the virus cycle and the biology of its vectors in the region. This study examined the spatial and temporal distributions of the primary vector of LAC, Ochlerotatus triseriatus (S...

The western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a key pest of fruit, vegetable, and field crops in the western United States, but many aspects of L. hesperus ecology are poorly documented. A sound understanding of oviposition behavior and characterization of the phases of embryonic development would be useful in studies of interactions between L. hesperus and its ...

Review of semiochemicals that mediate the oviposition of mosquitoes: a possible sustainable tool for the control and monitoring of Culicidae. The choice for suitable places for female mosquitoes to lay eggs is a key-factor for the survival of immature stages (eggs and larvae). This knowledge stands out in importance concerning the control of disease vectors. The selection of a place for oviposi...

Aposematic, or warning, signals are generally interspecific in form: one species advertises noxiousness to a predator or parasite species. In a study of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor), we show that a pattern of colouration in the caterpillars that is considered to be aposematic in the context of attack by natural enemies also deters oviposition by conspecific females. In f...

The suite of pheromones that promote communal oviposition by Simulium vittatum, a North American black fly species, was identified and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electrophysiological, and behavioral bioassays. Behavioral assays demonstrated that communal oviposition was induced by egg-derived compounds that were active at short range and whose effect was enhanced ...

Oviposition and egg quality traits were studied in dwarf and naked neck layers in Maputo (Mozambique) during a 28-d period at 35 weeks of age. Birds were caged individually in a laying house with natural light and ventilation. Average daylight length during the study was 11.2 hr and minimum and maximum temperature was 19.6 °C and 30.1 °C, respectively. The main results show that the sex-linked ...

Screened potted cactus,Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., plants containing pairs of adult male and female cactus moths, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), were placed in a cactus Þeld in St. Marks, FL, to measure oviposition patterns under ambient conditions. Results showed a narrow window for oviposition during third and sixth day of adult femaleÕs life. Peak oviposition act...

background: the survey for the prevalence of different species of cattle hyalomma ticks was carried out in three districts (rawalpindi, multan and lahore) of punjab province in pakistan. the bionomical conditions suitable for hyalomma were also studied in laboratory. methods:  one hundred specimens of ticks of different genera were collected from each district. after identification, the hyalomm...

the laelapid mite, gaeolaelapsaculeifer (canestrini) is widespread in soil habitats and feeds on different small arthropods, fungi and nematodes. the development and fecundity of g. aculeifer feeding on rhizoglyphus echinopus (fumouze & robin) as prey was studied at eight different constant temperatures which include: 16, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 and 32.5 ºc, with relative humidity of 6...

Western flower thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis) is a major global pest of agricultural products. It directly damages crops through feeding, oviposition activity or transmission of several plant viruses. We describe a Taqman real-time quantitative PCR detection system, which can rapidly identify F. occidentalis from thrips larvae to complement the traditional morphological identification. The ...